Robert Kelker-Kelly, Days of Our Lives Star, Dies at 62, TMZ Reports
Robert Kelker-Kelly, the television soap opera actor widely recognized for his portrayal of bad boy turned police hero Bo Brady on Days of Our Lives, died on October 3 at his home in Missouri at the age of 62, according to reports by TMZ.
Emergency Response and Investigation Details in Missouri
Officers with the St. Peters Police Department responded to Kelker-Kelly’s residence on Saturday at approximately 8:16 p.m. after receiving a call about an unconscious man not breathing who had complained of chest pain, TMZ reported. Emergency dispatch audio obtained by Page Six detailed that responding units arrived to find the 62-year-old male unresponsive, with CPR already in progress by the time first responders entered the home.
Kyle Gaines, the Division Chief and Public Information Officer for the St. Charles County Ambulance District, confirmed to Page Six that paramedics and first responders initiated advanced life-saving protocol techniques on the scene. Despite those efforts, the actor was pronounced dead at the location, per Page Six. Law enforcement officials noted that there was nothing suspicious at the scene, according to TMZ. The St. Peters Police Department and the medical examiner in Missouri confirmed that an official cause of death was not immediately available, though emergency audio transcripts reviewed by Page Six indicated responders treated the call as a cardiac arrest.
Kelker-Kelly Acted in Another World and Days of Our Lives
Born on April 18, 1964, in Wichita, Kansas, Kelker-Kelly launched his professional acting career in 1987 by stepping into the role of Sam Fowler on Another World, appearing in more than 400 episodes across his initial run and a subsequent return in 1996 as Dr. Shane Roberts, also known as Bobby Reno. His visibility in daytime drama expanded significantly in 1992 when he joined Days of Our Lives as Bo Brady, succeeding original cast member Peter Reckell in the role until 1995, as reported by TMZ.
During his tenure on Days of Our Lives, Kelker-Kelly shared screen time with Kristian Alfonso and Lisa Rinna, and earned the Hottest Soap Couple award at the 1995 Soap Opera Digest Awards alongside Rinna, who portrayed Billie Reed. He also secured the outstanding lead actor honor at the same awards ceremony in 1994. Following his departure from Days of Our Lives, Kelker-Kelly transitioned to General Hospital and its spinoff Port Charles, playing the aristocratic villain Stavros Cassadine from 1997 to 2003, with a final onscreen reprisal of the character running from 2013 to 2014, as noted by IMDb credits.
Kelker-Kelly Became a Pilot and Faced Abuse Allegations
Outside of daytime serials, Kelker-Kelly appeared in primetime and syndicated credits including Jack’s Place, Touched by an Angel, Maybe This Time, and Rescue 77. In later years, the actor stepped away from Hollywood to pursue a profession as an aircraft pilot, Page Six reported.
Kelker-Kelly returned to media attention earlier in the year when former co-star Lisa Rinna published a memoir detailing their shared history on the set of Days of Our Lives, according to TMZ. In the book, Rinna alleged that Kelker-Kelly was verbally abusive, manipulative, and played mind games with her during their time working together, and claimed that his abrupt exit from the program prompted NBC to provide security for her and Alfonso for several weeks, per TMZ. Kelker-Kelly never publicly responded to the allegations, according to Page Six and TMZ. Surviving details regarding his personal life include past marriages to Linda Rattner, ending in divorce in 1992, and Miriam Parrish, whom he married in 1997 before their divorce in 2013.