Scott Bryce, who spent more than two decades bringing the scheming Craig Montgomery to life on “As the World Turns,” died July 12 at age 68 after a battle with cancer that began as a stage three esophageal diagnosis and later spread to his brain.
His son, Jackson Bryce, announced the death in an Instagram post, writing that his father had fought “the hardest and most honorable fight I have ever witnessed.” He described watching his father endure radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy while holding onto belief that he could beat the disease, even in his final days.
Bryce first stepped into the role of Craig Montgomery on the CBS soap in 1982, launching a storyline that pitted him against Frank Runyeon’s Steve for the affections of Meg Ryan’s Betsy Stewart. The triangle became one of the show’s defining plots of the decade. Bryce departed in 1991, then returned twice more, reprising Craig from 1993 to 1994 and again from 2007 to 2008, amassing close to 300 episodes across his various stints. He earned back-to-back Daytime Emmy nominations for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1986 and 1987.
Born January 6, 1958, in New York City, Bryce grew up in Westport, Connecticut, where he trained through his high school’s theater program. He came from daytime television lineage: his father, Ed Bryce, played Bill Bauer on “Guiding Light” for years and appeared on other soaps.
Beyond Oakdale, Bryce built a steady career in primetime, taking recurring and guest roles on “Murphy Brown,” “The Facts of Life,” “ER,” “Law & Order,” “Reba,” “Sex and the City,” “Blue Bloods” and “The Blacklist.” He spent several seasons as Mike McQueen on the WB dramedy “Popular,” playing father to Leslie Bibb’s character. His final screen credit came in a 2024 episode of “Law & Order.”
Jackson recalled his father’s reputation on set for economy and precision, noting that directors often scheduled him late in the day because his scenes rarely required more than two takes.
Bryce is survived by his wife, actress Jodi Stevens, and their son, Jackson.
