Nick Benedict Dies: ‘All My Children,’ ‘The Young & the Restless’ Alum Was 77
All My Children, The Young and the Restless, and Days of Our Lives alum Nick Benedict has died at the age of 77.
An online obituary confirms the actor passed away on Friday, July 14 — his 77th birthday — in Arizona following complications from a spinal surgery. A July 15 Facebook post from a restaurant called Jake’s Steakhouse also confirmed Benedict’s death. Benedict’s wife, Ginger, is a bartender at the restaurant, according to the post.
“Nick Benedict’s birthday was July 14. He went to be with the Lord this day. Please pray for Ginger,” it reads. The post includes a GoFundMe link to assist Ginger in the wake of her husband’s injury. The GoFundMe was created on July 13 and explains in the description that Benedict had to undergo emergency spinal surgery on July 2.
“On July 2nd, Sunday Nick had emergency spinal cord surgery. On July 4th he was admitted to hospice. He is paralyzed from the neck down. He will need constant care and support,” the description reads. The fund was set up to “raise money to help with bills, food, and any medical expenses that may arise” as a result of Benedict’s injury. The post says the couple had been married for 22 years.
On TV, Benedict was known for playing Phil Brent, a husband of Susan Lucci‘s Erica Kane, in All My Children. His breakout role, he first appeared on the soap in 1973, taking over the role previously held by Richard Hatch. Benedict exited the drama in 1978, and then earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series in 1979 for his performance in his final season. He played Michael Scott in The Young and the Restless in 1981, but his most consistent soap role was Curtis Reed in Days of Our Lives, whom he played in 93 episodes from 1993 t0 2001.
(L-R) Larry Keith, Nick Benedict, Jean LeClerc, Mike Minor, John Canary, Richard Shoberg, and Susan Lucci in All My Children in 1988 (Credit: ABC/courtesy Everett Collection)
Soaps.com calls Benedict’s roles on All My Children and The Young and the Restless “unforgettable.” The Young and the Restless‘ Michael Scott was a photographer who was vying for Julia Newman’s (Meg Bennett) heart against Victor Newman (Eric Braeden).
The rivalry — one of the show’s most memorable — came to a dramatic head when Julia slept with Michael and became pregnant. The child was believed to be Michael’s, but it wasn’t. Victor learned this only after he locked Michael in a bomb shelter constructed in a basement and forced him to watch Victor and Julia’s bedroom via a closed-circuit camera.
Benedict’s turn on Days of Our Lives had him playing the bad guy for the first time in his soap career. Curtis Reed was Kate Roberts’ (Lauren Koslow) abusive ex and father to Billie Reed (played by Lisa Rinna from 1992-1995, 2002-2003, and 2012-2021; Krista Allen from 1996-1999; Julie Pinson from 2004-2008) and Austin Reed (played by Patrick Muldoon from 1992-1995, 2011-2012; Austin Peck from 1995-2006, 2017-2021). He told The Times and Democrat in August 1993 that he was nervous about playing a villain, but that returning to soap operas (he took a break after his father’s death in 1985) was “like riding a bike. Once you learn how, you never forget.”
His early TV credits include the original Mission: Impossible and Hawaii Five-O series, as well as Medical Center, The Dukes of Hazzard, Tales From the Darkside, and Knots Landing. He appeared in 30 episodes of Tribes and seven of Santa Barbara. Days of Our Lives was his last major TV role.
