Soap Vet Keith Charles Has Died

Keith Charles, a veteran Broadway and Off-Broadway actor and soap veteran, died at his home in New York City on July 1 at the age of 74. The cause was lung cancer.

At home in both musicals and straight plays, he starred opposite Lauren Bacall and later, Anne Baxter, in the Broadway musical "Applause" and Holland Taylor in "Breakfast with Les and Bess." He also appeared in "Celebration" and "Happy Birthday, Wanda June."

After graduating from the University of Texas and serving in the U.S. Army, he came to New York in 1959 to pursue an acting career. His first job was taking over the part of El Gallo in the long-running Off-Broadway musical "The Fantasticks."

He played roles on at least 10 daytime soap operas:
Rick Oliver, THE EDGE OF NIGHT
Nick Kane, THE SECRET STORM
Ross Cavanaugh, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW
Robert Jardin, WHERE THE HEART IS
Ted Chandler, LOVE OF LIFE
Alex McDaniels, THE GUIDING LIGHT
Ralph Mitchell, AS THE WORLD TURNS
Ted Clayton, ONE LIFE TO LIVE
Homer Dowd, RYAN'S HOPE
Brandon Spaulding, GUIDING LIGHT