The death of Craig Sjodin has been a significant loss for General Hospital — the longest-running American soap opera in production. Sjodin was a key still photographer for the show and had also worked on shows like The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Drew Barrymore Show, and The Bachelor, amongst others. Fans of General Hospital learned of Sjodin’s death during the closing credits of the September 27, 2023 episode. The longtime ABC photographer had retired recently after completing 39 years at the network and was looking forward to some well-deserved globetrotting with his family to locations like Australia.
Created by husband and wife duo Frank Hursley and Doris Hursley, General Hospital is a wildly popular American daytime television soap opera that first aired on the ABC network on April 1, 1963. As the longest-running entertainment program in ABC’s history, it naturally holds many records, including most Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series, with a whopping 14 wins. For somebody associated with the General Hospital for such a long time, it was only natural for the showrunners to memorialize Sjodin at the end of the episode.
Craig Sjodin is Best Known for His Work on General Hospital
Craig Sjodin spent about 40 years on the ABC network as a still photographer capturing the who’s who of General Hospital and other prime-time shows. GH paid tribute to him at the end of its September 27, 2023, episode with an “in Loving Memory” message and a picture of Sjodin. The daytime show has sadly had many losses in the past year, including Jacklyn Lee Zeman, who portrayed Bobbie Spencer; Robyn Bernard, who played Terry Brock; and Billy Miller, who played dual roles of Jason Morgan and Drew Cain on General Hospital.
How Did Craig Sjodin Pass Away?
As mentioned in his obituary, Sjodin passed away on Friday, September 15, 2023, succumbing to injuries from a bicycle accident. He spent an agonizing eight days at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center with his family by his side, before sadly passing away. In addition to his day-job, Sjodin was also a seasoned bicyclist who often covered hundreds of miles a week. He used to cycle with his sister’s family in San Diego and Westlake Village and particularly enjoyed biking in Geneva. He is survived by Esther Bekhore Sjodin, his wife of 30 years, and son Ryan, and siblings Brenda Rickey, Nancy Nickoloff, and Linda Hughes.
Sjodin was born on October 26, 1955, to George Sjodin and Carolyn Sjodin in Evanston, Illinois, and was 67 years old on the day of his passing. Filling the void he has left will be particularly difficult and his love for long bike rides, marathon pickleball sessions, and thirst for Arnold Palmer drinks will always be remembered. His loved ones describe him as “the youngest 67-year-old we have ever known” and believed he had a “tremendous gift for getting the shot.”
A Look at Craig Sjodin’s Illustrious Career Behind The Lens
Craig Sjodin started way back in 1984 and contributed to the medical soap opera for about 40 years. But that’s just how it started. Sjodin then went on to collaborate on several projects with ABC over the years, including The Bachelor franchise. The tribute during the rolling credits of the ABC shows represents his contribution to the network over the years.
Having dedicated his life to the craft, his work expanded to more TV shows moving forward, including Castle, Desperate Housewives, The Bachelorette, The Golden Bachelor, and Bachelor in Paradise, to name a few. He also shot images for the primetime spinoff of GH: Night Shift. Sjodin, therefore, has had an illustrious career, literally behind the lens. He has captured everyone from Castle’s Nathan Fillion to Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross, leaving a great legacy behind in the entertainment industry.
How Did the Fans and General Hospital Respond to the Sad News of Sjodin’s Demise?
Fans were left perplexed when the September 27, 2023, General Hospital episode ended with a tribute to Sjodin, curious to learn about his connection with the long-running daytime soap. However, General Hospital was not the only show to pay homage to the photographer. He was also remembered after the usual bonus scene finished rolling during the premiere of The Bachelor in Paradise Season 9. Surprising for many of his fans — Sjodin had in fact also played a vital role in capturing iconic moments in the entire Bachelor franchise, with many promotional stills and episodic images for the show’s promotional material. His TV legacy will long be remembered.
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