When I was a teenager during the summertime, I used to watch Days of Our Lives.
The long-running series has showcased many vibrant characters over the years, and Drake Hogestyn was undoubtedly one of the most memorable.
Now we mourn the loss of this beloved star, who passed away just one day shy of his 71st birthday.
Donald Drake Hogestyn, known to many as John Black from Days of Our Lives, left an indelible mark on the world of daytime television.
After an incredible 38 years and nearly 4,300 episodes on the iconic show, his passing just one day before his 71st birthday has left fans heartbroken.
Born in 1953 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Hogestyn was destined for greatness from a young age, with a father who hailed from New York and a devoted mother who nurtured his talents.
Hogestyn’s journey to stardom began in the 1980s when he ventured into acting with Columbia Pictures. In a talent search that attracted 75,000 hopefuls, he emerged as one of just 30 selected, securing a significant role in the prime-time series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Drafted by Yankees
However, what many fans might not know is that before he captivated audiences on screen, Hogestyn was a promising baseball player who had even been drafted by the New York Yankees. As a skilled third baseman in their minor league system, it seemed he was on the path to playing at Yankee Stadium. Yet, an unexpected injury shattered those dreams, steering him toward a different kind of spotlight.
In 1986, Hogestyn made his mark on Days of Our Lives, first appearing as a mysterious character known as “The Pawn.”
Audiences were excited, and Hogestyn quickly became a fan favorite, transforming into the iconic John Black. Over the years, he navigated dramatic storylines filled with amnesia, espionage, and intense relationships, making him one of the most recognizable faces in daytime television.
His on-screen romance with longtime co-star Deidre Hall, known for her portrayal of Marlena, became a defining element of the series and established them as a true supercouple on daytime television.
Hogestyn’s talent earned him numerous nominations for Soap Opera Digest Awards, with multiple wins for Favorite Hero and Favorite Couple alongside Hall.
Why was he fired?
In 2008, fans were stunned when it was announced that Hogestyn and Hall had been let go from Days of Our Lives due to budget cuts. However, the demand for their return was undeniable, and they rejoined the show a few years later, much to the delight of their devoted fans. Tragically, Hogestyn made his final appearance on the soap on September 9, 2024, just weeks before his passing.
Drake and his wife, Victoria, shared a deep love that began when he was just 15 years old and she was only 12. ”We were meant to be,” he once said in an interview, capturing the essence of their enduring bond. They married in 1986, the same year Hogestyn joined Days of Our Lives, and together they raised four children.
Cause of death
Sadly, Drake Hogestyn’s life came to an end due to pancreatic cancer on September 28, 2024, in Los Angeles.
His family announced the news with heavy hearts, saying, ”He was thrown the curveball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones.”
As we remember Drake Hogestyn, we celebrate the joy and inspiration he brought into our lives, both through his unforgettable performances and the love he shared with his family. He will forever remain a cherished part of television history and in the hearts of his fans.
My condolences to his family, friends, coworkers and fans! Rest in peace, Drake!
Drew Barrymore and her grandfather’s friend Vincent Price together in 1984…Check c,o,m,m,e,n,t,s below
Even though there are dozens of different experts that work on the appearances of characters in movies, they aren’t immune to making mistakes. And in the end, viewers may catch these fails in makeup or costume choices that couldn’t have possibly existed during the time in which the movie was set.
We at Bright Side decided to watch some of our favorite movies and read some fashion history books to find the mistakes makeup artists and costume designers have made in popular films.
Gone with the Wind
No matter how trendy Scarlett O’Hara was, she couldn’t have predicted the clothing trends for decades in advance. Her famous slim-fitting red dress with feathers and rhinestones has nothing to do with Civil War fashion — it was inspired more by styles from the 1930s and 1940s.
Julius Caesar
In the 1953 film, most of the female characters wore extravagant bullet bras. In Ancient Rome, women would wear a strophium, a prototype for the modern bra, but these weren’t bullet bras.
Legends of the Fall
Trying to create a romantic look, costume designers ignored the historical facts. Brad Pitt’s character has beautiful blonde hair and facial hair but these things were unacceptable for the time period. More and more men were choosing to don big mustaches and short hair at this time.
King Arthur
The film, which is set in the fifth century, portrays knights in heavy metal armor. But until the fourteenth century, such armor was made of leather, and only mail armor was made of metal.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The film is about events that happened in the ’90s and the clothes look pretty accurate, however, they’re still not perfect. Dudley Dursley is wearing G-Unit shorts — a brand that was created by 50 Cent in 2003.
Hello, Dolly!
The movie is set in New York at the end of the nineteenth century when such a hairstyle, lip gloss, and eye makeup didn’t exist. But the movie still got 3 Oscars and became one of the most important films of the decade.
Queen Margot
Throughout the entire film, the characters are wearing beautiful dresses with open shoulders. They look great but in the sixteenth century, women never ignored shifts (or chemise in French). These pieces of clothing protected them from the cold, absorbed sweat, and were really easy to wash.
Another mistake costume designers made was the way the main character’s hair was let down. Based on the few portraits we have of Margaret of Valois, she had curly hair that she wore up.
The Danish Girl
The Danish Girl starts in 1926 but in the first half of the film, we see women in slim-fitting clothes that have nothing to do with the fashion of the 1920s.
At the beginning of the film, Gerda has a hairstyle that was actually quite outdated for the setting that favored waved or bobbed hair.
A Dangerous Method
In one scene, Keira Knightley appears only in her corset, which is a contradiction to the original rules that came along with wearing this piece of clothing. A woman would never wear a corset alone.
Bonus: Mary Queen of Scots
In Mary Queen of Scots, Saoirse Ronan is wearing asymmetric earrings, which were non-existent in sixteenth-century Scotland.
In your opinion, do you think such mistakes are serious or no big deal?
Preview photo credit A Dangerous Method / Recorded Picture Company
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