All My Children
AMC's original beloved Ruth Martin, Mary Fickett has died!


Courtesy/ABC
What unbelievable timing, and with such a heavy heart tonight, On-Air On-Soaps has learned of the passing of All My Children’s original heroine, and lead actress, Mary Fickett! For over 26 years, Fickett played the role of beloved Nurse Ruth Martin. Mary made a brief and final return to the series in 2000. The role has since been played by Lee Meriwether.
At the height of the Vietnam War in the show’s 1972-73 season, Fickett delivered a touching monologue expressing her character’s doubts about the war and fears about her drafted son. Ruth’s speech resonated with millions of viewers across America with the same doubts and fears. It also won Fickett an Emmy in 1973, the first ever awarded to a performer in a daytime drama. With Ruth and her doctor husband as the drama’s tent-pole characters, All My Children became the top-rated daytime TV drama in 1978. Ray MacDonnell played the role of Dr. Joe Martin, Fickett’s TV husband.
Fickett “never really acted,” MacDonnell said in 2008. “She was just a wonderful human being and a delight to work with. She was very bright and always cheerful and inspired natural emotions in me and her fellow actors.”
According to Fredericksburg.com, “Mary Fickett, a New York actress whose career spanned 50 years of radio, television, stage and movies, died Thursday at her home in Callao, Virginia in Northumberland County. She was 83.”
All My Children is said to now be planning to dedicate the upcoming September 21st episode to Mary, two days before the show ends its network television run. What irony that as AMC winds down its incredible journey and legacy on daytime, that its original star passed away Thursday night before its conclusion.
On-Air On-Soaps thoughts and prayers are with Mary’s family, friends and longtime colleagues.
Now watch a vintage clip from AMC when Ruth and Joe deal with discovering the death of Grandma Kate Martin and much more.

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On Monday’s episode of ABC’s Strahan & Sara, the show welcomed several stars of the beloved All My Children for a reunion, of sorts. Joining hosts Michael Strahan and Sara Haines were Susan Lucci (Erica), Walt Willey (Jack), Cady McClain (Dixie), Jacob Young (JR) and Jill Larson (Opal).
While it was wonderful to see the stars from Pine Valley again, it was also a painful reminder that this network, ABC, canceled the show, and had put in its place – The Chew, and now Strahan & Sara – since canning the series. In fact, as you will see on the clips below, many of the crew who work on this talk show were once the crew for All My Children.
During the segment, Susan Lucci was tested to see if she remembered all of Erica Kane’s wedded names. Later, Walt Willey and Susan re-created the final scene of the ABC version of All My Children between Erica and Jack, where Jack walks out on her. However, this time, they have Jack changing his mind and coming back to Erica and sealing their relationship with a kiss – a moment of closure that never happened (since the show moved to online via Prospect Park).
In addition, Cady McClain and Jacob Young re-created the infamous Dixie “dying from eating poison pancakes” scene, as JR watches his mother die, only this time she lives.
It’s always great to see these veteran performers, but Strahan & Sara is trying to capture the soap viewers to put eyeballs on their show by bringing in talent from the show that sadly and wrongly went off the air.
Watch the clips below from the All My Children reunion below. Then, let us know what you thought of it via the comment section below.

This week at the annual ABC TCA (Television Critics Association) Winter Press Tour, the network introduced members of the media to some of the new shows that will be rolled out in the coming months on both ABC and Freeform. Many notables, who started on the soaps, are in the casts of some of the more exciting new offerings.
In addition, several soap graduates, who are currently appearing on the network in major primetime series were also in attendance promoting the ABC line-up of programming.
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Some of your all-time favorites from Pine Valley are getting together to appear on Good Morning America’s re-branded Strahan & Sara ,formerly known as GMA Day.
Make sure to catch the show next Monday, February 11th when hosts Michael Strahan and Sara Haines welcome Susan Lucci (Ex-Erica), Jacob Young (Ex-JR), Cady McClain (Ex-Dixie), Walt Willey (Ex-Jack),and Jill Larson (Ex-Opal). And, you never know who else might pop up and join this group.
Strahan and Sara airs on ABC at 1PMEST/12PMCST weekdays.

Courtesy/ABC
Are you missing Pine Valley? Here’s a chance to see some of these enduring stars together again. Most recently, Home & Family back in February of 201,7 held an on-screen reunion for many notables from the series following the passing of its legendary creator, Agnes Nixon.
Will you be checking out Strahan & Sara next week for the segment? Let us know via the comment section below.

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There was an article a few years ago, she was bedridden and living with her daughter. Someone asked for happy birthday wishes be sent to her and they would bring them to her daughter. I sent/posted mine. I hope she did receive them all ultimately.
This is something else that she passed away near the time her show is going dark. RIP Mary Fickett.
Very sad news…she has been missed on AMC for years (no offense to Lee Meriweather). I’m sure Fran Heflin gave her a big hug from all of us…
So sorry to hear this.Really loved her acting.RIP
I am so sorry but it seems all most karma that she has left this earth.I watched faithfully and just adored her.Thanks for letting us know an angle has gone to the angels.Wonderful actress so real being a nurse and her family so important to her.
omg!! she was just awesome in the role of ruth martin – my heart & prayers definitely go out to her family & loved ones……..
What a gift she gave us for almost 30 years.
She was an incredibly important part of AMC for me from the very first day. I don’t know why, but for some reason, that actress and that character always had a great appeal for me.
In Chicago, where I’d moved from Iowa in 1972, I actually got to meet her. A friend who worked at a department store, Carson Pierie Scott, called me at the bank I was working at to tell me that RUTH MARTIN was on her floor!! I got permission for an early lunch and ran right over there. She was as nice as I thought she’d be. How exciting it was to meet her, and such graciousness….
In all her interviews, she comes off as just about as nice as her character.
R.I.P. indeed.
Actress Mary Fickett, who twice appeared on ‘The Edge of Night,’ and was married to Edge long-time director Allen Fristoe, has died in Fredericksburg, Va., at the age of 83.
Mary Fickett’s passing now makes four of the most recently cancelled shows have suffered losses in their professional families. Days before the final airring of GL, Tom O’Rourke, aka Dr. Justin Marler, died. O’Rourke’s passing was ironic, as his character was the biological father of Phillip Spaulding, and days before GL’s final episode, the man who had raised Phillip, Alan Spaulding, died (played by Ron Raines). As we all know, on May 1, 2010, ATWT lost its matriarch Helen Wagner (Nancy), just weeks before taping its final show on June 23. Just a couple of weeks ago, longtime OLTL director David Pressman died at the age of 97, and, now, sadly, Mary Fickett, of AMC, has died. She was TWICE on the Edge of Night, and her third and most recent husband Allen Fristoe, was Edge’s director. He passed away a couple of years ago. My condolences to Mary’s family.
Rest in peace, Mary. We love you & Ruth very much!
Oh what sad news….Rip Mary and God speed.
Your good works on AMC will never be forgotten.
Sad news….as with Helen Wagner (ATWT) she didn’t make it until the end (of her show’s run).
I always liked Ruth my deepest condolences to her family.
Mary was as All My Children is, part of our family. She seemed like a sweet, genuine person. My deepest sympathy to your family Mary. May God grant them peace. Thank you for being a part of our lives for 30 years!
I am so sorry to read this. I grew up with this wonderful woman , watching her daily. She was like family. Rest In Peace Mary. We love you always!