Former All My Children star Richard Hatch (ex-Philip Brent) died at the age of 71 on the afternoon of February 7, the actor's family confirms. His friends and loved ones were close to his side as he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer under hospice care.
Born May 21, 1945, in Santa Monica, Hatch was an actor, writer, and producer best known for his role as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica television series, as well as appearing as Tom Zarek in the 2004 remake of Battlestar Galactica.
However, daytime fans remember him best as All My Children's Philip Brent, a role he originated in 1970 after a short career in Off-Broadway theater. Philip had a whirlwind romance with Tara Martin (Karen Lynn Gorney) before being drafted into the Vietnam War two years later -- a story that helped put AMC on the map as one of the most fearless shows when it came to telling social issue storylines.
After leaving AMC, Hatch went on to make guest appearances on television shows like Cannon, Barnaby Jones, Hawaii Five-O, and The Waltons, as well as appearing in television movies like The Hatfields and McCoys and Last of the Belles with Susan Sarandon.
Hatch landed the role of Inspector Dan Robbins on the detective series The Streets of San Francisco replacing Michael Douglas in 1976. The role brought him international fame, and he became a bit of a teen heartthrob, frequently appearing in magazines like Teen Beat and Tiger Beat.
In addition to appearing in numerous films and television shows, Hatch created his own space opera titled The Great War of Magellan and wrote a comic book series. He frequently attended Comic Book conventions and science fiction forums related to his Battlestar Galactica role and also hosted his own cruise ship events.
The actor is survived by his son, Paul Hatch, who shared the news of his father's death.
You can share your memories and respects for Hatch on his official website, or you can comment on soapcentralcom below.
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