Drake Hogestyn, “Days of Our Lives”' John Black, dies at 70

The actor spent 38 years on the long-running soap playing a fan-favorite character.

Drake Hogestyn, a Days of Our Lives veteran who spent nearly four decades playing the mysterious and often heroic John Black, has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 70.

The actor's family announced the news in a statement posted to the long-running soap opera's Instagram account.

"It's with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn," read the statement. "He was thrown the curveball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones. He was the most amazing husband, father, papa, and actor."

The post concluded, "He loved performing for the Days audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. We love him and we will miss him all the days of our lives."

A representative for Hogestyn did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for comment.

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Christopher Sean, whose character Paul Narita was revealed as John Black's son in 2015, shared a heartfelt tribute to Hogestyn on X. "I will always love you," he wrote. "You were more than just my TV father — in my eyes you were my dad. Thank you for everything you taught me and the love you gave me. The world lost a true hero. Miss and love you so much, Drake. Rest in peace, Dad."

Genie Francis, who played  Hogestyn's onscreen love interest Diana Colville, wrote, ​​"So sad to hear of Drake Hogestyn's passing. Such a wonderful and kind man. It was a pleasure to work with him. I always loved how much he loved his wife and children."

Alison Sweeney, who starred as Sami on Days, called Hogestyn an "incredible man," adding, "He cared about every single scene, every person. He loved Days, the fans, and shared that passion with everyone on set. My heart breaks for his family. They meant everything to him. He was such a huge part of my life at Days. I will miss him terribly and treasure every story, every joke, and every hug."

Kassie DePaiva, who played Eve Donovan on the soap, also paid tribute to Hogestyn. In a Saturday X post, she wrote, "I'm so saddened by this news. One of the kindest people I have ever worked with. What an amazing life he lived. He will be missed. He made the world a better place."

Thaao Penghlis, who played Tony DiMera, shared a photo of him, Hogestyn, and their costar Deidre Hall, which was captioned, in part, "To his family, to Deidre, and Days, so sorry for ur great loss. We will remember him well even though our hearts bleed. Drake, thank you and may this next journey be one of great enlightenment."

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Born in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Sept. 29, 1953, Hogestyn attended the University of South Florida Tampa on a baseball scholarship and was eventually drafted into the New York Yankees. He spent a year playing third base before sustaining an injury in 1977. From there, Hogestyn began his acting career.

Hogestyn's pivot to show business began with a Columbia Pictures talent search that included 75,000 applicants. He was selected, along with 29 others, and would land his first starring role in the 1982 musical CBS series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which also starred River Phoenix.

Hogestyn made his Days of Our Lives debut on Jan. 24, 1986, as a mystery man initially referred to as "The Pawn." He would later assume the identity of  John Black, a heroic spy, mercenary, police officer, private investigator, and secret agent. He quickly became a fan favorite among soap watchers and appeared in more than 4,200 episodes over the course of his 38 years on the NBC series. He was one half of many popular daytime TV pairings, but his most famous of them was his romance with Days' Deidre Hall, who starred as Marlena Evans.

Hogestyn's additional acting credits include the TV movies Generation, Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues, One Stormy Night, Christmas Tree Lane, and Night Sins. He also did guest stints on Criminal Minds and the sci-fi series Otherworld.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.