Patrick Muldoon, ‘Days of our Lives’ actor, dies at 57

Muldoon is best known for his role as Austin Reed in DOOL, a soap opera he starred in from 1992 to 1995

Published Apr 20, 2026  •  2 minute read

Patrick Muldoon attends the 2025 Best Buddies Celebrity Bowling Event at Pinz Bowling Center on December 07, 2025 in Studio City, California. Photo by Rodin Eckenroth /Getty Images for Best Buddies

Actor Patrick Muldoon, best known for his starring roles in “Days of our Lives” and “Melrose Place” has died. He was 57.

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Muldoon’s manager said the actor died suddenly on Sunday, per Variety. Muldoon’s death came after suffering a heart attack, Deadline reported.

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The actor’s sister, Shana Muldoon-Zappa, told TMZ Muldoon was drinking coffee with his girlfriend at their Beverly Hills home on Sunday when he decided to take a shower.

The girlfriend went to check on Muldoon after realizing he was taking too long in the shower. She found him unconscious on the bathroom floor, said Muldoon-Zappa.

Paramedics arrived on scene and tried to revive the actor, but were unsuccessful.

Photo of Daphne Zuniga and Patrick Muldoon of the TV show ‘Melrose Place’. Photo by DOUG HYUN /HANDOUT

Rose to prominence on “Days of Our Lives”

Born in San Pedro, Calif., Muldoon graduated from the University of Southern California, where he played football with the Trojans, per Deadline.

While still a college student, Muldoon began his acting career with a two-episode stint on the Tony Danza-led sitcom, “Who’s The Boss?”. After graduating form USC in 1991, Muldoon had a three-episode recurring role on “Saved By the Bell.”

Muldoon is best known for his role as Austin Reed in “Days of Our Lives”, a soap opera he starred in from 1992 to 1995. In 2011, he reprised the role after a 16-year hiatus.

The actor went on to play the evil Richard Hart in the popular Fox drama series, “Melrose Place” for three seasons.

Muldoon’s talents were also showcased on the big screen in the 1990s and 2000s, most notably as Zander Baralow alongside Denise Richards, Casper Van Dien and Michael Ironside in the 1997 cult hit, “Starship Troopers.”

His latest film is the thriller, “Dirty Hands”, which is slated to be released this month, Variety reported. It also stars Richards and Michael Bleach.

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Besides acting, Muldoon also dabbled in music, releasing a number of singles, including “I Believe” and “Gray Again”, People reported. The music video for “Gray Again” also featured Richards, his ex-girlfriend, who was also featured last year on her reality show, “Denise Richards and Her Wild Things.”

Muldoon served as an executive producer of an upcoming movie, “Kockroach”, which stars Chris Hemsworth, Taron Egerton and Zazie Beetz.

The actor shared his excitement for the new project in his final Instagram post, two days before his death.

“So excited to be a part of this amazing project KOCKROACH directed by Matt Ross starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Edgerton, Zazzie Beetz And Alec Baldwin. Filming now in Australia 🇦🇺,” he captioned the post.

Muldoon is survived by his partner, Miriam Rothbart, his parents Deanna and Patrick Muldoon, Sr., sister and brother-in-law, Shana and Ahmet Zappa, niece Halo and nephew Arrow Zappa, per Deadline.

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