Soap opera actor Robert Kelker-Kelly dies at 62 after sudden cardiac arrest

Robert Kelker-Kelly, 62, passed away at his home in St. Peters, Missouri, on Oct. 3 after experiencing chest, neck and left arm pain during a drive from the airport. His wife, Allison Kelly, said she offered to take him to a hospital, but he chose to lie down and asked for aspirin. When she returned, she found him unresponsive and not breathing. Paramedics performed lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. following cardiac arrest, which the police classified as a sudden death with no known prior medical conditions.

Kelker-Kelly was recognized for portraying Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives,” Dr. Shane on “Another World,” and Stavros Cassadine on “General Hospital.” His most recent on-screen work was a second stint as Stavros Cassadine from 2013 to 2014. After retiring from acting, he earned a certification in airframe and powerplant mechanics and worked as a professional pilot. He is survived by his wife and his daughter Amelia, whom he had with his ex-wife Miriam Parrish.

Earlier this year, former co-star Lisa Rinna described their past working relationship as difficult, alleging verbal abuse and manipulative behavior in her memoir. Kelker-Kelly did not comment on those allegations.