{"id":235710,"date":"2026-04-21T00:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T00:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/doogie-howser-m-d-actor-rif-hutton-dead-aged-73-with-cause-of-death-confirmed\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T00:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T00:00:11","slug":"doogie-howser-m-d-actor-rif-hutton-dead-aged-73-with-cause-of-death-confirmed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/doogie-howser-m-d-actor-rif-hutton-dead-aged-73-with-cause-of-death-confirmed\/","title":{"rendered":"Doogie Howser, M.D. actor Rif Hutton dead aged 73 with cause of death confirmed"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Actor Rif Hutton has died at the age of 73 after a battle with brain cancer, his family has confirmed.<\/p>\n

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Actor Rif Hutton has died at the age of 73 after a battle with brain cancer, his family has confirmed<\/p>\n

Best known for roles in Doogie Howser, M.D. and JAG, the veteran star died at his home in Pasadena, California, on Saturday (18.04.26) following a more than one-year illness, according to his family speaking to TMZ, with news of his passing emerging on Monday (20.04.26) night. <\/p>\n

The outlet reported his relatives had said he died surrounded by loved ones, with the actor survived by his wife and son. <\/p>\n

Throughout his career, Rif became a familiar face on television, with recurring roles across major network series and soap operas, as well as work in film and voice acting.<\/p>\n

Rif portrayed Dr Ron Welch across the four-season run of Doogie Howser, M.D. between 1989 and 1993, appearing alongside Neil Patrick Harris<\/a>, who played the teenage doctor at the centre of the series. <\/p>\n

\nHe later appeared as Lieutenant Commander Alan Mattoni of the United States Navy in JAG, featuring from season three through to season six of the show\u2019s 10-season run. <\/p>\n

\nHis television work also included roles in The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital, where he played multiple characters in the former and Lenny Caulfield in the latter.<\/p>\n

\nRif was also recognised for appearances in commercials during the 1990s, portraying a restaurant owner for KFC. <\/p>\n

\nIn film, he contributed voice work to major animated productions including Shrek, The Princess and the Frog and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.<\/p>\n

\nTributes were paid by colleagues, including fellow voice actor Steve Apostolina, who wrote on Facebook: \u201cA remarkable human being has left this earthly plane. To say that Rif Hutton was one of a kind is a gross understatement. There will never be another like him \u2013 perhaps his son Wolfy will come closest.\u201d <\/p>\n

\nHe added: \u201cRif Hutton was a man of action. He inspired so many and leaves behind a legion of loyal admirers \u2013 people who loved him. Stories of his generosity would blow your mind.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\u201cF*** cancer in general, but in particular glioblastoma (brain cancer.) I was lucky to cross his path and I am a better person for knowing him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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21 April 2026 Actor Rif Hutton has died at the age of 73 after a battle with brain cancer, his family has confirmed. Actor Rif Hutton has died at the age of 73 after a battle with brain cancer, his family has confirmed Best known for roles in Doogie Howser, M.D. and JAG, the veteran […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":235711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[2236,14916,14909,14913,14912,14915,14914,14910,14917,14918,14911],"class_list":{"0":"post-235710","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-make-up","8":"tag-neil-patrick-harris","9":"tag-neil-patrick-harris-doogie-howser","10":"tag-rif-hutton","11":"tag-rif-hutton-brain-cancer","12":"tag-rif-hutton-death","13":"tag-rif-hutton-movies-and-tv-shows","14":"tag-rif-hutton-obituary","15":"tag-steve-apostolina","16":"tag-steve-apostolina-tribute","17":"tag-voice-actors-shrek-spider-verse","18":"tag-wolfy-hutton"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=235710"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235710\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=235710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=235710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=235710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}