Stuart Damon (born Stuart Michael Zonis; February 5, 1937 June 29, 2021) was an American actor and singer. He was best known for his 30-year portrayal of Dr. Alan Quartermaine on the American soap opera ''

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley which has been broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC since April 1, 1963. Originally a half-hour seria ...

'', for which he won an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

in 1999. Outside the United States, he was known for the role of Craig Stirling in ''

The Champions ''The Champions'' is a British espionage thriller/science fiction/occult detective fiction adventure television series. It was produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment production company, and consists of 30 episodes broadcast in the UK on ...

''.

Early life

Damon was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York, the son of Marvin Leonard Zonis, who was a manufacturer, and his wife, Eva (Sherer) Zonis. Damon's parents were

Russian Jewish The history of the Jews in Russia and areas historically connected with it goes back at least 1,500 years. Jews in Russia have historically constituted a large religious and ethnic diaspora; the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest po ...

immigrants who made their home in America after fleeing the

Bolshevik Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. It was led by Vladimir L ...

Career

After a series of roles on Broadway, Damon's appearance as the Prince in the 1965 version of

Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their musical ...

's ''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'' starring

Lesley Ann Warren Lesley Ann Warren (born August 16, 1946) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She made her Broadway debut in '' 110 in the Shade'' in 1963. In 1965 she received wide recognition for playing the title role in the television musical product ...

helped pave the way to a long career in television soap opera. That same year, he had a prominent featured role in the Broadway musical ''

Do I Hear a Waltz? ''Do I Hear a Waltz?'' is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Richard Rodgers, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was adapted from Laurents' 1952 play ''The Time of the Cuckoo'', which was the basis for the 1955 film '' Summertime' ...

'' written by

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers wa ...

(music) and

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

(lyrics). He had earlier appeared in an Off-Broadway revival of ''

The Boys From Syracuse ''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on William Shakespeare's play '' The Comedy of Errors'', as adapted by librettist George Abbott. The score includes swing and other contemp ...

'' with music by Rodgers and lyrics by

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include "Blue Moon"; " The Lady Is a Tramp"; "Manhattan"; " Bewitched, Bo ...

. Damon is prominently featured on the cast albums of these musicals, as well as the hit ''

Irma La Douce ''Irma la Douce'' (, "Irma the Sweet") is a 1963 American romantic comedy film directed by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond, based on the 1956 French stage musical of the same name by Marguerite Monnot and Al ...

'' (1960). Moving to Great Britain, Damon starred in the hit West End musical ''

Charlie Girl ''Charlie Girl'' is a musical comedy which premiered in London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre on December 15, 1965; it became one of the more successful theatre shows of the day running for 2,202 performances. It closed on 27 March 1971. Pr ...

'' with

Anna Neagle Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in British cinema for 2 ...

in 1965, and was selected to appear as American secret agent Craig Stirling, alongside British actors

Alexandra Bastedo Alexandra Lendon Bastedo (9 March 1946 – 12 January 2014) was a British actress, best known for her role as the secret agent Sharron Macready in the 1968 British espionage/science fiction adventure series ''The Champions''. Bastedo was a veg ...

and

William Gaunt William Charles Anthony Gaunt (born 3 April 1937 in Pudsey, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English actor. He became widely known for television roles such as Richard Barrett in ''The Champions'' (1968–1969), Arthur Crabtree in '' No Place ...

, in the ITC series ''

''. He also appeared with

Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the actor to portray Ian Fleming's fictional secret agent James Bond (literary character), James Bond in the Eon Productions/MGM Studios film series, playing the ...

in an episode of '' The Saint'' which has been credited as the inspiration for the later series ''

The Persuaders! ''The Persuaders!'' is a British action comedy television series starring Tony Curtis and Roger Moore, produced by ITC Entertainment, and initially broadcast on ITV and ABC in 1971. The show has been called 'the last major entry in the c ...

'', with Damon's role being played by

Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor with a career that spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 films, in roles co ...

. In 1968, he appeared in the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

TV adaptation of ''The £1,000,000 Bank Note'' and played Henry Adams in the starring role. Damon also played magician

Harry Houdini Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...

in a lavishly staged London musical, ''Man of Magic''.''The Great Escape: Hollywood's Struggle to Bring Houdini Back to Life'' by John Cox, MAGIC Magazine, October 2006 In 1970 Damon released an LP called ''Stuart 'Champion' Damon'' recorded on Reflection records REF L7 which failed to chart. In the 1970s, he was cast alongside

Gene Barry Gene Barry (born Eugene Klass; June 14, 1919 – December 9, 2009) was an American stage, screen, and television actor and singer. Barry is best remembered for his leading roles in the films '' The Atomic City'' (1952) and ''The War of the Worl ...

and

Catherine Schell Catherine Schell (born Katherina ''Freiherr, Freiin'' Schell von Bauschlott, 17 July 1944) is a Hungarian-born British actress who came to prominence in British film and television productions from the 1960s. Her notable roles include the Bond ...

for the series '' The Adventurer'', appearing briefly in two episodes. Damon later spoke candidly about the fact that Barry did not want him in the series because of his height: at over six feet, he towered over the shorter Barry. After acting roles in several other British television series, including ''

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

'', '' The New Avengers'', ''

The Main Chance ''The Main Chance'' is a British television series first aired on ITV in four series between 1969 and 1975. It is a drama series that depicts the sudden transformation in the life of a solicitor, David Main (played by John Stride), after he m ...

'' and children's series ''

The Adventures of Black Beauty ''The Adventures of Black Beauty'' is a British adventure family television series produced by London Weekend Television and shown by ITV in the United Kingdom between 1972 and 1974. It was distributed internationally by London Weekend Interna ...

'' where he played a hypnotist, he returned to the United States. In September 1974, he appeared as a solo singer in an episode of the UK TV variety programme ''

The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club ''The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club'' was a British television variety show created and produced by Johnnie Hamp for Granada Television from 1974 to 1977. It was set in a fictional working men's club in the North of England and was hos ...

''. The Champions theme tune was used as his walk-on music. In 1977, he began his best known American role, as Dr. Alan Quartermaine Sr. on ''

''. He also repeated the role on the short-lived ''GH'' spin-off ''

Port Charles ''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes p ...

'' (1997–2003). In 1999, Damon won the Best Supporting Actor Emmy, for his portrayal of Alan, a physician addicted to the

painkiller An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic, antalgic, pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used for pain management. Analgesics are conceptually distinct from anesthetics, which temporarily reduce, and in s ...

hydrocodone Hydrocodone, also known as dihydrocodeinone, is a semi-synthetic opioid used to treat pain and as a cough suppressant. It is taken by mouth. Typically, it is dispensed as the combination acetaminophen/hydrocodone or ibuprofen/hydrocodone fo ...

. In 2005, Damon was reunited with Alexandra Bastedo and William Gaunt for the first time in almost 40 years, to provide audio commentary on a DVD release of ''The Champions''. In December 2006, it was reported that Damon had been fired from ''General Hospital'' and his last air date was scheduled for February 26, 2007, when his character died. The reason behind his release was not made public. The taping of the final scene occurred on February 5, coincidentally Damon's 70th birthday. Fellow actors on ''General Hospital'' spoke to the press about how upset they were over Damon's firing, with Damon's on-show wife, played by

Leslie Charleson Leslie Ann Charleson (February 22, 1945 – January 12, 2025) was an American actress, best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine on the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''. Life and career Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri ...

, saying, "This is the 30th anniversary for the two of us, in August. The timing leaves me very discouraged about the way soaps are going, the total disregard for history and the blatant disregard for the veterans."''Soap Opera Weekly'', February 13, 2007, pp. 1-2 Despite the death of the character, Damon had remained on the show, playing the ghost of Alan Quartermaine, haunting his sister Tracy about forging Alan's will. He remained with the show until December 23, 2008, when Alan appeared to Monica on Christmas to tell her that he loved her. On September 18, 2009, Damon began appearing on ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other so ...

'' as Janet and Teri Ciccone's "Uncle" Ralph Manzo, a businessman most likely involved with the mob. He left the series on October 30, 2009, but returned August 23–25, 2010. From March 19–25, 2010, Damon played the role of Governor Jim Ford on ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from November 8, 1965, to September 9, 2022; the soap has streamed n ...

''. Damon returned to ''General Hospital'' for two episodes (August 26, 2011, and August 29, 2011), in which Alan appears in a fantasy sequence of Monica's. He returned again in November 2012 as a ghost when son AJ was announced to be alive, after son Jason's disappearance. He appeared, along with Rick Webber ( Chris Robinson) and Emily Quartermaine (

Natalia Livingston Natalia Livingston (born March 26, 1976) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Emily Quartermaine (for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award) and Rebecca Shaw on ABC's ''General Hospital'', and for playing Taylor Walker on the NBC ...

), as a hallucination shared by Tracy and Monica, for the show's 50th anniversary episode, which aired on April 2, 2013.

Personal life

Damon married Deirdre Ann Ottewill, a former actress, singer, and dancer on March 12, 1961. They had two children, Christopher and Jennifer Zonis. Stuart Damon died of

kidney failure Kidney failure, also known as renal failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney fa ...

on June 29, 2021, aged 84, at the

Motion Picture & Television Fund The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) is a charitable organization that offers assistance and care to those in the motion picture and television industries and their families with limited or no resources, including services such as tempo ...

retirement community in

Woodland Hills, Los Angeles Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States. History The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans in the United States, ...

, where he had lived for seven years. Deirdre Ottewill Damon died on December 25, 2019, from Alzheimer's disease.

Awards and nominations

Works

Broadway

*'' First Impressions'' – 1959 *''

From A to Z ''From A to Z'' is a musical revue with a book by Woody Allen, Herbert Farjeon, and Nina Warner Hook and songs by Jerry Herman, Fred Ebb, Mary Rodgers, Everett Sloane, Jay Thompson, Dickson Hughes, Jack Holmes, Paul Klein, Norman Martin, Willia ...

'' – 1960 *''

'' – 1965

Off-Broadway

*''Entertain a Ghost'' – 1962 *''

The Boys from Syracuse ''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on William Shakespeare's play '' The Comedy of Errors'', as adapted by librettist George Abbott. The score includes swing and other contemp ...

'' – 1963

West End

*''

'' – 1965 *''Man of Magic'' (as

) – 1968

Film

*'' A Touch of Class'' (1973) – Man Hailing Cab at End (uncredited) *''

Young Doctors in Love ''Young Doctors in Love'' is a 1982 American comedy film directed by Garry Marshall. It spoofs a variety of medical shows (in particular, ''General Hospital'') and has many guest stars from ABC soap operas. The film stars Sean Young, Michae ...

'' (1982) – Soap Cameos *''

Star 80 ''Star 80'' is a 1983 American biographical drama film written and directed by Bob Fosse. It was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' Village Voice'' article "Death of a Playmate" by Teresa Carpenter and is based on Canadian ''Playboy'' ...

'' (1983) – Vince Roberts *''Silent Assassins'' (1988) – General *''

Chairman of the Board The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a Board of directors, board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by ...

'' (1998) – Doctor *''Rain from Stars'' (2013) – Edward (final film role)

Television

*''

'' (1965, TV Movie) – Prince *''

Man in a Suitcase ''Man in a Suitcase'' is a British television private eye thriller series produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. It originally aired in the United Kingdom on ITV (TV network), ITV from 27 September 1967 to 17 April 1968. American Broadcast ...

'' (1967) – Williams *''The £1,000,000 Bank Note'' (1968) – Henry Adams *''

'' (1968–1969) – Craig Stirling *'' The Saint'' (1969) – Rod Huston *''

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...

'' (1971) – Howard Byrne *'' The Adventurer'' (1972–1973) – Vince *''The Adventures of Black Beauty'' (1973) – Mr. Duncan *''

'' (Episode 14, 1974) – self, singer *''A Touch of the Casanovas'' (1975, TV Movie) – Casanova *''

'' (1975) episode "Payment by Result" – Allan Hartmann *''Thriller: Nightmare for a Nightingale'' (1976) *'' Space: 1999'' (1975–1977) – Guido Verdeschi / Parks *''Yanks Go Home'' (1976–1977) – Cpl. Vince Rossi *'' The New Avengers'' (1977) – Marty Brine *''

'' (1977–2013) – Dr. Alan Quartermaine *''Fantasies'' (1982, TV Movie) – Hanson *''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...

'' (1982–1983) – Richard Mallory / Dr. Randolph *'' Legend of the Champions'' (1983, TV Movie) – Craig Stirling *''

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

'' (1985–1986) – Self – Host *''

Mike Hammer Michael Hammer or Mike Hammer may refer to: * Michael Hammer (politician) (born 1977), Austrian politician * Michael Armand Hammer (1955–2022), American philanthropist and businessman * Michael Martin Hammer (1948–2008), engineer and author * Mi ...

'' (1987) – Graham Richardson *''Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss'' (1993, TV Movie) – Alex Straub *''Me and My Hormones'' (1996) – Bill *''

'' (1997–2001) – Dr. Alan Quartermaine *''

'' (2009–2010) – Ralph Manzo *''

'' (2010) – Governor Jim Ford

Recording

*''Stuart Champion Damon'', Reflection Records 1970

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Damon, Stuart 1937 births 2021 deaths Male actors from Brooklyn American male film actors American male soap opera actors American television talk show hosts Jewish American male actors American people of Russian-Jewish descent Brandeis University alumni Daytime Emmy Award winners Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winners