Jay Pickett, star of General Hospital (GH) and Port Charles, died suddenly on Friday, July 30th, while on the set of his upcoming Western Treasure Valley. He was 60 years old.
The sad news was shared by the film’s director and producer, Travis Mills, who stated, “there is no official explanation for the cause of his death but it appears to have been a heart attack”. The film had been shooting in Idaho.
“Many of you have already heard about the tragedy that happened two days ago,” Mills stated on Treasure Valley’s official Facebook page. “Jay Pickett, our leading man, writer, producer and creator of this movie passed away suddenly while we were on location preparing to film a scene.”
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“Jay was an incredible man,” Mills continued. “Everyone who met him, even for the briefest moment, could feel his warmth, his wonderful spirit. Everyone present tried as hard as they could to keep him alive. Our hearts are broken and we grieve for his family who are so devastated by this shocking tragedy.”
Pickett is survived by his wife and three children.
In a separate post, Jim Heffel (a friend of Pickett’s who was also working on the film) provided an eyewitness account of what transpired. “Jay died sitting on a horse ready to rope a steer,” Heffel wrote. “The way of a true cowboy. He will be truly missed. Ride like the wind, partner [sic].”
Soap opera fans will remember Pickett best for playing Frank Scanlon on the GH spin-off, Port Charles. He also had memorable tenures as David Harper on GH and Dr. Chip Lakin on Days Of Our Lives. In addition to his impressive soaps career, he made many guest appearances on programs such as NCIS: Los Angeles, Dexter, Dragnet and Matlock.
Pickett’s untimely passing occurred just one month apart from his GH and Port Charles co-star Stuart Damon, who passed away on June 29th at the age of 84.
Concluding his tribute, Mills summed up the beauty of Pickett’s final days. “He was doing what he loved: acting, riding horses, making movies. And he was magnificent.”
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Ryan Pratt
Ryan is an avid runner, reader, hiker and music collector. When he isn't writing and editing for Fame10 Soaps, he's relishing in the fine company of his two cats, Penny and Gus.