The Heartbreaking Death Of Soap Opera Star Jerry Douglas

The soap world is mourning the death of actor Jerry Douglas, who played John Abbott on "The Young and the Restless" from 1982 to 2006. Douglas died on Tuesday, November 10. He was 88. TMZ, which broke the news of his death, says Douglas is survived by wife, Kym Douglas; sons, Jod and Hunter; and daughter, Avra, from his first marriage to Arlene Martel, whom he divorced after he began working in television (via Soaps). 

A cause of death has not been revealed at this time, although in an Instagram post dated June 10, Kym posted an image of Douglas and commented, "@jerrydouglas46 got the best diploma you could ever get today. It was for finishing 37 full radiation treatment session with Courage, Strength and Perseverance at @uclahealth. They told us they don't give these to many people, so it was extra special and we Douglases stand together and face what comes our way. He is all done and now the healing begins! Hope this encourages you to face your battle, no matter how hard it may be. We are all in this together." 

Jerry Douglas was the stage name for Gerald Rubenstein, who was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Acting may not have been his first career choice, as he went to Brandeis University on a football scholarship and earned a degree in Economics. According to Soaps,  he even took a shot at law school — but eight months in, he and his wife, actress Arlene Martel, and their daughter, Avra, decided to move to California to begin his acting career.

Some of his earliest roles were not in daytime TV but in primetime; he landed roles in shows like "Mission Impossible," where he played Daniel Moore for two years from 1970-1972. He also made it to the big screen, where he landed supporting roles in movies like  "JFK," "Mommie Dearest," and "Good Guys Wear Black" (via TMZ). But it was on "The Young and the Restless" where Douglas really found his footing, and he ended up playing John Abbott for almost 900 episodes over a 25-year period.