John Clarke, who played Mickey Horton on “Days of our Lives” from its first episode in 1965 through 2004– 39 years– has died at age 88. The cause of death reportedly is pneumonia.
Clarke is survived by a big family including his daughter, Melinda, who was featured on the TV show ‘The O.C.” Before “Days of our Lives,” Clarke appeared on a lot of classic TV including “The Twilight Zone.”
For playing Mickey, he received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Best Actor, and took home a Lifetime Achievement Award as well.
Mickey Horton was the put upon good guy family lawyer on “Days.” He continually saved everyone’s hide as his family members were constantly getting into trouble. When I was in grade school, I watched “Days” with our housekeeper after I got home from school. All I remember is Julie (Susan Seaforth Hayes, still on the show 51 years later) asking “Uncle Mickey” to help her with something or other.
Clarke played the part stoically. His character, though supposedly brilliant, didn’t know he was “sterile” (a word they used used in every episode) and had been cuckolded by his brother and sister-in-law, who’d passed their child off as his. You can imagine why he left the show after four decades!
