Y&R, Dallas actor dead at 87

Soap opera vet Gregory Walcott -- who credited The Young and the Restless with making him a household name -- has passed away.

Former soap opera actor Gregory Walcott passed away last Friday at his home in Conoga Park, the Los Angeles Times reports. The North Carolina native was 87.

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Though Walcott was a bit of a legend in Hollywood, he made his mark in the soap opera world as both Dallas' Jim Redfield and The Young and the Restless' Ralph Olsen, the lover of Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper). In fact, the latter role is what Walcott credited with making him a household name.

"I had nicer roles in major films opposite Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman and Gregory Peck, but during the summer of 1976, it was my role as Mrs. Chancellor's lover that had fans recognizing me on the street and wanting my autograph," Walcott wrote to the Times upon Cooper's passing in 2013. "As a performer, it's hard sometimes to know what career directions to take. My stint as Mrs. Chancellor's lover on a daytime soap opera brought me a rush of popularity I had never received before, and for that, I shall always be grateful."

The actor, who reportedly had been battling failing health for quite some time, appeared in a number of movies and television shows, including Bonanza, Rawhide, Murder, She Wrote, and 87th Precinct. His last role was a cameo in the 1994 Tim Burton film Ed Wood.

Barbara May Watkins Walcott, the actor's wife of 55 years, died in 2010. His survivors include daughters Pamela Graves and Jina Virtue; son Todd Mattox; and six grandchildren.

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