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Beloved Leading Man Dead at 90
Saturday, January 14th, 2023
Michael Levin passed away on January 6.
The soap world has lost a real firecracker of an actor. Michael Levin, who was principled hothead Jack Fenelli during Ryan’s Hope‘s entire run on ABC, died on January 6 of natural causes, his son tells our sister site, The Hollywood Reporter.
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The Minneapolis native has said that he wound up being cast as the Italian-American reporter on the much-missed daytime drama because of a commercial that he’d done, in which he played an Italian spokesman for Alitalia Airlines. Once he had nabbed the part, Levin, nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actor Daytime Emmy three times in a row, quickly struck supercouple gold when he was paired with future Orange Is the New Black star Kate Mulgrew as feisty Mary Ryan. You can see why they were such a hit below.
So invested were fans in the characters’ love story — and the way that Levin and Mulgrew threw sparks — that when she departed, every attempt at recasting her role failed more miserably than the last. Personally, we would have moved on Jack to sister-in-law Siobhan, brought to life back then by the sublime Sarah Felder.
Jack married Leigh Kirkland in Ryan’s Hope’s last episode.
Credit: Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images
In addition to Ryan’s Hope, Levin played one of Lisa Miller’s many husbands (John Eldridge) on As the World Turns and a doctor on All My Children. Despite his success on the screen and stage, Levin said in 1978, “If I had it all to do over again, and I could change anything I wanted to change, I would pick a profession where I could have a little bit more control.”
Read what one of Levin’s former co-stars remembers most vividly about him here. Then revisit Ryan’s Hope by clicking on our Riverside-centric photo gallery here and pay your respects to the stars we lost in 2022 in the photo gallery below.
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Image: Courtesy of the Everett Collection
1/31
<p>Soap actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/619573/soap-star-dead-joan-copeland-one-life-to-live/" target="_blank">Joan Copeland passed away</a> on January 4, 2022 at the age of 99. She will be remembered for her roles on <em>Love of Life, The Edge of Night, Search for Tomorrow, As the World Turns</em> and <em>One Life to Live</em>, as well as numerous primetime credits.</p>
Image: NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection; NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
2/31
<p>Soap star <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/621867/donald-may-soap-star-edge-of-night-texas-dead/" target="_blank">Donald May passed away</a> on January 28, 2022 at the age of 94. He was best known for playing Adam on <em>The Edge of Night</em>.</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
3/31
<p>Sadly, on February 18, 2022, former <em>General Hospital</em> actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/623797/general-hospital-actress-lindsey-pearlman-dead-43/" target="_blank">Lindsey Pearlman was found dead</a>. She had been reported missing two days prior and was later found near Runyon Canyon Park.</p>
Image: Brian Lowe/JPI
4/31
<p>Former soap actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/624216/young-restless-star-dead-sally-kellerman-constance-bingham/" target="_blank">Sally Kellerman passed way</a> on February 24, 2022 due to complications from dementia. She will be recognized by fans of <em>The Young and the Restless</em> for playing Constance Bingham, a wealthy woman Adam (then by Justin Hartley) conned into thinking was his grandmother.</p>
Image: Sherman Weisburd/TV Guide/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
5/31
<p>Veteran actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/624991/soap-star-dead-general-hospital-dark-shadows-mitchell-ryan-died/" target="_blank">Mitchell Ryan passed away</a> on March 4, 2022. With over 100 credit to his resume, he’s best known to soap fans for playing Anthony Tonell on <em>Santa Barbara</em>.</p>
Image: Rafe Cook/Landmark/JPI
6/31
<p><em>EastEnders</em> vet June Brown passed away on April 3, 2022. The actress was 95 years old and best known for playing Dot on the British soap. Brown also appeared as Mrs. Parsons on <em>Coronation Street</em>.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
7/31
<p>Actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/628005/as-the-world-turns-kim-hughes-kathryn-hays-died-dead/" target="_blank">Kathryn Hays passed away</a> on Friday, April 8, 2022, at the age of 87. She will be remembered by soap fans for playing our beloved Kim Hughes on <em>As the World Turns</em> for 38 years.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
8/31
<p>Actor Robert Morse passed away on April 20, 2022 at the age of 90. He will be remembered in daytime for his roles on <em>The Secret Storm</em> as Jerry Ames and <em>All My Children</em> as Harry the bookie. </p>
Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
9/31
<p>Former <em>Passions</em> actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/630033/soap-star-passions-jossara-jinaro-dead/" target="_blank">Jossara Jinaro passed away</a> on Wednesday, April 27. She was only 48 and will be remembered by daytime fans as Harmony’s Rae.</p>
Image: George De Sota/JPI, CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
10/31
<p>Soap vet <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/630167/soap-star-dead-jerry-verdorn-guiding-light-one-life-to-live-dies/" target="_blank">Jerry verDorn passed away</a> at 72 on May 1, 2022 after a months-long battle with cancer. He will always be remember for playing Clint Buchanan on <em>One Life to Live</em>, as well as Ross Marler on <em>Guiding Light</em>.</p>
Image: © 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection
11/31
<p>Charles Siebert, best known for playing Dr. Stanley Riverside II on <em>Trapper John, M.D.</em>, passed away on May 1, 2022 at the age of 84. He was known to the daytime industry for his roles on <em>Search for Tomorrow, As the World Turns</em> and <em>Another World</em>.</p>
Image: . © Vertical Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection
12/31
<p>Bruce MacVittie passed away on May 7, 2022 at the age of 65. The actor was known to daytime fans for his role as Marcus Tull on <em>As the World Turns</em>, as well as Mark on <em>One Life to Live</em>.</p>
Image: George DeSota/JPI
13/31
<p>Marnie Schulenburg, best known for playing Alison Stewart on <em>As the World Turns</em>, <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/631586/soap-star-marnie-schulenburg-alison-as-the-world-turns-dead-37/" target="_blank">passed away on May 17, 2022</a> — just shy of her 38th birthday. The much-loved soap vet fought a courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer.</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
14/31
<p>Soap vet <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/632038/guiding-light-soap-star-dead-lee-lawson-bea-reardon/" target="_blank">Lee Lawson passed away</a> on May 22, 2022 at the age of 81. She will be remembered for playing Bea Reardon on CBS’ <em>Guiding Light</em>.</p>
Image: Abel Fermin/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Courtesy of the Everett Collection
15/31
<p>Seasoned actor <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/632320/soap-star-dead-ray-liotta-another-world-joey-perrini/" target="_blank">Ray Liotta passed away</a> on May 26, 2022 at the age of 67. One of his first acting jobs was playing Joey Perrini on <em>Another World</em>.</p>
Image: Image: Tiffany Rose/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
16/31
<p><em>Star Trek</em> vet and <em>The Young and the Restless</em> alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/640471/young-restless-soap-star-dead-nichelle-nichols-neil-mother/" target="_blank">Nichelle Nichols passed away on July 30, 2022</a>. The legendary actress who appeared as Neil Winters’ mother Lucinda was 89 years old. </p>
Image: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Courtesy of the Everett Collection
17/31
<p>Emmy winner <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/641768/is-anne-heche-dead-soap-star/" target="_blank">Anne Heche passed away</a> on August 12, 2022, at the age of 53, following a devastating car accident. Aside from her many television credits, she’ll always be remembered by daytime fans for playing twins Marley Love and Vicky Hudson on <em>Another World</em>.</p>
Image: NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection (2), ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
18/31
<p>Only a day after Heche’s passing, yet another <em>Another World</em> alum was <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/641870/soap-star-dead-robyn-griggs-one-life-to-live-another-world/" target="_blank">taken from us by cervical cancer</a>. 49-year-old Robyn Griggs had played Maggie Cory on the NBC soap in the early 1990s after making her daytime debut as Carlo Hesser’s niece, Stephanie Hobart, on <em>One Life to Live.</em></p>
Image: Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images, Ron Gallela/Getty Images, ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
19/31
<p>Soap writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/642664/soap-writer-michael-malone-dead-one-life-to-live/" target="_blank">Michael Malone passed away on August 19, 2022</a> at 80. He’ll always be remembered as one of soaps’ greatest for the characters he created, including <em>One Life to Live’</em>s Luna Moody, Todd Manning and Billy Douglas, as well as one of his unforgettable plots, the horrifying gang rape of Susan Haskell’s Marty Saybrooke.</p>
Image: Justin Kahn/WireImage/Getty Images
20/31
<p>Beloved daytime vet Joe E. Tata, who added the zip to <em>90210</em>, <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/643184/soap-star-dead-beverly-hills-90210-joe-e-tata-general-hospital/" target="_blank">passed away on August 24, 2022</a> at 85. His <em>Beverly Hills</em> character, Pit Peach owner, Nat, was a friend to many and the actor did stints on <em>Days of Our Lives</em> and <em>General Hospital</em>.</p>
Image: Jason Smith/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
21/31
<p>Robert LuPone <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/644765/soap-star-dead-robert-lupone-all-my-children/" target="_blank">passed away on August 27, 2022</a>, at the age of 76 following a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. The actor is known for his daytime roles on <em>All My Children, Ryan’s Hope, Guiding Light, Search for Tomorrow, Another World</em> and <em>Loving</em>.</p>
Image: Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images
22/31
<p>Well-known horror writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/645229/general-hospital-michael-easton-mourns-horror-writer-peter-straub-dead/" target="_blank">Peter Straub passed away on September 4, 2022</a> at the age of 79. He guest-starred on <em>One Life to Live</em> and appeared in scenes with Michael Easton’s John McBain a few times over the years.</p>
Image: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
23/31
<p>Soaphopper Robert Gentry passed away on September 17, 2022 at the age of 81. He first hit the daytime scene as Brad Murphy on <em>The Doctors</em>. He is also known for his roles on <em>One Life to Live</em> as Giles Morgan, <em>Days of Our Lives</em> as Dr. Hunt, <em>Guiding Light</em> as Dr. Ed Bauer, <em>Another World</em> as Philip Lyons, <em>Generations</em> as Jordan Hale, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> as Elliott Parker and <em>All My Children</em> as Ross Chandler. </p>
Image: Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images
24/31
<p>Legendary soap leading lady Ann Flood <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/649439/soap-star-dead-ann-flood-all-my-children-edge-of-night/" target="_blank">passed away on October 7, 2022</a>, at the age of 89. She will always be remembered for playing Nancy Pollock Karr on <em>The Edge of Night</em>.</p>
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25/31
<p>Kevin Conroy, who spent 30 years voicing the role of Batman, passed away on November 10, 2022, after a short-term battle with cancer. As for his daytime roles, the 66-year-old actor played Jerry Grove on <em>Another World</em>, as well as Chase Kendall on <em>Search for Tomorrow</em>, and appeared as Bart Fallmont on <em>Dynasty</em>.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
26/31
<p>Daytime great and <em>Days of Our Lives</em> legend John Aniston, who played Victor Kiriakis for over 50 years, <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/651910/days-of-our-lives-john-aniston-dead-died-victor-kiriakis/" target="_blank">passed away at 89</a> on November 11, 2022. His daughter, actress Jennifer Aniston, shared the heartbreaking news of her beloved father’s death.</p>
Image: NBCUniversal/Getty Images
27/31
<p>Soap vet <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/652372/soap-star-dead-young-restless-robert-clary-died/" target="_blank">Robert Clary passed away</a> on November 16, 2022 at 96. He had roles on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital</em> and <em>The Young and the Restless</em> and spent six years playing Louis LeBeau on <em>Hogan’s Heroes</em>.</p>
Image: Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic/Getty Images
28/31
<p><em>General Hospital</em> vet Sonya Eddy <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/655548/general-hospital-sonya-eddy-dead-epiphany-johnson-died/" target="_blank">passed away on December 19, 2022</a> at the age of 55. She will always be remembered by daytime fans for playing beloved Port Charles nurse Epiphany Johnson. </p>
Image: Henry Gris/FPG/Getty Images
29/31
<p>Beloved actress Diane McBain <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/655776/young-restless-general-hospital-days-of-our-lives-diane-mcbain-dead/" target="_blank">passed away on December 21</a> at 81. She’ll be remembered in daytime for her roles on <em>Days of Our Lives, General Hospital</em> and <em>The Young and the Restless</em> and appeared opposite Elvis Presley in the 1966 movie <em>Spinout</em>.</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
30/31
<p>Actress Rita Walter <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/656244/soap-star-dies-rita-mclaughlin-walter-as-the-world-turns-carol/" target="_blank">passed away at 71</a> on December 25, 2022, as reported by her brother David McLaughlin. The actress played the role of Carol Stallings on <em>As the World Turns</em> on and off from 1972 to 1982.</p>
Image: © Sean Smith/jpistudios.com
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