Marj Dusay /mɑrdʒ duːˈseɪ/ (born Marjorie Ellen Pivonka Mahoney on February 20, 1936 in Russell, Kansas^[1]) is an actress known for her roles on American soap operas. She is especially known for her role as "Alexandra Spaulding" on Guiding Light, a role she played on and off, from 1993 through the show's 2009 cancellation.

Career[link]

She also played Vanessa Bennett on All My Children from 1999 to 2002, "Pamela Pepperidge Capwell Conrad" on Santa Barbara in 1987–1988, 1991 and "Myrna Clegg" on Capitol from 1983 to 1987. In 1993, she filled in for Louise Sorel as "Vivian Alamain" on Days of our Lives while Sorel was on leave.

She started her career with a small role as a waitress alongside Elvis Presley in the film Clambake in 1967. In 1968, Dusay played a special agent in the TV series Hawaii Five-O in an episode titled "Twenty-Four Carat Kill", as well appearing twice as seductive temptresses on Hogan's Heroes.

Dusay made numerous guest appearances on popular television shows in the late 1960s and 1970s. She played alien "Kara" in "Spock's Brain", the first third-season episode of Star Trek. This episode was written in haste and its outlandish plotline involving the theft of Spock's brain has made it a popular target of derision by Star Trek fans. Leonard Nimoy mentions this particular episode in his book I Am Spock as "Star Trek losing its brain". The book also features a photograph of the actors in character. Despite the perceived shortcomings of "Spock's Brain", Dusay has taken the role in stride and is a popular guest at Star Trek fan conventions, often appearing with personal friend and fellow Star Trek actor Michael Dante. Dusay appeared on Daniel Boone in its 1969 episode "Benvenuto... Who?" as a beautiful French diamond robber named Eugenie.

She starred as Jean MacArthur in the 1977 film MacArthur, and guest-starred as Blair Warner's mother, Monica Warner, on the sitcom The Facts of Life.

In 1982 she appeared as Kate Hanrahan, a madam/con artist, in a few episodes of the television series Bret Maverick starring James Garner.

Dusay received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 1995 for her work on Guiding Light and was nominated for a special fan award as "America's Favorite Villain" for her performance on All My Children.

In late May 2005, Dusay was one of several cast members taken off contract due to budget cuts. The show later asked her to remain with the show on recurring status.

CBS announced that Guiding Light was being cancelled on April 1, 2009, with the last show set to air in September. Dusay appeared in Guiding Light's final episode, which aired on September 18, 2009.

Partial filmography[link]

• Guiding Light as Alexandra Spaulding #2 (1993-1997, 1998-1999, 2002-2009)
• All My Children as Vanessa Bennett Hayward Cortlandt (1999–2002)
• Days of our Lives as Vivian Alamain (1993) (temporary replacement)
  • Replaced Louise Sorel while she was away
• Santa Barbara as Pamela Capwell Conrad (1987-1988, 1991)
• Dallas as Bernice Billings (29 March 1985)
• Capitol as Myrna Clegg (1983–1987)
• The Facts of Life as Monica Warner (1981–1987) (recurring)
• Stop Susan Williams! as Jennifer Selden (1979)
• MacArthur as Jean MacArthur (1977)
• Sweet November as Carol (1968)

Award nominations[link]

Daytime Emmy Awards

• (2002) Special Fan Award America's Favorite Villain for playing Vanessa Cortlandt on All My Children

• (1995) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Guiding Light

Soap Opera Digest Awards

• (1995) Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Villainess for Guiding Light
• (1988) Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role: Daytime for Capitol
• (1986) Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role on a Daytime Serial for Capitol

• Dusay was prenominated for an Emmy by the producers for playing Monica Warner on Facts of Life.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Marj Dusay at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Marj Dusay at the Internet Movie Database
• Marj Dusay Facebook Fan Club

Nicolas Coster (born December 3, 1934) is a British actor, most known for his work in daytime drama and as a character actor on nighttime television series.

Biography[link]

Coster was born in London, United Kingdom to an American mother and a father from New Zealand who was a marine commander.^[1] In daytime, he first appeared in the NBC soap opera Young Doctor Malone. Later, he created the role of Professor Paul Britton on The Secret Storm, a role that he played in 1964 and from 1967-1968. He played John Eldridge in both the primetime serialized drama Our Private World and later on As the World Turns. He also played Robert Delaney on two shows: Somerset and Another World.

Coster's first appearance on television was on an episode of The U.S. Steel Hour in 1959. Since then, he has racked up more than 80 appearances on three dozen television shows, guest-starring most notably as David Warner, the father of Blair Warner, on the sitcom The Facts of Life. He also spent one season on the NBC comedy Sheriff Lobo.

He returned to daytime television by first recreating his Robert Delaney role on Another World. He later played gangster-turned-informant Anthony Macana on One Life to Live. He then played the role of Lionel Lockridge on a new California-based serial Santa Barbara. He left his role on that show briefly - but long enough to play Steve Andrews on the ABC soap opera All My Children. He returned to act on Santa Barbara but the show was eventually canceled. He returned to play a second role on As the World Turns.

He is also famous for the television commercials that he has made through the years. One famous line that he said first was on a commercial for Geritol, a vitamin tonic: "My wife: I think I'll keep her."

Coster is currently married, with three children (two from a previous marriage to actress Candace Hilligoss).

Coster is also an active Scuba Diving Instructor and with his foundation teach scuba diving and organize sail trips for disabled person^[2]

Major Soap Roles[link]

• Mark Steele, Young Doctor Malone, (1962–1963)
• Paul Britton, The Secret Storm, (1964, 1968–1969)
• Robert Delaney, Another World, (1970)
• Robert Delaney, Somerset, (1970–1972)
• Robert Delaney, Another World, (1972–1976, 1980)
• Anthony Makana, One Life to Live, (1983–1984)
• Lionel Lockridge, Santa Barbara, (1984–1993)
• Robert Delaney, Another World, (1989) [guest-star]
• Eduardo Grimaldi, As the World Turns, (1993–1995)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Nicolas Coster at the Internet Movie Database
• Nicolas Coster at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Nicolas Coster and Challenge Foundation

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Alexandra Spaulding (formerly von Halkein, Thorpe and Foley) is a fictional character on CBS's daytime drama Guiding Light. Beverlee McKinsey was the first actress to play the role, which she did from February 10, 1984 to August 1992.^[1] McKinsey made the character one of the most memorable women on daytime television and although she loved her family, "her voice dripped venom when she addressed her enemies."^[2] Marj Dusay portrayed the character from September 23, 1993 to March 11, 1997, November 20, 1998 to January 21, 1999 and from December 26, 2002 until the final episode on September 18, 2009. Legendary film and television actress Joan Collins, best known for her role as Alexis Colby on the primetime soap Dynasty, guest starred in the role for six months from September 23, 2002 to December 23, 2002. Collins' portrayal brought a large amount of press and attention to the show as her incarnation of the character was known as "your typical rich bitch."^[3] Collins was even reported to have re-written her lines to accommodate the large amount of dialogue she needed to learn and grueling work schedule.^[4]

Background[link]

{{cquote| I always loved the storylines where they let her be a little absurd and show her power. I was so in favor of seeing a woman of my age show power, intelligence and also the gift of tongue and cheek and the gift of not being perfect. I love seeing women like that and how they battle to stay strong. I loved it when they put her in the big boy battles and as well as the vulnerability of love and the missing of love and standing by your family. Alex has been great to play. Soaps are fantastic to give you the human side. You roll around in time as the character evolves."^[5]{{|source=—Marj Dusay on her favorite story lines on Guiding Light}}

Character Information[link]

Biography[link]

The young Alexandra ran away from her family wealth to gallivant across Europe in a series of relationships with poor musicians before marrying a baron, divorcing him and finally arriving in Springfield. She soon became a close ally of Philip and made it her life's duty to destroy her brother Alan's plots. This included the 'Dreaming Death' conspiracy, for which she turned him in to the FBI. He vanished soon after and she used her influence to help bring her friends and lovers into the company.

Over the years, she's searched out many of the relatives she believed she lost, including a sister, Victoria, with whom she offered to share the family fortune. More important was her reunion with wayward son Lujack who she eventually won over despite his misgivings. She supported him in his endeavors and he died in her arms after an explosion. Her life got more complicated when her supposedly dead brother reappeared looking for revenge of his own. She fled to San Rios where she was kidnapped by rebels before being rescued and returned to Springfield.

She began a romance with HB Lewis before a plane crash left her on a desert island with Fletcher Reade and a mysterious man who turned out to be Roger Thorpe. Surprisingly, she married Roger soon after returning, but the marriage was doomed and she publicly humiliated him after discovering his affair with Mindy Lewis. More surprisingly, she discovered Lujack's twin, Nick McHenry and pulled him into the family, but alienated him with her continuing meddling in his life when he fell in love with Mindy. She forced Mindy to leave town after discovering that Mindy had switched paternity tests proving Nick was her son, but left town herself when her scheming was discovered.

A year later, Alexandra returned, only to discover that Spaulding Enterprises had fallen into the hands of Roger Thorpe. Thanks to Buzz Cooper's discovery of a document that cleared her father Brandon of the wrong-doing that had lost them the company in the first place, Alexandra was back in power. But her happiness over this led to her fury over Nick's re-involvement and subsequent marriage to Mindy. When Alan was released from prison, Alexandra signed back over his shares of Spaulding to him, believing he was dying. In the meantime, her romance with Fletcher soured over the constant corporate intrigue. A vengeful Alexandra set out to break Roger and Holly up after she learned that Roger had been instrumental in Alan's return, but this only sent Holly into Fletcher's arms.

Eventually, Roger got his revenge on her by exposing the fact that her "niece" Amanda Spaulding was actually her half-sister a fact in which Alexandra had known for years. Alexandra left to join Nick and his new wife Susan in Europe. She later came back for nephew Alan Michael and Lucy Cooper's wedding, but left again, disgusted by Alan's involvement with the psychotic Annie Dutton.

In 2002, Alexandra returned again after Alan had a heart attack to find the company in turmoil. She pushed him out and tried to keep the fact that Alan had another illegitimate child (Gus) from being revealed. When it came out, desperate to hold onto the power she had left, she drugged Alan and tried to drive him mad. He went one better and managed to trick her into a confession of her crimes, not least of which was the stalking and attempted murder of Reva. He pushed her out of company leadership and into pharmaceuticals. There, she got involved with illegal trading and the sinister Antimonius drug ring. Alan, to her surprise, tried to save her from prosecution, but when Frank Cooper would not relent, she tried to frame him. This backfired, destroying her relationship with Frank's father Buzz and she ended up in jail only to be freed by her brother just as Phillip was 'murdered'. The siblings continued their fighting, if in a somewhat more low-key fashion, while she blackmailed him for his role in Phillip's death. Her testimony eventually freed Harley and almost jailed Alan. Subsequently, she has played a more minor role, mostly as a help to Alan-Michael and a much needed balance to her brother. After the birth of her niece Peyton Beth gave Alexandra's names as her daughter middle name. Alexandra was delighted when it was revealed that Phillip was very much alive, and was even on hand to watch her old love Buzz Cooper marry her best friend Lillian Raines. But Alan's sudden death after saving Phillip's life left Alexandra devastated. Old lover Fletcher Reed came back and convinced Alexandra to join him on a cruise, giving her a happy ending after so much tragedy.

References[link]

Ron Raines (born December 2, 1949, Texas City, Texas) is an American actor. He is known for the role of Alan Spaulding on the long-running television soap opera Guiding Light. Raines also performs in musical theatre and in concert with symphony orchestras.

Career[link]

Early years[link]

Raines' father was an evangelical minister, and Raines became interested in music through the church.^[1] He was once in a band called Renaissance.

He graduated from Nacogdoches High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, graduated from Oklahoma City University and later attended Juilliard. He decided to pursue a career in performing after he finished Juilliard.^[1]

Television[link]

Raines joined Guiding Light in 1994 in his first television role.^[1] He is the third actor to play the part of the sinister, nefarious Alan Spaulding, a role which has earned him three Emmy nominations. He remained on Guiding Light through its cancellation in 2009.

Operas/Operettas[link]

He made his debut at New York City Opera as "Danilo" in The Merry Widow. Subsequently he has appeared in Naughty Marietta, Rose-Marie, The Gypsy Princess, The Desert Song, The New Moon and Die Fledermaus.

Musical theatre[link]

Raines appeared on Broadway in the 1983 Broadway revival of Show Boat (as "Ravenal"); the 1987 Broadway production of Teddy & Alice^[2] and as "Billy Flynn" in the long running revival of Chicago in 2002.

He has also appeared in productions of South Pacific, Annie, Kiss Me, Kate, Can-Can, The King and I, Brigadoon, Oklahoma!, Carousel, "The Pajama Game", Guys and Dolls, A Little Night Music, Kismet and Man of La Mancha. He played the role of Johnny Brown in the Debbie Reynolds US tour of The Unsinkable Molly Brown in 1990.^[3]

In 1994, he was offered a part in the national touring production of The Sound of Music with Marie Osmond on the same day he was offered the role of Alan Spaulding on Guiding Light. He decided to take the TV role.^[1]

He appeared in the Kennedy Center production of Follies from May 7 through June 19, 2011, as Ben Stone, with Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein and Elaine Paige.^[4] He had played this role previously in the 1988 Michigan Opera production (with Juliet Prowse and Nancy Dussault).^[5] He reprised his role in the Broadway engagement at the Marquis Theatre from August 7, 2011 (in previews) through January 22, 2012. Raines will reprise his role when this production transfers to the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, California from May 3, 2012 through June 9, 2012.^[6] Raines received a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for this role.

Concerts and recordings[link]

As a concert performer, Raines has appeared as soloist with the symphony orchestras in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Columbus, Utah, Dallas, Minnesota, Omaha, Pittsburgh (with Marvin Hamlisch), Philadelphia Pops (with Peter Nero), San Diego, San Francisco, Tulsa and Washington D.C.. He also appeared with the Boston Pops (with John Williams and Keith Lockhart).

He has performed with BBC Concert Orchestra in London, the Royal Philharmonic, the Jerusalem Symphony and the Israeli Philharmonic. Ron has had the honor of singing for two former First Ladies: Nancy Reagan's White House luncheon for the Senate wives and Lady Bird Johnson's National Wildlife Federation gala in Austin, Texas.

Raines has appeared in several PBS Great Performances specials and has recorded two solo albums: So In Love With Broadway (2004)^[7] and Broadway Passion,^[8] along with several musicals including Man of La Mancha and Pajama Game on the Jay Records album label.

Personal life[link]

Ron and his wife Dona have a daughter, Charlotte.^[1]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Ron Raines at the Internet Movie Database
• Internet Broadway Database listing
• CBS Daytime Bio
• Ron Raines Online