Joe Marinelli of ‘General Hospital’ and ‘The Morning Show’ Dead at 68

Joe Marinelli, a character actor best known for his work on “Santa Barbara” and “General Hospital,” has died at the age of 68.

The actor’s wife, Jean Marinelli, notified The Hollywood Reporter that her husband died on June 22, 2025, of stomach cancer. He had been living with both stomach and throat cancer for the last few years.

Joe Marinelli Rose to Fame Playing a Mobster on ‘Santa Barbara’

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The veteran actor first charmed and attracted admirers as the cross-dressing mobster Bunny Tagliatti on the NBC soap opera “Santa Barbara,” and was honored by his former castmate and friend, Leigh J. McCloskey on Facebook.

He wrote, “A sweeter man or a dearer friend you could not find than Joe Marinelli. Joe was a champion. He was a great acting partner, teacher, philosophical friend, passionate believer in people, and a storyteller extraordinaire that with laughter and depth revealed the human spirit so beautifully and in so many different ways.”

He continued, “It saddens me greatly to say goodbye to my old friend and his belief in the goodness, and even the possible greatness of the human adventure. I’m glad I walked this earth with you Joe. Godspeed old friend, may your spirit soar beyond the stars and reacquaint you with the greater wonder from which you came. You shared your de-light with us, and now return home. We’ll see you on the other side of forever, in Light and with your Legacy in our hearts.”

Joe Marinelli Poured Himself Into His Characters

In a 2013 interview with a French “Santa Barbara” fan site, Marinelli said he put a lot of himself into his most famous role.

“Bunny allowed me to bring so many things: my sense of humor, my love of creating different characters — in this case male and female — and a strong moral code,” he said. “I, like a lot of people, can get my feelings hurt, and when Bunny got hurt, he would turn to his female ego.”

He continued, “I wondered what I would learn playing a transvestite,” he said. “One thing I learned is that pants are a lot more comfortable than nylons. I also learned that other people thought I was very courageous.”

After playing Bernardo “Bunny” Tagliatti from 1988-90, Marinelli then went on to play a bank robber named Pauly Hardman on the CBS daytime drama “Guiding Light” in 1993 and another crook, Joseph Sorel, on the ABC soap “General Hospital” from 1999-2001.

He was most recently seen on AppleTV+’s “The Morning Show.”

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