Ron Hale, an actor who played Mike Corbin in “General Hospital” and Dr. Roger Coleridge in “Ryan’s Hope,” has died at the age of 78.
The soap opera star died on Aug. 27 in St. George, South Carolina, according to an official obituary. A cause of death has not been announced.
Ronald Hale Thigpen, born Jan. 2, 1946 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, attended Furman University in South Carolina before launching his career in entertainment. Hale was an actor on stage, on television, and in movies and featured in multiple plays with Columbia’s Trustus Theatre, which his brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Kay Thigpen, started, the obituary wrote.
He made his debut in the TV series “N.Y.P.D” in 1968 before landing his first soap opera role a year later in “Search for Tomorrow” followed by shows such as “Matlock,” “MacGyver” and “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing.”
Hale is best known for his long stint in the soap opera “Ryan’s Hope,” which he starred in 909 episodes from 1975 to 1989. This role earned him two Daytime Emmy nominations, the first in 1979 for Outstanding Supporting Actor and again in 1980 for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.
From 1995 to 2010, Hale also starred in 238 episodes of “General Hospital” and 46 episodes of a spin-off series “Port Charles” for three years.
The series’ official X account paid tribute to Hale in a post on Thursday, remembering him as an “incredible actor and an unforgettable colleague.”
“The entire General Hospital Family is saddened to hear of Ron Hale’s passing. We would like to extend our condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time. He was an incredible actor and an unforgettable colleague. May he rest in peace,” they wrote.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we’ve lost another great one,” wrote Hale’s former “General Hospital” co-star Billy Warlock, who played A.J. Quartermaine. “My dear friend Ron Hale has passed away. Ron was an amazing talent and an even better friend. I will miss you.”
Outside of television, Hale portrayed Frank Sturgis on “All the President’s Men” and, most recently, in 2017’s “The Ghost and the Whale” as Father Reinhart.
Hale is survived by his nieces and nephews, Lori Brown (Janet Brabham), Max Brabham, Erin Wilson (Laurens), and Marc Brown (Betsy).