Doug Sheehan, notable for significant roles in “General Hospital” and “Knots Landing,” passed away on June 29 at his residence in Big Horn, Wyoming, in the presence of his wife. The news was confirmed by Kane Funeral Home. No cause of death has been provided. He as 75 years old.
Born on April 27, 1949, in Santa Monica, California, Sheehan started his television career with a guest spot in a 1978 episode of “Charlie’s Angels.” His big break came playing lawyer Joe Kelly on the soap opera “General Hospital,” where he was featured in 205 episodes from 1979 to 1982. His work on “General Hospital” earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Daytime Drama Series.
Sheehan subsequently appeared in the CBS series “Knots Landing,” a “Dallas” spinoff. He played reporter Ben Gibson in over 100 episodes from 1983 to 1988. His character departed the show in its eighth season, heading to South America and never returning.
During a 1989 interview on “The Arsenio Hall Show,” Sheehan shared his thoughts on the challenges of working in Hollywood, especially regarding the role of casting directors. He stated, “Hollywood, as we all know, is not run by the producers, it’s run by casting directors. Casting directors never watch what you’re on…so I’ve spent my whole-time sort of breaking down the walls, with the daytime, the night time, and half hour comedy. They don’t know if I can do full-hour comedy yet, so I have to break through.”
Besides his extensive television career, Sheehan appeared in three films: “10” in 1979, “Victor/Victoria” in 1982, and “Cops n Roberts” in 1995.
In the 1990s, Sheehan portrayed Cher’s father, Mel Horowitz, in the TV adaptation of “Clueless.” He also starred in the comedy “Day by Day,” created by Andy Borowitz and Gary David Goldberg, which ran for two seasons on NBC from 1988 to 1989. Other guest appearances included roles in “Cheers,” “Columbo,” “MacGyver,” and “Diagnosis Murder.”
The actor’s final screen appearances were in 2003 on “What I Like About You” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” where he played Sabrina’s father, Edward Gibson.
From 1981 until his death, Sheehan was married to Cate Abert. His career in television, spanning several decades and covering a range of genres, demonstrated his versatility and commitment to acting.