Drake Hogestyn, a fixture on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” has died at 70 from pancreatic cancer. For nearly 40 years, he starred as John Black.

Drake Hogestyn, who played mysterious and heroic John Black on “Days of Our Lives” for nearly four decades, died Saturday morning.

Longtime “Days of Our Lives” actor Drake Hogestyn, who played John Black on the soap for nearly 40 years, died Saturday. He was 70. The cause was pancreatic cancer, his family said.