Malachy McCourt Dies: ‘Ryan’s Hope’ Actor Was 92
Malachy McCourt, best known for recurring as the bartender, Kevin, on the soap Ryan’s Hope from 1975 to 1989, has died at the age of 92.
He passed away in a hospital in Manhattan, his wife Diana McCourt, told the New York Times. He had previously revealed in March 2023 that he was battling a heart condition, multiple kinds of cancer, and muscular degeneration, though a cause of death has yet to be given.
Malachy McCourt was the brother of Frank McCourt, who wrote Angela’s Ashes (which won a Pulitzer) about his childhood. In addition to his acting, Malachy was an author, with two memoirs, A Monk Swimming and Singing My Him Song, about his life, including his sobriety.
He was born Malachy Gerard McCourt on September 20, 1931, in Brooklyn, then his family returned to Ireland when he was three years old. He returned to New York when he was 20. His first onscreen role came in 1959, a guest spot in the TV series The DuPont Show of the Month. He followed that up with guest starring roles on Surfside 6, The F.B.I., and The Dain Curse. While he’s best known for his work on Ryan’s Hope, he appeared in quite a few other soaps, including Search for Tomorrow, Another World, Guiding Light, One Life to Live, and All My Children. His other TV credits include episodes of Tales from the Darkside, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Oz, Life on Mars, and his final one in Odd Mom Out in 2016.
On the film side, he appeared in The Brink’s Job, Manny’s Orphans, The January Man, She’s the One, Gods and Generals, Righteous Kill, and numerous others. His last onscreen role came in 2019’s Toss It.
Malachy McCourt opened the Irish pub Malachy’s in Manhattan in 1950s, considered to be one of the city’s original singles bars. He also released a spoken word album, And the Children Toll the Passing of the Day, was a radio host, acted on stage, and ran for governor of New York in 2006 as the Green Party candidate (Democrat Eliot Spitzer won).
Malachy McCourt is survived by his wife Debra; daughter Siobhan; sons Malachy Jr., Conor and Cormac; stepdaughter Nina Galin; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
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