‘Young and The Restless’ Alum Dies Decades After Shocking Hollywood Death: Geoffrey Deuel Was 81

Hollywood is mourning the loss of a TV icon. Geoffrey Deuel, known for his role as Dave Campbell on The Young and the Restless in the ‘70s, died on Sunday in hospice care in Florida, his wife, Jacqueline Deuel, told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 81 and battling a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Deuel was the younger brother of actor Peter Deuel, who died at his Hollywood Hills home on New Year’s Eve 1971 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Born on Jan. 17, 1943 in Lockport, New York, Deuel made his acting debut in 1966 on an episode of the ABC military drama Twelve O’Clock High. He made appearances in shows such as Occasional Wife, The Monkees, The Invaders, Mod Squad, and House on Greenapple Road before landing the role of Billy “The Kid” Bonney in the 1970 Western drama Chisum. It remains one of his best roles and one of the most recognizable outlaw characters in film.

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In 1973, Deuel landed the role of Dave Campbell on the soap opera The Young and the Restless, staying in the role until 1977. Other credits include The Name of the Game, Mission: Impossible, The F.B.I., The Streets of San Francisco, Nakia, and Amateur Night. After starring in the TV movie In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders in 1988, Deuel didn’t do any acting until the 2001 sports dramedy 108 Stitches, which was also his final role.

Meanwhile, Peter Deuel coincidentally played an outlaw just a year after his brother in the ABC Western Alias Smith and Jones in 1971 as Hannibal Heyes. Despite his death later that year, filming continued, with actor Roger Davis stepping in to replace him. The decision to continue production so soon after Peter’s death was highly criticized. The Deuel brothers worked together on an episode of The Name of the Game on NBC in February 1971.

Geoffrey Deuel performed in plays in Tampa in the 1980s and earned a master’s degree from the University of South Florida. He later worked for years as a substitute teacher, which likely explains the lack of roles after the late ‘80s. Deuel is survived by his wife of seven years – they were together for 40 – and his younger sister, Pamela.