General Hospital spoilers and updates report GH vet Doug Sheehan has passed away at the age of 75 in Big Horn, Wyoming with wife Cate Albert at his side.
No cause of death has been announced, but according to the obituary from Kane Funeral Home in Big Horn, he passed away peacefully at home.
General Hospital Spoilers: Sheehan Played Joe Kelly
Sheehan’s career took off after making appearances in Charlie’s Angels and Kaz, along with a role in the Blake Edwards movie 10. However, it was his role as Joe Kelly in GH that truly catapulted him to stardom in 1979.
Portraying the detective-turned-lawyer who romanced Anne Logan (Susan Pratt) and Bobbie Spencer (Jacklyn Zeman) led to a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Supporting Actor in 1982.
Rose Kelly (Loanne Bishop), Joe’s stepmother, was the owner of Kelly’s in Port Charles, and the name “Kelly’s” was derived from the Kelly family.
After Carly Spencer’s (Laura Wright) mother passed away, she decided to rename the place “Bobbie’s” in her mother’s honor.
GH Spoilers: Major Storylines-Investigation Of The Diana Taylor Murder
In 1979, Joe arrives in town and becomes roommates with Jeff Webber (then Richard Dean Anderson).
He has a crush on Anne, but she only sees him as a friend because she’s interested in Jeff. When Diana Taylor (Brooke Bundy) is murdered in 1981, Joe teams up with detective Burt Ramsey (Bob Hastings) to investigate.
They suspect Heather Webber (then Robin Mattsson), but Joe, who has feelings for her, keeps quiet. Joe later joins the Baldwin & Baldwin Law Firm as an associate due to his law degree.
General Hospital Spoilers: Doug Sheehan’s Exit From GH
He briefly dates Bobbie Spencer until she goes back to her ex-boyfriend Noah Drake (played by Rick Springfield). Joe catches Heather in bed with his friend Scott Baldwin (played by Kin Shriner) and ends things with her.
Joe was extended an opportunity to work at the State Attorney’s office in Albany, New York and his stepmother, Rose Kelly, decided to accompany him there.
Then Sheehan left GH in 1982 and appeared on Cheers and Alice before landing the role of Ben Gibson on the popular primetime soap opera Knots Landing from 1983 to 1988. He also portrayed Brian Harper in the NBC sitcom Day By Day, which aired from 1988 to 1989.
GH Spoilers: Doug Sheehan’s Other Television Work
Sheehan took on the role of Cher’s father, Mel Horowitz, in the television adaptation of Clueless from 1997 to 1999.
The actor also appeared in TV films such as Crash: The Mystery of Flight 1501, A Mom for Christmas, and In the Line of Duty: The FBI Murders. He made a brief return to daytime television as attorney Davis on the NBC soap Passions in 2002.
His final acting role was portraying Sabrina’s father, Edward Spellman, on ABC’s Sabrina the Teenaged Witch in 2003. Our condolences go out to Sheehan’s family and friends during this challenging time.
