Roscoe Born

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Roscoe Born
Born
Roscoe Conklin Born

(1950-11-24)November 24, 1950
Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
DiedMarch 3, 2020(2020-03-03) (aged 69)
Occupation(s)Actor, songwriter
Years active1976–2020
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1985⁠–⁠1990)​
​
(m. 1994⁠–⁠1997)​
Children1

Roscoe Conklin Born (November 24, 1950 – March 3, 2020) was an American actor and songwriter. He is best known for his roles on various television soap operas, most notably as archvillain Mitch Laurence on One Life to Live in six stints between 1985 and 2012.

Early life and education[edit]

Born was born in Topeka, Kansas.[1][2] Roscoe went to Albert Einstein High School in Kensington, Maryland then attended both Tulane University and Boston University.[1]

Career[edit]

Born appeared most often in daytime television, first appearing on Ryan's Hope as troubled mob heir Joe Novak from 1981 to 1983 and again in 1988.[3] He next portrayed villain Mitch Laurence on One Life to Live from 1985 to 1987[4] then again from 2002 to 2003, reprising the role once again starting in November 2009.[3] Born appeared on Santa Barbara in his best known roles Robert Barr (1989–1991) and his twin Quinn Armitage (1990–1991), a role that earned him an Emmy Award-nomination. He was also a regular on the primetime soap Paper Dolls as Mark Bailey in 1984. From April 2005 to January 2006 and again in March 2009, Born was on The Young and the Restless in the critically acclaimed role of the evil Tom Fisher. Many of his daytime roles showcased him in evil roles, with the exception of Nick Rivers on the 1995-1997 ABC series The City. Nick was a grizzled musician, allowing Born the opportunity to perform his own material. He can be seen performing some of his more recent songs on YouTube.com: "Bob Dylan's Pepsi Blues"; "Blue State Mind, Red State Soul"; "Soldier On", a salute to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan; and "If It Don't Stink, Don't Stir the Pot", a response to the Boy Scouts of America sex abuse scandal. In February 2017, Born released two singles on iTunes via Chowderhead Records, "Let the Road Lead" and "Crazy is as Crazy Does".

In the 1980s, he also guest starred in such prime time shows as Murder, She Wrote and Midnight Caller and starred in the TV movies The Haunting of Sarah Hardy and Lady Mobster. In 1989, he had a featured role in the film Pow Wow Highway. 1970s TV appearances include The Incredible Hulk, The Six Million Dollar Man, two episodes of The Rockford Files and the TV movie Fast Friends.

Around this time, Born played the dastardly Jim Thomasen on All My Children. In late 1997, he abruptly left the role and did not appear on daytime for the next several years (save bit parts on As the World Turns and Guiding Light). Born was working outside of the industry when One Life to Live rehired him from 2002 to 2003 to reprise the role of Mitch. Born portrayed an evil prison warden on Passions in 2007, and played the contract role of Dean Trent Robbins on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives[3] from May 29, 2008, to September 26, 2008.

Born studied acting at the Arena Stage workshop and made his professional acting debut for them on November 13, 1969, in the play Edith Stein.[5][6][7] In 1979, he won a Drama-Logue Award for the play Life in the Theater.[5]

In 1990, Born earned nominations for a Daytime Emmy[8][9] and Soap Opera Digest award.[10]

Personal life and death[edit]

From 1982 to 1990, Born was married to Ryan's Hope actress Randall Edwards. He was married to fellow Santa Barbara co-star Roberta Weiss from 1994 to 2000, and they had a daughter, Alberta.[11]

Born died on March 3, 2020, at the age of 69.[11][12] He died by suicide; his family issued a statement that attributed his death to his "long struggle[d] with bipolar disorder".[13][14]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1976 Joe Forrester unknown 1 episode
1977 End of the World Bob
Jailbait Babysitter Robert
1979 Fast Friends Ben Lakeman
Dear Detective unknown 1 episode
The Rockford Files TV Commentator/Tallafero 2 episodes
1981 Ryan's Hope Joe Novak 1981–1983
1988
The Incredible Hulk Sheldon 1 episodes
1984 Paper Dolls Mark Bailey 10 episodes
1985 One Life to Live Mitch Laurence 1985-1987
2002-2003
2009-2010
2012
1988 Lady Mobster Robert Castle
1989 Midnight Caller Sawyer 1 episode
The Haunting of Sarah Hardy Allen deVineyn
Powwow Highway Agent Jack Novall
Santa Barbara Robert Barr 1989–1991
1990 Santa Barbara Quinn Armitage 1990–1991
Murder, She Wrote Langston 'Lanny' Douglas 1 episode
1993 Family Passions Kyle McDeere
1995 The City Nick Rivers
1997 All My Children Jim Thomasen
2001 As the World Turns Det. Adamski 1 episode
Guiding Light Peter Vreeland 1 episode
Days of Our Lives Trent Robbins
Baron Coe		 2001; 2008
2005 The Young and the Restless Tom Fisher 2005-2006
2009
2007 Passions Warden
2008 Indie Jonesin for the Kingdom of Crystal Ice Neighbor

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Cushman, Dustin (March 6, 2020). "'Soap Legend Roscoe Born Dead at 69". Soaps.com. United States: SheKnows Media. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  2. ^ Beresford, Trilby (March 5, 2020). "Roscoe Born, Actor on 'The Young and the Restless,' Dies at 69". The Hollywood Reporter. United States: Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group (Valence Media). Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Rabinowitz, Naomi (September 16, 2008). "The Born Identity". Soap Opera Digest. Vol. 33, no. 38. United States: American Media, Inc. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. pp. 63–65. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  4. ^ Waggett, Gerard J. (November 1997). "One Life to Live". The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. New York City: Avon. pp. 163–188. ISBN 978-0061011573.
  5. ^ a b Reed, Jon-Michael (16 January 1983). "Night Caller". Quad-City Times. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  6. ^ Reichardt, Nancy M. (11 November 1990). "Roscoe Born enjoys playing twins on 'Santa Barbara'". The Morning Call. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  7. ^ Variety Magazine (Vol. 257, Iss. 2 ed.). p. 64. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  8. ^ Lipton, Lauren (May 11, 1990). "CBS Dominates Daytime Emmy Field With 74 Nominations : Television: The networks' order in nominations mirrored their daytime ratings. ABC got 39; NBC took 30". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  9. ^ Passalacqua, Connie (July 22, 1990). "Daytime Emmys were better than usual". The Evening News. Newburgh, New York: Newburgh-Beacon News Co. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  10. ^ "The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1990". Soap Opera Digest. 11 April 2003. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Evans, Greg (March 6, 2020). "Roscoe Born Dies: 'The Young And The Restless', 'All My Children' Actor Was 69". Deadline Hollywood. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  12. ^ SOD (March 6, 2020). "Soap Opera Vet Roscoe Born Passes Away". Soap Opera Digest. American Media, Inc. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  13. ^ Ausiello, Michael (March 9, 2020). "Roscoe Born's Family Reveals Cause of Death, Calls For More 'Conversations Around Mental Illness". TVLine. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  14. ^ Michael, Maloney (March 10, 2020). "Soap Opera Veteran Roscoe Born's Cause Of Death Revealed". Soap Hub. Retrieved March 10, 2020.

External links[edit]

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