James Noble of ‘Benson’ dies at 94 | CNN

James Noble, scatterbrained governor on ‘Benson,’ dies at 94

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James Noble, who played the governor on "Benson," died at age 94 after a stroke

Noble appeared in "One Life to Live," "Another World" and "As the World Turns"

CNN  — 

Actor James Noble, who played forgetful Gov. Eugene Gatling on the 1980s sitcom “Benson,” has died at 94.

Noble’s daughter, Jessica Katherine Noble Cowan, told CNN her father died at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut on Monday after suffering a stroke.

Noble acted in soap operas such as “One Life to Live,” “Another World” and “As the World Turns” in the 1950s and ’60s.

No stranger to the stage, Noble first appeared on Broadway in the 1949 comedy production “The Velvet Glove.” He went on to perform in the Broadway shows “A Far Country,” “1776” and “The Runner Stumbles.” He also appeared in the 1972 movie production of “1776” and played Bo Derek’s father in the film “10.”

Behind the scenes, Noble was the assistant stage manager for the 1949 Broadway production of “The Big Knife.” He produced the short film “Glacier Bay” in 2006 and most recently was the associate producer for a TV movie, “Frederick Douglass: Pathway from Slavery to Freedom,” in 2010.

He was born in Dallas on March 5, 1922. Before breaking into showbiz, Noble served in the Navy during World War II.

In addition to his daughter, Noble is survived by his wife, Colleen Murphy, an actress, producer and co-founder with her husband of the film production company “Open the Gate Pictures.”

CNN’s Pilar Melendez contributed to this story.