Martin West, who played Dr Phil Brewer on ABC's 'General Hospital', dies aged 82
Actor Martin West died on New Year's Eve at the age of 82. According to the Hollywood Reporter, West is survived by his life partner Ann Chernow, children Jason, Allie and Gabriel, stepson Paul and sister Gail.
Born as Martin Weixelbaum in Southampton, New York, on August 28, 1937, West began appearing in feature films and on television in 1960 with ‘Freckles’. In 1966, he played Dr. Phil Brewer on the ABC daytime soap opera ‘General Hospital’, becoming the fourth actor to play the role.
The character of Brewer appeared right from the show’s inception back in 1963, but West did not assume the role until 1967. He remained with the show for eight years, departing in 1975.
Reportedly, current 'General Hospital' actor Ryan Carnes, who plays Lucas Jones on the show, portrayed Phil Brewer in a flashback in 2015. Per the Hollywood Reporter, in 1966, in ‘Lord Love a Duck’, directed by George Axelrod, West portrayed the love interest of Tuesday Weld.
He also starred in ‘The Sergeant Was a Lady’, ‘A Swingin' Summer’, and ‘The Girls on the Beach’. In 1976, West was cast in Alfred Hitchcock's ‘Family Plot’. West also played Phil McKenna on ‘Dallas’ and Dan Hughes on ‘As the World Turns’.
He reportedly most recently was a member of the Theatre Artists Workshop of Norwalk. He reportedly moved to Connecticut in 1993 and became a member of the Theater Artists Workshop of Westport, acting and directing in numerous productions.
In 2010, he produced the film 'Years in the Making', a documentary about 50 Westport artists over the age of 70 who were still creating art. A memorial service for him will be held there Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Theatre Artist Workshop in Norwalk.
