ST. PETERS: Actor Robert Kelker-Kelly, best known for playing Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives”, died at his home in this Missouri city on October 3, aged 62.
Missouri’s medical examiner confirmed his death to TMZ on Monday but did not disclose a cause.
St. Peters Police Department said officers responded to his home after receiving a report of an unconscious man who had stopped breathing. Police said Kelker-Kelly had complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive, and the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event. Officers and paramedics attempted to revive him but were unsuccessful.
Kelker-Kelly’s television career included roles on three American soap operas, beginning with “Another World” and later extending to “General Hospital”. His best-known part came between those appearances, when he took over an established character on Days of Our Lives.
He joined Days in 1992, replacing Peter Reckell as Bo Brady. During his run, he played opposite Kristian Alfonso’s Hope Brady and Lisa Rinna’s Billie Reed, before Reckell returned in 1995.
His performance earned him the Outstanding Lead Actor prize at the 1994 Soap Opera Digest Awards. A year later, he and Rinna shared the Hottest Soap Couple award for their portrayals of Bo and Billie.
Born on April 18, 1964, Kelker-Kelly made his television debut in 1987 as Sam Fowler on Another World. He continued in that role until 1990, two years before joining Days.
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In 1996, he returned to Another World as Bobby Reno, a professional racing driver whose storyline later established that he was actually Dr Shane Roberts. Kelker-Kelly continued playing the character until 1998.
He joined General Hospital in 2001 as Stavros Cassadine and returned for later guest appearances, including in 2013 and 2014. Outside of acting, Kelker-Kelly worked as a professional pilot.
(With additional input from People and Soap Opera Digest)
