Joe Marinelli, ‘General Hospital' star, dies at 68: reports
Marinelli's agent, Julie Smith, confirmed the star's death to CNN in an email. Smith allegedly said that he had been fighting stomach and throat cancer for the past few years. No other details were given to the outlet.
Marinelli's wife, Jean Marinelli, also confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter, saying he died on Sunday in Burbank, California.
Marinelli started playing the role of Bunny Tagliatti on 'Santa Barbara' in 1988. Tagliatti was a cross-dressing mobster and appeared in over 170 episodes through 1990. Marinelli won a Soap Opera Digest Award for this character.
US actor Joe Marinelli arrives for the 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, on February 27, 2022. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
In an interview in 2013, he explained that he put a lot of himself into the role of Tagliatti. He said, 'Bunny allowed me to bring so many things: My sense of humor, my love of creating different characters… and a strong moral code. I, like a lot of people, can get my feelings hurt, and when Bunny got hurt, he would turn to his female ego.'
Marinelli said he left the show after his contract wasn't renewed. However, he said, 'That was like a gift, because casting directors around town had me in nonstop. I would walk in a room and people would start laughing and tell me their wife or husband loved Bunny… The next 10 years were absolute bliss.'
His most recent role was as UBA director Donny Spagnoli in the first three seasons of 'The Morning Show.' Mark Duplass, who plays Chip Black on the series, said, 'I really loved him (Marinelli) and what he stood for. We didn't spend 10,000 hours together, but we were spiritually aligned in many ways.'
Marinelli studied acting at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and appeared in many TV series during his career, including 'House,' 'Castle' and 'Desperate Housewives.' Marinelli also appeared in 'ER, 'JAG' and 'The King of Queens.'
He played a bank robber named Paula Hardman on 'Guiding Light' in 1993, as well as Joseph Sorel on 'General Hospital' from 1999 to 2001.
One of Marinelli's co-stars from 'Santa Barbara,' Leigh McCloskey, paid tribute to the star on Facebook. He said, 'A sweeter man or a dearer friend you could not find than Joe Marinelli. I knew Joe was sick and so admired his indefatigable spirit throughout what sounded like a very difficult, if not impossible, ordeal.'
He went on to call Marinelli 'a champion,' and said, 'He was a great acting partner, teacher, philosophical friend, passionate believer in people, and a storyteller extraordinaire.' McCloskey played Ethan Asher on 'Santa Barbara.'
Duplass posted on X, saying, 'We lost a great one… I will miss him dearly. And I will try to live my life a bit more like he lived his. We all should.'
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