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Guiding Light and All My Children Favorite, Marj Dusay Dies At 83

PhotoL JPI

She was a force to be reckoned with on the daytime soaps, and because of it ,fans and critics alike loved her performances as Guiding Light’s Alexandra Spaulding (1993-97 and 1998-99, and 2002-09) and All My Children’s evil Vanessa Bennett (1999-2002).  But now Marj Dusay, who played these roles and so many others in her illustrious career has passed away at the age of 83.

The news came via her step-daughter, Elizabeth Perine on facebook who revealed that Marj past away on Tuesday stating: “I’m so very sad to have to tell you that my stepmother Marj passed away peacefully yesterday morning in her sleep. She was quite a woman and had quite a grand life. She was deeply loved and will be deeply missed.:

But not only did Marj portray Alexandra and Vanessa on daytime, she also had stints as Myrna Clegg on Capitol, Vivian Alamain on DAYS and Pamela Conrad Capwell on Santa Barbara.

Dusay also appeared on TV in Facts of Life, The Odd Couple, Star Trek, Hogan’s HeroesMod SquadGet SmartMannixPhyllisBarnaby JonesHart to Hart and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and many other series.

Share your remembrances and condolences of and for Marj Dusay in the comment section below.  But first check out these scene from her work on Guiding Light!

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Loved her on Santa Barbara. She was a great actress. RIP

The lady had something special that she brought to each of her roles. She was always fun to watch even when she was evil. One of the greats of daytime.

She was also in 1969s Dan Curtis pilot… Dead Of Night: Darkness At Blaisdon…(spelling)

Oh, she was wonderful. Sad, sad day.

A daytime institution!
Vanessa was deliciously wicked. Was sad that she left AMC when Josh Duhamel departed, however that made for quite an exit story.

Her scenes opposite James Mitchell and Vincent Irizarry were always top notch.

RIP

So sorry to hear this. She was truly the best!

Oh, sad. She was one of my favorites ….always bringing her A game to every role. Condolences to her family.

She created one masterpiece after another after another. She was truly gifted and will be missed. My condolences to her family.

Truly underrated actress. Loved her in each role she played. She first entered my radar on a nighttime TV movie, “Murder in Peyton Place.” Remarkable performer (who could forget her scenes with her brother Alan died in the final episodes of “Guiding Light”?).

How sad. Rest in Peace, sweet lady.

I remember her brief stint on Capitol as Myrna Clegg following the death of Carolyn Jones. I loved her on Guiding Light and All My Children. She was a great actress and I’m very sad to hear of her passing. R.I.P.

So sad to hear the news. You forget that as you age so do those who you watched when younger and that is how I remember her on SB, Days and AMC. RIP dear lady.

Such very sad news. She did a terrific job on All My Children. May she rest in peace.

Golly! I thought of her as one of the Grand Dames of daytime TV; daytime royalty. She gave us so many wonderful performances and was always a calss act. Rest in Peace, Ms. Dusay.

She was always fun to watch, and somehow — I don’t know how — she managed to follow in the footsteps of the great Beverlee McKinsey and make Alexandra Spaulding her own. Different, of course, which is how it should be — no one wants to watch a pale imitation. But with a new spin on Alex, she was delightful. Rest in peace, and thank you for the entertainment.

Great actress. She was so dominating on screen. She reminded you of Susan Hayward. Another soap great leaves the scene.

Sad News. I forgot how well she played Alexandra until I saw the show clips and her statement to Annie Dutton: “You are NOT a natural born shark like me!” And we believed her! Condolences to her family. Miss GL so much.

One of the best. Really enjoyed her work. RIP!

Very sad news, indeed!!!! Miss Dusay brought a true touch of class and glamour to every soap grande dame role she inhabited, which she always portrayed with the greatest measure of style and aplomb! One was never disappointed when Marj was large and in charge of any fictional daytime locale because she clearly owned the place—-and on her own terms, to boot! She was also a very elegant, gutsy lady offscreen, as well! I fondly recall her vocal support for fellow Russell, Kansas native Senator Bob Dole in the 1996 general election…At the time, I remember thinking how brave that was for any actress working in an industry that was so hugely and blindly infatuated with all things Clinton, yet Miss Dusay never forgot either her roots, or the huge sacrifices that her hometown’s hero, Senator Dole, had made during World War II in which he was gravely injured, left maimed for life and persevered through to become one of this nation’s most influential and inspirational politicians. Due to their shared strong personal ties to the place from which they both hailed, Miss Dusay proudly and loyally campaigned for Russell’s courageous “local son” in his run for the highest office in the land. (By the way, she also tirelessly championed many Kansas state and city charities long into her successful acting career on both coasts.) Before that, I was already a major Marj Dusay fan, but from that moment on, she forever gained my admiration as a real woman of great character!!!!! She will be missed!

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Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and Marlene King Land ‘Calabasas’, a Soap in the Vein of the ‘O.C’ and ‘Beverly Hills 90210’, at Netflix

There has been lot of soapy projects coming to life and in the works of late, and now comes word that Kim Kardashian is executive producing a new series in development for Netflix called Calabasas.

After a bidding war last week, it looks like Netflix cemented the development deal from Kim, and her producing partners American Horror Story co-star Emma Roberts (pictured below) and Pretty Little Liars creators Marlene King and Alexandra Milchan.

The concept of Calabasas is based on the book If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now by Via Bleidner.  King set to write the adaptation and will serve as the series showrunner.

Photo: JPI

According to Deadline, Calabasas is said to be in the vein of primetime young teen and young adult soaps the O.C. and Beverly Hills 90210. The story follows “Via, a 16-year-old sheltered Midwestern Catholic school girl whose world is turned upside down when her family moves and she’s forced to transfer to the fast world of Calabasas High where nothing is as it appears and where everyone is trying to be someone else. It’s a place where dreams come true … but not without complications and sometimes unforeseen consequences.”

Photo: Hulu

As fans of the Kardashians know, Kim and her family made the town of Calabasas a household and worldwide name. Kim being attached to this project helped make its sale. This marks her fourth project to sell since the writers and actors strikes concluded at the end of last summer.

So, would you be interested to see a teen soap called ‘Calabasas’ on Netflix from Kim and company? Comment below.

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The Young and the Restless and General Hospital Actress and Writer, Meg Bennett, Passes Away at 75

Meg Bennett, who had played Julia Newman and later became a writer for the top-rated daytime drama, The Young and the Restless has died at the age of 75.  The news comes from her family who shared that she lost her battle to cancer back on April 11th.

Daytime fans remember fondly, Meg’s portrayal of Victor’s (Eric Braeden)first wife. Bennett joined the show in 1980, after her first soap stint for two years in the role of Liza Walton on Search for Tomorrow.

Impressed by her story notes, the late Bill Bell, then head writer of Y&R, had Meg doing double duty acting and writing on the show from 1983-1987. When he decided to write off the character of Julia, he also wanted Meg to stick around as a writer.  Not only did this begin a whole other daytime career for Bennett, but she was not done playing Julia either. Throughout the decades, Julia would still come back to Genoa City for a visit. Most recently, Y&R fans saw Julia in 2018, and again in 2020.

Photo: JPI

Bennett also appeared on Santa Barbara and was a writer on that show as well from 1991-1993. She played the role of Megan Richardson. It was next that Meg had her longest writing stint coming to ABC’s General Hospital. Meg wrote for GH from 1993-2011.

In 1995, Bennett won her first Daytime Emmy for writing and her personal life changed after falling in love with nine-time Daytime Emmy winner, former GH head writer, Bob Guza Jr. In addition, GH also utilized Bennett for her acting skill when she was cast as the villainess Allegra Montenegro.  Meg and Bog Guza were officially married in 2004 and purchased a home once owned by Boris Karloff and Gregory Peck.

Photo: JPI

Additionally, Meg wrote for The Bold and the Beautiful 1987-1989 and later served as a executive story consultant to Brad Bell from 2002-2004.  She also wrote for Sunset Beach, Generations and GH: Night Shift throughout her writing career. She went on to win five WGA Awards for GH and Santa Barbara.

Meg is survived by her husband of 19 years, Robert Guza Jr., two stepdaughters, four grandchildren, a brother and a sister.

Share your remembrances and condolences for Meg Bennett via the comment section below.

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Steve Kent Reportedly OUT as Sony Pictures Television VP in Charge of DAYS and Y&R

On Friday, reports surfaced that Steve Kent, Senior Executive Vice President of Programming at Sony Pictures Television, is no longer with the company and overseeing the Sony soap operas, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless.

According to Soap Opera Digest, a set side source reported that Kent’s last day was last Friday, April 12th, which was one day after what would have been his final appearance in his Sony VP role at the Days of our Lives 15,000th episode on set celebration.

During that ceremony, Kent gave a brief speech giving kudos to DAYS for its incredible milestone. Days is a co-production of Sony Pictures Television and Corday Productions, while Y&R is produced by Bell Dramatic Serial Company in association with Sony Pictures Television.

Photo: JPI

Kent started his soap opera career as a producer for CBS’ defunct Capitol and then as the supervising producer of NBC’s Santa Barbara from1984 to 1993.

Photo: JPI

At Sony, before his role overseeing the soaps, Kent was Senior Executive Vice President of International Productions for Sony Pictures Television International department.

If reports are true, the question becomes who has taken over his position, and would oversee DAYS and Y&R from the Sony side? Share your thoughts on this developing story via the comment section below.

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