General Hospital's Nicholas Pryor dies from cancer as co-star remembers him as a 'father-figure'

Nicholas Pryor has died at the age of 89 after being diagnosed with cancer.

The actor, who starred in General Hospital and Beverly Hills, 90210, died on Monday at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina. His wife Christine Belford shared the sad news, with Nicholas' cause of death yet to be revealed.

His General Hospital co-star Jon Lindstrom shared a loving tribute on Instagram . He said Nicholas died "surrounded by loving family" and described him as a "father-figure".

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Jon plays Kevin Collins in General Hospital, having reprised the role on the spinoff Port Charles, where Nicholas played his father. Writing on Instagram, Jon said: "It is my solemn task to announce the passing of the great Nicholas Pryor."

He went on to talk about Nicholas' hugely successful career before adding: "But to me, he was my friend. One of the best I've ever had. He was a mentor, a sounding board, a trusted confidant, and even a father-figure beyond, yes, playing my own father on #GH and #PortCharles.

"And he was one of the funniest people you could hope to spend time with over a bottle of good wine and a great meal. I will miss him terribly, as will his beautiful wife Christina, his daughter Stacey, and his two grandchildren, Gus and Avril. R.I.P."

Nicholas also shared a loving note with fans, which was delivered to The Hollywood Reporter after his death. It said: "Nicholas Pryor was enormously grateful to have been, for nearly 70 years, a working actor."

Nicholas played former spy Victor Collins on Port Charles from 1997 until 2002. He also appeared on shows such as All My Children, The Secret Storm and Another World.

The actor also played A. Milton Arnold on Fox’s Beverly Hills, 90210. His character was chancellor of California University and father of Claire Arnold.

Away from TV, Nicholas starred in films such as Damien: Omen II and The Gumball Rally. He also played the father of Robert Downey Jr's drug-addled Julian in the 1987 film Less Than Zero.

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