Ron Hale, the legendary actor who stole hearts as Mike Corbin on General Hospital, has taken his final bow at the age of 78. The curtain came down on August 27 in St. George, South Carolina, leaving soap fans with tissues in hand and dramatically gasping, “Why, Ron, why?!”
Ron first graced the General Hospital stage in 1995, where he played the father of the infamous mobster-with-a-heart-of-gold, Sonny Corinthos (aka Maurice Benard). He stayed on the show until 2010, proving that in soap operas, you can stay youthful and good-looking forever—unless your character is suddenly aged by 20 years for no apparent reason.
But let’s not forget his star-studded cameo in the Port Charles spinoff, where he added even more drama to a show that already had vampires, alternate dimensions, and probably a love triangle involving someone’s secret twin. Classic soap.
Before his days in Port Charles, Ron was turning heads back in the ‘70s and ‘80s on Ryan’s Hope, where he portrayed Dr. Roger Coleridge. And yes, you guessed it, multiple Daytime Emmy nominations followed him like a trail of glitter because this man knew how to bring the drama. Like, “doctor caught in a scandalous love affair while treating a mysterious amnesiac who may or may not be an evil doppelgänger” kind of drama. That’s talent.
Billy Warlock, fellow soap alum and bearer of great names, took to X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) to pay his respects. With heartfelt sincerity, he wrote, “It’s with a heavy heart that we’ve lost another great one. My dear friend Ron Hale has passed away. Ron was an amazing talent and an even better friend. I will miss you.” A touching tribute, indeed, but you know, in soap opera terms, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ron’s character came back with a new face after “faking” his death in an outrageous plot twist.
Our hearts go out to all who knew Ron, worked with him, and swooned over his on-screen performances. May he rest in peace, or at least in the afterlife version of a soap opera, where he’ll probably return for a surprise ghost appearance during sweeps week.
It’s with a heavy heart that we’ve lost another great one. My dear friend Ron Hale has passed away. Ron was an amazing talent and an even better friend. I will miss you.
— Billy Warlock (@BillyWarlock) October 2, 2024
