By all accounts, Sunday morning in Beverly Hills was a typical one. Patrick Muldoon and his partner, Miriam Rothbart, had spent time together at home. He headed to the shower. Rothbart discovered him unconscious on the bathroom floor when she went in search of him. His age was fifty-seven. A heart attack was the reason. Two days prior, he had shared on Instagram that he was thrilled to be involved in a new movie he was producing, Kockroach, which is being filmed in Australia and stars Chris Hemsworth. That particular detail is especially challenging. He was anticipating.
Growing up, Patrick Muldoon lived in San Pedro, a working-class waterfront neighborhood tucked away at the southern edge of Los Angeles. It’s a place of ocean air, container ships, and a different kind of California than the one that the entertainment industry typically sells. He first appeared on television in the early 1990s when he was cast in the recurring role of Jeff Hunter on Saved by the Bell. Depending on what happened next, this was the kind of entry point that could lead anywhere or nowhere. Something did follow for Muldoon. He first appeared on Days of Our Lives in 1992 as Austin Reed, a role he would later reprise twice, from 1992 to 1995 and again in 2011 and 2012. Muldoon satisfied the unique logic and demands of daytime television in a way that won him a devoted following that remembered him for decades.
Patrick Muldoon Dead at 57: A Heart Attack, a Shower, and a Career That Deserved More Recognition
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | William Patrick Muldoon III |
| Date of Birth | September 27, 1968 |
| Place of Birth | San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Date of Death | April 19, 2026 |
| Place of Death | Beverly Hills, California, USA |
| Age at Death | 57 |
| Cause of Death | Heart attack |
| Partner | Miriam Rothbart (together since 2023) |
| Parents | William Patrick Muldoon II, Deanna Muldoon |
| Siblings | Shana Muldoon Zappa |
| Height | 1.88 m |
| Professions | Actor, Film Producer, Musician |
| Notable Roles | Austin Reed (Days of Our Lives), Richard Hart (Melrose Place), Zander Barcalow (Starship Troopers), Jeff Hunter (Saved by the Bell) |
| Final Projects | Dirty Hands (upcoming); Kockroach (in production, starring Chris Hemsworth) |
A new dimension was introduced during the Melrose Place years. He left the daytime world and entered a realm of larger budgets and more exacting production values as Richard Hart, a character created to function in the morally ambiguous zone required by primetime soap operas. Then, in 1997, Paul Verhoeven released Starship Troopers, a gleefully violent satire disguised as a science fiction action movie. The film was misinterpreted when it was first released, but it has since gained the kind of devoted fan base that can only be developed through time and repeated viewings. Muldoon portrayed Zander Barcalow, and since the news broke on Sunday, fans of that movie have expressed their sorrow publicly. “Starship Troopers is and always will be legendary,” stated a representative comment that went viral on the internet. For many, he would always be connected to that movie.
It’s difficult to ignore how much warmth has emerged in the tributes; it’s not the generic celebrity condolence type, but rather something more focused and intimate. His co-star on Days of Our Lives, Alison Sweeney, described him as “a calming person” who “brought laughter and charisma to the location.” In a social media post, Casper Van Dien, who costarred with him in Starship Troopers, addressed him directly, praising his “kindness, humor, and love.”” He was referred to by Antonio Sabato Jr. as “a true friend.” Muldoon was a “huge part of our family,” according to Denise Richards’ daughter Lola, whose mother had dated him years prior. When someone is just a professional acquaintance, these are not the words people use. When someone truly improves the space, people use these words.
Alongside his acting career, Muldoon developed projects and cultivated relationships on both sides of the camera during his later years. He worked as a producer on The Tribes of Palos Verdes, Marlowe, and a number of other movies. This type of slower, more patient work doesn’t garner the same attention as a major role but creates something more lasting. With a director at the helm and an impressive cast, the Kockroach project appeared to be developing into something truly important. He had enthusiastically posted about it.
A person whose face and voice were a part of the living rooms of a particular generation during their formative years and who consistently appeared in various formats and decades without ever overshooting into a type of fame that burns out falls into a category of loss that falls closer to being a major celebrity death than an ordinary one. That was occupied by Patrick Muldoon. He was at work. Apparently, he was content. He was eager to see what would happen next. There are situations when 57 is just too young, and that’s all there is to it.
