MovieChat Forums > The Doctors (1963) Discussion > David O' Brien's Death From Aids

David O' Brien's Death From Aids


I heard a lot of stories about how he got Aids,some say it was a blood transfusion and others seem to think he was gay,but I never knew of him to be. Does anybody know the truth about how he contracted this illness? I was shocked to learn of his death in June 14th of 1989,but especially the cause. I was a big fan of The Doctors and always liked his character of Dr. Steve Aldridge and he was a fine actor. I remember when he was on Another World back in '86-'87 as the stalker who murdered a lot of women including Maisie whom I really liked and during a scene where he had kidnappes Jamie Frame's girlfriend Lisa and took her to his Island where he tried to force her to marry him and he had a wedding cake he'd kept in a freezer for years waiting for the occasion. I remember noticing during one of the scenes where he looked very sick as it was obvious he had some sort of cold. His cause of death said it was from Aids complications meaning he had a flu or something he was unable to recover. He is really missed. If anybody knows anything about him or how he got Aids,let me know? There was another celebrity that died on June 14th 1989 of Aids too,but can't remember who it was right now.

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I believe that Christopher Bernau, who played Alan Spaulding on Guiding Light, also died on June 14th, 1989, from complications from AIDS. I was too young for The Doctors when it was on, but I am looking forward to it being re-aired on The Hallmark Channel. I am looking forward to seeing Carolee Campbell as Nurse Carolee, especially since I met her in person at an art and poetry seminar last year.

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Besides being on the Doctors,David O'Brien also played the strangler,Alan Glaser on Another World in 1986-87 as he murdered poor Maisie who owned the diner and always listened to everyone's problems and offered good advice,he also was outside Crystal Gayle's dressing room when she appeared on there and she was going to be a target for him,and he kidnapped Jamie Frame's Fiancee Lisa Grady whom was Felicia's niece and took her to an Island and was going to force her to marry him and he had a cake in the freezer he had saved for many years,waiting for the right girl. I remember Mr. O'Brien looking sick like he had a cold or flu during one of the filmings on AW and it must have been from the Aids it turned out he had that soon killed him. I usually can tell if an actor is gay as there is a vibe,but never suspected Mr. O'Brien as I thought he was genuinely interested in women. Christopher Bernau,Alan Spalding from GL was up front about his orientation and everybody on the set was aware he was gay. Sad so many people have died of this disease that we grew up watching on tv and loved or hated,which ever the case may have been.

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I was surprised that both Chris Bernau (Alan Spaulding on GL) and David O'Brien (Steve Aldrich on The Doctors) died of AIDS. They were both powerful actors on their shows and their characters were exuding ladies men. I do remember back then, when Chris Bernau became sick the tabloids tried to label his illness as being "Lyme's Disease".

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They also labeled Richard Guthrie who played David Banning on Days of Our Lives from 1975-1981 death in 1995 as being cancer,but it was really Aids as there was a photo of him and his dog sent to whikipedia and he had visable leesions on his forehead,arms,and other body parts and also his death was hush hush for a long time. He and his costar/best friend wesley Eure who played Mike Horton from 1974-1981 left DOL together and Guthrie only kept in touch with Eure and Susan Seaforth Hayes after his departure. Wesley Eure came out of the closet not too long ago and admitted he was gay and it was also revealed he had been richard Chamberlain's lover during most of the 70's and when Chamberlain revealed his orientation,Eure was afraid he would be outed then as he wasn't ready at that time for exposure. There at been talk that Guthrie and Eure were secret lovers for a long time even when Eure was in a committed relationship with Chamberlain.

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Even though Chris Bernau's character Alan Spaulding was quite the ladies man on GL,I noticed he had a feminine side in the oh so eloquent way he spoke and I heard he was out in the open about being gay to the cast and they were all aware. David O'Brien really shocked me as he seemed totally masculine and I never knew he was gay.Do you know if he actually was? There was no mention of a wife or even a former one when he died of Aids. It was bizarre he and Chris Bernau died on the same day and year of the same illness,perhaps they were lovers. I know when David O'Brien played Alan Glaser,the psychotic strangler on Another World,He looked sick like he had the flu during one of his scenes where he kidnapped Jamie Frame's girlfriend Lisa and was going to force her to marry him and he had that wedding cake he kept in the freezer all those years for the occasion. I would say at that time he probably was suffering from an Aids induced sickness and when he passed away 2 yrs. later in 1989,his death was listed from Aids complications which means he probably had a cold he couldn't recover due to his Tcells and immunity system being low. What a terrible and agonizing way to go.

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Do you think they were lovers? Do you know if they were friends? They would have made a very nice couple!

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I agree with you totally about them making a nice couple. Don't know if they actually were lovers,but there seemed like so many coincidences about the illness,them both being soap actors,the same month,day,and year of death. Their compatibilty would have made them great lovers. They both were strong character actors,intellectuals,and undeniably attractive. Why do alot of the best actors have to die with cancer or Aids? I miss these guys,but also Constance Ford from Another World whom died in Feb. 1993 with cancer and never looked a day sick in her life and Margaret Mason From Days Of Our Lives whom passed in March 1999 with a heart attack,both of them were strong vibrant women. Connie played the lovable,but feisty Ada Hobbs whom had a heart of gold,but a fist of iron and always known to give out advice and was a friend in deed to those in need and Margaret played the ruthless bitch,Linda Anderson whom was always plotting and scheming and after rich husband,Bob Anderson passed away,she packed up her daughter and moved to europe where she became a high paid madame for every man's pleasure whom could afford her and tried to make her daughter a prostitute as well. She also played Eve Howard on Young And Th Restless whom was rival of Victor Newman and son. All 4 were good at their craft.

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I agree......... They were both strong actresses and I loved them both!

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I read on Whikipedia that David O'Brien Had a son David Jr.whom was born Dec.1974.I don't know if he were ever married,produced the boy out of wedlock,or if he may have paid a surrogate to be artificially inseminated with his sperm to have a child for him and a lover like a lot of gay couples do,anything is possible. I found this revelation quite fascinating and would like to learn more or obtain additional facts on the matter. Did you also know that Richard Guthrie who played David Banning (Julie's son)on Days of Our Lives from 1975-1981 dies of Aids Oct.29,1995 and his cause of death was exaggerated and listed as cancer. I saw a picture of him somebody submitted on the internet of he and his pooch and he had leesions on his face,arms,and various other regions of his body which were visible. Also,Bill Beyers who played Wally McCandless on Capitol from 1982 when it started till 1988 when it ended died of Aids in 1992 which was stated that he was gay and was another shocker for me. I thought he was feminine in his manner and the way he talked,but that isn't always symbolic. I truly believed he was straight till somebody said otherwise here on the internet. Another person thought he had a son that was molested by a close friend,but after that other person acknowledged him as gay,she said he may have been bisexual or she may have been mistaken about what she read about the child and the molestation incident.Leslie Graves whom was Brenda Clegg on Capitol also passed away from an Aids related illness in 1995,but she got it from being a drug addict and sharing an infected needle with somebody as she was on heroin and that is why she left the show in 1984 as she passed out on the set after a filming from her addiction. You may also remember Tom Fuccello who played Sen. Dave Culver on Dallas,and he also played Randall Kirby on Young And The Restless in 1992 and was Paul Kendall on One Life To Live In '78-'79 died of Aids Aug.16th,1993 in Van Nuys CA. where he was living. Didn't know how he got it,do you know if he was gay? So many people whom had a lot to offer the world and were talented and so loved and mourned by there fans had to live recklessly and die at their prime from such a hideous disease.

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I did not know that David O'Brien had a son, but there was an interview with Alec Baldwin in which he spoke at length about his time on the Doctors and said that he went to many gay bars with David O'Brien and totally acknowledged that O'Brien was gay. He said that O'Brien and other actors there had a huge impact on him professionally and personally and spoke very kindly of him.

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