Hey Days fans, today we’ve gathered here to share truly devastating news about the passing of John Black actor Drake Hogest. Today we will honor the life and legacy of a man who touched the hearts of millions. Drake Hogest, the iconic actor behind Days’ John Black, has left this world at the age of 70 last Saturday, just a day before he was about to turn 71. This is D’s Gossip Queen, and with a heavy heart, we will talk about Drake’s on and off-screen journey that will never be forgotten.
The official Days of Our Lives Peacock Instagram released a statement about the sad news of his passing and the long health battle he was fighting, which was not known to his fans. As per the statement, Drake had gone through a difficult time after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They went on to say that he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. The Hogest family also mentioned that Drake passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. He was the most amazing husband, father, papa, and actor. They said he loved performing for the Days audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. They ended the statement by saying, “We love him and we will miss him all the days of our lives.”
This truly was an emotional and heartbreaking update. As soon as the news broke, fans of Drake rushed to the comments and expressed their grief. One fan wrote, “I am beyond devastated. I have watched him on Days since I was 10 years old. Rest in peace, Drake. Hustin prayers for the Dual family.”
Longtime viewers of the show know that we first met Drake Hogest in the Days family in 1986 as a pawn before becoming a fan favorite as John Black. Over the years, his portrayal of John became central to some of the soap’s most iconic romances, particularly with Marina Evans, played by actress Deidre Hall. Their love story earned them widespread acclaim, including a Soap Opera Digest award for Favorite Couple in 2005, cementing their place in soap opera history.
Along with living his life exceptionally as an actor, Drake also lived an amazing life in the real world. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and studied in college through a baseball scholarship at the University of South Florida. He was truly good at everything he did. He was exceptional in his studies too, where he majored in pre-dentistry and had a double major in microbiology and applied sciences. Even though he wished to be an oral surgeon, Drake was a rock star who was an extraordinary athlete. He was drafted by two major league teams and played third base for one of their farm teams until 1977, after which he was injured and had to stop playing for his own good.
Now, I know what you are thinking: how did this man go from having oral surgeon aspirations to baseball to acting? Well, it is said that this man of many talents entered a talent search at Columbia Pictures in the late ’70s and was selected in the top 30 from 75,000 applicants. Oh my God, how great is he? We sure are going to miss watching him on screen.
Before Days put him under contract in 1986, the actor did some small TV roles from 1982, then started the journey of John Black, along with his longstanding on-screen love, Marina Evans. The pair has taken small breaks from the soap time and again but always made their way back to Salem. They suffered budget cuts in 2008 but finally rejoined in 2011, which made fans happiest.
As for his real life, Drake married his childhood love, Victoria, and the couple has four kids: Ben, Rockle, Alexandra, and Whitney. Tributes flooded in after news of his passing, with many remembering the joy, humor, and wisdom he brought to everyone around him. Co-stars called him a friend and a mentor. He wasn’t just John Black; he was Drake Hogest, a man who gave everything he had to the craft and, more importantly, to the people he loved.
The tributes from his co-stars poured in after the passing of their beloved colleague. Newcomer Julie Dove, who plays the role of villainous Connie, said, “Rest peacefully, Drake. You are a gift to so many. Sending love to the Hogest family.” Executive producer of the NBC soap, Ken Cord, said, “This is an incredibly difficult moment for all of us. Drake was the epitome of what it means to be an ultimate team player, and words cannot express how deeply everyone will miss him. His impact on our show, both professionally and personally, was significant and will always be unparalleled.”
Martha Madison, who portrayed the role of Dr.’s on-screen daughter, Belle Black, shared an emotional message on her social media: “Today the world lost a great man. Say lost its greatest hero, and I lost one of my favorite scene partners.” With a heart full of baseball, Drake was the embodiment of team spirit and mentored so many of us at Days. Like a true team captain, he was also a cheerleader.
The actress also shared a small story about him. Check the post here to read more. The actors Eric Marol and Christopher Sha, who play the role of John’s sons on the soap, spoke exclusively to Access Hollywood and expressed how much they are affected by this devastating loss. They could feel tears welling in their eyes the moment they spoke about him with so much love and admiration.
Eric, who plays Brady Black, also posted a picture on his Instagram and penned a beautiful post in Drake’s memory. “This shot was taken fairly early in my Days career, uncertain of my place within the historic family and so anxious to fit in. He placed his hand on my shoulder, as he would for the next 16 years as my TV dad, and said, ‘You got this, kid.'” This was such a sweet, sweet eulogy. It really is the end of an era.
We’ve said goodbye to an icon. The world of Days of Our Lives will never be the same without him. Sami Brady actress Allison Sweeney wrote on Twitter, “Drake was an incredible man. He was funny, generous, and thoughtful. He cared about every single scene, every person. My heart breaks for his family; they meant everything to him. He was such a huge part of my life at Days. I will miss him terribly and treasure every story, every joke, and every hug.”
Eric Brady actor Greg Vaughn kept his notes sweet and simple: “Always a great day with Drake. He was a man of men who loved and appreciated life every day to the fullest. Going to miss the conversations and hugs, as he’d say to me. Memories will be remembered forever.”
The most heartbreaking and emotional message came from Steven Nichols, who portrays John’s best friend on-screen as Steve Johnson. He wrote a heartfelt essay in memory of his co-star while sharing a funny video of them discussing John completing 37 years on the NBC soap. The duo looks so happy together, and this sure is devastating news that will take a while to settle in with all the fans and colleagues of this Days legend.
Despite the circumstances behind his tragic death, a rep for the longtime soap opera confirmed that Hogest’s final episode on Days aired weeks earlier on September 9th. As his on-screen grandson Tate Hull Howard grappled with his love interest Holly Ashley PMus, finding out who is responsible for her father’s death, Hogest’s John offered Tate words of comfort and advice as the fate of his relationship hung in the balance. We will surely miss John’s wise words that helped everyone through their journey.
In memory of Drake Hogest, you will always, always be remembered. The legendary actor has been a part of several great storylines and will always be a part of our lives. With Days shooting six to seven months ahead, we will get a memorial card for Drake in one of the episodes at the beginning or the end. We will surely get to see a big tribute for the fan-favorite character John Black.
We wish the Hogest family peace and hope they find all the strength in the world to deal with this loss, as it is going to be heavy and heartbreaking, to say the least. As fans remember Drake Hogest’s incredible contribution to Days of Our Lives, his final scenes on the show serve as a fitting tribute to a career that spanned nearly 40 years. His portrayal of John Black will forever be etched in the hearts of fans, and his legacy will live on in the soap opera world.
