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John Colenback Dies At 79: ‘Gone But Not Forgotten,’ Says Social Media [Video]

By Maat van Uitert
Published on: 01:58 PST, Jun 17, 2015

As The World Turns fans took to social media this week to mourn the death of John Colenback, who starred as Dr. Dan Stewart on the CBS soap opera. Colenback died May 12 in West Hollywood due to complications from the pulmonary disease COPD, his nephew, Timothy, told the Hollywood Reporter.

Although, as previously reported by the Inquisitr, Colenback died a little more than a month ago, it seems social media just learned of the news. Fans mourned John publicly on social media, posting on Twitter “Gone But Not Forgotten” and “#RIP John Colenback, the handsome Dr. Dan Stewart on CBS soap As the World Turns for years.”

Fans on Facebook posted “RIP to John Colenback. Dan and Kim were one of the shows supercouples until the writers stupidly killed him off in 1979.” Another supporter wrote “John Colenback played Dan Stewart on ATWT and was one of my favorite actors.”

Dr. Dan Stewart was a fan favorite during the 1970s because of Colenback’s dashing looks and the intriguing story lines that kept drawing viewers into the show.

According to Soap Opera Spy, Colenback’s contributions to the television show was critical to several story plots. John’s character, Dr. Dan Stewart, was “a memorable character on As The World Turns and played a crucial role in two of the earliest love quadrangles. Dr. Stewart was also the father of Betsy and Emily before he died in 1979 when Colenback left As The World Turns.” He played the character on the now-canceled series from 1966-73, and then again from 1976-79.

The Hollywood Reporter published a profile of Colenback, printing “a native of Toledo, Ohio, who attended Dartmouth College, Colenback was acting in summer stock at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pa., when he was discovered by an agent.” He was an accomplished stage actor as well as a soap opera star, and was in memorable plays and Broadway productions. “He was brought to New York and made his Broadway debut in 1961 as the attendant to Spanish ambassador Signor Chapuys in the original Broadway production of A Man for All Seasons, starring Paul Scofield,” reports the Hollywood Reporter.

He was a lifelong supporter of progressive candidates and causes, especially The Names Project and LGBT programs, reports Variety. John is survived by his brother, Lloyd J. Colenback Jr., and nieces and nephews Judith Colenback Savage, Timothy Lloyd Colenback, Girard Mosby Colenback, Richard Breed III, Amalia H. Breed, John W. Colenback, and Jared S. Colenback, reports the Inquisitr.

Although he hasn’t been on television for many years, the world is still mourning the loss of John Colenback.

[Image from Wikimedia Commons]

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