Donald May obit

The Edge of Night's Donald May Dead at 94

 

 He was not on the list.

Soap vet Donald May, 94, passed away in his hometown of Chicago on January 28, according to Soap Hub.

Though he had many roles, soap fans most recognize him as Adam Drake, the DA extraordinaire who was kept busy by the many criminals inhabiting Monticello on The Edge of Night. In addition to Edge, May also appeared on ABC's One Live to Live, All My Children, and NBC's Texas as Grant Wheeler. On Texas, May met his second and current wife, Carla Borelli May (ex-Reena, Texas).

May starred in several non-soap shows including The West Point Story, Colt .45, 77 Sunset Strip, and LA Law. He is survived by his wife and two sons, Christopher and Douglas.

In 1962, May made a television pilot in which he played a physician, Paul Larson, in the episode "County General" that was screened as an episode of ABC's drama series, Bus Stop, starring Marilyn Maxwell. That same year, he was cast as Major Thompson in "Any Second Now" of the ABC war drama, Combat!. In 1964, he portrayed Thatcher in the three-part episode, "The Tenderfoot" of NBC's Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. He was cast in 1964 in two other films, as Captain Anderson in A Tiger Walks, and as Secret Service agent John O'Connor in Kisses for My President, with Polly Bergen as the first woman President of the United States, with Fred MacMurray as "First Husband." Two years later, May was cast as Edward White, Jr., with, again, Fred MacMurray in the lead, in the film about the Boy Scouts of America, Follow Me, Boys!. In 1965 May made another unsuccessful TV pilot Dream Wife as the husband of psychic Shirley Jones.

May subsequently guest starred on CBS's Men into Space, Barnaby Jones, The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas, and Falcon Crest. He appeared on ABC's Fantasy Island.[citation needed] May was featured in several soap operas, including his role from 1967 to 1977 of crime busting lawyer, Adam Drake in The Edge of Night. He played Grant Wheeler in 1981-1982 on the Another World spinoff Texas. He also had recurring roles in One Life to Live and All My Children.

May's last screen role was in 1993 as Andrew Laraby in the episode "Come Rain or Come Schein" on the NBC legal drama, L.A. Law.

Actor (45 credits)

 1993 L.A. Law (TV Series)

Andrew Laraby

- Come Rain or Come Schein (1993) ... Andrew Laraby

 1987 Dirty Laundry

Zimbalist

 1987 Mama's Family (TV Series)

Sgt. Gibbs

- Buck Private Bubba (1987) ... Sgt. Gibbs

 1985 O.C. and Stiggs

Jack Stiggs

 1985 Falcon Crest (TV Series)

Brad Newton

- The Avenging Angel (1985) ... Brad Newton

- Devil's Harvest (1985) ... Brad Newton

- Justice for All (1985) ... Brad Newton

 1984 As the World Turns (TV Series)

Raymond Speer

- Episode dated 26 September 1984 (1984) ... Raymond Speer

- Episode dated 3 July 1984 (1984) ... Raymond Speer

- Steve and Betsy Get Married (1984) ... Raymond Speer

 1984 Dallas (TV Series)

Wes McDowall

- Turning Point (1984) ... Wes McDowall

 1983 The Dukes of Hazzard (TV Series)

Petey

- Welcome Back, Bo 'n' Luke (1983) ... Petey

 1981-1982 Texas (TV Series)

Grant Wheeler

- Episode #1.617 (1982) ... Grant Wheeler

- Episode #1.616 (1982) ... Grant Wheeler

- Episode #1.614 (1982) ... Grant Wheeler

- Episode #1.612 (1982) ... Grant Wheeler

- Episode #1.611 (1982) ... Grant Wheeler

1982 Another World (TV Series)

Grant Wheeler

- Episode dated 11 February 1982 (1982) ... Grant Wheeler

 1980 Freebie and the Bean (TV Series)

Paul Stacey

- The Seduction of the Bean (1980) ... Paul Stacey

 1980 Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop (TV Movie)

George Merrick

 1980 Bogie (TV Movie)

Pat O'Moore

 1979 Working Stiffs (TV Series)

Standish

- The Bosses (1979) ... Standish

 1979 The Facts of Life (TV Series)

Justin Branch

- Like Mother, Like Daughter (1979) ... Justin Branch

 1979 Quincy M.E. (TV Series)

Dr. Walt Mitchell

- The Depth of Beauty (1979) ... Dr. Walt Mitchell

 1978 Project U.F.O. (TV Series)

Richard McLane

- Sighting 4016: The Pipeline Incident (1978) ... Richard McLane

 1978 Barnaby Jones (TV Series)

Curt Phillips

- Blind Jeopardy (1978) ... Curt Phillips

 1978 Fantasy Island (TV Series)

Doctor Marlowe

- Fool for a Client/Double Your Pleasure (1978) ... Doctor Marlowe

 1967-1977 The Edge of Night (TV Series)

Adam Drake

- Episode #1.5447 (1977) ... Adam Drake

- Episode dated 18 February 1977 (1977) ... Adam Drake

- Episode #1.5224 (1976) ... Adam Drake (uncredited)

- Episode #1.5223 (1976) ... Adam Drake

- Episode #1.5216 (1976) ... Adam Drake

Show all 2,840 episodes

 1977 The Andros Targets (TV Series)

Dan Tarragon

- The Treatment Succeeded But the Patient Died (1977) ... Dan Tarragon

 1970 All My Children (TV Series)

Earl Foster (1986)

 1968 One Life to Live (TV Series)

Mayor of Llanview

 1967 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (TV Series)

Det. Jim Lassiter

- Deadlock (1967) ... Det. Jim Lassiter

 1966-1967 The F.B.I. (TV Series)

S.R.A. Grant Bates / Frederick Brown

- The Extortionist (1967) ... S.R.A. Grant Bates

- Special Delivery (1966) ... Frederick Brown

 1966 Follow Me, Boys!

Edward White, Jr.

 1965 Dream Wife (TV Movie)

Paul Michaels

 1964 The Magical World of Disney (TV Series)

Thatcher

- The Tenderfoot: Part 3 (1964) ... Thatcher

- The Tenderfoot: Part 2 (1964) ... Thatcher

- The Tenderfoot: Part 1 (1964) ... Thatcher

 1964 Kisses for My President

Secret Service Agent John O'Connor

 1964 A Tiger Walks

Captain Anderson

 1962 Combat! (TV Series)

Maj. Thompson

- Any Second Now (1962) ... Maj. Thompson

 1962 Kraft Mystery Theater (TV Series)

Bill Wood

- Change of Heart (1962) ... Bill Wood

 1962 Surfside 6 (TV Series)

Richie Linden

- Green Bay Riddle (1962) ... Richie Linden

 1962 Bus Stop (TV Series)

Dr. Paul Larson

- County General (1962) ... Dr. Paul Larson

 1960-1962 The Roaring 20's (TV Series)

Pat Garrison

- The People People Marry (1962) ... Pat Garrison

- Footlights (1962) ... Pat Garrison

- You Can't Fight City Hall (1962) ... Pat Garrison

- Blondes Prefer Gentlemen (1961) ... Pat Garrison

- Asparagus Tips (1961) ... Pat Garrison

1960 Cheyenne (TV Series)

Fred Baker / Randy Pierce

- The Long Rope (1960) ... Fred Baker / Randy Pierce

 1960 The Crowded Sky

Norm Coster

 1959-1960 Colt .45 (TV Series)

Sam Colt Jr. / Sam Colt, Jr.

- Appointment in Agoura (1960) ... Sam Colt Jr.

- Phantom Trail (1960) ... Sam Colt Jr.

- Impasse (1960) ... Sam Colt Jr.

- Alias Mr. Howard (1959) ... Sam Colt, Jr.

 1960 Sugarfoot (TV Series)

Luke Condon / Jim Brenan

- Funeral at Forty Mile (1960) ... Luke Condon

- Journey to Provision (1960) ... Jim Brenan

 1960 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series)

Lt. Francis B. Hollister / Tip Lanahan

- Genesis of Treason (1960) ... Lt. Francis B. Hollister

- Blackout (1960) ... Tip Lanahan

 1960 Men Into Space (TV Series)

Capt. Doug Bowers

- Caves of the Moon (1960) ... Capt. Doug Bowers

 1959 Hawaiian Eye (TV Series)

David Blair

- A Dime a Dozen (1959) ... David Blair

 1958 Kraft Theatre (TV Series)

Bill

- Death Wears Many Faces (1958) ... Bill

 1956-1957 West Point (TV Series)

Cadet Lt. Charles C. Thompson / Host

- Pressure (1957) ... Cadet Lt. Charles C. Thompson / Host

- The Deep End (1957) ... Cadet Lt. Charles C. Thompson / Host

- Duty, Honor, and Trouble (1957) ... Cadet Lt. Charles C. Thompson / Host

- The Fight Back (1957) ... Cadet Lt. Charles C. Thompson / Host

- McKinley's Challenge (1957) ... Cadet Lt. Charles C. Thompson / Host

1956 The Wrong Man

Arresting Patrolman (uncredited)