Celebrity News June 29, 2026
‘Young & Restless’ Actor Tom Ligon Dies at 85
Republic Pictures Home Video
Tom Ligon, a New York stage actor who became famous as Lucas on "The Young and the Restless," died Friday in NYC. He was 85.
His passing was confirmed by his friend Steve Hayes on Facebook.
Born September 10, 1940, in New Orleans, he was in many stage shows after being discovered by playwright Tennessee Williams in a college production.
He appeared on Broadway in "Have I Got a Girl for You" (1963), "Angela" (1969), and "Love Is a Time of Day" (1969), and originated the role of Orson in off-Broadway's "Your Own Thing" (1968).
His most famous films were "Paint Your Wagon" (1969), "Bang the Drum Slowly" (1973), "Young Doctors in Love" (1982), and "Cutting Class" (1989), the latter of which featured a young Brad Pitt.
His 1971 film "Jump" is a favorite of Quentin Tarantino's.
From (1978-1982), he was Lucas Lorenzo Prentiss on "The Young and the Restless," garnering a rabid fanbase.
Ligon, who was a chair of SAG-AFTRA in the 2000s, made national headlines in 2013 when, at 72, he physically defended his home against a burglar by using a karate chop.
He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 30 years, K.C., in 2009.
