Charla Doherty was an American actress who rose to fame in the 1960s for her role as Julie Olson on the popular soap opera Days of Our Lives. She was one of the original cast members of the show and appeared in 51 episodes from 1965 to 1966. However, her promising career was cut short by personal problems and health issues that led to her premature death at the age of 41. What did Charla Doherty die of and what were the circumstances that led to her tragic demise?
Early Life and Career
Charla Sue Doherty was born on August 6, 1946, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Charles Squires Doherty and Genevieve Recher Doherty. Her father was a law student who won a contest sponsored by comedian Jack Benny’s radio show, which gave him $1500 to pay for the costs of her birth. This later provided a publicity angle for her appearance on The Jack Benny Program in 1963.
Doherty moved with her family to Nevada, Ohio, and then to California, where she started taking dance lessons and developed an interest in acting. She attended Hollywood Professional School, where she excelled academically and took courses at UCLA through a cooperative program. She also began her acting career in the early 1960s, appearing in several TV shows such as Leave It to Beaver, The Twilight Zone, Wagon Train, My Three Sons, and The Donna Reed Show. She also had roles in movies such as Wild Seed (1965) and The Cool Ones (1967).
Days of Our Lives and Beyond
Doherty’s most notable role was that of Julie Olson, a troubled teenager who was involved in various scandals and romances on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. She was cast as the character in 1965, when the show debuted on NBC. She was one of the first actresses to portray a realistic and complex teenage character on daytime television. She received positive reviews from critics and fans for her performance.
However, Doherty left the show after a year and two weeks, reportedly due to creative differences with the producers. She was replaced by Kathy Dunn, who played Julie until 1968. Doherty later said that she regretted leaving the show and that it was a mistake.
After leaving Days of Our Lives, Doherty continued to act in TV shows such as The Monkees, The Flying Nun, Mannix, and The Mod Squad. She also appeared in movies such as The Young Animals (1968) and The Grasshopper (1970). However, she did not achieve the same level of success or recognition as she did on Days of Our Lives. She also struggled with personal issues such as alcoholism, divorce, and depression.
Personal Life and Death
Doherty married Malcolm Charles Lamont Black, a Canadian musician and songwriter, in 1967. They had a son named Trevor Black in 1968. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1982. Doherty had a difficult relationship with her ex-husband and had custody battles over their son.
Doherty also suffered from health problems such as pancreatitis, which was caused by chronic alcoholism. She died on May 29, 1988, at her mother’s home in Woodland Hills, California. The cause of death was listed as pancreatitis due to chronic alcoholism according to chroniclesdengen.com. She was survived by her son Trevor Black and her mother Toni Doherty.
Doherty’s death was reported by various media outlets such as the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times. However, there were some discrepancies in the information given by different sources. For example, some sources said that she died at her own home in Calabasas, while others said that she died at her mother’s home in Woodland Hills. Some sources also gave incorrect details about her career such as how long she was on Days of Our Lives or what TV shows or movies she appeared in.
Doherty’s legacy as an actress is mainly remembered for her role as Julie Olson on Days of Our Lives. She was one of the pioneers of portraying realistic teenage characters on soap operas and influenced many actresses who followed her footsteps. She also had a loyal fan base who admired her talent and beauty. However, her life was also marked by tragedy and hardship that overshadowed her potential and achievements. Her story is a reminder of the challenges and pitfalls that fame can bring to young actors who are not prepared for them.
