Celebrity News June 16, 2024
Kevin Brophy, '70s Actor Who Inherited a Windfall from a Fan, Dead at 70
Kevin Brophy, a '70s actor who made headlines in 2013 when it was revealed a longtime fan had named him in his will, has died at 70.
Brophy's May 11 death at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, was announced June 16 by his family on Legacy.com. He had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer a decade ago.
Though also known as the star of the slasher flick "Hell Night" (1981), Brophy's most famous work was as the star of the short-lived TV series "Lucan" (1977-1978), his first-ever acting job.
Though the series did not have a lasting impact, it did charm an Illinois man, Ray Fulk, who, when he died in July 2012 at 71, left both Brophy and his "Hell Night" castmate Peter Barton an estate worth a reported $1.2M.
It was a welcome windfall to Brophy, who had left acting and had recently wrapped a 26-year career as a parking valet at the Hotel Bel-Air.
Brophy was born November 1, 1953, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Among his other performances, Brophy was a guest on "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" (1978), "M*A*S*H" (1979), "The Love Boat" (1982), "Growing Pains" (1989), and "JAG" (1996).
Along with "Hell Night," movies Brophy appeared in were "The Seduction" (1982), "Time Walker" (1982), "The Delos Adventure" (1986), "Code Name Vengeance" (1987), "Easy Wheels" (1989), and "Book of 1000 Deaths" (2012).
He had a bit part in "Goodfellas" (1990).
Brophy's final acting is seen in the short "The Clown Statue" (2022).