MacDonnell, a well-known veteran actor who passed away at 93 years old, was known for starring as Dr. Joe Martin on ABC’s All My Children. His daughter, Sarah MacDonnell, revealed to Michael Fairman TV that her father died because of natural causes on June 10 (Monday) at his home in Chappaqua, New York. A private funeral for intimate family and relatives will be arranged. MacDonnell is endured by his 3 children, Daniel, Sarah, and Kyle, as well as his wife Patricia.
MacDonnell Journey
As a Fulbright scholar in London, the Massachusetts native got to attend Amherst College as well as the Royal Academy. During the “golden age” of live television broadcasts, MacDonnell started his professional career as a minor character on programs like The Jack Benny Program, Robert Montgomery Presents, Armstrong Circle Theatre, and Producers’ Showcase. Later on, he began playing businessman Philip Capice in the soap opera The Edge of Night, where he portrayed for 8 years. He also starred as Dick Tracy in a live-action Dick Tracy tv production, but the program was never really taken up.
That knowledge was easily transferable to live daily soap operas. From 1961 through 1969, he starred as businessman Philip Capice on CBS’ “The Edge of Night”. In 1967, During that period, MacDonnell also acted as Dick Tracy as well as worked on Broadway, especially prominently in the Tony-winning musical “Mame” at the renowned Winter Garden Theatre from 1966 and 1970, alongside Angela Lansbury and Ann Miller. In 1970, he began his specific role on “All My Children”.
Won the Lifetime Achievement Award at 2004
In the long-running soap All My Children, the late actor was most known for his portrayal as family patriarch Dr. Joe Martin. MacDonnell appeared in the program for 40 years before retiring in 2009, though he continued to make guest appearances on occasion, notably for the short-lived internet resurrection, which debuted 18 months after the ABC conclusion.
His dedication to the part was admirable. Martin retired from acting in 2009 after winning the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 Daytime Emmys but returned temporarily as the father of the Martin family as the series ran down to its much-anticipated last episode in 2011. But, as is frequently the case with classic daytime dramas, nothing is ever permanent, and MacDonnell returned to the role of Dr. Martin in 2013 for a brief online relaunch of “All My Children.”
When a longstanding soap opera star passes away, it’s usually a sad occasion. Soaps have a reputation for being campy, but the reality is that the genre allowed performers to develop their art on a regular basis.
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