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On July 30, Jay Pickett of “General Hospital (2006-2008)” and “Port Charles (1997-2003)” fame passed away at the age of 60. Pickett was on the set of “Treasure Valley,” a cowboy film he wrote, starred in, and produced at the time of his unexpected demise. The film was slated for a 2022 release.
On Saturday, July 31, Pickett’s friend and “Treasure Valley” co-star Jim Heffel mentioned on his Facebook post that the TV star passed away while sitting on a horse. However, whether he was filming a scene while riding the horse is unclear.
Heffel’s Facebook post read:
“Yesterday I lost a good friend and the world lost a great person. Jay Pickett decided to ride off into the Heavens. He will be truly missed. Ride like the wind partber [sic] (partner).”
Who is Jay Pickett?
The actor was born on February 10, 1961, in Spokane, Washington, U.S. Jay Pickett is mainly known for portraying a paramedic named Francis “Frank” Xavier Scanlon in ABC’s late ’90s medical drama “Port Charles” (“General Hospital” spin-off).
Pickett has been an Idaho native for most of his life. According to his IMDB page, he has a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Boise State University. The star is also reported to have a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from UCLA.
Pickett was also known to be a sports lover and was an expert rope climber. He had a love for westerns and cowboys, which inspired his riding prowess.
In 1987, Jay Pickett made his television debut on “Rags to Riches.” He appeared for only one episode, “Russian Holiday,” as Alex Leskov. Pickett further appeared in several one-time roles in TV shows like “China Beach (1988),” “Dragnet (1990),” and “Matlock (1991).”
His first breakthrough role was in the “Days of Our Lives," where he played Dr. Chip Lakin for 34 episodes (1991-1992). In 1997, Pickett was cast in “Port Charles” as Frank Scanlon, where he portrayed 762 episodes.
In 2006, Jay Pickett would again return to the franchise series “General Hospital” as a substitute for Ted King, playing Lorenzo Alcazar. He joined the show as a recurring cast member in 2007 to play Detective David Harper. The show has been running since 1963 and is the second longest-running drama in the world (still in production).
Pickett is one of the few actors featured in the spin-off “Port Charles” and the classic show “General Hospital.”
Jay Picket is survived by his wife, Elena Marie Bates, whom he married in 1985. The couple has three children - a son and two daughters.
