Doug Sheehan, an actor renowned for his role on the soap opera General Hospital, has passed away at the age of 75.
Sheehan’s passing was announced by Kane Funeral Home in Wyoming. The actor died peacefully at his home on Saturday morning, June 29, 2024, with his wife by his side.
“Services are pending at this time. Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements,” the announcement added. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Born on April 27, 1949, Sheehan was a native of California. He launched his acting career with a guest appearance on a 1978 episode of Charlie’s Angels.
He quickly secured his breakout role as lawyer Joe Kelly on General Hospital, a character he portrayed in 205 episodes from 1979 to 1982, per IMDb. His performance on the show earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination.
General Hospital fans paid tribute to Doug Sheehan, who is still fondly remembered all these years later.
“He hadn’t been on #GH in 42 years, and the fans never forgot him, and never stopped asking for his return. Not only is it impressive, but a testament to Doug Sheehan,” one fan wrote alongside a scene featuring the actor.
Doug Sheehan’s Prolific Work Outside of ‘General Hospital’
He then transitioned to another soap opera, Knots Landing, a spinoff of the primetime hit Dallas. In this series, Sheehan played Ben Gibson, a journalist and the second husband of Val Ewing (Joan Van Ark). His portrayal spanned 115 episodes from 1983 to 1988 until his character departed on a trip to South America and never returned.
Following his time on Knots Landing, he played stockbroker Brian Harper in the NBC sitcom Day by Day. The show, which starred Linda Kelsey and Christopher Daniel Barnes, aired for two seasons.
Among his television credits, Sheehan made appearances on shows like MacGyver, Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, and Cheers. His film roles include the 1979 comedy 10, the 1982 hit Victor/Victoria, and the 1995 film Cops n’ Roberts.
However, Sheehan became a 90s kid staple as part of the cast of the TV adaptation of Clueless. In 1997, he assumed the role of Cher’s father, Mel Horowitz, from Michael Lerner after the first season and remained with the show until its conclusion in 1999.
His final on-screen appearance was as a guest star in What I Like About You, featuring Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, starring Melissa Joan Hart.