David Bailey, a veteran soap opera actor, drowned on Nov. 25. Although he was an avid swimmer, Bailey was found submerged in his apartment pool and pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 71.
The Newark, N.J. native enlisted in the Air Force at 16. Bailey served for eight years, then decided to break into show business. While auditioning for acting jobs, he paid the bills by working as an electrician and plumber.
Bailey performed in numerous plays, including “Shadowlands,” “Death Trap” and “I Ought to Be in Pictures.” A founding member of The Black Book Theatre Company and The Discovery Workshop, he also wrote and directed the plays “Deck the Halls With Lots of Bodies” and “Your Place or Mine?”
On television, Bailey landed small parts on “Dennis the Menace,” “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Bewitched” in the 1960s. Later he became “The Mitchum Man,” the sexy spokesman for Mitchum deodorant, and sold Maxwell House coffee and Suave shampoo in commercials.
Bailey entered the world of daytime drama in 1973 as Dr. Russell Matthews on the NBC soap opera “Another World.” The fourth actor to play the nice-guy-turned-wife-beating-cardiologist, Bailey made the character his own. He remained on the show until 1978, returned in 1979 to continue the role for several more years, then made a guest appearance in 1992.
Bailey next portrayed Alan Spaulding on “Guiding Light,” Ben Forrest on “As the World Turns” and Teddy Malcolm on “Ryan’s Hope.” Last September, he took on the role of Alistair Crane, a mysterious character on NBC’s “Passions” who was known only by his voice. Bailey put a face to the ruthless patriarch and instantly found a devoted audience of fans who loved to hate him. The role will be recast, a show spokesperson said.
December 1, 2004 by
My condolences goes out to the family of David Bailey. He will be greatly missed by myself and many other fans who also admired him.
May God continue to Bless you all.
my deepest condolences to family and friends of David Bailey. . my thoughts and prayers go out to you. . . Will be greatly missed by all who knew him and to all the fans that new him old ones and new ones. God Bless
Mr. Bailey was a fantastic actor. I enjoyed his portrayal as Dr. Russ Matthews on “Another World” for many years, and more recently as Allistar Crane on “Passions.” My heart goes out to his family and friends, and you all are in my thoughts and prayers.
I bet someone done kilt him dead. I bet someone done drowned him like one of them fanatical fans that thinks that them soap charicters are real life. Alister Crane the charicter was so hated someone whack job prolly got into that apartment pool and drownded the guy David Bailey that plays Alister someways.
My condolences to his family, he was a great actor, especially on the NBC SOAP “PASSIONS”, He will be missed greatly.
He will be greatly missed. I have watched Passions since day one, it’s almost like losing someone in your own family after spending time with them each day. We only “saw” him for a very short time as Alister Crane, but he fit the bill perfectly. It will be hard to replace him. Although I always thought John Forsythe would play a good Alister. God bless David’s family in our prayers.
My sincere condolences to the family of this very fine actor, Mr. David Bailey.
Mr. Bailey had been a favorite of mine since the ‘Another World’ days and, I was so thrilled when he took over the part of the dastardly Alistair on ‘Passions’. He will be sorely missed.
May he rest in peace.
My condolesence to the familly of the late David Bailey. I just learned of his death today while on the passion website. It just broke my heart I love the actor and his charactor allistor crane. He will be grately missed. His work was not in vain.May God bless the familly and restore peace.
Lorriann Baker
What a wonderful actor. He brought Alister Crane to life. He was the reason I watched the show. May He rest in peace.