Joe Novak, Ryan’s Hope

In 1981, Roscoe Born set the precedent for the “good mobster” with a heart of gold when he assumed from Richard Muenz the role of the ABC soap’s reluctant don.
In 1981, Roscoe Born set the precedent for the “good mobster” with a heart of gold when he assumed from Richard Muenz the role of the ABC soap’s reluctant don.
Proof that only the good die young, the un-killable sometime cult leader made life hell for the much-missed soap’s heroine, Viki, and her daughters, Jessica and Natalie.
You couldn’t stop Born as naughty-and-slightly-less-naughty twins on the daring NBC soap, you could only hope to contain him. Behind bars, if necessary.
The Canadian-German soap re-teamed Born with future former wife Roberta Weiss (Santa Barbara’s Flame) as a clothing-averse stalker.
When ABC spun off Loving into a new SoHo-set soap, the network wisely recruited the daytime vet to help put it on the map.
Following the cancellation of The City, Born moved to Pine Valley as a sleazy photographer whose specialty was, let’s say, negatives.
Laying the groundwork for his next villainous role, Born brought to appalling life the abusive father of poor, formerly mute Max Brady.
Ever wonder why Kevin grew up to be an Internet predator? The answer was Daddy Dearest, as played to wicked perfection by Born.
In his last new soap role, Born played a prison overseer who — let’s be real — deserved to be in a cell of his own.