Wings Hauser, Young and Restless Alum, Dead At 77; Melody Thomas Scott Pays Homage
Wings Hauser from his early days on Young and Restless and during a later appearance with on-screen sister Jess Walton (Jill).
Wings Hauser, the third actor to play Greg Foster on Young and Restless, has passed away at the age of 77 from natural causes. “Movie icon Wings Hauser took flight in the arms of his film & music partner, Cali Lili Hauser at their studio this weekend,” according to the Official Wings Hauser Facebook page.
On her official Instagram, Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki, Y&R) paid homage to Hauser, writing, “Am so sorry to learn of the passing of my dear friend, Wings Hauser. We loved working together. He played Nikki’s first husband, Greg Foster. We would walk over to Farmer’s Market together every morning to have breakfast at Dupar’s. With his script for that day always rolled up in his back pocket, I would laugh at his belief that he would learn his lines through osmosis. But it always seemed to work! We shared many powerful scenes. He was so talented and showed me the ropes. He would bring his children, Cole and Bright, to my house on weekends and have a blast. I had the joy of spending time with his children and getting to know his family, while working closely with him at the studio every day. The show was only a half hour then, but it was magical. The beginning of the great heights that Y and R has reached. I adored him and will forever cherish his memory. RIP my friend.🙏🏻”
Looking Back
Hauser was born on December 12, 1947, to Academy Award-winning writer/director/producer Dwight Hauser and his theater actress wife, Geraldine (the daughter of Whimseys author Tom Thieness), in Los Angeles, California. He made his film debut when he was 18 in 1967’s First to Fight, which starred Chad Everett, Gene Hackman and future One Life to Live star Clint Ritchie (ex-Clint Buchanan). He was a guest star on many series of the day, including Cannon (which got him his SAG card), Baretta and Emergency!, before he landed the role that would endear him to daytime fans.
The actor was the third thespian to portray Greg Foster on Y&R. Original cast member James Houghton, who passed away on August 27 of last year and whose death was revealed earlier this month, played him starting in 1973 until he left in 1976. Brian Kerwin (ex-Charlie Banks, One Life to Live) took over from 1976-77. Hauser was tapped to succeed Kerwin in role that same year and stayed until 1981. When he left, Howard McGillin was cast as Greg and stayed until 1982. Hauser would go on to make a brief return to the CBS soap in 2010, when Greg’s mother, Liz, passed away.
After his first stint on the CBS soap came to an end, many more prime-time episodics followed for Hauser, including roles on The Fall Guy, Hunter and The A-Team. His movie career also took off, with films like Vice Squad, Deadly Force, A Soldier’s Story and Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling making the ’80s a very good decade for his career. The ’90s were good to him as well, with Hauser appearing in recurring roles on China Beach, Roseanne, Beverly Hills, 90210 and landing a starring role on the short-lived series Lightning Force. His films that decade included Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time, The Art of Dying, In Between, Watchers III and The Insider with Al Pacino and Russell Crowe.
Hauser continued to stay busy with prime-time appearances up until 2016, with his credits growing to include shows like Castle, Rizzoli & Isles and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He was also a writer, including on the film Uncommon Valor, which starred Hackman and Patrick Swayze. He also directed and produced. In addition, he was involved in music, having released an album for RCA in 1975 called Your Love Keeps Me Off the Streets. He also wrote and sang the theme song from his first film, Vice Squad, called “Neon Slime.”
The actor was divorced three times before he married his fourth wife Cali Lili in 2002, and they remained together until his death. He is also survived by his daughter Bright, from his first marriage, and son Cole Hauser (Yellowstone), from his second.
Soap Opera Digest sends condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Soap Opera Digest does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.