Soap Star Who Left Hollywood for a Surprising Second Career Dies at 62 Months after Co-Star's Bullying Allegations — Photos

A former soap heartthrob who traded Hollywood for an unexpected second career has died at 62. Months earlier, a famous co-star had made serious allegations about their years together.

The actor became a familiar face to daytime television viewers in the 1990s, playing a major character on one of America's longest-running soaps. Years later, he largely left Hollywood behind for an entirely different profession.

His name returned to the headlines in early 2026 when a former on-screen love interest described their off-camera relationship in stark terms. Months later, an emergency unfolded at his Missouri home.

A Medical Emergency at Home

The actor died Saturday, October 3, at his home in St. Peters, Missouri, at age 62. A Missouri medical examiner confirmed the date of his death to TMZ. More information soon emerged about what happened before emergency crews arrived.

According to a separate TMZ report, the St. Peters Police Department said officers were called to the residence at about 8:16 p.m. for an unconscious man who was not breathing. The actor had reportedly complained of chest pain before becoming unresponsive.

CPR was underway as police and emergency medical personnel headed to the home. Once officers and paramedics arrived, they continued efforts to save him. Those efforts were unsuccessful.

Authorities said they found nothing suspicious at the scene and that the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event. As of Monday, October 5, an official cause of death had not been announced.

Dispatch traffic referred to a cardiac arrest, but that does not establish an official cause of death.

911 Audio Revealed a Critical Problem

Recordings from the emergency response provided more information about what was happening inside the home. According to Page Six, an automated voice reported a "cardiac arrest" at the address.

Another responding officer referred to the patient as a "62-year-old male" who was "not conscious" and "not breathing." The dispatcher also said CPR was in progress and units were responding.

One detail in the recording showed another difficulty facing the person at the home. "Caller is unable to remove patient from bed," a responding officer said. A TMZ account of the dispatch audio also reported that authorities were told the caller could not move the actor from the bed.

Kyle Gaines, division chief and public information officer for the St. Charles County Ambulance District, told Page Six that paramedics and first responders were dispatched for an adult male experiencing cardiac arrest.

Emergency personnel used advanced life-saving protocols after arriving, according to Gaines. The actor was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement later said the medical examiner released his body to a local funeral home.

But long before that emergency in Missouri, the man at the center of the story had been part of some of daytime television's biggest romances.

A Familiar Face in Salem

The actor was Robert Kelker-Kelly, best remembered for playing Bo Brady on "Days of Our Lives." Kelker-Kelly took over the role from Peter Reckell in 1992 and remained on the NBC soap until 1995.

His years in Salem placed him opposite two actresses closely associated with Bo Brady's romantic storylines: Kristian Alfonso, who played Hope Brady, and Lisa Rinna, who portrayed Billie Reed. Rinna and Kelker-Kelly both joined the soap in 1992.

Their characters became a couple, and the actors eventually received the Soap Opera Digest Award for Hottest Soap Couple in 1995. That same year, both left their roles.

Kelker-Kelly's soap career extended beyond Salem. He also appeared on "Another World" and "General Hospital." His life later moved in a dramatically different direction.

He Traded Acting for Aviation

Kelker-Kelly eventually stepped away from Hollywood and built another professional career in aviation. Vulture reported that he worked as a commercial pilot for more than a decade. He also became a flight instructor in the St. Louis area.

Although aviation became his profession, Kelker-Kelly occasionally returned to his soap roots. He reprised roles from his acting career through 2014. His personal life also included a marriage to actress Miriam Parrish. The pair were married from 1997 until 2013.

Kelker-Kelly is survived by his daughter, Amelia Rose Kelly, according to Page Six. For years, he remained largely outside Hollywood's spotlight. Then, in February 2026, his name resurfaced because of allegations concerning his time on "Days of Our Lives."

A Former Co-Star Made Bullying Allegations

Lisa Rinna addressed her working relationship with Kelker-Kelly in her memoir, "You Better Believe I'm Gonna Talk About It." Rinna had landed her breakout role as Billie Reed on "Days of Our Lives" in the early 1990s.

Billie was romantically involved with Kelker-Kelly's Bo Brady, requiring the actors to work together closely. In an excerpt acquired by People, Rinna alleged that the relationship between the two performers was very different when the cameras stopped rolling.

"Behind the scenes, we hated each other," she wrote. Rinna then disputed a past claim by Kathy Hilton that Rinna was the biggest bully in Hollywood and pointed to her former "Days of Our Lives" co-star.

"Remember when Kathy Hilton said I was the biggest bully in Hollywood? Not true. Not even close! I have legit stories about the real bullies in this town. Robert Kelker-Kelly is one of those bullies," Rinna wrote.

She went on to accuse Kelker-Kelly of mistreating her while they worked together. "He made my life a living hell on the set of Days. He was horrible to me," Rinna wrote. "I'd go so far as to say verbally abusive. He was passive-aggressive, manipulative and played weird mind games."

Rinna said their characters' relationship meant she and Kelker-Kelly filmed together "every day, often half naked." She also alleged that he would stop speaking to her when she did not do what he wanted.

"If I didn't do what he wanted, he'd give me the silent treatment," Rinna claimed. Rinna further described Kelker-Kelly as unpredictable during their time on the soap.

"He was a ticking time bomb. I never knew when I arrived on set each morning if I'd get nice Robert Kelker-Kelly or dark Robert Kelker-Kelly. He was unpredictable, and it was exhausting." Kelker-Kelly never publicly responded to Rinna's allegations.

Rinna Made Another Claim about His Departure

Kelker-Kelly left "Days of Our Lives" in 1995, and Peter Reckell subsequently returned as Bo Brady. Rinna later alleged in her memoir that NBC provided security for her and Kristian Alfonso following Kelker-Kelly's departure.

"We had rent-a-cops parked outside our houses and trailers for three weeks and were driven to and from work," Rinna wrote. Rinna said she did not believe she was in physical danger. In her account of the period, she suggested the network may have been taking precautions.

Her statements remain allegations from Rinna's account of their years working together. Kelker-Kelly did not publicly give his version of those events before his death.

Kelker-Kelly's Final Hours

Decades separated Kelker-Kelly's time on "Days of Our Lives" from the emergency at his Missouri home. What authorities have established is that he reportedly experienced chest pain before becoming unresponsive on October 3.

At about 8:16 p.m., responders were sent to the St. Peters property after receiving a report of an unconscious man who was not breathing. CPR was already underway as emergency crews headed to the scene.

Dispatch audio also indicated that the caller could not remove Kelker-Kelly from the bed. Police, first responders, and paramedics continued attempts to save him after arriving. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities reported no suspicious circumstances and said the situation appeared consistent with a medical event. An official cause of death, however, had not been released as of October 5. Kelker-Kelly was 62.

His career had taken him from major daytime dramas to a second professional life in aviation, while occasional acting appearances kept a connection to the industry he had left behind.