Donald May Dies: ‘The Edge Of Night’, ‘Falcon Crest’ Actor Was 92
Donald May, a major Daytime actor during the 1960s and ’70s through his longrunning role as attorney Adam Drake on The Edge of Night, died Friday, Jan. 28, at his home in Kent, New York. He was 92.
His death was announced by his family on a Facebook page devoted to The Edge of Night.
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From 1967 to 1977, May played the good-guy attorney Adam Drake, first making his mark on the soap in a notable 1968 episode during which May delivered the episode’s only dialogue: a 22-minute trial summation in which he argued for the innocence of his client, a singer accused of murder. The jury found the client guilty and sentence her to be hanged, but Drake went into detective mode to find the real killer, saving the singer at the last minute.
May joined The Edge of Night following a steady TV career that began in 1956 with a starring role in the short-lived drama series West Point. Guest appearances in episodic TV followed, including roles on Hawaiian Eye, 77 Sunset Strip, Sugarfoot, Colt .45, Surfside 6, Combat, The FBI and others.
Following his 10-year tenure at Edge of Night, May returned to guesting on episodic TV in the late ’70s (Fantasy Island, Barnaby Jones, The Facts of Life, eventually landing a regular role on the early ’80s NBC daytime soap Texas. During his 1981-82 Texas stint, May co-starred with wife Carla Borelli. The two would also appear together on the programs Falcon Crest and O.C. and Stiggs.
In addition to other soap appearances (As the World Turns, All My Children and One Life to Live), May appeared in various stage productions in both New York and Los Angeles over the years.
In addition to Borelli, May is survived by sons Douglas and Christopher, an actor whose credits include The Afterparty, American Crime Story, General Hospital and Selena: The Series.
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