John Ingle - Edward Quartermaine of 'General Hospital' - dies

John Ingle, the veteran soap actor beloved by a couple of generations of “General Hospital” fans as conniving/ruthless Port Charlies patriarch Edward Quartermaine, has died. He was 84.  Ingle, also a well-regarded acting teacher, worked on the show up until August, and his last scene aired just last week. An enterprising fan posted it on the Web. Check out the clip blow. Ingle appears about 7:40 into it. The episode was taped mid-August and aired just last Tuesday.

ABC announced the death late Monday. Here are some outtakes from the network obit:

While Ingle described Edward Quartermaine as someone who “likes to think that he’s taught everyone around him how to be ruthless,” Ingle himself was a great nurturer. He used his talents to encourage, and was regarded as a beloved and respected teacher, having founded the performing arts departments at both Hollywood and Beverly Hills High Schools in 1955 and 1964, respectively. For three decades he taught drama before he began his successful career as an actor. Among his stellar students were Albert Brooks, Nicolas Cage, Richard Dreyfuss, Joanna Gleason, Barbara Hershey, Swoosie Kurtz, Stefanie Powers, David Schwimmer and Jonathan Silverman.

Ingle retired from teaching in 1985 and began an acting career the same year. He joined “General Hospital” in 1993. In 1951 Ingle met Grace-Lynne Martin, an accomplished singer/actress. The couple married in 1954. The next year he began teaching at Hollywood High during the day and at Los Angeles City College at night. He also taught afternoon classes at UCLA for 15 years. After nine years at Hollywood High, he moved across town, where he eventually spent 21 years teaching at Beverly Hills High.