Joe Marinelli, Star of Soap Opera ‘Santa Barbara,’ Dies at 68

The veteran actor, whose career spanned decades, had been dealing with health issues for years. His co-stars and colleagues remember him dearly in their touching tributes.

Joe Marinelli took his last breath on Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Burbank, California. His wife of nearly 34 years, musician Jean Marinelli, confirmed the tragic news on Tuesday, June 24.

She told The Hollywood Reporter (THR) that her husband had been battling stomach cancer. The actor's agent, Julie Smith, also revealed to CNN that he had been dealing with the disease, along with throat cancer, for years.

Joe—a Loyola Marymount University and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) graduate—was best known for his longest-standing role as the cross-dressing mobster, Bunny Tagliatti, in the daytime soap opera "Santa Barbara."

He appeared on the show in over 170 episodes between 1988 and 1990. He was also known for his appearance as Joseph Sorel in "General Hospital" between 1999 and 2001. Joe's final acting credits came from "The Morning Show," where he portrayed Donny Spagnoli from 2019 to 2023.

His co-star on the show, Mark Duplass, remembered him fondly in a statement to THR. "I really loved him and what he stood for. We didn't spend 10,000 hours together, but we were spiritually aligned in many ways," Duplass said.

Leigh McCloskey, who starred alongside Joe in "Santa Barbara," also shared a tribute on Facebook, remembering their friendship. "A sweeter man or a dearer friend you could not find than Joe Marinelli," she began.

"I knew Joe was sick and so admired his indefatigable spirit throughout what sounded like a very difficult, if not impossible, ordeal," she said, describing the late actor as a champion.

"Godspeed old friend, may your spirit soar beyond the stars and reacquaint you with the greater wonder from which you came," McCloskey wrote.