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Phyllis Somerville, Soap Opera Alum, and Broadway Star, Passed Away at 76
The recognizable actress had appearances on Guiding Light, One Life to Live, more.
Soap opera alum Phyllis Somerville died on July 16. Per Deadline, the stage and screen actress’ death was announced by her manager Paul Hilepo. She died of natural causes in her home in New York City. She was 76 years old.
Phyllis Somerville was born in Iowa City, Iowa in 1943. She studied theatre at University of Northern Iowa where she was involved in several stage performances. Somerville then went to Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan to perform her graduate work at the Hilberry Theatre. Her next move was to Washington D.C. where she became a resident equity actress at the Arena Stage.
Somerville appeared briefly on several soap operas. She roles included Annabelle Fettle and Alice on As the World Turns, Mrs. Beasley on Guiding Light, Mrs. Swan on Loving, and Charlotte Stonecliff on One Life to Live. She went on to appear in many television series, including recent stints on The Big C, Castle Rock, Daredevil, and Outsiders. Before her death, Somerville filmed a recurring role in the upcoming TV series Mare of Easttown.
More: GH star expresses rage over recent loss
The actress’ movie credits include Arthur, Little Children, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Poms. Somerville also made an impact in theatre appearing in Aaron Sorkin’s 2018 adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as other on and off Broadway performances including Over Here and The Spitfire Grill.
Soaps.com sends our condolences to Phyllis Somerville’s friends and family. To remember Somerville and other soap opera alums we lost this year, please take a look through our photo gallery below.
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<p>General Hospital alum and Highlander star <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/557507/obituary-general-hospital-stan-kirsch-dead-at-51/" target="_blank">Stan Kirsch tragically died</a> at the age of 51 on January 11, 2020. The former ABC soap opera star played the role of Carl. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/557718/obituary-norma-michaels-days-of-our-lives-dead-at-95/" target="_blank">Norma Michaels passed away</a> at the age of 95 on January 11, 2020. The actress was best known for her role as Josephine on King of Queens. </p>
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<p>Another World and Dark Shadows actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/558084/obituary-john-karlen-dead-86/" target="_blank">John Karlen passed away</a> on January 22, 2020 due to congestive heart failure. The actor was 86 years old. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/558115/obituary-marsha-kramer-dead-74/" target="_blank">Marsha Kramer passed away at 74</a> on January 23, 2020. The soap alum was best known for her role playing Margaret on Modern Family. </p>
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<p>Legendary soap opera actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/558330/obituary-marj-dusay-dead-83/" target="_blank">Marj Dusay passed away at 83</a> on January 28, 2020. She appeared on many soaps, including Capitol, Santa Barbara, Days of our Lives, All My Children and Guiding Light.<br /> </p>
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<p>Husband of The Bold and the Beautiful’s Alley Mills (Pam Douglas), <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/559116/obituary-bold-and-beautiful-orson-bean-dead-at-91/" target="_blank">Orson Bean died in a traffic accident</a> at age 91. The actor guest-starred on the CBS soap opera in 2016. </p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/559805/obituary-days-of-our-lives-lynn-cohen-dead-at-86/" target="_blank">Lynn Cohen died on February 14 </a>of unknown causes in New York. The actress, best known for her role of Magda on <em>Sex and the City, </em>had numerous theatre, film and television credits to her name including Days of our Lives. </p>
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<p>Best known for her role of Willona Woods on <em>Good Times, </em><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/560021/obituary-love-of-life-janet-dubois-dead-at-74/" target="_blank">Ja’net DuBois passed away</a> at age 74. The actress also starred on <em>Love of Life</em>, making her the first African-American actress cast as a regular on a soap opera. </p>
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<p>Legendary co-creator of Bold and Beautiful and Young and the Restless <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/560502/obituary-lee-phillip-bell-dead-91-co-creator-bb-yr/" target="_blank">Lee Phillip Bell passed away</a> on February 25. She was 91 and the mother of William J. Bell, Jr., Lauralee Bell (Christine Williams, Young and Restless) and Bradley Bell (head writer, executive producer, Bold and Beautiful).</p>
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<p>Best known for his position on Inside the Actors Studio, <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/560761/obituary-soap-writer-guiding-light-actor-james-lipton-dead-93/" target="_blank">James Lipton died on March 1</a>. He was 93. Lipton was also a head writer and writer for numerous soap operas and appeared on Guiding Light. </p>
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<p>Soap opera legend <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/561078/obituary-soap-star-roscoe-born-dead-at-69/" target="_blank">Roscoe Born passed away</a> on March 3. The actor is known for playing a villain in various soaps including Days of our Lives, One Life to Live and Young and the Restless to name a few.</p>
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<p>Award winning playwright and former Young and Restless actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/562088/obituary-yr-alum-playwright-terrence-mcnally-dead-at-80/" target="_blank">Terrence McNally died</a> on March 24. He played Dr. Robert Lynch on and off from 1993 to 1994.</p>
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<p>Soap vet <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/562326/obituary-john-callahan-all-my-children-santa-barbara-soap-star-dead-66/" target="_blank">John Callahan passed away at 66</a> after suffering a massive stroke on March 27. The actor is known for his roles on All My Children, Days of our Lives, General Hospital and Santa Barbara.</p>
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<p>Another World alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/562382/obituary-david-schramm-another-world-wings-actor-dead-73/" target="_blank">David Schramm’s death was announced</a> in March. The actor played Herb Harris on the soap opera and was best known for playing Roy Biggins on Wings.</p>
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<p>Edge of Night actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/562847/obituary-forrest-compton-dead-94/" target="_blank">Forrest Compton died on April 4, 2020</a>. He also appeared in numerous soap operas including All My Children, As the World Turns and One Life to Live.</p>
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<p>General Hospital alum, Smurfs and Young Frankenstein actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/563445/obituary-gh-alum-young-frankenstein-danny-goldman-dead-80/" target="_blank">Danny Goldman passed away at 80</a> on April 12, 2020. Daytime fans may remember him for playing Clarence Darrow in 1991.</p>
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<p>Veteran actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/563584/obituary-dallas-dynasty-knots-landing-brian-dennehy-dead-81/" target="_blank">Brian Dennehy died on April 15, 2020</a> of natural causes. He appeared in numerous films and in the primetime soap operas Dallas, Dynasty and Knots Landing.</p>
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<p>Veteran actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/563977/obituary-oltl-desperate-housewives-shirley-knight-dead-83/" target="_blank">Shirley Knight passed away</a> on April 22, 2020 of natural causes. She appeared in daytime on One Life to Live as Claire in 1986 and held numerous primetime and film roles.</p>
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<p>Legendary signer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/565314/obituary-little-richard-dead-87/" target="_blank">Little Richard died on May 9, 2020</a>. He made guest appearances on One Life to Live as well as Young and the Restless.</p>
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<p>Days of our Lives alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/566149/days-of-our-lives-scarface-geno-silva-dead/" target="_blank">Geno Silva died on May 9, 2020</a>. He played the role of Domingo Salazar in 1991.</p>
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<p>Actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/565880/obituary-bold-beautiful-fred-willard/" target="_blank">Fred Willard passed away at age 86</a> on May 15, 2020. He was known to daytime fans for playing John Forrester, brother to Eric, on Bold & Beautiful. </p>
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<p>Guiding Light alum and Emmy Award winning actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/567892/mary-pat-gleason-dead/" target="_blank">Mary Pat Gleason died on June 2, 2020</a>. The prolific film and television actress passed away from cancer.</p>
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<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/570391/general-hospital-linda-cristal-dead/" target="_blank">Linda Cristal died on June 27, 2020</a>. The actress played a mob boss’ mistress named Dimitri in 1988.</p>
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<p>Soap opera director <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/571198/soap-opera-director-maximilian-b-bryer-dead/" target="_blank">Maximilian B. Bryer passed away</a> on June 16, 2020. He worked on both As the World Turns and The Edge of Night.</p>
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<p>Actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/571739/capitol-csi-cyber-kelly-preston-dead/" target="_blank">Kelly Preston died at 57</a> after privately battling breast cancer. The actress who starred in the movies Twins and Jerry Maguire had an early role in the CBS soap opera Capitol.</p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/572374/phyllis-somerville-dead-76/" target="_blank">Phyllis Somerville died on July 16</a>. The recognizable actress appeared in many television series including As the World Turns, Loving, and more. Somerville was 76.</p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/573326/john-saxon-dead/" target="_blank">John Saxon passed away</a> on July 25, 2020. The veteran actor starred in the primetime soap Dynasty as well as the film Nightmare on Elm Street. </p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/573328/regis-philbin-dead-susan-lucci-tribute/" target="_blank">Regis Philbin passed away</a> on July 24, 2020. The TV legend once appeared on All My Children, One Life to Live and Ryan’s Hope.</p>
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<p>All My Children alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/576619/chadwick-boseman-dead-all-my-children-reggie/" target="_blank">Chadwick Boseman passed away</a> at 43 on August 28, 2020. He played Reggie on the ABC soap opera and T’Challa on Black Panther.</p>
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<p>Days of our Lives alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/577376/kevin-dobson-knots-landing-days-of-our-lives-dead/" target="_blank">Kevin Dobson passed away</a> at 77 on September 6, 2020. He is best known for playing Mack MacKenzie on Knots Landing.</p>
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<p><em>All My Children</em> actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/580358/all-my-children-actor-ben-jorgensen-dead-suicide/" target="_blank">Ben Jorgensen passed away</a> at 51 years old. He played Kevin Sheffield from 1995 to 1998. </p>
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<p><em>The Young and the Restless’</em> original Mamie Johnson, <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/586505/young-restless-marguerite-ray-mamie-dead/" target="_blank">Marguerite Ray died on November 18, 2020</a>. She was 89 years old. </p>
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