Later Palmer

James Mitchell, who played one of the most fun to hate villians on All My Children died according to his long-time partner (I didn't even know that about him. Strange how you sometimes only learn stuff about people after they're gone). He died last week from pneumonia, a complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease of which he has suffered from for years. He was 89.

As an avid All My Children watcher for the past 25 years or so (yes, I watched it when I was 3), Palmer Cortland was one of the best villians to love and hate. How could you not melt at his love for Dixie, Opal at one time (although that later evolved to become one of the greatest wars of all time), and at the same time be amazed and shocked by his witty one-liners and brash arrogance and disdain for those he felt unworthy of his attention. He appeared in more than 300 episodes from 1979 to the present, appearing as a show regular until 2008.

I'm sad to see Palmer go. I guess at least they won't resurrect his character with some random, "that looks nothing like Palmer" character. I mean he was 89. I think it's pretty believable that he left Pine Valley to join his beloved Dixie in the AMC afterlife. I do hope they bring Dixie back, however, and that she and Tad can finally be in love like the power couple they should be. Too bad if that does happen, Palmer won't be here.

Rest in peace, James.