Soap Opera Veteran Wayne Northrop Passes Away at 77

Wayne Northrop, a well-known face on TV soaps like Dynasty and Days of Our Lives, has sadly left us. He was 77 years old. The actor was fighting Alzheimer's disease for a while and finally passed away at a care home in Woodland Hills, California. Wayne's wife, actress Lynn Herring Northrop, shared that he had been battling early onset Alzheimer's for the past six years. She expressed gratitude for the care he received at the Motion Picture and Television Home. Wayne was beloved for his humor and wit, and he was a dedicated family man, husband for 43 years, and a loving dad to his two sons, Hank and Grady. On Days of Our Lives, Wayne was remembered for his role as Detective Roman Brady, a character he played from 1981 to 1984, and then again in later stints. He also appeared as Dr. Alex North, a medical school classmate of Roman's wife, Dr. Marlena Evans. Before that, he played Michael Culhane, a chauffeur, on the first season of Dynasty and reprised the role in Season 7. Born in Sumner, Washington, Wayne graduated with a degree in communications and began his acting journey in Los Angeles. He started with a role in Police Story and went on to appear in shows like The Waltons, Hotel, L. A. Law, and Cold Case. Wayne and Lynn purchased a working cattle ranch in Raymond, California, in the late '80s and later bought the oldest house in the town, which they turned into a museum. Wayne's love for wildlife and conservation was well-known. He is survived by his wife Lynn, their sons Hank and Grady, and his stepmother Janet Northrop.