Connect with us

All My Children

All My Children's Matthew Cowles Has Passed Away!

By Michael Fairman

Published

on

Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos

Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos

Heartbreaking and sad news to report this Memorial Day weekend! Reports are surfacing that none other than All My Children’s Matthew Cowles, who played the one and only Billy Clyde Tuggle passed away on Thursday, May 22nd.

According to manager, Tsu Tsu Stanton, Cowles was surrounded by his family – his wife The Good Wife’s Christine Baranski, and their two daughters by his side.  Cowles was 69 years old.

Tsu Tsu Stanton tweeted the news, “#Matthew Cowles passed away on 5/22. I had the pleasure of being his manager. He was a very gifted and kind man who loved life and everyone.”

Broadway World posted an item on the actors passing citing: “Cowles was born in 1944 and his career spanned both the stage and screen. His Broadway roles include Malcolm (1966), The Time of Your Life (1969), and Sweet Bird of Youth (1975).  His movie credits include The Juror (1996), American Loser (2007), Shutter Island (2010), and many more.  His most recent short film, Family on Board (2014), is currently in post-production.”  Matthew had numerous television credits but none more memorable than Pine Valley’s pimp, Billy Clyde Tuggle!

Matthew reprised his role of Billy Clyde last summer as part of Prospect Park’s online revival of the series.  AMC executive producer, Ginger Smith was instrumental in getting Matthew back to the soap opera.  On-Air On-Soaps had the first exclusive interview with Cowles upon his return, which now would turn out to be the final time we would chat.

Matthew’s former AMC co-star Cady McClain (Ex-Dixie, now Y&R’s Kelly) tweeted on his passing today,  “So sad. What a lovely man… I adored working with him last year. So kind.”

On-Air On-Soaps sends our thoughts and prayers to Matthew’s family, and we are deeply saddened by the passing of one of the most talented actors ever to appear on soaps.   Share your thoughts below!

Click to comment

0 Comments
oldest
newest

My condolences are with his family.Plus i’m glad that his fans were able to watch him at least one more time on the All My Children reboot.

Same here…he was one of my favorites!!!

I agree enjoyed seeing him on the reprise AMC. Rest in Peace.

I feel the same way. And Billy Clyde, though he still had the same personality, was a kinder gentler Billy. My deepest sympathy to his family. He will never be forgotten as long as anyone who watched AMC is still kicking around. Rest in peace.
I did not hear that he was sick. Gone way too soon.

R.I.P. Matthew. Prayers for Christine Baranski and their children. Great entertainer.

I loved Billy Clyde and never knew he was married to Christine. She’s one of my favorite actresses. Could we see Mary Anne Thorpe with Billy Clyde Tuggle? Nope but that’s why they are called actors.

Christine appeared with her husband on a few episodes of AMC. They were hilarious together.

Oh no, no, no! I love this actor, think he’s brilliant. I always said that Billy Clyde Tuggell was the best villain in soap opera history. He even wrote his own dialogue. I don’t have he words–this is just too sad.

I agree 100% percent Harry! I wanted to write something but couldn’t have said it better!

There will never be another colorful fun villian like Billy Clyde Tuggles…Mathew Cowles was one of the top greatest actors in daytime ever and one of my top all time favorite soap actor/characters!!!

ITA.
What a brilliant portrayal.
:(.

I know how you feel . I’m still in shock . Matthew was such the opposite of billy Clyde. I watched him on AMC many years ago when I first began watching soaps . I was just a kid then, but mathew’s billy clyde , left quite an impression !! My heart goes out to his wife and daughters and every fan out there who loved him!!!

An unforgettable soap villain. Sympathy to Christine and family

Matthew Cowles / Billy Clyde Tuggle AMC is a soap opera legend!
His villain performances has stayed with all the AMC fans for decades!
He made a mark that will always forever be ..

Condolences to all who love Matthew Cowles , he will never be forgotten ..

Sad news..Rest in peace..He was always riveting and a scene stealer over at AMC.

I am so sad to hear this! I loved him on AMC.

That makes me so sad. I liked him so very much and I will forever miss Billy Clyde. May he rest in peace.

Glad I got to see him perform again as Billy Clyde. Prospect Park did something right by bringing him back to AMC. He was wonderful as Billy Clyde.

So sad to hear. He was tremendous to watch, and I was thrilled to get to see him as Billy Clyde again. Condolences to his family.

What a shock to hear this news. On All My Children he was the character you loved despite his mean ways. He will be missed.

I am so sorry for your lost may god be with you a d your family your in my thoughts and prayers to

Such a talent loved him on All My Children glad to see him back on short lived return

So sorry on Matthews passing. He was excellent actor and character on AMC was much loved. Sincere sympathy to his family ……Billy Clyde, my goodness no one will ever forget him…RIP

RIP…Matthew Cowles….Billy Clyde Tuggle….may you rest in peace with the other greats from PineValley,Pa.

I am so sorry and offer my condolences ..I remember Billy Clyde way back on All My Children in the Dixie/Tad days …years ago..and then his return last year ..Rest in peace ..you were a great actor and person ..

I hadn’t watched All My Children in ages…and I mean years! But I do remember his character well. Very sad news…condolences.

Rebecca, I hope you try and find the reboot online….he was just as good the second time around!

I’ll look…thanks!

Mr. Cowles’ sense of fun playing the role made him “non-traumatic” for viewers, even way back, when we got a less kinder-gentler Billy Clyde. An actor who brought craft to his role, this is how I remember him. God bless his family.

He was a joy to watch. So much talent. My heart goes out to his family.

May God be with his family during this difficult time! He was so talented!

I am very sad about this, Matthew was a wonderful actor and rip my friend. We will all miss you.

❤Him can first remember seeing so many years ago on All My Children. One of the best characters to be brought on RIP Billy Clyde deepest sympathy to his loving family!

I was so taken aback upon reading of his passing, that I was at a loss for words. I have regained my composure. Billy Clyde Tuggell has had a cult following ever since he left Pine Valley. Many of us started a ‘Bring Back Billy Clyde’ campaign. When Prospect brought him back, and I heard his Southern slurred speech sputtered forth while wearing that three piece white suit with the carnation boutonniere while carrying a cane, I am going to admit something–I chocked up a little. Yes, because when I was about 12 Billy Clyde triggered my imagination while invoking my sense of fear as well as tickling my funny bone. How many soap villains can make you shudder and laugh at the same time? This is only something I can confess to fellow soap fans because only they (you all) get it. This comes from a place which makes us remain steadfastly loyal to a soap despite the fact that it is letting us down in so many ways (see GH). I gave up on AMC about 7 years before it was cancelled because it had gotten so bad it almost seemed like self-sabotage (again, see GH). But when it was finally cancelled, I was sad because I knew I could never go home again.
Billy Clyde Tuggell represents the best of AMC–he was brilliantly nuanced, he contained literary allusions and he skillfully blended humor with his evil doings. How many soap villains can make you laugh and shudder at the same time? Finally, I think I cried upon seeing his visage on Prospect’s AMC, as well as reading about his passing here on Michael Fairman’s blog, because I think I always sensed that he was truly a good and sweet man on top of being really a damn brilliant actor. I guess I am just going to miss knowing that he was out there somewhere, ready to come back while wielding that cane.

wow! beautifully expressed heartfelt sentiments that once again shows how characters on TV, in film, literature and the like can effect our emotions and our lives.

you captured Billy Clyde’s essence while simultaneously paying tribute to the man who brought him to life…

Harry you said it so much better than I could have. I watched him and Donna, on AMC even watched him on AMC on line,I usually don’t like the villains but Billy was a treasure. He made you laugh even when he made you shudder. Rest in peace and our prayers for his family.Think of the talent that was in that house. between him and Christine Baranski .best to them and their daughters.

Well said.
I can’t thank Prospect Park enough for attempting to give the fans more time with our favorite characters. Billy was great, and Matthew was brilliant.

Loved him on all my children .

I am so very sad to hear this news. His tremendous talent made Billy Clyde a classic, unforgettable character. Rest in peace Matthew. Know that you are loved by millions.

Deep love and Condolences to Christine and the girls. A good and kind man, a great actor and the most lovable villain who ever perpetrated evil in Pine Valley! So sorry for your loss, you are in my prayers.
Love, Trish

And with a tip of his feathered fedora, he took the classic “Clydemobile” on one last ride to the “Great Beyond…” Bye bye, BC….still unforgettable after all these years!

What a shame. Thank God for the PP reboot, if for nothing more than giving us the chance to see “Billy Clyde” one more time.
I knew he was married to Christine Baranski, but it was news to me that his first wife was Kathleen Dezina who played Estelle on AMC.
RIP .

Me too. No matter what he appeared in…he was always Billy Clyde Tuggle to me.

He was a great actor. Watched him for many years on “All My Children” and I was thrilled when he appeared on the online soap. I am so sorry for his loss to his family. Love watching his wife every week on “The Good Wife”. Such a talented family. May he rest in peace.

Billy Clyde Tuggle was my favorite soap character of all time. I was thrilled to see him back in the online version of AMC. Such a shock to hear of his passing. My sympathies to his wife and family and all who loved him.

What was his cause of death?

Don’t know him, but have enjoyed his wife’s acting. RIP

It was reported that his family was at his bedside when he died.So i’m thinking he was suffering from some kind of illness or something and his loved ones knew he was going to die soon.

One of those actors that you love to hate. He was one of the greats.

What a character actor, he was one of my favorites on All My Children. My sympathies to his wife, also a great actor, and his family and friends. I will miss him as I miss All My Children, but ALL good things must come to an end!

I am shocked and sad to hear of this news. I remember him from years afo on AMC, fabulous actor. Rest in peace.

Well I hate to hear it. I’m a big Billy Clyde Tuggle fan. I loved his character back in the day. You’ll be missed Billy Clyde. P.I.P. “PIMP IN PIECE”!!!!

My condolences to the family on his passing! I watched AMC for many years and all are near and dear to my heart!

I remember him from AMC back in the day and saw him in other shows.A talented actor gone to soon. My condolences to his family.

I was devastated when I found out last night.
When I saw him at the premiere of the AMC & OLTL reboots, I was ecstatic! And a little sad, because it was obvious to me how frail he was. I did not know what was wrong, but I am forever grateful that he was able to reprise Billy Clyde and somewhat redeem him. He was horrible and lovable at the same time and oh how he mangled the English language to pieces.
Harry you said it well, for many of us share your sentiments. And Doyle…Pimp in Peace – I love it, and I think Billy/Matthew would too.

When an actor can arouse such hatred in you for the way he is portraying a character, well, then I must say that that is a VERY FINE ACTOR. He was the best. You could hate him and laugh at him at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him and when I found out (quite some time ago) that he was married to one of my favorite actresses of all time, Christine Baranski, then that just ‘sealed the deal’. RIP dear Matthew and know that you gave your best and it was even better than that!

Cowles also played a very memorable heartsick hillbilly on Loving!!! I’ll never forget his overall-clad Eban Japes on that hellbent mission to Corinth….to retrieve his ladylove, “Lottiebird!” Given his real-life blueblood heritage, it made his believability as both a white-trash villain and the over-the-top procurer, Billy Clyde, all the more remarkable!!!!!

A remarkable man and a remarkable character he created in Billy Clyde. Indelible! My condolences to his wife Christine Baranski and his two daughters.

I really enjoyed al the evil you conjured up on All My children. You were my verybfavorite. My concolences to your wife and family. RIP for you shall be greatly missed!

He was memorable as Billy Clyde on ALL MY CHILDREN both on the abc-tv version and the short-lived Prospect Park horribly botched version.
It says in the article that Producer Ginger Smith was instrumental in getting Him to reprise his role for the on-line version. It’s a shame Ginger Smith didn’t have the common courtesy to tell the fans what in the world was going on with the On-line version by Prospect Park.
I am so sorry that he has passed, he was quite an interesting actor – but whenever I hear of anything reminding me of ALL MY CHILDREN, I get boiling mad at how the fans were never entitled to an explanation, no official statement, NOTHING – just empty promises from Ginger Smith saying that “many more faces will be returning” and absolutely NOTHING was delivered to the fans.

All My Children

‘All My Children’ Movie Writers for Lifetime Revealed: Ron Carlivati, Jamey Giddens and Leo Richardson

Published

on

By

This week began and as reported with a spotlight article on Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos and how their production entity, Milojo, has been teeing up the All My Children reboot with Lifetime.

The L.A. Times featured the married couple, co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark, and former All My Children cast members (where they met and fell in love) about their plans to bring two All My Children movies to Lifetime and how they are working with the Agnes Nixon estate to make it come to fruition,

On Wednesday, it was revealed by Daytime Confidential, that All My Children reboot producer, Andrew Stearn handpicked none other than Ron Carlivati (ex-head writer, One Life to Live, General Hospital and Days of our Lives) and Jamey Giddens (who is the new co-head writer of The Young and the Restless, following his tenures on the writing teams of Beyond the Gates and Days of Our Lives), as the two scribes who will bring the first of two of Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movies to the page.

Photo: IMDb

RON CARLIVATI AND JAMEY GIDDENS CONFIRM THEIR BOARDING THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE PROJECT

The second installment is said to be written by primetime writer Leo Richardson whose credits include: Star, Katy Keene and more recently the Penn Badgley (ex-Phillip Chancellor IV, The Young and the Restless) starring series, You.

Richardson also wrote for three years on the U.K.’s long-running soap, EastEnders. All My Children revival fans will recall Richardson’s name was attached as the writer for the first incarnation of the All My Children movies, entitled, Pine Valley.

Ron Carlivati took to X and confirmed he is indeed boarding the All My Children movie project. Carlivati shared, “So excited to share this news! Thanks to Andrew Stearn, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Albert Bianchini and the Agnes Nixon estate for entrusting Jamey Giddens and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime! Stay tuned!”

Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE

Jamey Giddens confirmed DC’s announcement by taking to his account on X and expressing, “I’ve been booked and busy in 2026. Thanks to Andrew Stearn, the Agnes Nixon estate, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for entrusting Ron Carlivati, and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime!”

Some fans seemed to question how Giddens could be writing for the first All My Children movie at Lifetime, when he is the new co-head writer at The Young and the Restless with Dan O’Connor. Jamey answered that head on via X and explained, “We turned in our All My Children script months ago. My sole focus as of this past Monday, is Genoa City, Wisconsin! #YR”

ERICA KANE, MARIA SANTOS AND HAYLEY AND MATEO SANTOS TO APPEAR IN THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE REVIVAL?

In the planned stories, Susan Lucci’s Erica Kane and Eva LaRue’s Maria Santos will be two characters whose lives we will get to see for the first time since the series was canceled by ABC back in 2011 after 41 years on the air. As well, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos confirmed they will make brief appearances on-screen; one could assume as Hayley and Mateo Santos.

“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos to the LA Times. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”

So, what do you think of Ron Carlivati and Jamey Giddens getting nod to write the All My Children movie #1 script and Leo Richardson #2? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

Continue Reading

All My Children

‘All My Children’ Revival Updates: Lifetime EVP Speaks on Why Proposed Movies are Great Fit, Mark Consuelos Wants To ‘Give Back’ to Fans

Published

on

By

The All My Children revival via movies at Lifetime is still in the works from former series stars and marrieds, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, through their production company, Milojo.

The co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark were featured this week in a Los Angeles Times article which detailed their efforts to bring some of the citizens of Pine Valley back to your screens.

As previously reported, and reaffirmed by the L.A. Times, the All My Children movies will be set in the present day and focus on what beloved characters such as Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) and Maria Santos Gray (Eva LaRue) are doing now. In addition, Kelly Ripa confirmed that she and Mark Consuelos will also appear on screen briefly most likely appearing in their signature soap roles as Hayley and Mateo Santos.

Mark Consuelos, Kelly Ripa, All My Children

Photo: ABC

ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIES BRING NOSTALGIA THAT CAN BE MADE TO FEEL NEW AGAIN

Elaine Frontain Bryant, executive vice president and head of programming for A&E, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movie Network said of the All My Children reboot, “Lifetime is always interested in shows that kind of tap into a powerful nostalgia that can be made fresh for today’s audience. There’s a whole generation of women that have missed these stories and these characters.”

As for working with Kelly and Mark on the Lifetime movie versions of the soap, “They’re exactly the kind of partners you want at a brand,” expressed Bryant. “They’re trusted voices because every day they’re talking to their audience, which, a lot of times, is our audience. They bring a real credibility and have an authentic point of view. You meet Kelly and Mark and kind of what you see is what you get, and I think they bring that same authenticity to their development standards.”

Albert Bianchini, executive producer for Milojo, says he knows All My Children is so wildly popular with the fans of daytime. That was punctuated when seeing it in person, and how the energy was off the charts back in January of 2025 when Kelly participated along with Susan Lucci, former head writer, Lorraine Broderick and casting director, Judy Blye Wilson in a conversation with Andy Cohen at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.

Susan Lucci, Kelly Ripa, Andy Cohen

© Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM Credit: AFF/Alamy Live News

“I’ve never seen a crowd like that in my life. People were lined up around the block, recalled the Bianchini.  “Everyone wanted to know, ‘When is (All My Children) coming back? We want more.’  We got to see that in real life and Kelly got to feel it in real life, and it made so much sense. I just know that the minute it gets out in the world, people will want more and more and more. There’s just a love there.”

Kelly Ripa added that they are, “working closely with Bob and Sarah Nixon, who are also serving as producers.” She recalled, “She (Agnes Nixon) was so far ahead of her time. She covered topics that weren’t being covered. It was extraordinary the audiences that the show drew, and she served them real stories that were affecting Americans across the country but weren’t necessarily being represented anywhere.”

“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”

THE CANCELLATION AND STOPS AND STARTS OF ALL MY CHILDREN REBOOTS

All My Children aired on ABC from 1970 to 2011. It got a second chance at life when Prospect Park resurrected the show and brought it to The OnLine Network and Hulu for one season in 2013.

Recently, the series made a return through the estate of Agnes Nixon and is streaming internationally on BEONDTV and through their partnership with PlutoTV Canada with episodes starting in 1995. Fans hope original episodes will some day soon be available in the U.S. as well, but that could prove more difficult since ABC owns the rights to the episodes stateside.

Now 13 years later, while there is no word yet on a definitive production start date to the two movies at Lifetime, all the people involved seemed determined to make it come to life.

So, what do you think of the executive vice-president of Lifetime and LMN being enthusiastic about Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movie revivals? Are you wanting to see this come to fruition? Kelly and Mark seem to have made this a very high priority.  Do you hope that by 2027 we might be able to get this to the finish the line and into production? Weigh-in via the comment section.

Continue Reading

All My Children

‘All My Children’ Episodes to Stream on Pluto TV Canada

Published

on

By

Starting on May 1, All My Children fans in Canada will be able to see classic episodes of the beloved former ABC soap opera when they stream on Pluto TV Canada. 

Pluto TV picked-up the All My Children Channel that the Nixon family has created in partnership with BEONDTV +. The show which aired for 41 years on ABC and ended on the network in 2011, had so many memorable storylines and characters; the least of which is the enduring run of Erica Kane played by soap icon, Susan Lucci.

As previously reported, starting with episodes from the year 1995, which was the 25th anniversary of the soap. Pluto TV Canada viewers will be able to catch 8 episodes on repeat per day. With the success of the venture, the Nixons are hopeful that they will bring viewers many more years of the show to come.

Photo: ABC

Sarah Nixon, producer, shared with Michael Fairman TV exclusively, “We are thrilled that Pluto TV has launched All My Children in Canada! Let’s hope the engagement from our incredibly loyal fans across the border will encourage ABC to bring it to the U.S.!  We share what Aggie (Agnes Nixon) always felt, that it is the enthusiasm and love from the fans that has kept this legacy beloved and relevant – to this day!”

In addition, 0ne week ago, during Susan Lucci’s visit to Los Angeles promoting her book La Lucci, she was joined by her former Pine Valley castmates, Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee, AMC, now Taylor, B&B) and Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, AMC) and the trio posed for a pic. At that time, LaRue shared via Instagram, “NEW All My Children channel streaming classic episodes 24/7 now on Pluto TV Canada! Fingers crossed to watch soon on Pluto US.”

That was also confirmed this week by TV Watercooler’s Jeevan Brar who took to X and expressed,The All My Children channel begins streaming this Friday, May 1 on Pluto TV Canada.

So, Canadian viewers, excited about Pluto TV’s All My Children channel? United States fans, hopeful from Sarah’s message that perhaps soon, we can see the beloved soap once again as well? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Eva LaRue (@evalarue)

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Heather Tom

The Bold and the Beautiful

Airdate: 7-24-2026

Popular

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x