General Hospital Actor Doug Sheehan Dead At 75

Doug Sheehan, who played Joe Kelly on "General Hospital" for over 200 episodes between 1979 and 1982, has died at the age of 75. Kane Funeral Home, based in Sheridan, Wyoming, posted the news on their website, confirming that he "passed away peacefully at his home [in Big Horn, Wyoming] on Saturday morning, June 29, 2024 with his loving wife at his side." There was no cause of death listed.

Sheehan was born in Santa Monica, California on April 27, 1949. He did acting work with the National Shakespeare Festival on stage in San Diego, before moving to television. His first role was in 1978 on "Charlie's Angels," and the next year, he got the role of Joe Kelly on "General Hospital." He may not have been in some of the wildest storylines in "General Hospital" history, but he did get a Daytime Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the role. After his time on "General Hospital," Sheehan went on to star in "Knots Landing" from 1983 to 1987. He played reporter Ben Gibson.

Doug Sheehan received several Soap Opera Digest nominations and wins for his work on "Knots Landing." He had a one-episode appearance on "Cheers" in 1983, and starred in the NBC comedy "Day by Day," which ran for two seasons in the late 1980s. He also played Cher's father for the TV series version of the film "Clueless," as well as Sabrina Spellman's father in a couple of episodes of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."

When it came to his personal life, Sheehan married Cate Abert in 1981, and they honeymooned in Scotland. Sheehan played the bagpipes, a hobby he got into when he was in the army. It seems to have been an homage to his Irish ancestry. Sheehan was also a big fan of polo — both as a player and a spectator. He referred to the sport as "a fine and gentle old game, a gentleman's game," via YouTube.

Friends of Sheehan and his wife posted on the funeral home's website expressing their sadness at his passing — he was clearly beloved in his community of friends. Some fans are also mourning his passing on social media because even though "General Hospital" has changed over the years, Sheehan was still remembered fondly. "He hadn't been on ['General Hospital'] 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," wrote one person on X, formerly known as Twitter.