Robert Hogan, who starred in dozens of shows including "Law & Order," "The Wire," and "Peyton Place," has died at age 87.
The actor's family confirmed in The New York Times that he died on May 27 at his coastal Maine home due to complications from pneumonia.
Born in Jamaica, Queens, Hogan's first passion was basketball, which he played at St. Francis Preparatory School before joining the army to serve in Korea. After his honorable discharge, Hogan attended NYU, where he studied engineering. He switched to acting after taking an aptitude test that revealed his true calling may be in the arts. Shortly thereafter, he was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Hogan made his theatrical debut off-Broadway in 1961, then moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in TV, according to IMDB.
His first notable role came in 1964 when he was cast in the popular soap opera "Peyton Place." The following year his career got a boost after playing Police Sergeant Ted Coppersmith in "The Rockford Files." Hogan went on to appear in shows including "Murder, She Wrote," "Law & Order," "The Twilight Zone," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and "The Wire," in which he played retired shipwright Louis Sobotka, USA Today reported.
Hogan is also known for the roles he played in several daytime soap operas including "The Young Marrieds," "General Hospital," "Days of Our Lives," "Another World," "As the World Turns," "All My Children," and "One Life to Live."
Off-screen, Hogan continued to appear in theatrical productions and was awarded the Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance as the shrewd defense attorney Clarence Darrow in the off-Broadway play "Never the Sinner."
His career slowed down in 2013, after being diagnosed with vascular Alzheimer's disease, but he did not disappear from the limelight completely.
"Bob was determined to successfully LIVE with his illness," his obituary in The New York Times read. "With support from his wife, novelist Mary Hogan, and multiple resources from organizations like DOROT in New York City, the Alzheimer's Association and others, he was able to work and thrive many years after his diagnosis. No small feat for an actor who memorized lines for a living."
Hogan is survived by his wife Mary, three children, Chris, Stephen, and Jud, who he shared with ex-wife Shannon Hogan, and two grandchildren, Susanna and Liam.
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