‘General Hospital’ Actress Susan Brown Dead At 86, Producer Says ‘It’s A Sad Day In Port Charles’
Longtime soap opera actress Susan Brown has passed away today at the age of 86, reports Us Weekly. The actress was well-known for her role as Dr. Gail Baldwin on General Hospital.
It's a very sad day in Port Charles as the wonderful Susan Brown ("Gail Baldwin") passed away today. My sincerest condolences to her family and to all who knew this amazing woman. @GeneralHospital
— Frank Valentini (@valentinifrank) August 31, 2018
General Hospital producer Frank Valentini announced the news on his Twitter account, calling it a “sad day in Port Charles.”
Brown originally joined the show in 1977 and portrayed the character of Dr. Gail Baldwin until 1985. Then, she reprised her role and the character returned to General Hospital 1989-1990 and again for a much longer stretch from 1992-2004. She also appeared on the General Hospital spin-off soap opera, Port Charles.
Brown was a very busy actress, also appearing on Santa Barbara as Janet Lane in 1986 and on As The World Turns as Adelaide Fitzgibbons. In addition to her acting work, Brown also owned an interior design firm. Her fellow actors mourned her loss on social media, saying they would always remember her for her kindness and talent.
Kin Shriner played her onscreen stepson, Scott Baldwin, for years on General Hospital. He tweeted his condolences and shared a photo of the two of them from their General Hospital days.
“Sad to say one of my best friends and costars Susan Brown passed away today she played Gail Baldwin” the actor tweeted, adding, “my mother R.I.P. Susan Will miss all our laughs.”
Brown apparently loved to host her cast mates for dinner parties at her home, which, unsurprisingly for an owner of an interior design firm, was beautiful and welcoming.
Fellow General Hospital alumna Jackie Zeman, who played Bobbi Spencer, also shared her condolences, replying to Shriner’s tweet with a memory of her own.
“Kin I am so sorry for your loss. I will miss Susan too. She was so very special, on set and in friendship. I remember all the good times we shared on our #GH lunch breaks at her amazing dinner parties at her beautiful home. RIP Susan + God Bless.”
Brown was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 1979 but did not win the award. She enjoyed decorating and would often decorate the homes of her costars and friends in Hollywood via her interior design firm. In addition to her soap opera roles, Brown had the unique experience of portraying two different First Ladies during her acting career. She played Nancy Reagan in Without Warning: The James Brady Story and also played Pat Nixon in The Final Days, both of which were television movies.
