There’s more sad news for longtime Days of Our Lives fans.
Just as we’re reeling from the on-screen death of Doug Williams one year after Bill Hayes’ death and the more recent off-screen death of Derek Hogestin, Deadline reports that Wayne Northrop has passed away .
Northrop had an additional role on Days of Our Lives and appeared on Dynasty, but he will forever be known to Days fans as the originator of the Roman Brady character .
Wayne Northrop Became a Roman Twice in Our Lives
Roman Brady, played by Wayne Northrop, fell off a cliff during a fight with Stefano Dimera in 1984. Drake Hogestyn was recast together, resulting in one of the most famous stories and the one that made me saddest about both Northrop and Hogestyn’s deaths. .
A few years after Hogestyn was hired, it was discovered that he was not Roman – a real Roman survived a fall from a cliff and took several years to find his way home.
If Northrop wasn’t willing to come back, this story wouldn’t work. Of course, John may have known that he was not truly Roman, but without the Romans in Salem, its power would be diminished.
I guess Josh Taylor could have been hired earlier, but having another new actor take over a character who’s been cast as Roman for years would be foolish, especially since Taylor is about to play Chris Kors on Days of Our Lives Cicek at the time.
In fact, some fans believe Wayne Northrop is the “real” Roman Brady, even though Josh Taylor has played the character since 1997.
Regardless, fans of Roman and Malina were shocked by this plot twist as it permanently ended the original power couple, but considering that Hogstin’s version of Roman/John had been playing Malina for years Lena’s love interest, and the two have notable chemistry, is for the best.
Wayne Northrop had another role in Days of Our Lives
The casting transition isn’t over yet, as 20 years later, Wayne Northrop returns to Days of Our Lives to play villain Alex North.
I don’t remember much about Alex North, but from what I’ve heard he was considered one of the worst villains.
He presents himself as an amnesia specialist in Salem, claiming to be trying to help Marlena regain her memory, but in reality he is an old lover who is supposedly still married to her and wants to steal her from John.
This sounds like an evil version of Roman, especially since Northrop once again ended his run with his character falling off a cliff to his death, this time after a fight with John.
Is this meta-commentary or something?
Wayne Northrop also has more work
Although Northrop is best known for Days of Our Lives, he has appeared in several other TV series.
He is best known as a soap opera star who appeared in “Dynasty” and “Port Charles,” but he also appeared in three episodes of the legal drama “L.A. Law.”
Sadly, Alex North was Northrop’s final role, and he has since disappeared from the television landscape, which is probably one of the reasons he’s best known today as the first Roman Brady.
I wish I knew why he stopped acting. He seemed to have been born in the 1980s, as he was everywhere at the time, but disappeared forever after his final appearance on Days of Our Lives.
Fans heartbroken as Wayne Northrop dies of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
Northrop died of complications from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 77 after a six-year battle with the disease, 18 years after he last performed on “Days of Our Lives.”
Still, despite the time that has passed, his death is still heartbreaking for Days of Our Lives fans.
The soap opera has lost several veteran actors over the past few years, which is an occupational hazard for actors who have been on the show for 60 years.
Because fans watch these actors day in and day out, they often feel like they have lost a parent, grandparent, or best friend when someone dies.
Even though Wayne Northrop hasn’t been on Days of Our Lives in a long time, it’s a lot to take on so soon after the death of Derek Hogestyn.
Do you remember Wayne Northrop from Days of Our Lives? What is your favorite memory of him?
Hit the comments with your thoughts.
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