The character Jacklyn Zeman from General Hospital has passed away. The veteran TV actress had reached the age of 70.
Frank Valentini, the executive producer of General Hospital, was the one who broke the news of her passing on Wednesday evening. He rushed to Twitter to pay respect to the actress after learning of her passing.
“On behalf of our @GeneralHospital family, I am sorry to announce the loss of our dear @JackieZeman. Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and true professional that brought so much positive energy with her to work,” Valentini wrote.
“Jackie will be greatly missed, but her positive spirit will always live on with our cast and crew,” he concluded. “Our deepest condolences go out to her loved ones, friends, and family, and especially to her daughters Cassidy and Lacey,” said the group.
Since the daytime soap opera’s inception in 1977, Zeman has portrayed the part of Bobbie Spencer, one of the show’s main characters. She had portrayed the role of Spencer in more than 880 episodes at the time of her passing, and she had continued to do so up to that point.
Throughout her career, she has acted in a number of different television shows, some of which include One Life to Live, The Bay, and Chicago Hope, among others. In 1996, she portrayed the role of Spencer in the television movie spin-off of the series, General Hospital: Twist of Fate.
Singer Rick Springfield – who memorably appeared on General Hospital in the early 80s — offered an homage to Zeman with ET on Wednesday.
“I am beyond shocked and my heart is broken to learn of Jackie’s passing,” she said. Such a truly kind soul with no touch of the diva and only sweet things to say about everyone. After the screen test, along with several other hopeful young men, Gloria Monty asked Jackie who she believed would make a good Noah Drake, and God bless her if Jackie didn’t say me, Springfield said that she was the one who helped launch his career in the 1980s. “She was the one (along with Gloria Monty) who assisted launch my career in the 1980s,” Springfield said. “Love to your spirit as it continues its journey, lovely child. You made your imprint on many of us and you will not be forgotten.”