Ryan's Hope star John Gabriel dies at 90
John Gabriel, the actor and singer known for his long-running role as Dr. Seneca Beaulac on the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope, has died at 90.
His daughter Andrea Gabriel, a fellow actor whose credits include Lost and The Twilight Saga, announced Gabriel's death Sunday on Instagram. "It is with an unspeakably heavy heart that I share the news of my father's passing," she wrote. "John Gabriel was my hero, my role model, and my champion, but above all, my daddy. I will love you forever."
Born Jack Monkarsh in New York, Gabriel enjoyed a long career of film, TV, and stage roles, but he was best known for his work on Ryan's Hope. He appeared on the show from 1975 to 1985, and returned from 1988 to 1989. Gabriel was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for the role in 1980.
Gabriel was also the original actor to play the Professor on Gilligan's Island, in the unaired 1963 pilot, before CBS recast the role with Russell Johnson. Gabriel's other credits included Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Seinfeld. His final acting credit was voicing Billy West in the 2010 video game Red Dead Redemption.
In addition to acting, Gabriel was a well-known singer, performing on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, Regis and Kathy Lee, and more.
He is survived by his wife, Sandy Gabriel, and daughters Andrea and Melissa.
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