Randall England, the actor best known for his role as the villain Jack Slater on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, has died. He was 75 years old at the time of his passing.
His family announced that England died on September 25 following a battle with esophageal cancer. The family noted that England had resided in Beverly Hills for more than four decades. They described him as a familiar figure in the community, stating that the town would not be the same without him cruising around in his vintage BMW while wearing his dark Ray-Ban sunglasses.
England’s most prominent television role came in the mid-1980s. From November 1984 through June 1985, he portrayed Slater, a character described as a killer and jewel thief who was fond of red cowboy boots. The character famously clashed with Robert Scorpio, played by Tristan Rogers, before being shot to death. The actor reportedly shared a similar interest in cowboy boots in his personal life.
Born Randy Alan England on September 22, 1951, in Oklahoma City, he was one of three children. He graduated from Memorial High School and later attended the University of Oklahoma. During his time at the university, he served as a pitcher for the Sooners baseball team.
Before establishing himself as an actor, England worked as a model. His modeling career took him to several international cities, including London, Zurich, and Milan, as well as Los Angeles. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he studied acting under instructors Kim Stanley and Stella Adler. An audition eventually led him to Los Angeles, where he made his film debut in 1981 as a model in the Michael Crichton thriller Looker, which starred Albert Finney.
Throughout his career, England appeared in various television productions. He had roles in episodes of Dallas, The Young and the Restless, and Baywatch. He also featured in the 2015 music video for Maroon 5’s song “Sugar.”
In addition to his screen work, England was an active stage actor. In 2003, he portrayed President Clinton in the play Hillary & Monica in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He also performed in productions of All My Sons, The Glass Menagerie, and Three Sisters.
At the time of his death, England was working on a documentary that honored the life and career of his acting teacher, Kim Stanley.
He is survived by his daughter, Micaela, and son-in-law, Sam. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Katherine and Julian, his mother, Catherine, and his sister, Linda. Other survivors include his nieces and nephews, Amanda, Wesley, and Alex, as well as his ex-wife, Jennifer.
His family has requested that donations in his memory be made to the Esophageal Cancer Action Network.
