One Life To Live News: Gary Cowling Passes Away At 58

There is sad news to report for fans of the daytime drama genre. Former One Life to Live actor, Gary Lawrence Cowling has passed away. He died on August 17, 2020, at the age of 58.  Eagle-eyed fans will remember Cowling for his role as Edward Rooney on the ABC soap; he appeared in 2009.

Cowling was born on November 4, 1961, in Newport News, Virginia to parents Marian Hough Cowling and Lawrence Stanley Cowling. In addition to the daytime, Cowling did theater in New York. During his lifetime the actor was devoted to HIV and AIDS research and advocacy.  We send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.

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One Life To Live News – One Life to Live Aired On ABC From 1968 To 2012

Cowling was on the now-defunct soap just three years before it left the network airwaves. One Life to Live was created by Agnes Nixon and was on the air for over 43 years, from 1968 to 2012. It excelled at showing a broad and diverse spectrum of American life and emphasized social issues. It was the first American soap to have a gay character, played by Ryan Phillippe. He played Billy Douglas in the early 90s before going on to enjoy a film career.

Among the show’s guest stars was Snoop Dogg. In the beginning, the show was a half-hour but branched out to an hour in 1978.

One Life To Live News – One Life To Live Featured The Infamous Lord Family

One Life to Live revolved around the Lord family and Victoria “Viki” Lord, played by Erika Slezak who debuted in 1971. She won six Daytime Emmy Awards for the role.

Prior to leaving the network, the show was filmed in New York City. From April to August 2013 the show appeared on Hulu and iTunes.

One Life To Live News – One Life To Live Was Canceled In 2011 And Had A Short Run Hulu

The network canceled the soap after an almost 43-year run. Before that, the show followed the wealthy Lord family, as well as the middle-class Riley, Wolek, and Gray families. Over time other families were introduced including the Buchanan and Cramer families.

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Many actors, including Slezak, appeared on the show for decades, including Robert S. Woods, Philip Carey, and Robin Strasser. In addition to launching Phillippe’s career, the show was home to many other noteworthy actors including Judith Light, Marcia Cross, Tommy Lee Jones, Al Freeman Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Roma Downey, Phylicia Rashad, Blair Underwood, Mario Van Peebles, Jessica Tuck, Hayden Panettiere, Tika Sumpter, Nathan Fillion, and Renée Elise Goldsberry.