Robert Kelker-Kelly, the veteran soap opera actor best known for playing Bo Brady on Days of Our Lives, has died.
Kelker-Kelly died Saturday, Oct. 3, at his home in Missouri, according to authorities.
Police were called to the residence at about 8:16 p.m. after receiving a report that an unconscious man was not breathing.
Kelker-Kelly had reportedly complained of chest pain before becoming unresponsive.
CPR was already underway when officers and emergency medical personnel were dispatched.
First responders continued attempting life-saving measures but were unable to revive him.
Authorities said there was nothing suspicious at the scene and the circumstances appeared to be consistent with a medical event.
His official cause of death has not yet been released.
Kelker-Kelly became a familiar face to daytime television viewers after beginning his soap opera career in 1987 as Sam Fowler on Another World.
His big break came several years later when he joined Days of Our Lives as Bo Brady, taking over the beloved role previously played by Peter Reckell.
Kelker-Kelly portrayed Bo from 1992 to 1995, appearing opposite Kristian Alfonso as Hope Brady and Lisa Rinna as Billie Reed.
The role made him one of the most recognizable men in daytime television during the 1990s.
His performances also earned him recognition from soap fans, including Soap Opera Digest honors during his time on the series.
But Kelker-Kelly later admitted that working on Days of Our Lives was physically exhausting.
In a 2013 interview, he recalled working extremely long days while also maintaining a demanding gym routine because his character frequently appeared shirtless.
He estimated that he was working around 90 hours a week during some periods on the show.
Before becoming a television star, Kelker-Kelly had struggled to establish himself as an actor.
He once recalled being effectively homeless around the time he landed Another World, sometimes sleeping in his Jeep or staying on friends’ floors while working other jobs to survive.
He later described landing the soap role as a turning point in his life.
After leaving Days of Our Lives, Kelker-Kelly returned to Another World in a different role.
He later joined General Hospital as the villainous Stavros Cassadine, appearing in several storylines beginning in 2001 and returning to the role years later.
His final television appearances came on General Hospital in 2014.
Kelker-Kelly eventually stepped away from acting and pursued another longtime interest: aviation.
He became a professional pilot and flight instructor.
Earlier this year, his name returned to headlines after former Days of Our Lives costar Lisa Rinna discussed their difficult working relationship in her memoir.
Rinna accused Kelker-Kelly of being verbally abusive and manipulative during their years together on the soap.
She also claimed workplace tensions became so severe that NBC provided security for her and Kristian Alfonso after Kelker-Kelly left the series.
Kelker-Kelly did not publicly respond to those allegations.
Despite the controversies surrounding his years in daytime television, Kelker-Kelly remained closely associated with some of the most memorable soap opera characters of the 1990s and early 2000s.