Actor Robert Kelker-Kelly, who was a familiar face on daytime dramas in the 1990s with roles on “Days of Our Lives” and “General Hospital,” has died.
Kelker-Kelly died Saturday evening at his home in St. Peters, Missouri, the city’s police department confirmed to the Times on Monday. Law enforcement responded Saturday evening to a report of an unconscious man who was not breathing. Police arrived at the actor’s home with paramedics and “life-saving measures were administered but were unsuccessful,” police said.
Police said officers did not find anything suspicious at the scene. The cause of death has not been released, but police noted that Kelker-Kelly allegedly complained of chest pains before becoming unresponsive. A spokesperson for the St. Charles County Ambulance District confirmed that paramedics responded Saturday to a report of a man in cardiac arrest. Kelker-Kelly was 62 years old.
Kelker-Kelly primarily starred in television and was best known for his work in long-running dramas, which also included “Another World.” He notably played rebel heartthrob Beauregard “Bo” Brady on “Days Of Our Lives” from 1992 to 1995. He began his turn as Bo, which lasted for over 586 episodes, after the departure of original actor Peter Reckell, who would return to the series from time to time over the following decades.
During her tenure, Kelker-Kelly portrayed the wife of Hope Brady and the love interest of Lisa Rinna’s Billie Reed. She spoke negatively about the experience and called her co-star a bully in her memoir, published earlier this year. He did not respond to People’s request for a response at the time.
Kelker-Kelly made his official debut on “Another World” in 1987 and appeared in more than 400 episodes in a handful of roles through 1998, according to the actor’s IMDb page. He was also known for his work as Stavros Cassadine on “General Hospital” and its spinoff series “Port Charles.” John Martinuzzi originated the role. Kelker-Kelly’s tenure on General Hospital lasted from 2001 to 2014 and was her final television role. His television credits also include “Jack’s Place”, “Touched by and Angel” and “Rescue 77”.
The actor was born on April 18, 1964 in Wichita, Kan. His mother was a nurse and his father a pathologist. Kelker-Kelly’s parents divorced when he was 7 and he later moved in with his father. The actor was in and out of college, but studied theater and had a passion for Shakespeare, according to People.
After his acting career, Kelker-Kelly became a professional pilot. He married production assistant Linda Ratner in 1988; they divorced four years later. Kelker-Kelly then married “Days of Our Lives” actress Miriam Parrish in 1997. That marriage ended in 2013. He was reportedly survived by a daughter, Amelia Rose Kelly.
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