quinn redeker rex sterling katherine kay danny gina cbs jpi yr
Credit: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Sean Smith/JPI, Columbia TriStar TV/Courtesy of the Everett Collection

It’s never easy to say farewell.

We thought that we’d made it through the worst of 2022, but it looks like the year had one more heartbreaking surprise up its sleeve before letting us move on. It turns out, our sister site Variety reports, Quinn Redeker passed away on December 20, 2022. He was 86 years old.

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Soap fans, of course, knew and loved him for his roles as Days of Our Lives’ Alex Marshall and Young & Restless’ Rex Sterling. What not everyone may know, though, is that he was also a writer who co-authored the story for the acclaimed 1978 movie, The Deer Hunter, which starred such luminaries as Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken. It earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Rex, Phillip, Katherine dream Young and Restless

Rex once paid Katherine a heavenly visit after his tragic death.

Credit: Aaron Montgomery/JPI

Acting, though, was perhaps what we most know him for and before landing in daytime in the late ‘70s, Redeker was a regular guest star on television on shows like Barnaby Jones and Starsky and Hutch. Nor was he a stranger to film, appearing in a number of movies, from Airport to The Andromeda Strain.

And though Young & Restless fans will always remember him as perhaps Katherine’s greatest love and Danny and Gina’s dad, Rex Sterling/Brian Romalotti, that role wasn’t his first appearance in Genoa City. Years before Rex’s 1987 debut, Redeker appeared for a few episodes in 1979 as Nick Reed. And while Rex could be something of a scoundrel, he was nothing compared to Nikki’s abusive father, who she killed while defending herself from rape.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES -- "15th Anniversary Party" -- Pictured: (l-r front row) Meg Wyllie, Jean Bruce Scott, Frances Reid, Macdonald Carey, Suzanne Rogers, Patty Weaver (l-r middle row) Richard Hill, Lanna Saunders, Quinn Redeker, Brenda Benet, Gloria Loring, Bill Hayes, Joseph Gallison, Susan Seaforth Hayes, Jed Allan, William Joyce, Deidre Hall, Dianne Harper (l-r back row) Paul Keenan, Charles Bateman, Harold Sylvester, Don Frabotta -- Photo by: Ron Tom/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Redeker celebrated Days of Our Lives‘ 15th anniversary with quite a few other daytime legends.

Credit: NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Redeker, of course, was no stranger to playing less savory characters, as in between Nick and Rex he spent some time in Salem as Days of Our Lives’ Alex Marshall. Nick Fallon’s grandfather wasn’t a horrible person, but he never had a problem flaunting the law and working for the likes of Victor Kiriakis or running a drug ring with Stefano DiMera. When we last saw him back in 1987, he was being shipped off to prison for burning down the Salem Inn (which he then owned) to collect the insurance money.

Redeker’s impact on daytime is immeasurable and he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy twice for his portrayal of Rex. We hate having to say goodbye to yet another acting icon and our thoughts are with Redeker’s loved ones. It’s never easy to lose those we care about, especially around the holidays.

Pay your respects to all of the daytime vets that we’ve lost in 2022 as you scroll through the below photo gallery. Plus, see what Redeker’s former castmates have to say about him here.