JAY PICKETT, an actor on the daytime soap operas “Days of Our Lives,” “Port Charles” and “General Hospital,” died Friday while making a movie in his home state of Idaho, the U.S. He was 60.

Pickett’s death was announced on Facebook by Jim Heffel, his co-star and fellow producer on “Treasure Valley.” Pickett was portraying a cowboy in search of his long-lost daughter in the movie, which he also wrote.

“I lost a good friend and the world lost a great person,” Heffel wrote. “Jay Pickett decided to ride off into the Heavens. Jay died sitting on a horse ready to rope a steer in the movie ‘Treasure Valley’ in Idaho. The way of a true cowboy.”

Travis Mills, another “Treasure Valley” producer, wrote Sunday on Facebook that “There is no official explanation for the cause of his death but it appears to have been a heart attack. Everyone present tried as hard as they could to keep him alive. Our hearts are broken and we grieve for his family who are so devastated by this shocking tragedy. He was doing what he loved: acting, riding horses, making movies. And he was magnificent.”

Born on Feb. 10, 1961, in Spokane, Washington, Jay Harris Pickett was raised in Caldwell, Idaho. He attended Boise State University and UCLA.

Pickett began showing up on television starting in the late ’80s on such shows as “China Beach,” “Mr. Belvedere,” “Jake and the Fatman” and “Matlock” before playing Dr. Chip Lakin on NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” in 1991-92.

He portrayed paramedic and substitute teacher Frank Scanlon on ABC’s “Port Charles” during its 1997-2003 run and Det. David Harper on ABC’s “General Hospital” from 2007-08.

Pickett also wrote, starred in and produced the 2012 feature “Soda Springs,” a Western featuring Tom Skerritt, and had guest shots on “Dexter,” “The Mentalist,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Rosewood” and “Queen Sugar.”

(SD-Agencies)