Doug Sheehan Dies: ‘General Hospital’, ‘Knot’s Landing’ Actor Was 75

Actor Doug Sheehan, known for his breakout role as Joe Kelly on General Hospital, and as Ben Gibson on Knot’s Landing, among many other credits, has died. Sheehan “passed away peacefully” June 29 at his home in Big Horn, Wyoming, with his wife his side, according to a Kane Funeral Home announcement. He was 75. A cause of death was not revealed.

Born in Santa Monica, CA, Sheehan’s first on-screen role came in a 1978 episode of Charlie’s Angels. He went on to join the cast of daytime soap General Hospital as a series regular in his first major role, appearing in 205 episodes from 1979-1982, as lawyer Joe Kelly. He earned a Daytime Emmy nominaton for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Daytime Drama Series for his work.

From General Hospital, he segued to the role of reporter Ben Gibson in Knot’s Landing, appearing in 115 episodes from 1983 to 1988.

He also starred as Brian Harper on comedy series Day by Day, created by Andy Borowitz and Gary David Goldberg, which aired for two seasons on NBC from 1988-1989. The series centered on Brian (Sheehan) and Kate Harper (Linda Kelsey), a married couple with two successful careers (Brian as a stockbroker, Kate as a lawyer) and their teenage son, Ross (Christopher Daniel Barnes). He also portayed Mel Horowitz, Cher’s father, on the sitcom Clueless, based on the movie, taking over the role from Michael Lerner after the first season.

His other television credits include Cheers, Columbo, MacGyver, Diagnosis Murder, among others. His final on-screen roles were in 2003, as Edward Gibson, Sabrina’s (Melissa Joan Hart) father in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and in a guest-starring role in What I Like About You.

Sheehan appeared in three films over the course of his career, 1979’s 10 starring Bo Derek and Dudley Moore, Victor/Victoria (1982) and most recently, Cops n Roberts in 1995.

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