What Happened to Joe Marinelli? General Hospital Actor Passes Away
Actor has passed away. He is arguably most known for portraying Bunny Tagliatti in the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara and Joseph Sorel in the ABC soap opera General Hospital. Marinelli also appeared in shows like NYPD Blue, Desperate Housewives, Lethal Weapon, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Numb3rs, Victorious, and The Morning Show.
Joe Marinelli passed away on Sunday, June 22, in Burbank, California, due to complications related to stomach cancer. He was 68 years old. His wife, Jean Marinelli, confirmed the news of his passing while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter. She also revealed to the outlet that the duo never fought. Marinelli is survived by Jean and their two sons, Vincent and David.
Marinelli’s Santa Barbara co-star, Leigh J. McCloskey, took to Facebook to pay tribute to his former colleague. “A sweeter man or a dearer friend you could not find than Joe Marinelli,” McCloskey wrote. “I knew Joe was sick and so admired his indefatigable spirit throughout what sounded like a very difficult, if not impossible, ordeal. Joe was a champion. He was a great acting partner, teacher, philosophical friend, passionate believer in people, and a storyteller extraordinaire that with laughter and depth revealed the human spirit so beautifully and in so many different ways.”
After studying acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Marinelli began his career in the entertainment industry. His early projects include Cagney & Lacey, Hill Street Blues, and L.A. Law. Marinelli was a series regular on Santa Barbara from 1988 to 1990 and received the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Comic Actor: Daytime in 1990. Between 1999 and 2001, he appeared in several episodes of General Hospital.
Marinelli also portrayed a variety of characters in movies such as The Passion of Martin and Sideways. One of his last few acting performances was in The Morning Show.