General Hospital Actor Doug Sheehan Dies at 75

Sheehan received a Daytime Emmy nomination for his performance on ‘General Hospital’ in 1982

Doug Sheehan, an actor known for his work on soap opera General Hospital, has died. He was 75.

Sheehan’s death was made public by the Wyoming-based Kane Funeral Home, which announced that the actor died “peacefully at his home on Saturday morning, June 29, 2024, with his loving wife at his side.”

“Services are pending at this time. Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements,” the announcement continued. A cause of death has not been revealed.

While the California native first appeared on television in 1978 on Charlie’s Angels, his breakout role came in 1979 when he appeared as lawyer Joe Kelly in General Hospital.

Sheehan appeared on the beloved soap opera until 1982 and received a Daytime Emmy nomination in the outstanding actor in a supporting role in a daytime drama series category, that same year.

In 1983, he joined the Dallas spinoff Knots Landing in the role of reporter Ben Gibson and second husband to Valene Ewing (Joan Van Ark).

After ending his run in 1988, he starred as stockbroker Brian Harper in the NBC sitcom Day by Day, which aired for two seasons and featured Linda Kelsey and Christopher Daniel Barnes. Some of his other television credits include appearances on MacGyver, Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, Cheers and the Clueless TV series.

Sheehan also appeared on the big screen in projects such as the 1979 comedy 10, 1982’s Victor/Victoria and 1995’s Cops n Roberts.

His last appearance in front of a camera came when he guest starred in What I Like About You (starring Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth) and Sabrina the Teenage Witch (starring Melissa Joan Hart.)

Sheehan’s death was mourned across social media. One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “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.”

Another fan wrote, “Very sad to hear that actor Doug Sheehan, whom I enjoyed very much on Knots Landing and who was also on General Hospital, has died. He was 75 years old. #ripdougsheehan.”