Tyler Christopher of General Hospital Passed Away at Age 50
According to reports, soap opera star Tyler Christopher, who
was most recognized for his parts on Days of Our Lives and General Hospital,
has passed away suddenly.
Maurice Benard, a
costar at General Hospital, confirmed Christopher's passing on Instagram later
that evening. Christopher passed away on Tuesday, October 31, following a
"cardiac event" at his San Diego residence in the morning.
"We are sad to
inform you of Tyler Christopher's passing," he said, introducing the image
of his longtime colleague reclining on a couch, dressed in a black suit, with a
dog gazing back in the background.
According to
Bernard, Christopher battled alcoholism and supported programs for substance
abuse and mental health.
In a statement to
People, Executive Producer Frank Valentini of General Hospital said of
Christopher's demise, "I am heartbroken over the news of Tyler
Christopher's passing." Kind, amazing performer, and close friend, he was
adored by both Nikolas Cassadine fans and our GH family." He expressed
"heartfelt sympathies" to the families of his former colleague on behalf
of all those working on the series today.
Christopher was
nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for his work on Days of Our Lives once, and
for his performance on General Hospital five times, according to his IMDb page.
In 2016, GH earned him the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series award.
He was named the
Outstanding Male Newcomer on the Series winner by Soap Opera Digest in 1997. He
starred in 1,153 episodes of the long-running drama, according to the database,
before leaving in 2016.