The beloved TV and film actor died suddenly this past weekend, leaving Hollywood shaken and fans combing through every photo and memory of a life lived fully in the spotlight.
Patrick Muldoon, 57, best known for “Days of Our Lives,” “Melrose Place,” and “Starship Troopers,” passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2026, after suffering a heart attack at his Beverly Hills home.
Christie Clark and Patrick Muldoon attend an event in the United States, circa 1990s | Source: Getty Images
Behind the roles and the headlines was a life full of surprises, which included a love triangle involving two of Hollywood’s most recognizable women, and a final post so lovely that it makes what happened two days later even harder to process.
Patrick Muldoon as Austin Reed during “Days of our Lives” Season 28 on October 21, 1992 | Source: Getty Images
From San Pedro to Hollywood
Muldoon was born and raised in the Los Angeles waterfront town of San Pedro, California, the son of Deanna and William Patrick Muldoon II, a personal injury and maritime attorney. With Irish and Croatian roots and parents whose backgrounds spanned painting, writing, and music, creative ambition ran in the family.
Christie Clark as Carrie Brady and Patrick Muldoon as Austin Reed during “Days of our Lives” Season 28 on March 1, 1993 | Source: Getty Images
Patrick Muldoon attends the premiere of “Restoration” at the Ziegfeld Theatre on December 10, 1995, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Before he ever set foot on a film set, Muldoon was a college athlete, playing football for the USC Trojans and earning two Rose Bowl rings.
His first industry break came as a Calvin Klein model, signed to the Wilhelmina Modeling agency, and when that campaign hit newsstands worldwide, Hollywood came calling.
Patrick Muldoon during the “Romeo & Juliet” Los Angeles premiere at Mann Chinese Theatre on October 27, 1996, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
Patrick Muldoon during the “Jerry Maguire” Los Angeles premiere at Mann Village Theatre on December 11, 1996, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
He hung up his football pads and stepped into acting, landing early roles on “Who’s the Boss?” with Tony Danza and “Silk Stalkings” with Rob Estes.
That momentum carried him to “Days of Our Lives,” where he played Austin Reed from 1992 to 1995, a role that earned him the Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Male Newcomer.