Jerry Douglas, who portrayed the patriarch John Abbott on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless for more than 30 years, died Tuesday in Los Angeles after a brief illness, the network announced. He was 88.
Douglas joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in March 1982 as Abbott, the wealthy chairman of Jabot Cosmetics.
When viewers first met him, he was a single father helping children Jack, Ashley and Traci navigate adulthood. In later years, Abbott wed Jill Foster, and they had a son, Billy. He also had several romantic reunions with his estranged ex-wife, Dina Mergeron.
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“Jerry came to Y&R in 1982 with an impressive résumé of credits,” executive producer Anthony Morina said in a statement. “Our show was lucky to have an actor of his caliber join the Y&R cast and introduce the audience to the iconic Abbott family. His contribution to the legacy of Y&R as Abbott family patriarch John Abbott is still felt to this day. He will be sorely missed.”
Read more: Hollywood Reporter
