ST. PETERS, Mo. — Robert Kelker-Kelly, the actor who stepped into one of daytime television’s most iconic roles as Bo Brady on Days of Our Lives, has died. He was 62.
The Missouri medical examiner confirmed Kelker-Kelly’s death to multiple outlets. He passed away on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at his home in St. Peters, Missouri, after reportedly complaining of chest pain and becoming unresponsive.
How Robert Kelker-Kelly Died
The St. Peters Police Department responded to Kelker-Kelly’s home around 8:16 p.m. on October 3 after receiving a report of an unconscious man who was not breathing. CPR was already in progress when officers arrived, but life-saving measures were unsuccessful.
Police said Kelker-Kelly had complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive. The St. Charles County Ambulance District confirmed first responders were dispatched for an adult male patient in cardiac arrest, and Kelker-Kelly was pronounced deceased on scene.
Authorities found nothing suspicious at the scene, and the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event. The official cause of death has not yet been released by the medical examiner.
Who Was Robert Kelker-Kelly?
Born April 18, 1964, in Wichita, Kansas, Kelker-Kelly began his acting career in 1987 playing Sam Fowler on Another World. He appeared in more than 400 episodes of that soap before landing the role that would define his career.
In 1992, he joined Days of Our Lives as Bo Brady, taking over the role from Peter Reckell. He played the character until 1995, appearing in nearly 600 episodes. His performance earned him the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in 1994, and he shared the Hottest Soap Couple award with Lisa Rinna in 1995.
He later played Stavros Cassadine on General Hospital and its spinoff Port Charles, with his final onscreen appearance in 2014.
The Second Act That Defined His Life
In the late 1990s, Kelker-Kelly walked away from Hollywood entirely. He married his Days costar Miriam Parrish in 1997 and left Los Angeles, earning certification in airframe and powerplant mechanics. He worked as a professional pilot from 2003 to 2015 and was still flying and teaching until his death.
He is survived by his only child, daughter Amelia Rose Kelly, whom he shared with Parrish.
The Lisa Rinna Controversy
Kelker-Kelly made headlines again in 2026 when his former Days costar Lisa Rinna published her memoir, You Better Believe I’m Gonna Talk About It. Rinna alleged that Kelker-Kelly was “verbally abusive” and “manipulative” toward her during their time working together, describing him as “one of those bullies”.
Kelker-Kelly never publicly responded to the allegations.
A Legacy of Reinvention
Robert Kelker-Kelly lived two lives: one as a soap opera heartthrob, the other as a pilot who preferred the sky to the soundstage. He was 62 years old. The medical examiner has not yet released his official cause of death.
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