I only heard about the passing of these two actors last night after watching a YouTube video featuring famous people who died in 2024.

Coincidentally, both men played the role of Roman Brady on ‘Days Of Our Lives’, although I believe that Hogestyn was really a character called John Black all along – who was brainwashed into thinking he ‘might’ be Brady when he was first introduced onto the show – correct me if I’m wrong, but we all know how the plots of these soap operas work.

If I’m being honest here, I only remember these characters because my friends and I used to mock this show relentlessly back in the late eighties/early nineties – if only to annoy our mothers who were passionate fans of the serial – with John Black (Hogestyn) perhaps receiving the most ridicule.

I can even recall a friend secretly video-recording an episode of ‘Days’ while his mum was watching, where John Black was entertaining an attractive woman for dinner – yet for some reason had forgotten to wear a shirt. Naturally, when my mate brought the VHS tape around for us all to watch we ended up in hysterics, as Black posed around half-dressed whilst slowly lighting the candles after dimming the room – as well as somehow conjuring up a sumptuous meal – much to the satisfaction of his guest.

But all that aside, I was shocked and saddened when I saw Drake Hogestyn’s face show up on my screen during the obituaries show, and it immediately brought back memories. I then began thinking about some of the other cast members, in particular the ‘real’ Roman Brady – and only a few minutes later Northrop himself was featured on the same video – having passed away only two months after his co-star.

Drake Hogestyn (John Black) died from pancreatic cancer on September 28th, 2024.

Wayne Northrop (Roman Brady) died from Alzheimer’s Disease on November 29th, 2024.

Magazine covers and images courtesy of Soap Opera Times and Soap Opera Digest.