Shell Kepler, who played gossipy nurse Amy Vining on General Hospital for 23 years, has died at age 49.
Kepler died Friday in Portland, Ore., where she moved after ending her acting career and was involved in charitable causes. Celebrity website TMZ.com gives her cause of death as renal failure.
Kepler was one of 250 young actresses who auditioned for the role of the busybody nurse who became a fan favourite.
“I love playing Amy!” Shell said in a 1982 interview posted on the General Hospital site.
“She’s a kid and I love being a kid. She’s one of the most fun characters on the show.”
“You may not like her but she’s always interesting,” Shell said. “There is always activity going on around her and you know something’s going to happen. Something is going to be said, something is going to go wrong, but she’s a high-energy character and I think that’s nice.
And I still haven’t seen anybody on daytime TV, or prime-time TV for that matter, who is similar to Amy in character.”
She played Amy Vining from 1979 until 2002, and had roles in the old sitcom Three’s Company, General Hospital spinoff Port Charles and the 1982 film Homework.
Kepler was born in Ohio, spent her early years in Tennessee and moved to California when she was 10.
She said she always loved soap operas and decided to become an actress after seeing The Wizard of Oz at age two.
When she was 14, her mother died. Two years later, her father moved back east to accept a position as vice-president with a large corporation, and she and her brother, Fred Kepler, a guitarist and musician, stayed in Los Angeles.
“I managed to get my girlfriends to drive me to auditions because I wasn’t old enough to drive. I was a rather ambitious kid,” she said.
Kepler was also an astute businesswoman.
She had a line of clothing called Lacy Afternoon, marketed through the Home Shopping Club.
Kepler was married and divorced twice. She moved to Portland after leaving General Hospital in 2002.
Shell Kepler, known for her role as gossipy nurse Amy Vining on General Hospital, passed away at the age of 49 from renal failure. The talented actress captivated audiences for 23 years with her portrayal of the beloved character.
Despite beating out hundreds of other actresses for the role of Amy Vining, Shell embraced the character and brought her to life on screen. Her energetic and dynamic portrayal of the character made Amy a fan favorite among viewers.
After her time on General Hospital, Shell moved to Portland, Oregon, where she dedicated her efforts to charitable causes. Her entrepreneurial spirit also shone through with her clothing line, Lacy Afternoon, which was sold through the Home Shopping Club.
Shell’s passion for acting was evident from a young age, as she decided to pursue a career in the industry after watching The Wizard of Oz as a toddler. Despite facing personal challenges, including the loss of her mother at a young age, Shell continued to chase her dreams and make a name for herself in Hollywood.
Her unique portrayal of Amy Vining made a lasting impact on daytime TV, with no other character quite like her in the industry. Shell’s talent and dedication to her craft will always be remembered by fans and colleagues alike.
We can all learn from Shell’s ambition and resilience in the face of adversity. Her legacy lives on through her memorable performances and charitable work, inspiring others to follow their dreams and make a difference in the world.
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Source: Los Angeles Times (edited)
