One of World's Longest Running Phantoms, Rob Guest, Dies at 57

TV New Zealand is reporting that theater and pop star Rob Guest has died of a stroke. The actor was admitted to a Melbourne hosptial late Tuesday where he remained in critical condition. The actor's family state that he died peacefully overnight while in the Intensive Care Unit.

Guest was born in Britain but after his career as a pop star took off in New Zealand in the 70's and 80's the now actor set up a permanent base there. He has starred in Austrialian productions of Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera and was currently starring in the musical Wicked as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

He is one of the world's longest running Phantoms having played the lead role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical a record 2289 times. In 1994 he won and OBE for his services to the New Zealand entertainment industry.