In Memoriam: Soap Opera Stars We Lost In 2022

Published on November 15, 2022. Updated November 17, 2022

As thrilling and memorable as 2022 has been for daytime drama, viewers have had to say goodbye to performers along the way. Although it’s impossible to encapsulate their talents and accomplishments here, Fame10 would like to thank these fallen actors for bringing so much to daytime television. These are soap opera passings that deeply impacted audiences over the course of 2022.

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12. Lindsey Pearlman

Lindsey Pearlman, who had a recurring role as bartender Margaret “Maggie” McMorris on General Hospital back in 2020, was found deceased on February 18th, 2022. The actress, whose family had reported her missing a few days earlier, had taken her own life in Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. “Lindsey Pearlman was terrific on General Hospital and we are saddened to hear of this tragedy,” executive producer Frank Valentini tweeted at the time.

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11. Robyn Griggs

Robyn Griggs was 49 years old when she passed away on August 13, 2022 from cervical cancer. She was a familiar face in daytime television, thanks to her roles as Stephanie Hobart on One Life To Live (OLTL) and Maggie Cory on Another World (AW).

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10. Robert Clary

Daytime drama veteran Robert Clary might not be a familiar name to soap enthusiasts, but he certainly made an impact in the genre. From his initial role as Robert LeClair on Days Of Our Lives (DOOL) to stints on The Young and the Restless (Y&R) and The Bold and the Beautiful (B&B), Clary proved himself a compelling character actor. He passed away on November 16th.

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9. Betty White

Although Betty White passed away on New Year’s Eve, 2021, there was no way we’d overlook her passing due to a technicality. As someone who impacted the entertainment industry on multiple levels, from film work to prime time comedy and daytime drama, White was an enduring talent. Among her many accomplishments, soap opera fans (and former co-stars) will recall her serious turn as Ann Douglas on B&B from 2006 to 2009.

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8. Sally Kellerman

Academy Award nominated actress Sally Kellerman passed away on February 24th, 2022. The star of many Robert Altman films, including M.A.S.H. and The Player, Kellerman was also celebrated for a two-year run on Y&R as Constance Bingham. Kellerman succumbed to complications from dementia, a disease the actress had been battling for five years.

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7. Marnie Schulenburg

Marnie Schulenburg passed away tragically on May 17th, 2022, after battling breast cancer for two years. As well as appearing on many prime time shows, Schulenburg was known for playing Alison Stewart in As The World Turns (ATWT) and Jo Sullivan in OLTL. She was 37 years old.

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6. Ray Liotta

The passing of movie star Ray Liotta came as a shock on May 26th, 2022. Before he rose to Hollywood fame in blockbusters such as Field of Dreams, Goodfellas and Blow, Liotta got his start playing Joey Perrini on AW between 1978 and 1981. He passed away in his sleep while working on a new film.

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5. Kathryn Hays

Soap veteran Kathryn Hays succumbed to unknown causes on March 25th, 2022. The actress had played Leslie Jackson on Guiding Light (GL) before landing the iconic role of Kim Hughes on ATWT. Hays was 87 years old at the time of her passing.

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4. Nichelle Nichols

The life of Nichelle Nichols has many interesting highlights, including her groundbreaking role on Star Trek, her contributions to NASA, and her communications with Martin Luther King Jr. However, she makes this list thanks to her memorable role as Neil Winters’ mother on Y&R. The actress even scored a Daytime Emmy nomination for her performance in 2017. Nichols passed away from heart failure on July 30th, 2022.

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3. Jerry VerDorn

Veteran soap actor Gerald “Jerry” verDorn passed away after a brief battle with cancer on May 1st, 2022. The actor was a celebrated daytime performer, best known as Ross Marler on GL and Clint Buchanan on OLTL. He was 72 years old.

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2. Anne Heche

Hollywood star Anne Heche passed away on August 11th, 2022, one week after her car crashed into a home in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles. While Heche is best known for blockbuster films such as Volcano, Donnie Brasco and I Know What You Did Last Summer, her star turn occurred on daytime television when she portrayed twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love in AW. She was 53 years old.

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1. John Aniston 

Even though John Aniston was 89 years old when he passed away on November 11th, DOOL viewers were truly stunned to learn of his demise. Perhaps it’s because Aniston still wielded so much influence on the canvas as Victor Kiriakis, despite his diminishing presence in storylines. Regardless, when his famous daughter, Jennifer, revealed his passing, soap stars shared Aniston’s many attributes in touching tributes. He was funny, he was kind and he had an incredible work ethic, which all informed his amazing life.