Wayne Northrop, ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Dynasty’ Actor, Dies at 77

Wayne Northrop, an actor known for his work on the soap operas “Days of Our Lives,” “Dynasty” and “Port Charles,” has died. He was 77.

Northrop died Friday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s retirement home in Woodland Hills, Calif., his publicist told Variety.

“Wayne was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s six years ago. He took his last breath in the arms of his family,” a family statement from Northrop’s wife, actor Lynn Herring Northrop, reads. “We wish to thank the most caring and amazing place, The Motion Picture and Television Home for taking such great care of him. Wayne touched so many people with his sense of humor and wit. A husband for 43 years, the best dad ever to his two boys, Hank and Grady, and a rancher who loved his cows and was a friend to many.”

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Northrop portrayed the tough, yet kind-hearted Detective Roman Brady on “Days of Our Lives” from 1981 to 1984 and returned for a stint from 1991 to 1994. The character was known for his romance and marriage to Deidre Hall’s Dr. Marlena Evans. In 2005, Northrop rejoined the cast of the NBC soap opera as Dr. Alex North, a medical school classmate of Dr. Marlena Evans.

The actor also played Rex Stanton on ABC’s “Port Charles” from 1997 to 1998 and chauffer Michael Culhane in the first and seventh seasons of “Dynasty.”

Northrop was born on April 12, 1947, to Robert and Donna Jean Northrop, and raised in a small town of Sumner, Wash. He graduated with a BA in communications from the University of Washington and later enrolled in acting classes at Seattle Community College.

In 1975, he joined the newly formed Los Angeles Actors’ Theatre headed by Ralph Waite. He eventually booked his first television role in an episode of “Police Story” and guested on series such as “Cold Case,” “The Haunting of Lisa” and “The Deidre Hall Story.” Northrop also worked on the NBC special “You Are the Jury: The State of Arizona v. Dr. Evan Blake” (1986) and the CBS TV movie “Guts and Glory: The Bill Johnson Story” (1985).

Northrop is survived by his wife Lynn (married May 9, 1981), sons Hank (Laura) and Grady, and stepmother Janet Northrop.