‘Knots Landing’ And ‘General Hospital’ Star Doug Sheehan Dies At Age 75

• On June 29, Doug Sheehan passed away at the age of 75.
• He died peacefully in his sleep amongst family, though no cause of death has been formally declared.
• As an actor, Sheehan had a sprawling television career that included prominent roles in ‘General Hospital,’ ‘Knots Landing,’ and ‘Day by Day.’

Doug Sheehan died on June 29 at the age of 75. According to a local funeral home, he died at his home in Big Horn, Wyoming. By time of writing, no official cause of death has been announced or confirmed. The death notice posted by Kane Funeral Home does confirm he “passed away peacefully” with “his loving wife at his side.”

Sheehan was an actor who was in the industry for 45 years. Kicking off his career in 1978, Sheehan became a mainstay in the soap opera scene. Most famously, he played Ben Gibson in Knots Landing and Joe Kelly in General Hospital. He also has credits in sitcoms, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Soap opera and sitcom star Doug Sheehan has died

Doug Sheehan was born on April 27, 1949, in Santa Monica, California. Sheehan’s television debut came with a 1978 appearance on Charlie’s Angels. However, ’79 was his year thanks to a lauded performance on General Hospital, where he played Joe Kelly from 1979 to 1982, across 205 episodes.

This first major role of his saw his character entangled in turbulent relationships with Heather Webber, played by Robin Mattson, and Bobbie Spencer, played by Jacklyn Zeman.

One Daytime Emmy nomination later, Sheehan went from one triumph to the next, transitioning from ABC to CBS’s Knots Landing just in time for season five. Once again, his character is in the thick of things as the second husband to Valene Ewing passing off her twin children as his own. He stayed with this series from 1983 to 1987.

Something for every generation

Sheehan’s resume would contain something for everyone as he continued working until a year prior to his death. 1997 saw him join the cast of Clueless, stepping in for Michael Lerner as Mel Horowitz. He stayed on the ABC sitcom, part of the network’s TGIF lineup, to 1999. He would also appear on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, playing the father of Melissa Joan Hart’s titular magical character.

Other prominent credits include 33 episodes of Day by Day, Cheers, Alice, MacGyver, and, most recently, an episode of What I Like About You.

Sheehan is survived by his wife of over four decades, Cate Abert, who was with him when he passed.

Rest in peace, Doug Sheehan.