Brett Hadley, Young and the Restless star, dies at 92

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Brett Hadley, who spent two decades on soap opera The Young and the Restless, has died. He was 92 years old.

Hadley died of sepsis on June 14 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

His friend, Mary Ann Halpin, also posted about his death on social media on Thursday. "It is with a heavy heart that I have to say goodbye to my sweet friend Brett Hadley," she wrote. "He has been my friend since I was 19 years old. We were in an acting class and were the bad kids in the class. We sat in the back and giggled... I will miss his playful and deep conversation, his funny, flirty giggle and twinkling eyes. He took his last bow and gracefully left us yesterday."

He was best known for his portrayal of Genoa City police detective Carl Williams on The Young and the Restless, who was also the father of Doug Davidson's Paul Williams. Hadley first joined the daytime soap in 1980 and stayed with the show through 1990, when Carl mysteriously disappeared.

The actor returned to the soap in 1998 under the new character name of Jim Bradley, who was meant to be Carl with a case of amnesia resulting from a savage beating. Hadley left the show in 1999, with Carl never remembering his true identity.

Brett Hadley
Brett Hadley

Everett Collection Brett Hadley

Brett Hadley was born on Sept. 25, 1930, in Louisville, Kentucky. He studied drama at the University of New Mexico before beginning his acting career at Chicago's Goodman Theatre.

He made his screen debut in 1969 on television's The Name of the Game. He worked steadily as a guest actor throughout the 1970s and 80s, appearing on shows such as Room 222, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Waltons, Ironside, Kojak, The Rockford Files, The F.B.I., and Police Story.

Hadley also worked in film, appearing in The Mad BomberFunny LadyNext of Kin, and The Babe. He was last seen in 2015's Dreamcatchers, a comedy short.

"My heart and thoughts are with Brett's family and friends," Kate Linder, Hadley's The Young and the Restless costar, told PEOPLE. "There will never be another Carl Williams. I so enjoyed watching him work. He was a consummate professional and always prepared."

Hadley is survived by his niece, Diane.

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