'The Young and the Restless' Star Jerry Douglas Passed Away at 88 Years Old
Nov. 11 2021, Published 11:15 a.m. ET
If there's one thing that solidified Jerry Douglas's fame and adoration among fans, it was his longstanding role on the hit television show The Young and the Restless. Through over a quarter-century of work playing John Abbott in the show's fictional Genoa City, Jerry endeared himself to legions of viewers.
Sadly, Jerry passed away on Nov. 9, 2021, at 88 years old. With that being said, what exactly was his cause of death, and what other related details do we know as of now? Keep reading for a breakdown of the situation.
What was Jerry Douglas's cause of death?
According to People, who spoke with a representative for the actor, Jerry passed away on Nov. 9, 2021, at 88 years old, just a few days shy of his birthday on Nov. 12. As for his cause of death, the exact reason behind his passing wasn't specified, but his representative noted that he died after battling "a brief illness."
Anthony Morina, executive producer of The Young and the Restless, shared a statement on Nov. 10, 2021, regarding Jerry's passing and extended his sympathies.
"On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to the Douglas family on the passing of Jerry Douglas," he wrote.
Anthony continued by saying that "Jerry came to Y&R in 1982 with an impressive résumé of credits. Our show was lucky to have an actor of his caliber join the Y&R cast and introduce the audience to the iconic Abbott family. His contribution to the legacy of Y&R as Abbott family patriarch, John Abbott is still felt to this day. He will be sorely missed."
While Jerry's character on the soap died in 2006, the actor continued to make appearances on the show (in the spirit form of his character) up until 2016.
Jerry had a successful acting career that spanned roughly six decades.
Jerry was born in Chelsea, Mass., on Nov. 12, 1932, to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. A graduate of Brandeis University with a degree in economics, he was also the school's football team's quarterback. After finishing school, Jerry began pursuing acting, eventually nabbing his role on The Young and the Restless in 1982.
Some of Jerry's other credits throughout his career include shows like The Bionic Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Melrose Place, Cold Case, and the TV movie The Christmas Wish.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Kym Douglas, his sons, Jod and Hunter, his daughter, Avra, and his two grandchildren.
