Yahoo Lifestyle Thom Christopher, ‘One Life To Live’ Actor, Dies at 84
Thom Christopher, who portrayed the mobster Carlo Hessler in the ABC soap opera “One Life To Live,” died Thursday in New York. He was 84.
His longtime friend Steve Bergman confirmed his death with a loving message on Facebook. In it, Bergman explains that Christopher had been unwell for some time. His message read, “Thom has been sick for quite awhile now and fought through it all like a champ. We spoke 2-3 times a month and always had great long conversations. He was such a smart man who gave great advice and told such fantastic stories…”
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His former “One Life to Live” co-star Anthony Crivello also shared a touching message on Facebook along with pictures of their time playing the father-son duo on screen. “My dear friend of many years, actor #ThomChristopher passed today. He was always a gentleman, always supportive, and he and his wife Judith who proceeded him in death, where always gracious to me and welcoming,” wrote Crivello.
Christopher, born on October 5, 1940, made his soap opera debut in the 1950s, playing Noel Douglas on “The Edge of Night.”
He is also known for his role as the alien Hawk in “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.”
He made guest appearances in several other shows, including “Kojak,” “The Eddie Capra Mysteries,” “T.J. Hooker,” “Hunter,” “Murder,” “She Wrote,” and “Simon & Simon” before landing his Daytime Emmy-winning role of Carlo Hessler on ABC’s “One Life to Live” in 1990.
Eventually, his character of Carlo Hessler was killed off the show, but – in true soap opera fashion – Christopher had the chance to return for a recurring role as his identical twin from 1996 to 2008.
Christopher was nominated for a Daytime Emmy two consecutive years, winning in 1992. The part he took on upon leaving the ABC soap opera, Dante Partou in “Loving” earned him his second nomination in 1993.
His wife, agent and playwright Judith Leverone, died in 2019.
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