For 39 years, John Clarke brought lawyer Mickey Horton to life on the popular daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives. He portrayed the character in over 3,500 episodes of the show before he left in 2004.
Clarke was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1979, and later went on to receive the Daytime Emmys’ Lifetime Achievement Award.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFGFBzRLw_I
In addition to his work on Days of Our Lives, Clarke appeared in series such as Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, Maverick, and Wanted Dead or Alive. He also co-starred with Leslie Nielsen on a show called The New Breed that aired on ABC for two years.
After his many years in the business, Clarke retired in 2004. Even though Clarke hadn’t been on anyone’s TV screen in some time, people were still devastated when news broke that he passed away on October 16 at the age of 88.
Actor John Clarke, who embodied Mickey Horton on "Days of Our Lives" for decades has died, according to reports. https://t.co/z3e8EdxDsW pic.twitter.com/UZYOxo7Dc0
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) October 22, 2019
News of Clarke’s passing was confirmed by Deadline, who spoke with his representative. The representative told the outlet that Clarke passed away due to complications of pneumonia.
Clarke had previously suffered a stroke in 2007. Deadline reports the actor “had been in declining health in the last few years.”
Clarke is survived by his wife, Patty, and two children, Joshua and Melinda. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Catherine Grace, Natasha, and Jacob. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Heidi, who passed away in 1994 due to a heart tumor.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Clarke’s family during this sad time. May he rest in peace.
Watch some of Clarke’s most memorable moments on Days of Our Lives in the video below.