Avery played Hughie on an ’80s arc of the beloved soap, and also appeared in the 1978 “Superman” movie.

All My Children actor Paul Avery and wife Sheila killed in house fire

Avery played Hughie on an '80s arc of the beloved soap, and also appeared in the 1978 "Superman" movie.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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on June 18, 2026 6:56 p.m. ET

Paul Avery and Sheila Avery. Credit:

Sheila Avery/Facebook

- Actor Paul Avery and his wife Sheila died in a New Jersey house fire on June 16.

- The couple's daughter, Kyle, mourned her parents on Facebook the same day, writing, "We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and nobody ever had to wonder if that was so."

- Avery starred on two episodes of *All My Children *in the 1980s, and appeared in such films and series as *Superman* and *Three's Company*.

Paul Avery, the actor known for his work on such films and TV series as *Superman* and *All My Children*, died in a house fire Tuesday alongside his wife, Sheila.

Firefighters responded to a call of a Blairstown, N.J., home on fire in the early hours of Tuesday and declared the blaze extinguished shortly after 1 a.m. They discovered the couple unresponsive and in critical condition, and the two died shortly after, according to the local news publication *Ridge View Echo*, which Paul Avery founded.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Paul Avery on 'Three's Company'.

In a heartfelt message posted to social media, the couple's daughter, Kyle Avery wrote, "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."

Joe Phalon, who broke the news of Paul Avery's death for the *Ridge View Echo*, recounted to WFMZ-TV on Wednesday, "I got a call saying what happened, and I just couldn't believe it... His death is going to leave a real void in this community. Not just Blairstown, but the towns around as well."

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Paul Avery on 'Tales From the Darkside'.

Paramount Home Entertainment

Paul Avery is best known for portraying Hughie, the bartender at local watering hole Foxy's, on *All My Children*. Avery's stint began in 1981 and extended for 12 years, across which Hughie witnessed as some of Pine Valley's most iconic couples, friendships, and rivalries came together and fell out.

His other screen credits included appearances on *Three's Company*, *Stanley*, and *Tales From the Darkside*.

Hughie was the last role Avery would play on either the big or small screen. Alongside his wife, he became an active member of the Blairstown Township after his exodus from Hollywood.

Avery went on to open Jersey Ridge Soaring, a glider business that he operated out of the Blairstown Airport, per *Ridge View News*. He also served as a longtime member of the local Rotary Club, and recently joined the Blairstown Township Committee. In his final years, he devoted himself to the care of his wife.

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