Remembering Beloved Y&R Stars Who Have Passed
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Photo credit: CBS
Terry Lester (ex-Jack et al), 1950-2003 A native of Indianapolis, IN, Lester became involved with theater arts while attending DePauw University. In 1980, he originated the role of ladies’ man Jack Abbott, and became so popular that the show eventually expanded the Abbott family to include a father and siblings for Lester’s role; he also earned four consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor. He quit Y&R in 1989 and played Mason Capwell on SANTA BARBARA from 1989-90, then moved to New York City to play Royce Keller on AS THE WORLD TURNS from 1992-94, after which he departed daytime for good. A few prime-time TV parts followed, but he spent most of his professional time on stage in plays and musicals before he was ultimately felled by a second heart attack. “Terry was so complicated and versatile,” proclaims his former soap sister, Beth Maitland (Traci). “He spoke fluent Russian, was a concert pianist and classically trained singer, a dog rescuer, and nature lover. He brought intelligence and talent to everything he touched.”
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Photo credit: JPI
Jeanne Cooper (ex- Katherine), 1928-2013 Wilma Jeanne Cooper made her debut in the small central California town of Taft. She was bitten by the acting bug after participating in an 8th grade school play, and after attending the College of the Pacific and Civic Theater, she moved to Los Angeles and signed on as a contract player with Universal Studios in 1952. She appeared in films such as The Redhead from Wyoming, Tony Rome and Kansas City Bomber and by the 1960s, became a regular on prime-time TV, receiving an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1962 for BEN CASEY. In 1973, she joined Y&R a few months after its premiere to play wealthy, troubled Katherine and quickly became a fan favorite. Cooper was nominated for 10 Daytime Emmys (winning for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2008), and received she Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. Cooper wed Harry Bernsen in 1954 (divorcing in 1977) and they had three children, Corbin Bernsen (ex-Todd, Y&R et al), Collin and Caren. In 2012, the year before her death, she released her memoirs, Not Young, Still Restless. Jess Walton (Jill) shares, “There’s not a single episode where I’m in the Chancellor house that I don’t talk to her portrait hanging over the fireplace. And I’m sure in just about every episode, I mention Katherine. We all love Jeanne so much and realize how much a part of the show she still is.”
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Photo credit: CBS
Beau Kayzer (ex-Brock), 1951-2014 Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Kayzer trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting before landing his first professional TV job in 1974 as Katherine’s estranged son, Brock Reynolds; he remained with the show until 1980, returned from 1985-86 and 1990-92, and continued to pop in over the years, last appearing in 2013. Kayzer also played Dr. Bunny Willis on GH in 1983, guest-starred on episodic television (HART TO HART, B.J. AND THE BEAR) and even made a unique appearance in the Oscar-nominated Taxi Driver, when Robert De Niro’s character kicked over a television set that was airing a Y&R scene of Kayzer and Brenda Dickson’s Jill. The actor was married to his second wife, Sharon Alkus, at the time of his death. “Beau was a terrific guy,” remembers Doug Davidson (Paul). “I was incredibly saddened to hear of his passing, but during the pandemic I was able to see him again from shows in the ’70s. He was an exceptional actor.”
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Photo credit: JPI
Kristoff St. John (Neil) 1966-2019 Born in New York City, the son of actor Christopher St. John (Shaft), the younger St. John made his own television debut at the age of eight on the sitcom THAT’S MY MAMA. As a child actor, he appeared on HAPPY DAYS, ROOTS: THE NEXT GENERATION and WONDER WOMAN before becoming a series regular on THE BAD NEWS BEARS. In 1989, St. John made his daytime debut as Adam Marshall on GENERATIONS, for which he earned consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations; when it went off the air in 1991, he was quickly scooped up by Y&R to play junior executive Neil Winters. St. John won two Daytime Emmys (Younger Actor in 1992 and Supporting Actor in 2008) and 10 NAACP Image Awards for his portrayal of Neil. The actor was married twice; he shared two children, Paris and the late Julian, with his first wife, Mia, and he shared daughter Lola with his second wife, Allana, who he divorced in 2007. St. John was engaged to Russian model Kesniya Mikhaleva when he succumbed to heart failure in 2019. “I miss his laughter,” says Bryton James (Devon). “Every day I would wait for [him] to burst through the door of my dressing room, ready with a new story and jokes to tell. And when I was on the set with him, I always learned something new and had fun learning it. He made everybody laugh and smile.”
Terry Lester (ex-Jack et al), 1950-2003 A native of Indianapolis, IN, Lester became involved with theater arts while attending DePauw University. In 1980, he originated the role of ladies’ man Jack Abbott, and became so popular that the show eventually expanded the Abbott family to include a father and siblings for Lester’s role; he also earned four consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor. He quit Y&R in 1989 and played Mason Capwell on SANTA BARBARA from 1989-90, then moved to New York City to play Royce Keller on AS THE WORLD TURNS from 1992-94, after which he departed daytime for good. A few prime-time TV parts followed, but he spent most of his professional time on stage in plays and musicals before he was ultimately felled by a second heart attack. “Terry was so complicated and versatile,” proclaims his former soap sister, Beth Maitland (Traci). “He spoke fluent Russian, was a concert pianist and classically trained singer, a dog rescuer, and nature lover. He brought intelligence and talent to everything he touched.”
Photo credit: CBS
Jeanne Cooper (ex- Katherine), 1928-2013 Wilma Jeanne Cooper made her debut in the small central California town of Taft. She was bitten by the acting bug after participating in an 8th grade school play, and after attending the College of the Pacific and Civic Theater, she moved to Los Angeles and signed on as a contract player with Universal Studios in 1952. She appeared in films such as The Redhead from Wyoming, Tony Rome and Kansas City Bomber and by the 1960s, became a regular on prime-time TV, receiving an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1962 for BEN CASEY. In 1973, she joined Y&R a few months after its premiere to play wealthy, troubled Katherine and quickly became a fan favorite. Cooper was nominated for 10 Daytime Emmys (winning for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2008), and received she Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. Cooper wed Harry Bernsen in 1954 (divorcing in 1977) and they had three children, Corbin Bernsen (ex-Todd, Y&R et al), Collin and Caren. In 2012, the year before her death, she released her memoirs, Not Young, Still Restless. Jess Walton (Jill) shares, “There’s not a single episode where I’m in the Chancellor house that I don’t talk to her portrait hanging over the fireplace. And I’m sure in just about every episode, I mention Katherine. We all love Jeanne so much and realize how much a part of the show she still is.”
Photo credit: JPI
Beau Kayzer (ex-Brock), 1951-2014 Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Kayzer trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting before landing his first professional TV job in 1974 as Katherine’s estranged son, Brock Reynolds; he remained with the show until 1980, returned from 1985-86 and 1990-92, and continued to pop in over the years, last appearing in 2013. Kayzer also played Dr. Bunny Willis on GH in 1983, guest-starred on episodic television (HART TO HART, B.J. AND THE BEAR) and even made a unique appearance in the Oscar-nominated Taxi Driver, when Robert De Niro’s character kicked over a television set that was airing a Y&R scene of Kayzer and Brenda Dickson’s Jill. The actor was married to his second wife, Sharon Alkus, at the time of his death. “Beau was a terrific guy,” remembers Doug Davidson (Paul). “I was incredibly saddened to hear of his passing, but during the pandemic I was able to see him again from shows in the ’70s. He was an exceptional actor.”
Photo credit: CBS
Kristoff St. John (Neil) 1966-2019 Born in New York City, the son of actor Christopher St. John (Shaft), the younger St. John made his own television debut at the age of eight on the sitcom THAT’S MY MAMA. As a child actor, he appeared on HAPPY DAYS, ROOTS: THE NEXT GENERATION and WONDER WOMAN before becoming a series regular on THE BAD NEWS BEARS. In 1989, St. John made his daytime debut as Adam Marshall on GENERATIONS, for which he earned consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations; when it went off the air in 1991, he was quickly scooped up by Y&R to play junior executive Neil Winters. St. John won two Daytime Emmys (Younger Actor in 1992 and Supporting Actor in 2008) and 10 NAACP Image Awards for his portrayal of Neil. The actor was married twice; he shared two children, Paris and the late Julian, with his first wife, Mia, and he shared daughter Lola with his second wife, Allana, who he divorced in 2007. St. John was engaged to Russian model Kesniya Mikhaleva when he succumbed to heart failure in 2019. “I miss his laughter,” says Bryton James (Devon). “Every day I would wait for [him] to burst through the door of my dressing room, ready with a new story and jokes to tell. And when I was on the set with him, I always learned something new and had fun learning it. He made everybody laugh and smile.”
Photo credit: JPI
