Patrick Muldoon, the actor best known for Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place, has died. He was 57.
Muldoon suffered a heart attack Sunday morning at the Beverly Hills home he shared with his girlfriend, Miriam Rothbart, his manager confirmed to Variety.
Muldoon’s sister, Shana Muldoon-Zappa, told TMZ he went to take a shower and was later found unconscious on the bathroom floor when Rothbart checked on him. Paramedics attempted to revive him at the home, the report said.
Muldoon launched his career while still a student at the University of Southern California, landing a two-episode arc on Who’s the Boss? He followed that with a recurring role on Saved by the Bell shortly after graduating.
Patrick Muldoon
His breakthrough came on Days of Our Lives, where he played boxer Austin Reed from 1992 to 1995, later returning from 2011 to 2012. He also gained a loyal following as villain Richard Hart on Melrose Place, appearing from seasons three through five.
On the big screen, Muldoon appeared in the 1997 sci-fi film Starship Troopers as Zander Barcalow, sharing scenes with Casper Van Dien and Denise Richards. Richards, his former girlfriend, remained a close friend. The two reunited to film his most recent acting project, a crime thriller titled Dirty Hands, slated for release this year.
Muldoon and Richards also appeared together on an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills during her time on the show, and later on her reality series Denise Richards & Her Wild Things, where they filmed a music video.
Actor and producer Patrick Muldoon, known for his roles in the daytime drama ‘Days of Our Lives,’ primetime soap ‘Melrose Place’ and movie ‘Starship Troopers,’ died suddenly this morning, April 19, following a heart attack. He was 57.
Born in San Pedro, California, Muldoon… pic.twitter.com/zEYrfxABva
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) April 20, 2026
Muldoon’s personal life often drew tabloid attention. He previously dated Lisa Rinna, Tori Spelling and Juliette Binoche.
He also pursued music, serving as lead singer and guitarist for the rock band The Sleeping Masses, while building a parallel career behind the camera. Muldoon earned executive producer credits on multiple films, including The Tribes of Palos Verdes, Arkansas, Marlowe and The Dreadful. He recently worked as an executive producer on Kockroach, which is currently filming and stars Chris Hemsworth and Taron Egerton.
In his final Instagram post, shared a day before his death, Muldoon wrote: “So excited to be a part of this amazing project KOCKROACH directed by Matt Ross starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Edgerton, Zazie Beetz And Alec Baldwin. Filming now in Australia.”
Fans poured into the comments with tributes, including one who wrote: “Grew up watching you in starship troopers. RIP legend.”
Muldoon made his last public appearance in March at the 2026 Saturn Awards, posing for photos alongside Richards.
Co-stars also mourned him publicly. Alison Sweeney, who worked with Muldoon on Days of Our Lives, wrote on X: “This is such heartbreaking news.” Starship Troopers co-star Dina Meyer added: “I can’t believe he’s gone. Pat was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known and was like a brother to me.”
Muldoon is survived by Rothbart, his parents Deanna and Patrick Muldoon Sr., and his sister Shana, brother-in-law Ahmet Zappa, and their children Halo and Arrow Zappa.
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