Robert Kelker-Kelly, ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’ actor, dies at 62
In short
Robert Kelker-Kelly, the soap opera actor known for playing Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives,” has died at 62, a Missouri medical examiner’s office confirmed. Police in St. Peters, Missouri, said officers were dispatched at about 8:16 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, after he was reported unconscious and not breathing, and that he had complained of chest pain shortly before. No cause of death has been disclosed.
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Robert Kelker-Kelly, a soap opera actor best known for playing Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives,” has died at 62, according to a Missouri medical examiner’s office. A spokesperson for the Missouri Office of the Regional Medical Examiner, which serves Franklin, Jefferson and St. Charles counties, confirmed the death to NBC News. Fox News reported that he died on Saturday, Oct. 3. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Police in St. Peters, Missouri, said officers were dispatched at approximately 8:16 p.m. that day after a report that Kelker-Kelly was unconscious and not breathing, according to The Seattle Times and Fox News. “Our officers arrived on scene along with the St. Charles County Ambulance District, and life-saving measures were administered but were unsuccessful,” police told Fox News. Police said “there was nothing suspicious noted at the scene” and that he “had reportedly complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive, and the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event.” His body was released by the medical examiner to a local funeral home, both outlets reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
No cause of death has been disclosed. The medical examiner’s office did not list one and said its “normal timeline for death certification is approximately 12 weeks,” according to the spokesperson who spoke to NBC News, and had no additional information to share at that time. [ 2 , 3 ]
Kelker-Kelly was born in Wichita, Kansas — Fox News cited April 18, 1964, as his birth date — and got his start in daytime television as Sam Fowler on “Another World” in 1987, later returning to that show as Bobby Reno and Shane Roberts. He took over the role of Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives” in 1992, replacing original portrayer Peter Reckell, per Fox News. He later played the villainous Stavros Cassadine on “General Hospital,” beginning in 2001. He won a 1994 Soap Opera Digest Award for outstanding lead actor and shared the publication’s 1995 hottest soap couple honor with Lisa Rinna. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The outlets differ on the span of his best-known roles. The Seattle Times, citing IMDb, said he played Bo Brady in nearly 600 episodes between 1992 and 1996, while Fox News and NBC News said he remained with the show until 1995. On “General Hospital,” The Seattle Times said he played Stavros Cassadine from 2001 to 2014, while Fox News said 2001 to 2003 with returns to the role in 2013 and 2014. The Seattle Times also said IMDb listed him as employed as a flight instructor before his death. [ 1 , 2 ]
“Days of Our Lives” addressed his death in an Instagram post on Monday reading “Rest in peace,” NBC News reported. Rinna, his former costar and on-screen love interest, described a tumultuous off-screen relationship in her recently published memoir, “You Better Believe I’m Gonna Talk About It”; NBC News and The Seattle Times reported she wrote that he “made my life a living hell on the set of ‘Days.’” The Seattle Times reported that Kelker-Kelly did not address that account. NBC News also reported he married fellow “Days of Our Lives” star Miriam Parrish in 1997 before the pair divorced in 2013. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
Kelker-Kelly was a familiar face across three long-running daytime dramas, and “Days of Our Lives” publicly acknowledged his death, underlining his role in a genre with a dedicated audience. Details of his death remain limited because the medical examiner’s office said its normal timeline for death certification is about 12 weeks.
Key facts
- Robert Kelker-Kelly died at 62, according to a Missouri medical examiner’s office. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Police in St. Peters, Missouri, said officers were dispatched at approximately 8:16 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, after a report that he was unconscious and not breathing. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Police said he had reportedly complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive and that the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Police said nothing suspicious was noted at the scene and that life-saving measures were unsuccessful. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The medical examiner’s office did not list a cause of death and said its normal timeline for death certification is approximately 12 weeks. [ 2 , 3 ]
- He played Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives” and Stavros Cassadine on “General Hospital,” and began in daytime television on “Another World” as Sam Fowler in 1987. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He was born in Wichita, Kansas. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Robert Kelker-Kelly died at 62. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He died on Saturday, Oct. 3, at his home in St. Peters, Missouri, and police were dispatched at approximately 8:16 p.m. that day. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Police said he had complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive, that life-saving measures failed and that nothing suspicious was noted at the scene. [ 1 , 2 ]
- His body was released by the medical examiner to a local funeral home. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He was known for playing Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives” and Stavros Cassadine on “General Hospital.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The cause of death. Fox News reported that an official cause has not been disclosed; NBC News reported the medical examiner’s office did not list a cause and cited a roughly 12-week certification timeline.
- How long Kelker-Kelly played Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives.” The Seattle Times cited IMDb for nearly 600 episodes between 1992 and 1996, while Fox News and NBC News said he remained with the show until 1995.
- The years he played Stavros Cassadine on “General Hospital.” The Seattle Times said 2001 to 2014, while Fox News said 2001 to 2003 with returns in 2013 and 2014.
- That he worked as a flight instructor before his death. Single-source claim attributed to IMDb by The Seattle Times.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Police are dispatched to Kelker-Kelly’s St. Peters home after a report that he is unconscious and not breathing; life-saving measures are unsuccessful. [ 1 , 2 ]
- “Days of Our Lives” posts “Rest in peace” on Instagram. [ 3 ]
- The Seattle Times publishes its report, citing a Missouri police report. [ 1 ]
- Fox News publishes its report, citing the Missouri medical examiner’s office and local police. [ 2 ]
- NBC News publishes its report, citing a spokesperson for the Missouri Office of the Regional Medical Examiner. [ 3 ]