Their daughter, Helena, died in 2004. Actor Michael Zaslow playing tennis at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut. B&B welcomes Vincent Irizarry back as Dr. Jordan Armstrong. DAYS RECAPS: What you missed the Week of April 24, 2023, THE SCOOP! His final appearance on One Life to Live was televised December 1. Michael Zaslow will celebrate 81st birthday on a Wednesday 1st of November 2023. Michael Zaslow, Emmy Award-winning actor who played victim of Lou Gehrig's disease on soap opera One Life to Live and who struggled with illness in real life, dies at age 54; photo (S) I only had one occasion to interview Michael Zaslow in my career as a soap journalist, in the mid-1990s. Tom Pelphrey and Kaley Cuoco Welcome a Baby Girl See the Sweet Photos! In short, officials of the ALS Association say, he'd done more to educate the public about Lou Gehrig's disease than anyone since Lou Gehrig. COVID diagnosis sidelines GH's Laura Wright; will Carly be temporarily recast? GHs Kelly Thiebaud Is Overwhelmed By Her Emmy Nomination. Their daughter, Helena Hufford-Zaslow, died on December 28, 2004, in Connecticut at age 19, only days after completing her first semester at Wellesley College. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Zaslow's last credited film appearance was in the 1985 comic drama Seven Minutes in Heaven. He also had roles on SEARCH FOR TOMORROW and LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING. His Broadway roles included Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Onward Victoria, and Boccaccio. She joined the Greater New York Chapter's Board, serving a Public Policy Chair. 2023 SheMedia, LLC. Zaslow wanted to show "that people live with ALS, not just die with it," Hufford says. Ever since his diagnosis in 1997, Zaslow -- an Emmy winner as the despicable yet dashing villain of "Guiding Light" -- had determinedly exploited his daytime-TV celebrity. The Locher Room is hosting a very special tribute to the late Michael Zaslow on Friday, March 19, at 4 p.m. It was some time before Zaslow was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease (it was first thought he had suffered a stroke[1]). He was married twice, to Joanne Dorian and Susan Hufford, by whom he had two daughters, Helena and Marika. [3] He was survived by his wife, psychologist/writer Susan Hufford; and two daughters, Helena and Marika. Joining host Alan Locher for this tribute will be Zaslows daughter, Marika, as well as GL co-stars Maureen Garrett (Holly), Fiona Hutchison (Jenna), Liz Keifer (Blake), Kimberly Simms (Mindy), and Sherry Stringfield (Blake). I don't think All My Children' would recast Erica Kane" -- played, since time began, by Susan Lucci." warmly remembered for her gracious spirit in volunteering her time to. In a statement a few months ago, Zaslow said, "I see my opportunity as doing for ALS what Chris Reeve did for spinal cord traumas, though on a more modest scale perhaps. Michael Zaslow. It was also for his death that Leonard McCoy almost first uttered his . June 7, 1975 - December 6, 1998 (his death, 2 children). "So I say, it didn't." - IMDb Mini Biography By: Marilyn Telowitz. the Roof" in the early 1970s. Key to the latter was finding a way to keep himself before the public. Career . Dumped from the drama when his speech began to falter, he landed a job on ABC's "One Life to Live" playing a character with ALS; he and his daytime co-stars filmed public service announcements, held fund-raisers, buttonholed legislators. January 25, 1999. But the show will go on, although subtly changed. Helena Hufford Zaslow. Michael Zaslow was born on November 1, 1942 in Inglewood, California and was an actor and writer, best known for his work in daytime dramas, or soap operas. SOAP ROLES: Alan Spaulding, GUIDING LIGHT (1977-1984, 1986-1988); Philip Todd, DARK SHADOWS (1969-1970 . Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. He . ", Sad News about Susan Hufford (widow of Michael Zaslow), Chapter Mourns Death of Board Member, Susan Hufford A Champion in the Fight Against ALS. Michael Zaslow. Michael Zaslow expected to be at the Golden Theatre tonight. (Photo by Suzanne Opton/Getty Images) PURCHASE A LICENSE. Actor: Guiding Light. In 1998, the couple joined the Greater New York Chapter delegation at National ALS Advocacy Day in Washington, DC to put a face on ALS to elected officials. He had suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for some time before his passing. Michael Zaslow expected to be at the Golden Theatre tonight. Zaslow was also the godfather of actor Christian Slater. See How Your Favorite Soap Stars Celebrated Easter! He also played David Renaldi on ABC's One Life to Live from 1983 to 1986. "We are going to be heard," his electronic voice would proclaim. The actor is best known for playing the complex villain Roger Thorpe on GUIDING LIGHT, though ABC soap fans might remember him as David Renaldi on ONE LIFE TO LIVE. This is a healing activity for me and Susan and dear friends, and our children as well. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list. Zaslow did not return to Guiding Light, and his role was briefly recast before being written off. Met his second wife and widow, actress turned physical therapist Susan Susan Hufford, the wife of Guiding Light star Michael Zaslow who later became a passionate advocate for people with ALS following his death, has lost her year-long battle with cancer on November 28th. On Internet news groups and chat rooms, in petitions to P&G, in letters to soap magazines, Zaslow's fans soon made their fury known. The tape is basically a set of clips that Zaslow and his co-star, Maureen Garrett, (Holly) look back on as they make commentary on the storylines. GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers 4/28/23: Brick Catches Dex! It was also for his death that Leonard McCoy almost first uttered his famous phrase, "He's dead, Jim." Who do you think has her? Zaslow was also the godfather to Christian Slater, who made a cameo appearance in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how . Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! She is. (What he actually said was "Dead, Jim".) Mike Zaslow passed his teens some while back, but when he exclaims, "I was a teenage rebel!" it seems that he doesn't only mean past . Carlita, you were very lucky to have seen Michael in person! She may have committed suicide. Zaslow also took up the cause of clean water in upstate New York and was so staunchly anti-smoking that we still pity the fool who might elect to light a cigarette around him. "Given the kind of intense physical attractiveness he'd had, to see him have great difficulty walking, unable to talk -- many of us were rendered speechless for a moment as well," says Robin Strasser, who plays Dorian, the mother of David Renaldi's illegitimate daughter. And the crowd of soap stars, Broadway actors, ALS activists and worshipful fans would surely have cheered his courage in revealing, and then publicly combating, his illness. Roger was a nasty piece of work: He raped his wife, Holly, and was acquitted of the crime, whereupon, in a delusional state, she shot him. Needless to say, that pair of underwear was never the same, what with the stains and all. The fate of David Renaldi, onetime concert pianist living with ALS, has yet to be determined. He died on December 6, 1998 in New York City, succumbing to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS . Ms. Hufford-Zaslow embraced the fight. Though Zaslow's stamina did decrease as the months passed, "Michael was a warrior," Phelps says. News and More: Return to Soap Central's GL FrontPage. Susan Hufford seemed like such a strong lady. He was 54. In 2005 Hufford released an account about Zaslow and his fight with ALS, titled Not That Man Anymore, a book Zaslow himself had begun writing . GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers: Michael and Willows Wedding Explodes! Actor Michael Zaslow with his wife Susan Hufford cooking meal in the kitchen at their home in NYC, NY. Zaslow, friends say, managed to resist despair and inertia in the face of such news. Suddenly unemployed with two daughters to support, facing some mysterious malady, "he was in shock; we all were." against Lou Gehrig's disease, which took the life of her father. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. As vain as any star, Zaslow hated to be seen in his diminished condition: He was becoming gaunt; his mouth drooped; he sometimes drooled because he couldn't swallow well. "You watched his deterioration, whether you wanted to or not." Scientists have yet to determine a cause or a cure; the only drug approved for treatment prolongs life by a few months at best. He also appeared as Jordan in the episode "I, Mudd". After gasping, Im so relieved, because his daughters wouldnt have to write another consolation note for his dressing-room wall, he thanked his wife, Susan Hufford, whod made all the good things possible in my life since I met her, And I tell you that not only because its true, he hastened to add, but because she told me to tell you, because she said thats what [repeat victors] David Canary (Adam/Stuart, All My Children) and Peter Bergman (Jack, The Young and the Restless) always say.. "They can think, they have a sense of humor, they can still be winners." Tonight's gathering, featuring Alec Baldwin, Blair Brown, Jane Alexander, Kim Zimmer of "Guiding Light" and a raft of Zaslow's other soap colleagues, "was just going to be a benefit," says Mimi Torchin, editor of Soap Opera Weekly. When he died on December 6, 1998, at age 56, it wasnt entirely a shock. He and his wife, Susan, have two adopted Korean daughters. I remember seeing Michael Zaslow and his wife and two young daughters in Pittsburgh when he was performing in "My Fair Lady" a year before he was diagnosed with ALS. (There are conflicting stories as to whether Zaslow was then fired; there was for some time a legal action against Guiding Light and sponsor Procter & Gamble, which was eventually settled.) Peacock renews DAYS, soap will continue through its 60th season, Kristian Alfonso teases "very clever twist" looming in her DAYS return, Miranda Wilson was "thrilled to bits" to be asked to return to Days of our Lives, Lindsay Arnold discusses her decision to step away from role as DAYS' Allie. . Hufford, when they were both in the Broadway production of "Fiddler on Zaslow died on December 6, 1998, at his New York City home. After Zaslow's death, his widow and their adopted daughters founded ZazAngels to raise funds in order to find a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease. In 1997, he began to experience difficulty speaking. ec CAPTION: Dumped by "Guiding Light" because of his illness, Michael Zaslow, right, joined with Wortham Krimmer and Robin Strasser on "One Life to Live." She wrote over twenty books, appeared on television and performed on Broadway where she met her husband, Michael Zaslow in Fiddler on the Roof. After Michael's death in 1998, Susan continued to play a leading role in advocacy efforts. ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a motor neuron disease that causes a progressive decline in a person's ability to move, speak . Helena Zaslow died on December 28, 2004, in Connecticut at age 19, only days after completing her first semester at Wellesley College. By Paula Span. Friends and co-workers packed a memorial service a few days later -- "it was almost like the Emmy awards," says one who attended -- but tonight's event will be the first at which the public can pay tribute. Zaslow was hired at One Life to Live in 1998 to play David Renaldi again, appearing first in May of that year,[2] his condition being written into the storyline. He received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations for this role during the 1990s, winning the award with his third nomination in 1994. He made numerous appearances over the next seven months before he was too ill to continue working. Credit: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Steve Fenn/ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, CBS. GH's William Lipton shares why Cameron Webber is leaving Port Charles, "Shining star" Nneka Garland, an Emmy-winning GH producer, has died, GH exec shares decisions that went into tribute episode to Epiphany, General Hospital boss Frank Valentini talks about GH's 60th anniversary, General Hospital welcomes back Emma Samms as Holly. "There certainly were concerns, before he started, about whether he'd be able to do this," says Jill Farren Phelps, the show's executive producer, a daytime colleague for two decades. Still, no one expected his death quite so suddenly or so soon. This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, "Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools. Zaslow had begun writing the book several years earlier. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Edit. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate in political science from UCLA. Zaslow died on December 6, 1998. Procter & Gamble, which owns "Guiding Light," lowered the boom as his symptoms continued month after month. He was best known for his role as villain Roger Thorpe on CBS 's Guiding Light , a role he played from 1971 to 1980 and again from 1989 to 1997, earning multiple nominations - and one win - at the Daytime Emmy Awards . Movies. "The weeks he wasn't working were when he got depressed." Contribute to this page. In 2005, Susan published Not That Man Anymore: A Message from Michael, written by Zaslow and Hufford, which chronicles Michael's year-long battle with ALS. He planned to motor onstage in his bright red scooter and welcome the audience to the benefit he'd helped organize, using a computer voice-synthesizer he'd relied on since amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease) had taken his ability to speak and walk. More: Guiding Light through the years [PHOTOS], Take, for instance, his 1994 acceptance speech upon winning his one and only Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor. ec. Hufford released a book about Zaslow and his fight with ALS, titled Not That Man Anymore. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Michael & Susan's daughter; 1999; Credits. I feel awful for Marika. . Michael Zaslow died aged 56 on December 6, 1998. Mike Zaslow: He's Still a Teenage Rebel. A Houston specialist finally diagnosed ALS in 1997 and, Hufford says, "I couldn't tell you if it was worse before we knew, or afterwards." Zaslow also appeared in other television shows, including Law & Order. Catch up With GUIDING LIGHT Star David Andrew Macdonald. Then, after watching a reading of the play "Love Letters" from the wings, he intended to wheel back out and read from a talk he gave in Washington last spring, while lobbying for ALS research funding. However, it was for his work as Roger Thorpe on Guiding Light that Zaslow was always best known. NAME: Christopher Bernau. Bold & Beautiful Shocker: Sheila's One Hope of Getting Out of Jail Is the Last Person We'd Ever Suspect! Trustee Susan Hufford and the late Emmy award-winning actor Michael. He appeared in the first episode of Star Trek to air, in 1966. TV By Day. Catch up With AS THE WORLD TURNS Alum Hayley Barr Sparks. Susan Hufford (December 15, 1938 in Lebanon, Ohio - November 28, 2006), was an actress and psychotherapist.. As a member of the ALS Association's national board of trustees and the Greater New York Chapter's board of directors, she was an advocate to raise awareness about ALS and became a major fundraiser for ALS research. I we all had known for some time that he was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka ALS. B&B RECAPS: What you missed the Week of April 24, 2023, THE SCOOP! This article about a United States writer of non-fiction is a stub. Thanks, Judy. She helped raise more than $1 million to find a cure for the disease. His first was the 1977 romantic drama You Light Up My Life, in which he had a lead role. Actor Michael Zaslow playing croquet his adopted daughter Marika outside their home in Roxbury, Connecticut. Zaslow filmed his scenes for "The Man Trap" on Tuesday 28 June 1966 and Wednesday 29 June 1966 at Desilu Stage 10. "We were outraged," says Teresa Brown, a fervent fan and an assistant attorney general in West Virginia who helped design a protesting Web page. (In 2004, Zaslow's character on Guiding Light died off-screen.). Cancelled Daytime Drama Had to Endure Salt Being Rubbed in Its Wound: Only the Special Soaps Are Going to Survive Plus, a Photo-Filled Review of the Shows Epic History, Remembering Beloved Soap Opera Actors Who Passed Away in 2022 [PHOTOS], After Disclosing His Cancer Diagnosis, Young & Restless' Eric Braeden Reveals 'What's On My Mind'. Their daughter, Helena Hufford-Zaslow, died on December 28, 2004 in Connecticut at age 19, only days after completing her first semester at . Actor Michael Zaslow with his wife Susan Hufford cooking meal in the kitchen at their home in NYC, NY. The ALS Association is profoundly saddened by the passing of Helena HuffordZaslow, daughter of ALSA National Trustee Susan Hufford and the late Emmy award-winning actor Michael Zaslow and sister . Hufford died from cancer on November 28, 2006.[4][5]. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The last thing I had read was that they hadn't ruled out a suicide and then I never heard anything again. His film credits include Seven Minutes in Heaven (1985), Meteor (1979), and You Light Up My Life (1977). You were looking for a crack in the floor that might be big enough for you to crawl into. Michael, Woods said, was adamant about the union taking care of everyones needs. He died on December 6, 1998 in New York City, succumbing to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS . Fans loved him nonetheless, which may explain why he survived, only to fall off a cliff in Santo Domingo a few years later when Zaslow wanted a break from the show. Michael Zaslow, a soap opera star who won a Daytime Emmy Award for best actor, died Sunday of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a nerve-cell disorder better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, ABC announced. In the late 1980s, he returned to the show and, once again, became a central figure. The Locher Room is hosting a very special tribute to the late Michael Zaslow on Friday, March 19, at 4 p.m. He costarred in the 1977 feature film You Light Up My Life, and appeared in the 1979 sci-fi movie Meteor. He filmed his scenes for "I, Mudd" on Monday 21 August 1967 at Stage 9. He was best known for his role as villain Roger Thorpe on CBS's Guiding Light, a role he played from 1971 to 1980 and again from 1989 to 1997, earning multiple nominations and one win at the Daytime Emmy Awards. Before making a career change, she was an actress in regional theater in addition to her Broadway career. Is Louise Sorel reprising her role as DAYS' Vivian Alamain? In the episode "The Man Trap," the series' September 8, 1966 premiere of Star Trek, he played Crewman Darnell, the first Starship Enterprise crew member to be killed off. I and a bunch of other daytime-magazine writers were gathered on the set of Guiding Light and ushered into the presence of the veteran actor who brought to volcanic life the one and only Roger Thorpe, a villain so legendary that the CBS soap collected highlights of his misdeeds on a VHS tape that it called The Scandal Years. OUT? Michael Zaslow was born on November 1, 1942 in Inglewood, California and was an actor and writer, best known for his work in daytime dramas, or soap operas. Zaslow was born in Inglewood, California. Ms. Hufford-Zaslow embraced the fight. . Actor Michael Zaslow playing tennis at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut. He worked for three long days his first week to reestablish the story line, then came back for a day's shooting every other week or so. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. ROXBURY, UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01: Actor Michael Zaslow playing croquet his adopted daughter Marika, 11, as wife Susan Hufford and their other adopted daughter Helena, 14, look on outside their home in Roxbury, Connecticut. He never returned to Guiding Light, but he was offered the chance to reprise his 1980s role as David Renaldi in the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, with his condition written into the storyline. His real-life problems got incorporated into scripts: When Zaslow fell, David Renaldi got to explain why he had bruises; when a cab company hung up after hearing Zaslow's computerized voice, Renaldi encountered the same frustration. Image: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Gregorio T. 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Michael Zaslow was born on November 1, 1942 in Inglewood, California and was an actor and writer, best known for his work in daytime dramas, or soap operas. In early December, Hufford says, he managed to stand unassisted for the first time in weeks. Hufford authored more than 20 books and also was a practicing psychotherapist with a private clinical practice in Manhattan, New York. "He thrived on work," Hufford says. Find out what's ahead this week on Y&R, Y&R stars help kick off The Price is Right's Pet Adoption Week, Even Moore returns: Shemar Moore back as Y&R's Malcolm this May, Y&R head writer Josh Griffith explains his decision to fire breakdown writers, The Young and the Restless autographed props and costumes up for auction, Why Mishael Morgan's 50th anniversary Y&R return almost didn't happen, Y&R's Eric Braeden unleashes epic Twitter tirade on former castmate Eva Longoria. [2] Several of Zaslow's Guiding Light and One Life to Live castmates, along with many Broadway-based theater luminaries, have participated in tributes that were fundraisers for ZazAngels. He was married twice, to Joanne Dorian and Susan Hufford, by whom he had two daughters, Helena and Marika. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? Fox on Parkinson's, and maintaining optimism, Ed Sheeran plays guitar in court in bid to show he didn't steal Marvin Gaye song, Bruce Springsteen on "Nebraska," and the emergence of Springsteen the poet, James Corden ends his final "Late Late Show" with message for Americans, Michael J. against Lou Gehrig's disease, which took the life of her father. Recently viewed. ABC executives, to whom Hufford and Zaslow pitched the idea of a return to "One Life to Live," were intrigued. The incident sparked the first diagnosis of the now-famous line: "He's dead, Jim," by Enterprise crew-member Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). What are your thoughts on Bill trying to win Katie back? Given this long history together, viewers naturally noticed when Zaslow's speech began to slur late in 1996. Most recently, he played the charming David Renaldi on One Life to Live. Roger Thorpe was played by the late actor, Michael Zaslow. She produced five Broadway Theater benefits, including Love Letters starring Alec Baldwin and Tuesdays with Morrie starring Jerry Stiller, raising over $1 million for ALS research. Hufford was married to actor Michael Zaslow, whom she met when they both were in the Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof in the early 1970s.