'All My Children' actor Paul Avery killed alongside wife in house fire

Veteran actor Paul Avery, widely recognized for his role as Hughie the bartender on the soap opera "All My Children," has died along with his wife, Sheila Avery, following a devastating house fire. They were 81 years old.

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I’m devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning. We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and nobody ever had to wonder if that was so. We’re grateful to the Blairstown Fire Department for their efforts. Service plans to follow.

Firefighters responded to the couple's Blairstown, New Jersey, home early Tuesday morning. They discovered Paul and Sheila Avery in critical condition inside the residence, which was engulfed in flames. Despite immediate CPR efforts, the couple passed away shortly after being rescued.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by authorities. Paul Avery's daughter, Kyle Avery, shared the heartbreaking news on social media, expressing profound grief and gratitude to the Blairstown Fire Department for their efforts. She remembered her parents as deeply loving.

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I always like to call Paul the most interesting man in the world, because he was when you consider everything he’s done in his life. Acting, skydiving, Vietnam veteran, started a newspaper.

Avery had a notable career spanning the 1970s, including a role in "Superman" (1978) and his long-running part on "All My Children." He also appeared in "Three's Company" and "Soap." Friends and colleagues remembered him as an "interesting man" with a diverse life, including military service and newspaper work, noting his death leaves a significant void.

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leave a real void in this community.