Last Friday, the cast and crew of Days of Our Lives gathered together on set to honor the iconic Deidre Hall for her 50th year with the long-running soap opera. Next month, will mark Hall’s first on-screen appearance as Dr. Marlena Evans back on June 21, 1976.

Days of Our Lives, executive producer, Ken Corday presided over the proceedings in honor of his legacy star. Several of Deidre’s longtime co-stars were also in attendance as was Access Hollywood who on Monday night’s May 18 episode featured a segment on Hall.

While taking her turn at the podium to speak, an emotional Hall shared, “I’m just stunned. I’m very touched. Every moment has been a gift. I’m so deeply grateful for today.” She added, “I’m grateful for the friendships and I’m so grateful for you all.”

Courtesy/AccessHollywood

KUDOS FOR HER CO-STARS

Speaking with Access Hollywood, Deidre shared how affected she was by seeing those she work with taking time to honor her five decades contribution to the soap. “You look out and see this face, and this face, and this face, and think, ‘I know all of you. I’ve worked with all of you.  I’ve suffered with all of you.  I’ve wept with all of you. I mean, it’s just a family.”

Deidre was surprised by videos played to her during the celebration from Alison Sweeney (Sami), Thaao Penghlis (Tony) and Leann Hunley (Anna), plus The Young and the Restless icons, Eric Braeden (Victor) and Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki).

Speaking to the Access Hollywood cameras, Eric Martsolf who plays Deidre’s son on the show, Brady Black expressed, “My first day was with her. I walked in and she gave this giant just enveloped hug. I knew right then and there that this was probably a place I was going to be for a long time.”

Courtesy/AccessHollywood

Susan Seaforth Hayes, who plays Julie Williams and is the current longest running cast member of the soap, added, “When I was losing my husband (Bill Hayes) in real life, who was also my husband on the show, she came to be at Bill’s bedside. The support and the the tenderness, that outpouring has stuck with me a lot.”

Stephen Nichols (Steve “Patch”Johnson) said, “It’s the queen, the diva of daytime television, Deidre Hall. I had to dress up and I know that she’s the kind of person who would appreciate that because she’s always so perfectly coiffed and beautiful.”

Photo: JPI

RYAN GOSLING/DEIDRE HALL COLLAB UPDATE

With 50 years and showing no signs of slowing down, Hall recently learned she had another big star who also admired and adored her, three-time Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling.

Hall gave an update if a collab with Ryan is in the cards? We know Ryan’s partner, Eva Mendes is all for it! “I’ve been in touch with Eva, and she’s amazing and generous, and kind and thoughtful,” teased Hall. “So, I hope we all get to go toe to toe at some point.”

Catch Access Hollywood’s report on Deidre Hall 50th anniversary on set celebration below.

Now, share your thoughts on Deidre Hall’s incredible milestone of five decades as Dr. Marlena Evans via the comment section below.

Over the weekend on May 16, former Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place star, Patrick Muldoon (ex-Austin Reed) was laid to rest in a celebration of life service attended by many who worked and knew him in the DAYS family. The mass was held at the St. Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica, California.

Muldoon passed away back on April 19 when he had a sudden and fatal heart attack. The fan favorite actor was 57-years-old. The coroner’s report and death certificate reportedly indicated that underlying causes included: pulmonary embolism and coagulopathy disorder, a genetic condition that impairs the blood’s ability to form clots properly, were involved.

Galen Gering (Rafe, DAYS) posted an incredibly touching video montage, showing the handout of the celebration of life mass for Muldoon. Then, the lyrics to one of Muldoon’s beautiful songs, as he was also an accomplished singer and songwriter. That was followed by a photo of Christie Clark (ex-Carrie, DAYS), Alison Sweeney (ex-Sami, DAYS) and himself, and then one of Patrick with Kate Mansi (ex-Abigail, DAYS, now Kristina, GH). At the end of the compilation, Gering wrote, “We will never forget you, Bruv.”

Photo: KMansiIG

Kate Mansi shared a photo on her Instagram Story with Galen, Christie, Alison and herself from the the Celebration of Life expressing, “One beautiful day celebrating the spirit of Patrick Muldoon. No surprise it was as authentic as you my friend.”

Rodney Peete, the former USC football star also attended and took to his Instagram and shared, “Tough Day saying goodbye to my friend Pat Muldoon!!! He was my Teammate, My Brother, My Friend🙏🏾 miss you already brotha!!” It should be noted that while Patrick made his career in acting, he was also quite the athlete when he was growing up, including playing tight end for the USC Trojans in the 80s.

In addition, Patrick Muldoon’s ex-girlfriend and dear friend Denise Richards’ (ex-Shauna, B&B) daughter Sami Sheen was also in attendance and shared a snap of the handout for the service on her Instagram.

Soap fans first saw Muldoon as Kate’s (Lauren Koslow) son on DAYS back in 1992, where he quickly became pat of the love story between Austin Reed and Carrie Brady and of course, Carrie’s sister, Sami, wanting Austin for herself! Patrick left the series in 1995. He later made a comeback for appearances in 2011 and 2012.

On Melrose Place, Muldoon played bad buy Richard Hart from 1995-1996. He launched his acting career while in college landing the role of Matt in the 1990 sitcom Who’s The Boss? alongside the likes of Judith Light (ex-Karen, OLTL) and Tony Danza. Following his graduation, Patrick nabbed a recurring role as Jeffrey Hunter in Saved By The Bell by 1991 and the rest was history.

Now below, take a look at the images from Patrick Muldoon’s celebration of life and remembrances from Galen Gering. Then let us know, were you touched to see Patrick’s DAYS colleagues in attendance to remember one of their own? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

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EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) is always in the thick of things on Peacock’s Days of Our Lives. Currently on all-new episodes his pet project to bring his sister, Lexie Carver (Nikki Crawford) back to life, seems in part, successful.

Meanwhile, his machinations with the women in his life continue as viewers wait to see just what he may remember about Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) and his past, and what trouble he and Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) will stir up, and that’s only part of EJ’s story.

Recently, viewers learned at the reading of Stefano’s will, that the Phoenix’s Queen of the Night, Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) was bequeathed a chess set. In fact, Stefano left it not only for Marlena, but her late husband and Stefano’s ultimate adversary, John Black. Clearly, there is more to the story, after Marlena declined the gift and walked out without saying a word, opening up another mystery.

Photo: JPI

In a brand new conversation with Days of Our Lives leading man and villain, Dan Feuerriegel now featured on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel, he previews just how EJ may be deployed into the mystery of Marlena’s chest set from his father, the iconic Stefano DiMera.

CHECKMATE

First, Feuerriegel weighed-in on what EJ truly thinks of Marlena. “Respects, but cautious. Marlena’s the Queen Bee,” explained Dan. “So, there are some people on DAYS that EJ will not mess with, shall we say, and Marlena is one of those characters.”

As to what is up with the chess set that Marlena was given and turned down at the will reading, Dan shared, “There’s some fun that that occurs with that chess board and shall we say, like a little adventure. Obviously, EJ is suspected of having something to do with this, but also, in regards to the will reading, he was shut out. So, he’s curious. EJ’s kept a little bit to the side about what it is, because it’s his father. However, it’s going to lead to some pretty fun stuff.”

EJ has always wanted his father’s respect, so might that be what drives him to make sure Stefano’s wish with Marlena is carried out? Dan weighed-in. “I think in the end, EJ will do what his father wanted. So, whatever that entails that’s what he’ll do. With this and the chess set, he’s a little bit out of the loop, which is infuriating for him, but it also gives him a lot of curiosity. He definitely wants to keep himself involved. But as I mentioned, he’s kept to the side a bit, but he’ll get his mitts in there somewhere.”

THE HARD GOODBYES

In soap operas, cast members come and go, and sometimes, often like a baseball team analogy, they are traded from one show to another, or their story has run out for now. But in soaps, never say never.

For Dan, he had to say goodbye to some very key members of his on-screen family when they departed Days of Our Lives for various reasons: his on-screen brother, Billy Flynn (ex-Chad, now Cane, Y&R), on-screen son, Carson Boatman (Johnny) and on-screen sister, Stacy Haiduk (Kristen/Susan, now Patty, Y&R). As DAYS fans know, the series tapes ten-months in advance of dropping new episodes, so fans can expect to see both Boatman and Haiduk firmly in their Salem roles for months yet to come.

Photo: JPI

BILLY FLYNN

“It was a bit of a bummer because I had developed a close bond with him and he was a lovely guy,” Dan shared fondly. “We shared a lot of the same kind of humor and views on the world and things like that. We were able to chat and it was shame. But look, Billy’s got a big family now, and he needs to do what’s best for him and his wife and his family. And so, you completely understand it. Then, Connor Floyd came in and Connor is just as lovely. It kind of sucks because the guy that is more handsome than me leaves, and then is replaced with a guy just as handsome. I’m like, ‘okay, alright.”

Photo: JPI

CARSON BOATMAN

It’s no secret that some of the best scenes were always between EJ and his son, Johnny. So, when Carson Boatman was let go from the show late last year, it was hard for all involved. “It’s a similar situation to Billy to be honest. It’s like the people that I loved the most moved on from the show and it’s sad,” shared Dan. “It’s because Carson and I were friends outside of the show. We would hang out and just like me and Billy we’d talk to with each other and everything like that and that just translated into (our on-screen) father/son dynamic.”

Photo: JPI

STACY HAIDUK

Since Dan became the new EJ DiMera back in 2021, he had the opportunity to work with Stacy Haiduk not only as EJ’s sister, Kristen, but as the wacky Susan Banks, EJ’s mother! Here he sums up his experience working with Haiduk and the respect he has for her as a performer.

“I adore Stacy so much. Whenever she plays (Susan Banks) my mother, it’s so much fun,” said Feuerriegel. “They give her so much dialogue and the way she talks is so different. Stacy will improvise a little bit here and there. But the amount of times I’ve had to bite my lip from not laughing because she just makes such great, fantastic, outrageous choices … and she’s also an absolute sweetheart. Then, to go from that, to the dynamic of Kristen where it’s very brooding and a very similar brother/sister dynamic, it’s fantastic. To be able to work with with her was really, really lovely. She’s an amazing woman and a fantastic actor. I know she’s at Y&R now which is great. But, that’s another a bummer for me. There’s been a few little heartbreaks for me, personally.”

Now below, check out our full conversation with DAYS Dan Feuerriegel now on the Michael Fairman Channel, where we touch on many subjects on the life and times of EJ DiMera.

Then weigh-in: what do you think is the story behind Marlena (and her late husband John) being gifted the chess set by Stefano? What are your hopes for EJ DiMera in the months to come? What did you think about the sentiments shared by Dan on the departure of several of his beloved co-stars? Drop your thoughts in the comment section.