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Actor and activist Michael Kearns, remembered for his appearances in Cheers and Beverly Hills, 90210, has died at the age of 76. He championed people living with HIV and AIDS and helped break down barriers when he publicly disclosed his HIV-positive status in 1991.
Michael Kearns passed away on October 5, according to reports. Filmmaker and longtime friend Roland Palencia confirmed the news, explaining that the actor had been “in and out of emergency rooms over five times within a three-month period,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
Palencia did not provide further details about his friend’s medical struggles. He remembered Michael Kearns as “a friend, mentor, neighbor, and my movie buddy.”
The cause of death has not been disclosed. However, Kearns had previously spoken publicly about being HIV-positive, revealing his diagnosis during a television appearance in 1991.
Kearns was a trailblazer who helped bring change to Hollywood. He dedicated himself to supporting people affected by HIV and AIDS during a period when the disease carried widespread fear, prejudice, and social stigma.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1950, Kearns developed a passion for acting during his childhood. He later pursued drama studies in Chicago before launching his professional acting career.
His television debut came in The Waltons in 1974. He subsequently appeared in numerous well-known series, including Cheers, Knots Landing, Murder, She Wrote, and Beverly Hills, 90210.
Michael Kearns, pioneering gay ‘Cheers’ and ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ actor, dies at 76
His film and television credits also included the 1984 movie Body Double and HBO’s drama And the Band Played On, which explored the early years of the AIDS epidemic.
Kearns was one of Hollywood’s early openly gay actors, at a time when many performers worried that being honest about their sexuality could jeopardize their professional futures. In 1991, he publicly announced that he was HIV-positive in an effort to confront the shame, prejudice, and discrimination associated with the condition.
He also portrayed characters living with HIV on television, helping audiences better understand the realities faced by people living with the virus.
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 08: Actor Michael Kearns poses before participating in “Male Call – Actors Read the Words of Great Women” at The Coast Playhouse on March 8, 2010, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/WireImage)
Beyond his acting career, Kearns also worked as a director and devoted much of his time to activism. He co-founded Artists Confronting AIDS, an organization that used creative expression and personal experiences to increase public awareness of the crisis.
Kearns also experienced personal heartbreak throughout his life. He married Philip Juwig in 1992, but tragically lost his husband later that same year.
Broke stigma surrounding HIV
In 1995, Kearns adopted a daughter named Katherine and raised her as a single father. At that time, becoming an openly gay, HIV-positive single adoptive parent was even less common than being openly gay itself.
Kearns had been scheduled to attend a special celebration honoring LGBTQ+ theater history at Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles just days after his passing.
Rest in peace, Michael Kearns. Please share this story in his memory and honor his dedication to making the world a more compassionate and accepting place.