25-06-2025
General Hospital Star Joe Marinelli Passes Away at 68 After Private Battle with Stomach Cancer
Musician Jean Marinelli has shared the tragic news of her husband, Joe Marinelli's passing on June 22. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor breathed his last on Sunday while in Burbank, California. The couple was married for 34 years and lived a happy life while he was battling stomach cancer. She revealed that they never had a fight, before his untimely death this past weekend.
Who Was Joe Marinelli?
With a nearly 40-year-long Hollywood career, Joe Marinelli began his acting journey in 1984 with Cagney & Lacey, playing a small role. Eventually taking on more promising projects, some of his biggest and most well-known works can be seen in L.A. Law, Santa Barbara, General Hospital, and The Morning Show.
In The Morning Show, one of his latest appearances, he took on the task of turning into Donny Spagnoli over the span of 4 years. However, his longest appearance continues to be in Santa Barbara, where his portrayal of Bunny Tagliatti became the most talked about in his career.
Meanwhile, General Hospital saw him don the hat of Joseph Sorel for 14 episodes, from 1999–2001, amid the show's long running history.
Joe Marinelli's Passing
It is known that the star's demise was confirmed on June 22, with the main cause of passing believed to be stomach cancer. Further details of the exact time and cause have been kept private by the family of the actor.
He is survived by his French hornist wife Jean Marinelli, and two sons, Vincent and David, who work as a film editor and a music producer, respectively.
Tribute to Joe Marinelli
Santa Barbara co-star Leigh McCloskey shared a heartfelt note about the late actor on his Facebook account, writing, '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 praised the Bunny Tagliatti star's resilience as well as presence on set, as well as outside of his work.
