Peter White, All My Children Alum, Dead At 86
In sad soap opera news, another "All My Children" star has died, a little over three months after the loss of Pamela Blair. Actor Peter White passed away at 86 on November 1, 2023. He was known for playing the role of Lincoln Tyler on the sudser. According to Soap Hub, his former costar Kathleen Noone shared the news. She told the outlet White's cause of death was melanoma, which is a serious form of skin cancer. Noone also pointed out that his character Lincoln was the son of Phoebe Tyler, played by the late Ruth Warrick.
In addition to "AMC," some of White's other soap opera roles include Dr. Sanford Hiller on "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing," Eric Kenderson on "Falcon Crest," Ellis and Breslin on "Dallas," and Bill Rockwell on "Dynasty" — the original version from the '80s, not the CW's "Dynasty" reboot. White is also well known for his role of Alan in both the 1968 play and 1970 movie version of "The Boys in the Band."
White almost didn't take his role in 'The Boys in the Band'
Peter White joined "All My Children" in 1974, according to Soap Opera Digest. In an interview with the outlet in 2008, he praised the acting prowess of his late costar, Eileen Herlie, and he also defended criticism against soap operas. "They say you get on a soap, and it's a great training ground," White said. "That's bulls***. You have to be pretty damn good if you are going to be halfway decent on a soap."
Prior to his role as Lincoln Tyler, White took the advice of his collaborator Myrna Loy to act in "The Boys in the Band." Taking the role of Alan could have threatened White's career due to the play's subject matter surrounding sexuality and the time period in which the play premiered. White said, "Things were sort of really moving for me; I was doing so well, and I thought, 'I don't need this kind of risk.' ... And [Loy] said, 'Peter, if you are going to be an actor, you are going to have to take some risks in your life.'"
Fans are remembering White following the news of his death. One fan on X, formerly Twitter, called the actor "One of daytime's long-standing stalwarts. Rest in Peace #AllMyChildren's Peter White."