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General Hospital Alum Martin West Dead at 82
Friday, January 3rd, 2020
Veteran soap opera, film and television star passed away.
Soaps.com is saddened to report that General Hospital alum Martin West passed away at the age of 82 on December 31, 2019.
West was born Martin Weixelbaum on August 28, 1937 in Southampton, New York. He began his career in theaters in New York, appearing in The Andersonville Trial with George C Scott (Patton) in 1959. In 1960 he made his film debut as the star of Freckles. He has appeared in over thirty films including The Sergeant Was a Lady (1961), Lord Love A Duck (1966), Alfred Hitchcock’s Family Plot (1976), John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) and Mac and Me (1988).
More: Soap actors lost in 2019
The actor is best known to soap opera viewers for his nine years on General Hospital as Dr. Phil Brewer beginning in 1967. The character was one of the original cast members and West was the sixth and final actor to play him, though in a special episode in 2015 commemorating the original episode, Ryan Carnes (Lucas Jones) played the part in flashbacks. West’s other television credits include Don Hughes on As the World Turns, Perry Mason (1965), Gunsmoke (1966), Bonanza (1967) Ironside (1970), as Phil McKenna on Dallas (1981), Highway to Heaven (1985), Matlock (1988), and LA Law (1989). In 1993 the actor moved to Westport, Connecticut where he became a member of the Theater Artists Workshop of Westport, acting and directing numerous productions. He also produced the documentaries A Gathering of Glory and Years in the Making about the history of arts and artists in Westport.
Soaps.com sends our deepest condolences to West’s life partner Ann Chernow, whom he’d been with since 1998, his three children, Jason Weixelbaum, Allie West, and Gabriel West, his stepson, Paul Mend, and his sister, Gail Britt. View others lost to daytime in 2019 in the gallery below…
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<p>One Life to Live’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/541364/stephen-markle-dead-73/" target="_blank">Stephen Markle (Mel Hayes) Dead at 73</a> November 6 2018 (his death was not announced until 2019) – pictured here with Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord).</p>
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<p>‘Dallas’ Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/539819/ken-kercheval-dead-at-83/" target="_blank">Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes) Dead at 83</a>, April 20.</p>
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<p>Passions Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/539179/passions-alum-georgia-engel-dead-at-70/" target="_blank">Georgia Engel (Esmerelda) Dead at 70</a> years of age in Princeton, New Jersey.</p>
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<p>Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/534484/yrs-kristoff-st-john-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters) Dead at 52</a> on February 3. The official cause of death was “hypertrophic heart disease… and effects of ethanol.”</p>
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<p>Soap Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536641/soap-alum-jed-allan-dead-at-84/" target="_blank">Jed Allan Dead at 84</a> in Palm Desert, California on March 10.</p>
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6/43
<p>90210, Loving and Another World’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536171/luke-perry-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Luke Perry Dead at 52</a> on Monday March 4 due to a massive stroke</p>
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7/43
<p>Soap’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536095/soap-star-katherine-helmond-dead-at-89/" target="_blank">Katherine Helmond died on February 28</a> at age 89 due to Alzheimer’s complications.</p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/534928/days-alum-steve-bean-dead-at-58/" target="_blank">Steve Bean (Steve Levy) passed away</a> on January 21 at the age of 58 due to sino-squamous cell carcinoma.</p>
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9/43
<p>As the World Turns, The Doctors and Another World’s Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/535856/soap-alum-beverley-owen-of-the-munsters-dead-at-81/" target="_blank">Beverley Owen of ‘The Munsters’ Dead at 81</a> on February 21.</p>
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<p>Soap Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/534465/soap-alum-carmen-duncan-dead-at-76/" target="_blank">Carmen Duncan Dead at 76</a> on February 3 due to cancer.</p>
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<p>Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/534484/yrs-kristoff-st-john-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters) Dead at 52</a> on February 3. The official cause of death was “hypertrophic heart disease… and effects of ethanol.”</p>
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<p>General Hospital’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/533139/general-hospitals-donna-messina-dead-at-59/" target="_blank">Donna Messina Dead at 59</a> on December 6, 2018 (the word did not come out until January 7, 2019)</p>
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<p>Days, ‘Star Trek’ Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/533195/days-star-trek-alum-william-morgan-sheppard-dead-at-86/" target="_blank">William Morgan Sheppard Dead at 86</a> on January 6.</p>
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<p>Soap Writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/533566/soap-writer-bettina-bradbury-dead-at-63/" target="_blank">Bettina Bradbury died at age 63</a> on January 13. She wrote for All My Children, Days of our Lives, One life to Live and Santa Barbara.</p>
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<p>B&B and Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/533130/bb-and-yrs-scha-jani-dead-at-66/" target="_blank">Scha Jani Dead at 66</a> on November 26, 2018 (information was not available until January 7, 2019).</p>
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<p>All My Children and One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/543555/all-my-children-one-life-to-live-sylvia-miles-dead-94/" target="_blank">Sylvia Miles passed away at age 94 </a>from unknown causes while en route to the hospital.</p>
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<p>General Hospital actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/544572/general-hospital-susan-bernard-dead-71/" target="_blank">Susan Bernard passed away at 71</a> from an apparent heart attack.</p>
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<p>As the World Turns and Edge of Night director <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/544853/as-the-world-turns-edge-of-night-director-joel-aronowitz-dead/" target="_blank">Joel Aronowitz passed away</a> on June 29 following a brief illness. </p>
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19/43
<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/544975/arte-johnson-laugh-in-general-hospital-dead/" target="_blank">Arte Johnson died on July 3</a> following a battle of bladder and prostate cancer.</p>
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<p>General Hospital: Night Shift alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/545121/general-hospital-night-shift-cameron-boyce-dead/" target="_blank">Cameron Boyce died in his sleep</a> at the age of 20 following a seizure. The actor had been treated for epilepsy. </p>
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21/43
<p>Willy Wonka, Search for Tomorrow and Dark Shadows actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/545337/search-for-tomorrow-dark-shadows-willy-wonka-chocolate-factory-denise-nickerson-dead-at-62/" target="_blank">Denise Nickerson died at 62</a> on July 11 after suffering a stroke. </p>
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<p>Soap opera vet <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/545963/obituary-guiding-light-robert-milli-dead-86/" target="_blank">Robert Milli passed away at 86</a> after a battle with cancer. </p>
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<p>Another World and Young and Restless alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/546021/obituary-young-and-restless-david-hedison-dead-92/" target="_blank">David Hedison passed away</a> at 92. </p>
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<p>Bold and Beautiful and Young and Restless makeup artist <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/546173/yr-bb-actors-mourn-make-up-artist-jenna-wittman/" target="_blank">Jenna Wittman passed away in July 2019</a> after being put on life support. </p>
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<p>Bold and Beautiful Production Designer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/546935/obituary-sy-tomashoff-dead-96/" target="_blank">Sy Tomashoff passed away at 96</a>. </p>
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<p>Another World actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/548938/carol-lynley-dead-77/" target="_blank">Carol Lynley passed away at 77</a> after suffering a heartattack.</p>
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<p>Days of our Lives and Generations script writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/549160/rocci-chatfield-dead-93/" target="_blank">Rocci Chatfield passed away at 93</a> of natural causes. </p>
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<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/549598/obituary-brian-turk-dead-49/" target="_blank">Brian Turk passed away at 49</a> due to complications from brain cancer.</p>
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29/43
<p>One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/549629/obituary-phyllis-newman-dead-86/" target="_blank">Phyllis Newman passed away</a> at 86. </p>
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<p>Another World writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550345/obituary-jan-merlin-dead-94/" target="_blank">Jan Merlin passed away</a> at 94. </p>
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31/43
<p>Soap opera writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550303/soap-writer-hogan-sheffer-dead-61/" target="_blank">Hogan Sheffer passed away</a> at 61. </p>
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<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/549940/general-hospital-suzanne-whang-dead-56/" target="_blank">Suzanne Whang passed away at 56</a> as a result of breast cancer.</p>
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<p>Dynasty actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550721/obituary-diahann-carroll-dead-84/" target="_blank">Diahann Carroll passed away at 84</a> as a result of cancer. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/550801/obituary-lewis-dauber-dead-70/" target="_blank">Lewis Dauber passed away at 70</a> as a result of liver cancer.</p>
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<p>Edge of Night and Maude alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/551502/obituary-bill-macy-dead-97/" target="_blank">Bill Macy passed away</a> at the age of 97 on October 17. </p>
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<p>Y&R’s Beth Maitland’s ex-husband and General Hospital Sound Tech <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/552689/gh-sound-tech-christopher-banninger-dead/" target="_blank">Christopher Banninger passed away</a> due to a massive heart attack.</p>
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<p>One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/552667/obituary-one-life-to-live-brian-tarantina-dead-60/" target="_blank">Brian Tarantina passed away</a> at 60. </p>
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<p>Young and Restless and General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/552944/obituary-yr-william-wintersole-dead-88/" target="_blank">William Wintersole passed away at 88</a> due to complications from cancer. </p>
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<p>Will & Grace alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/554988/obituary-shelley-morrison-dead-83/" target="_blank">Shelley Morrison has passed away at 83</a>. The actress also appeared on ABC’s General Hospiral as Mrs. Ramirez in 1982.</p>
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<p>Award-winning producer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/555442/obituary-young-and-restless-producer-lisa-de-cazotte-dead-58/" target="_blank">Lisa de Cazotte passed away at 58</a>. She worked on numerous soap operas including All My Children, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Santa Barbara and held a position at Young and Restless at the time of her death. </p>
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<p>One Life to Live actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/556678/obituary-one-life-to-live-pamela-payton-wright-dead-78/" target="_blank">Pamela Payton-Wright passed away</a> at 78. She was best known for playing Llanview’s Addie Cramer. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives’ <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/540071/obituary-days-of-our-lives-john-clarke-dead-88/" target="_blank">John Clarke died on October 16</a> from pneumonia. Clarke retired from playing Mickey Horton on the NBC soap opera in 2004. </p>
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