Soap Star Anthony Addabbo Dead At 59

Soap star Anthony Addabbo — whose long career included stints on "Guiding Light" and "The Bold and the Beautiful" — has passed away at the age of 56. The sudden and shocking news was announced by his fellow soap actor Winsor Harmon, who wrote: “Today we lost a damn good man, a father, and a great actor. Here’s to you, T.A.!"

Anthony enjoyed some primetime exposure, but was celebrated as one of the soap world's most popular performers. He won fans as Jim Lemay on "The Guiding Light" and "Rush Carrera on "The Bold and the Beautiful" — and The National ENQUIRER had the scoop in 2001 when Anthony replaced Michael Nader on "All My Children" as Erica Kane's ex-husband Dimitri Marick.

That was after Nader was arrested for dealing cocaine out of an underground social club. Anthony enjoyed a long career, but the former fashion model also had a heartbreaking loss early in his acting days — once telling The ENQUIRER that he lost a part in a Woody Allen movie after coming down with food poisoning.

The actor never lost his enthusiasm for soap opera roles, either — even though his final daytime role was on "Guiding Light" in 2000. As Anthony told The ENQUIRER while joining the soap "Generations" in 1989: "I feel like I hit the lottery!"