Best known to daytime fans for his portrayal as Father Lonigan on “Passions,” actor Bruce French has died. He was 79 years old.
French died Friday, February 7 in Los Angeles of complications from Alzheimer’s, his wife of 34 years, Eileen Barnett (“Days of our Lives”), told The Hollywood Reporter. French was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s around four years ago, Barnett shared with the outlet.
On “Passions,” French made a memorable impression on the show playing a priest who had lost his sight after a church he had been in burned down while he was looking to save a statue of an angel. His primary role in Harmony was advising citizens on the problems they sought solutions to, particularly those told to him by the young adult characters.
French appeared in several hundred episodes of the drama series from its debut on NBC in July 1999 and into its run on DirecTV’s 101 Network. The series wrapped in August 2008.
Born July 4, 1945 in Reinbeck, Iowa, French graduated from the University of Iowa and served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He also studied acting at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He made his onscreen debut in the 1974 Frank Perry-directed “Man on a Swing,” starring Cliff Robertson and Joel Grey.
Throughout his illustrious career, French had been credited in more than 150 film and television productions, including “Roots: The Next Generation,” “Dallas,” “Knots Landing” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Ally McBeal,” “The West Wing,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Mad Men,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” and “Pacific Palisades.”
The character actor made a noticeable impresion in such films as “Mr. Deeds,” “Jurassic Park III,” “Mission Impossible III,” and “Fletch,” among others.
In addition to his wife, Eileen, French is survived by his nieces Claire and Paula.