Jacklyn Zeman was an actress who starred on “General Hospital” as Barbara “Bobbie” Spencer for more than 40 years.
- Died: May 10, 2023 (Who else died on May 10?)
- Details of death: Died after a brief battle with cancer at the age of 70.
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Jacklyn Zeman’s legacy
Zeman’s breakout role was on the soap opera, “One Life to Live,” starring as Lana McClain in the mid-1970s. But it was “General Hospital” that made her a legend in the genre. Shortly after her “One Life to Live” character’s death, she joined “General Hospital” as Barbara “Bobbie” Spencer, a nurse with a difficult past who had turned to sex work in her teens after the deaths of her parents. Beloved by the show’s audience, Zeman remained on “General Hospital” through 2010, then returned after a three-year hiatus and continued to play Bobbie until her death. She was nominated for four Daytime Emmy Awards for her performance on “General Hospital.”
In addition to her longtime soap opera role, Zeman was in several other TV shows and movies. She starred as Sofia Madison on TV’s “The Bay” from 2010 until her death, receiving another Daytime Emmy nomination. Zeman made appearances on shows including “Sledge Hammer!” and “Chicago Hope,” and she was in such movies as “Young Doctors in Love” and “National Lampoon’s Class Reunion.”
Zeman on her longtime character
“She has survived a lot of crap, but she faces her fears. And now she’s wise and the salt of the earth. The fans like that. They think, ‘If Bobbie can pull out of her hell, I can figure out my own problems.’ Bobbie gives you hope.” —from a 2017 interview for TV Insider
Tributes to Jacklyn Zeman
Full obituary: The Washington Post
