Jerry Douglas, well known for his portrayal of family patriarch John Abbott on CBS’s “The Young and the Restless,” has died.
He was 88 years old.
Douglas was a fan favorite on the soap as the chairman of Jabot Cosmetics, a position he held since 1982.
One of the most renowned families on the CBS daytime soap was John Abbott and his children Jack, Traci, Ashley, and Billy.
John Abbott was murdered off the show in 2006, although Douglas continued to appear as the character’s ghost on occasion.
He was last seen on the show in 2016.
On social media, the series paid respect to Douglas.
“Please join us in offering our sympathies to the family of Jerry Douglas, recognized for his long-running role as the famous John Abbott on The Young and the Restless,” the daytime drama’s official Twitter account said in a post. “He will be sorely missed by the whole Y&R family.”
Some of his former co-stars honored his forthcoming 89th birthday last month, and actress Lauralee Bell posted a snapshot of the occasion on her verified Instagram account.
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“Feel very fortunate to have been invited in this absolutely lovely birthday lunch for Jerry Douglas!” Bell captioned the photo. “Thank you very much, @peterbergmanyr and @eileendavidsonofficial! This day will be remembered fondly by me for the rest of my life.”
Bell was among many who paid respect to Douglas when his death was revealed.
“I was fortunate to know Jerry since I was a child,” she posted on Instagram. “At times he felt like a father figure (perhaps because we all wanted John Abbott to be our father), and at other times he reminded me of my father, but more often than not, with all the events we’ve had, filled with laughter, he was the kindest man and the sweetest friend, and I will miss him so much!”
Douglas was born in Massachusetts, and his talent as a football player earned him a scholarship to Brandeis University.
He dropped out of law school to pursue acting, where he trained under Uta Hagen in New York and Jeff Corey in Los Angeles.
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On IMDB.com, his first acknowledged part was as a thug in the 1961 film “Blast of Silence.”
Douglas later appeared in a number of TV episodes and films, including “The Untouchables,” “The Donna Reed Show,” “Gunsmoke,” “Mommy Dearest,” and “JFK.”
But it was his role on “The Young and the Restless” that made him famous.
“On behalf of The Young and the Restless’ whole business, we express our heartfelt condolences to the Douglas family on the death of Jerry Douglas,” Anthony Morina, executive producer of “The Young and the Restless,” said in a statement to Deadline.
“Jerry joined to Y&R in 1982 with an amazing resume,” Morina continued. “We were fortunate to have an actor of his quality join the ensemble of Y&R and introduce the public to the renowned Abbott family. John Abbott’s commitment to the Y&R history as the Abbott family patriarch is still felt today. He’ll be much missed.”
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Jerry Douglas, patriarch John Abbott on ‘Young & the Restless,’ dead at 88
