Actor Ray MacDonnell, who played Dr. Joe Martin on ABC’s All My Children, died of natural causes on June 10, at his home in Chappaqua, New York, according to a report from Michael Fairman TV. He was 93.
Born on March 5, 1928, MacDonnell appeared—early on in his career—on series such as Robert Montgomery Presents, The Jack Benny Program, Producers’ Showcase and Armstrong Circle Theatre.
While he also portrayed Philip Capice on CBS soap The Edge of Night between 1961 and 1969, and played Dick Tracy in a pilot that was not picked up, he is best known for his appearances on multiple iterations of All My Children between 1970 and 2013.
MacDonnell was an original cast member on the daytime soap, which debuted on ABC in 1970, and would subsequently stay with the show for more than four decades. While he officially retired from the series in 2009, he returned in 2011 for a number of appearances, featuring in its final episode. Two years later, he reprised the role of Martin family patriarch, Dr. Joe Martin, in Prospect Park’s online revival of the soap.
MacDonnell also appeared on Broadway in Mame, opposite Angela Lansbury and Ann Miller. He was met with the Daytime Emmys’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
The actor is survived his his wife, Patricia, as well as his three children, Kyle, Daniel and Sarah. According to Michael Fairman TV, MacDonnell’s memorial will be held privately.