Drake Hogestyn was an actor best known for his long-running role as John Black on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives.”
- Died: September 28, 2024 (Who else died on September 28?)
- Details of death: Died in Los Angeles of pancreatic cancer at the age of 70.
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Drake Hogestyn’s legacy
Hogestyn never planned to be a soap opera star; in fact, he started his adult life as a professional baseball player. After playing at the University of South Florida – while considering a move to medical school – he was drafted by the New York Yankees. However, during a season with their minor league team in Oneonta, New York, he was injured, then dropped from the team.
Hogestyn thought he might be able to play for an independent baseball team, but on a whim, he submitted a headshot and a personal essay to Columbia Pictures for a nationwide talent search. It was an impulse that paid off: Hogestyn was offered a contract with the studio. And he eventually landed in the place where he’d make his mark – daytime television.
Debuting on “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” in 1982, Hogestyn played the second-oldest brother in CBS’ short-lived TV adaptation of the popular movie musical. Not long after it was cancelled, he earned the role that would make his career. Inspired by the classic spy novel character Jason Bourne, John Black went through a number of identities over decades on “Days of Our Lives.” But all along, he was a fan favorite, and his relationship with Dr. Marlena Evans, played by Deidre Hall, was one of the most popular in the soap opera world. The two stars shared a Soap Opera Digest Award in 2005 for Favorite Couple.
Hogestyn appeared on more than 4,200 episodes of “Days of Our Lives” over more than 35 years. His John Black character was killed in 2009 but returned in 2011, and Hogestyn remained on the show until his death. He was a star of the Peacock spinoff “Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem” and of the streaming network’s 2021 film “Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas.”
Hogestyn on choosing a soap opera career
“My manager and agent fought me. They did not want me to do daytime. But I said, ‘It’s an amazing character.’ Just the whole idea of this guy who didn’t know who he was. How did he find himself?” —from a 2023 interview for Soap Opera Digest
Tributes to Drake Hogestyn
Full obituary: The New York Times
