Mark LaMura Dead at 68

Emmy Award nominated actor Mark LaMura, who was best knownfor his long run as Mark Dalton on All My Children, passed away on Monday after a nearly two-year battle with lung cancer. He was 68.

LaMura joined the cast of All My Children in 1977 as Erica Kane's brotehr, and played role until 1989. He returned for special guest appearances in 1994, 1995 and 2005.

Susan Lucci, who played Erica on All My Children, posted her thoughts on Instagram.

"How can this be? I just received the shocking and deeply saddening news that wonderful Mark LaMura has passed away!" Lucci wrote. "Mark played my brother Mark on All My Children--he was such a talented and accomplished actor/ a bright and charming presence in all our AMC lives--and a really great guy. Mark was loved and he will be missed! RIP, my friend.🙏❤️🙏"

LaMura went on to makes appearances on As the World Turns (as Vic Robinson) and One Life to Live (as Douglas Kline).

LaMura earned an M.F.A. in Acting from Kent State's School of Theatre and Dance in 2000.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Mark LaMura Interview

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Mark LaMura
by Nelson Aspen

I recently moved to a new neighborhood on Manhattan's Upper West Side and, in many ways, it's like coming home. On the corner where a STAPLES store stands, was the site of my first Daytime TV gig: SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, filmed in the old Reeves Teletape Facility. Even now, though, there are a plethora of familiar faces from TV, film and stage. Just going to the dry cleaners or Zabar's is an adventure in close encounters: Matt Damon, Howard Stern, Michael Moore, Richard Kind, Jerry Stiller, Ilene Kristen, Kevin Conroy, Rosemary Prinz...and I've even made friends with some former Daytime stars like Ryan Brown (we met on the street!) and Denise Pence (I "picked her up" in the Verizon store ha ha). Some of my best pals from my soap days are still local: Marcia McCabe & Chris Goutman, Christopher Durham, Louise Shaffer and Jon Lindstrom & Cady McClain (tho' they're heading out West by year's end).

Of course, the gym is always a great place to spot stars. Broadway's Brian d'Arcy James (ex-SMASH) is there with his trainer...and one fellow looked really familiar. I'll be darned if it wasn't Mark LaMura...well remembered as Erica Kane's half-brother, "Mark Dalton," on ALL MY CHILDREN. He's a friendly, funny fella...so we had the chance to chew the fat, while simultaneously burning some off.

NELSON ASPEN (WE LOVE SOAPS TV): You're best remembered from AMC, but you also popped up on OLTL and ATWT. Did you love your time on soaps?

NEWS ROUNDUP: Jeff Zucker May Leave Katie, Lucy Hale Record Deal, Mark LaMura Film on DVD

Given all his job offers, Jeff Zucker could soon move on from Katie Couric
“The reason his name is popping up is because he told his people to put his name out out there for every job that comes up,” said one network insider. “He’s upset that Comcast [the new owner of NBC] is blaming him for the deep hole they are in.”

Zucker and Couric, whose daytime show debuts in September, squabbled in April when Couric realized that Zucker might not be in it for the long haul.

FLASHBACK: Erica Kane Goes To The Disco 1979 + AW Bonus

As a tribute to ALL MY CHILDREN's final weeks on ABC, we continue our series of daily Flashbacks today with a look at Erica and Mark at her discotheque.

The April 1979 issue of the monthly newsletter "The Soap Box" featured a fun photo of Erica Kane and Mark Dalton dancing away with the headline, "Soap Opera Fever! How to Catch It."

As a bonus, we're including a wonderful photo and story from ANOTHER WORLD that includes Harding Lemay, Paul Rauch, Victoria Wyndham and Douglass Watson.