at 20:11 on February 4, 2008, EST.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PORTLAND, Ore. - Actress Shell Kepler, who for years played the gossipy nurse Amy Vining on the TV soap opera "General Hospital," has died. She was 49.

Kepler died Friday at Oregon Health & Science University hospital, which did not give the cause of death. Kepler's busybody character on "General Hospital" was a fan favourite and enjoyed a long run, 1979-2002.

In addition to her run on "General Hospital," she was also in a 1982 Joan Collins film, "Homework," and a couple of episodes of the situation comedy "Three's Company."

On the side, she was a businesswoman, marketing clothing on the former Home Shopping Club. She said in a 1994 Associated Press interview that her "Lacy Afternoon" collection had sales topping $20 million that year alone.

Kepler was born in Ohio and the family moved to California when she was 10. She recalled in 1994 that she didn't yet have a driver's licence when she began trying out for film roles.

"I managed to get my girlfriends to drive me to auditions because I wasn't old enough to drive. I was a rather ambitious kid," she said.

She moved to Portland after her TV career and became involved in charity fundraising.


©The Canadian Press, 2008

Surely she'll come back from the dead with plastic surgery and a new identity to cause mayhem and get revenge on someone.


No? This is real?


Oh.


[Edited 2/4/08 23:10pm]

WOW, what the hell did she die from @ only 49?? Cold...

Wow how sad

Oh no.

I have fond memories of nurse Amy Vining, she was always so funny! She was also so gossipy, I adored her in my "General Hospital" loving days....sorry to hear this

I was sad to see this to. She was really young

She was so annoying as the gossipy nurse. She played it so well


RIP