Mark Steven Dobies, known for his roles in the daytime soap operas “Guiding Light” and “One Life to Live,” died on March 11, 2025, in Dunellen, New Jersey. He was 65 years old.
Dobies, who lived in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, was described in his obituary as a “loving father, accomplished athlete, and talented actor” who led a life marked by “passion, perseverance, and love.” The cause of death has not been made public.
Before his acting career, Dobies played college football at Delaware Valley University. He contributed to the university’s first Middle Atlantic Conference football championship in 1980, securing a football scholarship that supported his education.
Dobies began his soap opera career in 2000 with CBS’s “Guiding Light,” playing Dr. Noah Chase. His character was a romantic partner to Kim Zimmer’s Reva Shayne. He later joined ABC’s “One Life to Live” in 2003 as district attorney Daniel Colson, a role he held until 2005.
His portrayal of Daniel Colson on “One Life to Live” was controversial. The character, married to Hilary B. Smith’s Nora Buchanan, was later revealed to be unfaithful and a murderer. The storyline included Colson killing Paul Cramer after Cramer threatened to reveal Daniel’s affair with a man.
The depiction led to protests from GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), who criticized it for promoting negative stereotypes about the LGBTQ community by showing a gay man as a murderer. Despite this, the show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini, defended the storyline, stating it was about “intolerance and about a man not being true to himself.”
Outside daytime television, Dobies appeared on several primetime shows, including “Home Improvement,” “Melrose Place,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Just Shoot Me!,” “Fringe,” and “Gossip Girl.” He also performed in theater, notably in the 2004 off-Broadway revival of Larry Kramer’s “The Normal Heart.”
Colleagues remembered Dobies as a “genuinely good guy” who left a lasting impact on those he worked with.
Dobies’ last acting credit was in the 2016 biographical sports drama “Greater,” concluding a diverse career in television, film, and stage.
Survived by his three children, mother, and two siblings, a brother and a sister, a memorial service for Dobies is planned for May 17.
