'Phantom Of The Opera' Actor Missing After Hike In 'Deadly' Mt. Baldy

Julian Sands, known for his iconic role in the film adaption of the "Phantom Of The Opera" musical, was identified as one of the missing hikers who disappeared at the "deadly" Mt. Baldy in California last Friday.

San Bernardino County authorities are continuously searching for the 65-year-old British actor after his family reported him missing that evening when he didn't return home from his hike, ABC 7 reported.

Gloria Huerta, the spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, said that the actor's wife was the one who reported the incident.

In an interview with CNN, Huerta revealed that the actor was reported missing at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 13, so a search and rescue crew was dispatched to the mountain. But due to "severe weather" conditions and an "avalanche threat," rescuers had to suspend rescue operations.

The spokesperson said that officials were using drones to search for the actor; however, other resources had been restricted because of the unfortunate weather.

Police are also looking for another man, named Bob Gregory, of Hawthorne, who has been reported missing by his family since Monday afternoon, according to ABC 7. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's San Dimas station has been searching for the man in the Crystal Lake area of the San Gabriel Mountains.

SBCSD recently warned hikers to steer clear of the mountain in Southern California since the recent storms that brought heaps of snow and ice continue to make conditions "dangerous" for hikers following several search-and-rescue operations in the last four weeks.

In a Facebook post, the department shared that they have responded to about 14 rescue missions on Mt. Blady for "lost, stranded, and/or injured hikers." As of late, two unidentified hikers did not survive after "falling and injuring themselves."

"Please know the current conditions on Mt Baldy are adverse and extremely dangerous. Due to the high winds, the snow has turned to ice making hiking extremely dangerous," the SBCSD wrote.

They continued, "Sheriff's Search and Rescue efforts are often hampered by poor weather along with dangerous avalanche conditions. The recent storms that brought the snow and ice conditions are not favorable for hikers, even those that feel they have a high level of experience."

A representative or family member of Sands has yet to release a statement regarding the incident.

Sands, who starred in several films in the 1980s, such as "Warlock," "Boxing Helena" and "A Room With A View," has been residing in the North Hollywood area. He last starred in the horror-drama movie "The Ghosts of Borley Rectory" alongside Toyah Willcox and Matt Rogers in 2021.