On the morning of April 19, 2026, Patrick Muldoon shared a cup of coffee with his longtime partner, Miriam Rothbart, at their Beverly Hills home. He headed to take a shower. When he didn’t return, Rothbart found him unconscious on the bathroom floor.
Paramedics were called immediately. His sister, Shana Muldoon-Zappa, told TMZ that help arrived quickly but there “was nothing anyone could do.” Muldoon — known to loved ones as “Bobo” — had suffered a fatal heart attack at 57. His manager confirmed the news to Variety, which was the first outlet to report his passing. For fans who had followed him since Saved by the Bell and Days of Our Lives, the loss hit hard.
The Circumstances of Patrick’s Death
According to his death certificate, obtained by People magazine, Muldoon died of a myocardial infarction — a heart attack — with pulmonary embolism and hereditary coagulopathy listed as underlying causes.
Medical Findings
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot blocks a lung artery. Hereditary coagulopathy is a genetic condition that disrupts the body’s ability to regulate blood clotting, allowing dangerous clots to form without warning. Combined with the heart attack, these conditions created a crisis that escalated within minutes and proved fatal.
Muldoon was cremated on April 28.
The Beverly Hills Home Where Muldoon Lived
The house Muldoon shared with Rothbart was more than a residence — it was the private world he built away from cameras and red carpets.
A Private Life Away from the Spotlight
Friends and family described Muldoon as someone who valued genuine connection over Hollywood glamour. In the weeks before his death, his social media offered glimpses of that life. Around Easter, he shared a video of a “family table jam” at his sister Shana’s home — playing guitar while family members sang along to Oasis’s “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” Those closest to him recognized it as quintessentially Patrick.
His Final Morning
The quiet coffee with Rothbart on April 19 matched the domestic life Muldoon had chosen. Just two days earlier, he had posted on Instagram about his excitement for an upcoming project. His final hours at the Beverly Hills home were, by all accounts, ordinary and peaceful.
A Career Spanning Three Decades
Born September 27, 1968, in San Pedro, California, Muldoon began acting while a student at the University of Southern California, where he also played football. His career spanned daytime television, cult cinema, and behind-the-scenes producing.
Early Roles and Daytime Stardom
His first screen appearance came in 1990 with two episodes of Who’s the Boss?. After graduating from USC in 1991, he landed a recurring role as Jeffrey Hunter on Saved by the Bell — a part that served as the catalyst for Zack and Kelly’s breakup on the show.
The breakthrough came in 1992 when he originated the role of Austin Reed on Days of Our Lives. He played the character from 1992 to 1995, then reprised it in 2011 for about a year. During his hiatus, he moved to primetime with Melrose Place, playing the villainous Richard Hart from 1995 to 1996 — a run that cemented his place in that era of television.
From Starship Troopers to a Lasting Film Career
Muldoon leaped to the big screen in 1997 with Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers, playing Zander Barcalow alongside Denise Richards and Casper Van Dien. The film became a cult hit and remains his most widely recognized performance.
He kept a steady pace across film and television, with credits including Stigmata, Deadlock, Vanquish, Born to Ride, and The Chaos Experiment. His most recent acting role was in Dirty Hands, a crime thriller with Richards and Michael Beach, slated for release on April 24 — just five days after his death.
Days before he died, Muldoon had posted about Kockroach, a crime thriller filming in Australia, directed by Matt Ross and starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Egerton, Zazie Beetz, and Alec Baldwin. He was attached as executive producer.
Behind the Camera
Through his company, Storyboard Productions, Muldoon built a significant slate of productions:
- The Card Counter
- Marlowe
- The Tribes of Palos Verdes
- Arkansas
- Riff Raff
- The Dreadful.
His work behind the camera showed a filmmaker as passionate about nurturing stories as performing them.
| Project Title | Category | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Who’s the Boss? | Television (1990) | Guest Actor |
| Saved by the Bell | Television (1991) | Recurring — Jeffrey Hunter |
| Days of Our Lives | Television (1992–95, 2011–12) | Lead — Austin Reed |
| Melrose Place | Television (1995–96) | Featured — Richard Hart |
| Starship Troopers | Film (1997) | Supporting — Zander Barcalow |
| Stigmata | Film (1999) | Cast |
| Dirty Hands | Film (2026) | Lead Actor / Producer |
| Kockroach | Film (Upcoming) | Executive Producer |
| Storyboard Productions | Production Company | Producer / Executive |
A Life Filled with Music
Beyond acting and producing, Muldoon was a devoted musician. He fronted the band Sleeping Masses and had pursued music since his early 20s, traveling regularly to Nashville to record and collaborate with songwriters.
“It probably seems like an actor guy wants to do music, but I have been on the music road since my early 20s,” he told Soaps.com. “In America, Nashville is really the music community. All of the major songwriters write out of there.”
He released tracks including “I Believe” and “Gray Again,” the latter featuring Denise Richards in its music video. Friends told Deadline that Muldoon “embraced each day with a full-tilt, rock ‘n’ roll spirit” and was “endlessly generous — with his poetry, his humor, and his unmistakable presence.”
Tributes from Family, Friends, and Co-Stars
Family
His sister, Shana Muldoon-Zappa, confirmed to TMZ that paramedics could not save him. Muldoon is survived by his partner, Miriam Rothbart; his parents, Deanna and Patrick Muldoon Sr.; his sister and brother-in-law, Shana and Ahmet Zappa; his niece, Halo; and his nephew, Arrow Zappa.
Friends
Close friend Martyn Lawrence Bullard shared a tribute on Instagram: “His love of life, his extraordinary generosity of spirit, his compassion, his playfulness, his extreme talent as an actor, musician, and producer were all exemplary in every way, but most of all the love this man exuded to all who knew him was his shining talent.” Bullard added: “I have never seen two people more in love, matched to utter perfection, and the joy they brought to all of us friends as the most fun and beautiful couple to be around I fear will never be replaced in my life.”
1. Denise Richards
Denise Richards, who shared a decades-long friendship and creative partnership with Muldoon, posted on Instagram: “I am deeply heartbroken & devastated by losing you. You were my best friend & my family. My whole adult life & I don’t know it without you. The friendship, love, support, respect & loyalty we had was unconditional and rare.”
They met in acting class when Richards was 19, and Muldoon was 21, already doing a recurring role on Who’s the Boss?. They dated on and off for several years, then appeared together in Starship Troopers in 1997. Despite ending their romantic relationship, they stayed close for three decades — most recently appearing together at the 2026 Saturn Awards in March, Muldoon’s final public outing. Richards once shared that her husband, Aaron Phypers, “really respects my relationship with Patrick.”
2. Casper Van Dien
Casper Van Dien, his Starship Troopers co-star, wrote: “Your kindness, humor, and love will always be one of the greatest gifts left with those of us you blessed with your presence. I am deeply saddened, devastated, and overwhelmed by your passing.”
3. Jake Getman
Actor Jake Getman recalled working with Muldoon as a child on Little Dead Rotting Hood: “A great guy and always kept the energy light,” adding the hashtag “gonetoosoon.”
4. Candy Cain
Candy Cain, a colleague, shared: “He was such a joy to be around. I told him he was my first celebrity crush, and he gave me a big hug and insisted we take this photo. He was wonderful to work with.”
5. Lisa Rinna
Former Days of Our Lives co-star Lisa Rinna, who had also been in a relationship with Muldoon in the early 1990s, paid tribute as well. The two remained on friendly terms for decades, famously reuniting at Richards’ wedding to Aaron Phypers in 2018 — an event captured by The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cameras. Muldoon later recalled how both Richards and Rinna playfully confronted him on the show about dating them during the same era, adding with a laugh: “It was all in good fun.”
| Contributor | Relationship | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Shana Muldoon-Zappa | Sister | Family memories and loss |
| Martyn Lawrence Bullard | Close Friend | Love of life, generosity, and relationship with Miriam |
| Denise Richards | Lifelong Friend & Co-Star | Decades of friendship and loyalty |
| Casper Van Dien | Starship Troopers Co-Star | Kindness and humor |
| Jake Getman | Co-Star | Positive energy on set |
| Candy Cain | Colleague | Joy and warmth in person |
| Lisa Rinna | Former Co-Star & Partner | Long-standing connection |
Understanding the Health Conditions Behind His Death
Muldoon’s death drew attention to how underlying genetic conditions can cause sudden, fatal events — even in people who appear healthy.
A pulmonary embolism is sometimes mistaken for a heart attack because the symptoms overlap: chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat. The distinction, however, matters for both diagnosis and treatment. Hereditary coagulopathy — the genetic condition listed on Muldoon’s death certificate — increases the risk of dangerous blood clots forming without obvious warning. Combined with a myocardial infarction, the conditions can escalate within minutes.
The public response to Muldoon’s death has prompted conversations about genetic health screening and the importance of understanding family medical history, especially for people in high-pressure industries where health concerns often take a back seat to demanding schedules.
Legacy
From Days of Our Lives to Starship Troopers to the producing slate at Storyboard Productions, Patrick Muldoon built a body of work that spanned generations. His sudden death at 57, in the Beverly Hills home he shared with Rothbart, came as a shock to everyone who knew him.
The tributes from Richards, Van Dien, Bullard, and others point to the same thing: Muldoon’s greatest impact was personal. He made people feel valued. Upcoming projects like Dirty Hands and Kockroach will carry his work forward. His music, friendships, and full-tilt spirit remain with those who loved him.
