Patrick Muldoon Cause of Death: Days of Our Lives Actor Dies of Heart Attack at 57
Patrick Muldoon, the actor who built a devoted following through Days of Our Lives, Melrose Place, and the cult sci-fi film Starship Troopers, died Sunday morning, April 19, after suffering a sudden heart attack at his Beverly Hills home. He was 57.
What Happened the Morning of His Death
Muldoon's sister, Shana Muldoon-Zappa, confirmed the sequence of events: he had been drinking coffee with his girlfriend that morning when he went to take a shower. She grew concerned when he was taking too long and found him unconscious on the bathroom floor. Paramedics responded immediately but were unable to revive him.
The death was confirmed by his manager to Variety. No prolonged illness had been reported, and in his final days, Muldoon had spoken excitedly about an upcoming crime drama titled Kockroach, a project in which he was set to appear as both actor and executive producer.
A Career Rooted in '90s Television
Born in San Pedro, California, Muldoon graduated from USC, where he played on the Trojans football team, and began acting while still in college with a two-episode arc on Who's the Boss? Shortly after graduating in 1991, he landed a recurring role on Saved by the Bell.
From 1992 to 1995, Muldoon originated the role of Austin Reed on Days of Our Lives, returning to reprise it from 2011 to 2012. He also starred on Melrose Place from 1995 to 1996, playing the villain Richard Hart.
His big-screen footprint came in 1997 with Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, where he played Zander Barcalow alongside a cast that included Casper Van Dien and Denise Richards. The film became a fixture of late-'90s pop culture and introduced him to an entirely new generation of fans.
Producer, Musician, and More
Few outside his industry circle knew how active he had remained behind the camera. Through his Storyboard Productions, Muldoon executive produced a string of films including The Tribes of Palos Verdes, Arkansas, Marlowe, The Card Counter, The Dreadful, and Riff Raff.
His most recent producing project, Kockroach, starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Egerton, and Zazie Beetz, was still in production at the time of his death. His last acting credit, crime thriller Dirty Hands, is slated for release later this year.
Beyond the screen, Muldoon was the lead singer of The Sleeping Masses and was rarely without a guitar at social gatherings.
Tributes From Co-Stars
The response from the entertainment community was immediate. His Days of Our Lives co-star Alison Sweeney wrote on X: "This is such heartbreaking news. Pat was a rare kind of person — brilliantly talented, endlessly kind, and generous in spirit. I was so lucky to have worked with him when I first started at Days, he made me feel at ease right away."
Starship Troopers co-star Casper Van Dien described Muldoon as one of his closest friends and wrote that he was "deeply saddened, devastated and overwhelmed" by the loss. Producer and director Nancy Criss called him "one of the nicest guys I had the privilege to direct."
Muldoon is survived by his partner, Miriam Rothbart; his parents, Deanna and Patrick Muldoon Sr.; and his sister Shana and brother-in-law Ahmet Zappa, along with their children, niece Halo and nephew Arrow Zappa.
