News
AW & OLTL Legendary Soap Opera Leading Man George Reinholt Dead At 73!
Courtesy/NBC
Very sad news this morning that is making its way around the soap opera world. One of the first true leading men and “hunks” of the daytime drama series format, George Reinholt has passed away at 73 years old from cancer. George, who along with the late Jacqueline Courtney, became truly one of the original soap opera supercouples of Steven Frame and Alice Matthews in the late 60’s and early 70’s on NBC’s Another World! During his time on AW, Reinholt had the highest TV-Q rating in Daytime television cementing his popularity in the soap culture!
After deciding to leave the Another World over ative differences with the series higher-ups which included … Paul Rauch and Harding Lemay … Reinholt eventually landed at ABC’s One Life to Live and created the new roles of Tony Lord. Tony was the brother to Viki Lord played by Erika Slezak! Reinholt played that role for two years. It was at OLTL that the ABC soap opera tried to capture the magic twice by pairing George with Jacqueline Courtney who had also left AW and was now playing Pat Ashley in Llanview!
Reinholt did once again return to Another World af inal time in 1089 for the series 25th anniversary, but sadly in 1994, when Reinholt appeared on the CBS television broadcast: 50 Years of Soaps: An All Star Celebration, the program marked his final appearance with his leading lady from Another World, Jacqueline Courtney.
Courtesy/AWofficiando
Beginning in 1988, George began teaching acting in the Philadelphia area to High School students,and at the Barnstormers Theatre in Ridley Park.
Survivors include his dear friend and caretaker, Ann Marie Lincoln, and longtime friends Ruth Campbell and John Magee who edited his memoir, and the funeral services were said to be private. To view Reinholt’s complete obit click here!
Now below, watch the clip from “50 Years of Soaps”, when George and Jacqueline are reunited again! Then, let us know your thoughts on the passing of George Reinholt? Were you a fan of Steven Frame and Tony Lord? Share your comments and remembrances below!
RIP
Too sad. He was great as Tony Lord. I didn’t know about Courtney. Does anybody know when she passed and why?
I think it was two years ago she died of skin cancer. Soap opera digest put steve and Alice on the cover to honor her passing too.
My FIRST soap opera love who I will never forget. Rest in peace with Jacquie now.
I also heard he was closeted.
He wasn’t closeted. He just didn’t discuss his private life with the media.
I loved Pat & Tony! they were one of my favorite couples on OLTL!
Very sad news. I loved him as Tony on OLTL. May he rest in peace.
This is so bittersweet. In one way it was wonderful going down memory lane– but in another it is sad seeing that clip honoring soaps knowing how few are now left. And now I am at age that I am started to see the passing of so many actors who played the beloved characters I grew up watching. Now all my children, remember we only have one life to live, so let us make all the days of our lives count. So as the world turns at the edge of night, in the dark shadows as we search for tomorrow, may the guiding light lead us to an another world. RIP George.
AW was…imo…the best soap with Days back in the 70s…i had a teenage crush on Arianne Munker and Adrienne Wallace who both played Alices niece Marianne Randolph…Liz Mathews (Irene Dailey) i believe passed 5 years ago and Daved Bailey the last Russ Mathews drowned in a pool several years ago…all so close together…Rick Porter(Larry Ewing) also gone a few years ago. Too many…just like my real family and friends…hard to deal with. Didnt like AWs later years when the writers had the Corey kids call Liz aunt when they werent related…best later part was Jake and Viki but Jake really shouldve been called Ricky Mathews, Lizs stepgrandson to keep the Mathews family part of the show…only Russ made a few appearances and his daughter Olivia was there…hope im not boring you with all this…i just miss the show and sad over the loss of so many former soap stars as well as in my own family…one final memory at its a funny one…George Reinholt once did a nude spread in one of the magazines when he was doing the soaps and one day when i was at the drug store with my mom, a strict catholic and with old values and morales took a peek in that mag and remarked the centerfold was a disappointment because it wasnt very revealing…lol
No not boring at all– Edge of Night was my first soap as a child, AW my close second and I watched AW right to the end in 99. In university all my friends were into that new soap Y&R but no one was into AW, so I made a deal with my roommate if she watched AW with me I would watch Y&R with her– and dang I got hooked on it too. Soaps are woven into the fabric of my life — a sort of parallel universe– to live in for an hour or two each day. Today’s soaps may be better produced with bigger budgets than days gone by, but some of the stories were birth in those early days, and I am glad I was able to ride the wave at an age I could most enjoy them. So feel free to reminisce all you want– because we were fortunate to experience the genre when it was at its best.
JimH & MarySf
two AW FANS!
Another World’ is my pick for the one soap that had “it” ALL
1. “…some of the stories were birth in those early days, and I am glad I was able to ride the wave”
2. “…we were fortunate to experience the genre when it was at its best.”
two very strong and valid reasons… we decades plus fans know… and hang on to the remaining 4 so vigilantly.
all posts have reason. even if it’s not ours. so… I say cheers for the decade plus fans
p.s.. had to google that playgirl pictorial… George Reinholt. I remember that.
didn’t recall he was a soap pioneer tho… even back then.. I liked the discretion, even the publications adhered…. wink, wink… I could see why he captured the fans
Another World had the best couples… the best collectively well acted cast… on par excellence…. everything simmered… captured my attention… like no other soap…. till Santa Barbara came along….
Long Live DAYS and GH.
@jimh..Your mom sounds like an absolute hoot!!!! And @Patrick….You have the most delightful perspective on things: “All posts have reason, even if it’s not ours.” Between that and your graceful and descriptive statements, your contributions are always a treat to read….full of knowledge and enjoyment! As for the subject at hand, he was a bit before my time….my earliest recollections of OLTL were of a recast “Tony Lord,” but I definitely was aware of the “soap legend” who preceded him! (Tall tales and all….)
Jackie Courtney died in December 2010. Yes, she did pass away of skin cancer.
Back in the 70s AW and DOOLs featured my favorite soap couples: Days had Doug and Julie, and AW had Steve and Alice. On AW, Rachel(Robin Strasser, Vicki Wyndam) was the bad girl who occasionally broke them up and got pregnant by Steve…son was Jaime…Steve, Alice and Rachel was a long drawn out but exciting triangle that lasted for years…and it didnt matter to most if Steve ended up with either lady…they were that good. Rachel wasnt an evil villain…she was a bad girl looking for ways to climb the social ladder…ironically Steven came from a poor background but was a self made millionaire by the time he arrived in Bay City and fell in love with sweet Alice…i think Steve was drunk or something the night he slept with Rachel…i 4get at the moment. Rachel was married to Alices brother Dr. Russ Mathews who thought he was Jaimes father…Rachel was also briefly married to Ted Clarke who ran a resturuant…4 years Steve went back and forth between Rachel and Alice…it was always exciting and the ratings soared…then came the backstage drama: George, Jackie and Virginia Dwyer who played Alices mom and Mathews matriarch Mary Mathews were all fired. Steve died in a plane crash, Mary died while on vacation with husband Jim and Jackie who played Alice was replaced with lookalike actress Susan Harney who left the role in 1979. This show remain top rated and was hot up until 1979. The show went to 90 minutes, killed off popular John Randolph, and gradually phased out the whole Mathews and Randolph family that made the show popular. The show lost popular Beverly Mckinsey as Iris to shortlived spinoff Texas but she never returned to AW…big mistake. AW went back to 60 min. but with so many cast changes exct. it wasnt the same. They brought on David Canary and Linda Borgenson to play Steve and Alice but the magic wasnt there like it was for the originals and the story fizzeled and Steve was killed off for good…i think it wouldve worked if the had cast Love Of Lifes Ron Tomme and Tina Sloan(AWs Olivia) as Steve and Alice…in any case AW wasnt as good in the 80s to last episode like it was in the 70s…best parts were Viki and Jake, Donna, Cass and Frankie but they could never top AWs early years. Soaps really dont write super couples like Steve and Alice, and Doug and Julie anymore, and maybe thats the problem…the lack of a romantic super couple we can cheer for. George and Jackie(who died from melanoma in 2010 at age 64) are greatly missed.
I always wanted soapnet to make its own movies using daytime stars. One movie wouldve been a bio…’The Jackie Courtney Story’ staring Julie M. B. (exLulu, GH) in the titled role…i believe soapnet wouldve been more succesful and helped keep the soap genre arrive with more original programming and made for tv movies(like lifetime channel) but staring mostly past and present soap stars…imo
ALIVE!!!
This is terribly sad. He, along with the fabulous Jacquie and wonderful Robin (Strasser; the original Rachel Davis Matthews Clark), set “Another World” on fire through the late 1960s through early/mid-1970s. I promptly dumped “Another World” when he was fired and followed him to “One Life to Live.” Having Jacquie join the cast a few months later was pure elation!
Despite his reputation, this man had true star quality. While some may question his acting ability (personally, I though he was quite good — his fiery, early 1976 confrontation scene with Victor Lord — then played by Shepperd Strudwick — was phenomenal), there’s no doubt that this man has presence and a command of his audience. You sat up and took notice when he was on your TV screen. In the day when all leading soap actors looked, dressed, and sounded alike, George Reinholt broke the mould.
Rest in peace, George.
Yes I was a GREAT fan of Steve and Alice!!! I also knew him as Tony Lord
He was a great actor and will be remembered always!
Wow! What a talent GEORGE was! Being a viewer of OLTL since about year 2 of the show I certainly remember “Tony and Pat”! I was bummed when their storyline came to a close. I had read that Jackie Courtney had passed away a few years ago. When I read Mr. Reinholt’s obituary in my local paper yesterday I had no idea he love a mere 3 miles from me, that he was born in Philadelphia AND was teaching in a town about the same distance away!
RIP!!
They were magic together and when they tried to recast them both it never really worked for me. This scene I vaguely remember though I was very young we use to watch soaps in the summer and prayed we would have bad weather so we could stay home from school. RIP dear man you are now once again with your leading lady!
I remeber when they brought Steve back from the dead played by David Canary…i was a fan of his from his Bonanza years and as Adam on AMC but here he was terribly miscast as was Linda Borgenson who played Alice at this time in the storyline…i thought Love Of Lifes Ron Tomme would fit the part better as Steve and Tina Sloan who played Olivia Delany on AW might have been ok as Alice unless they couldve gotten Susan Harney back who was Jackies first replacement in the role…However, George Reinholt and Jackie Courtney will always be the one and only Steve and Alice…beautiful couple…they just dont write them like that anymore but im glad i was around then to watch…soaps…well most…were at their best in the 60s to late 70s…and like you i was always happy when school was out so i could watch.!! P.S. i wish more episodes had survived from that era because most of todays generation of soap viewers dont know how wonderful soaps used to be…some are entertaining today but not as great as they were in the good old days!!!
You are so right their is not one soap on today that I would jump off a school bus and run thru the door to catch the last 15 minutes! I stick with watching them some now and I tell myself it is like an old pair of sneakers you just can’t throw out.
George was one of a kind, I remember him entering “One Life” as a “playboy” before Jacquie was hired and they gave him a girlfriend from Vietnam, “Mai Ling” and he had some very naughty scenes with the late Nancy Pinkerton as Dorian (calling her character “fridgid”…seemed adlibbed too!) and very touching scenes with the late and luminous Dorrie Kavanaugh as Cathy Craig who’s character was afraid to make love to “Tony,” to be intimate again after her baby Meagen died. Mr. Reinholt and Ms. Courtney are forever linked and I find their presence including the other actors noted to be “like it was yesterday,” they are indelible and this truly is a very sad day. Robin Strasser is always wonderful in her remembrances and I look forward to hearing her thoughts. God bless all these stars, stars indeed!
Oops, that should be “frigid.”
How interesting how the mind works, at these passings, a flood of memories recall a special time and place; and our soaps and their legacy characters are as valid an environment as any.
George Reinholt and I have been friends for several years….I loved him dearly….I shall miss him so very much….he fought a valiant fight against the cancer…and always said he was going to “beat this cancer”……but alas, he lost….he fought so hard the last 2 years….I love you George, and miss you so much….and I still look for your sweet letters in my mail box..I just can’t believe you are gone…….I can’t wait until I can see you again…..
George was a hoot! I miss him very much, Thanks for all the kind words, George and I had a habit of pulling jokes on each other. The best one was when my Wife and I put the add in the suncoast Newspaper, here in Florida, describing George as a Male Escort, well I sure as hell didn’t expect all the publisity. Sally Jessie Rafael, and Howard Stern and Robin, Howard called George early in the Morning, questioning him and tiring to trip him up about the Male escort, episode, but George had great Talent and went nose to nose, with Howard and Robin! I miss my Cuss!, again thanks’ to all the great post’s, Best regard’s, Carl Reinholt,
Carl, I do not know if you will get this message from this post dated June 1, 2014. I would love to talk/e-mail you regarding the death of my dear friend GK (as I called him). Is there anyway you can e-mail me @ [email protected] or call me @ 720-936-5644. I was a good friend of GK’s and have some questions I would like to ask you regarding his death. It would mean so much to me to talk to you. THANK YOU.
George told me that when he passed, his tombstone should reed, ” here lies George Reinholt, who had one life to live and now has gone to another World” we miss ya George RIP
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.
Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”
Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.
TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.
That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.
Photo: ABC
STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES
GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.
Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).
Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.
GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS
Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.
Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.
So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
The Young and the Restless enduring favorite and two-time Daytime Emmy-winning actress, Jess Walton (Jill Foster Abbott) is set to release her memoir!
Kensington Publishing has revealed on their website that Walton’s book The Young and the Rest of Us is now available for pre-order while listing an April 27, 2027 release date. In addition, in June of 2027, Walton will mark her 40th anniversary with The Young and the Restless and her debut as Jill.
The official log lines for the memoir share, “Emmy Award-winning actress Jess Walton, known to millions as the iconic Jill Abbott on the #1 soap opera The Young and the Restless, shares her extraordinary journey to stardom, sobriety, true love, and self-discovery in this startingly candid, intimate, and star-studded memoir.”
Photo; Kensington Books
CAKE FIGHTS AND CORPORATE INTRIGUE
The book description for The Young and the Rest of Us adds, “In June 1987, Jess Walton walked through the artists’ entrance at CBS for her first day on The Young and the Restless,where she had just been hired to play the recast role of Jill Abbott. Two Emmy awards, four decades, and countless onscreen affairs, marriages, corporate takeovers, and cake fights later, she’s a beloved icon with an astonishing tale to tell.”
“In her refreshingly candid style, Jess shares her journey as a young actress from Toronto theaters to Los Angeles, where she found herself at the center of a Laurel Canyon circle that included the likes of Neil Young, David Geffen, Laura Nyro, and Joni Mitchell. Landing a Universal contract and a steady stream of guest starring roles, Jess embraced everything 1970s L.A. had to offer—including Hollywood parties fueled by limitless booze and drugs, and trysts with stars. She recounts with candor and gratitude the surprising path that eventually led her to sobriety, true love—and ultimately, to fictional Genoa City, Wisconsin, and the role of a lifetime.”
“Brimming with behind-the-scenes drama and celebrity cameos to delight fans, The Young and the Rest of Us is also rich in personal, relatable truths about marriage, motherhood, empty-nesting, self-discovery, and finding the courage to start over—as often as it takes. In a voice as fearless and frank as Jill’s, but with, humor and grace all her own, Jess Walton looks back on a life as unpredictable, and adventure filled as anything she has portrayed on screen.”
WHO ELSE PLAYED JILL FOSER ABBOTT?
Fans of The Young and the Restless know that Walton became the fourth actress to take on the role of Katherine Chancellor’s original nemesis Jill Foster back in 1987. The OG Jill was played by Brenda Dickson, also Deborah Adair, Bond Gideon and Melinda O. Fee played the part.
This year, Days of our Lives star Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) filled-in for several episodes for Walton who was unavailable to travel from her home in Oregon to Los Angeles where Y&R was taped. Walton is still with the long-running soap opera as Jill.
So, excited to learn of Jess Walton’s upcoming memoir, ‘The Young and the Rest of Us?’ Will it be it a must-read for you? Drop a comment below.
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
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Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
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