News
Jensen Buchanan Pleads Guilty In DUI Case Where Other Driver Was Seriously Injured
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Former Another World, One Life to Live, As the World Turns, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless actress, Jensen Buchanan, pleaded guilty late last week for driving under the influence and causing serious injuries to the other driver.
Buchanan now faces the possibility of a year in prison, and five years of probation plus up to 365 days in the county jail.
Originally back in October, Jensen pleaded not guilty to the charge of DUI causing injury, and felony DUI with a blood alcohol content of over 0.08.
The judge in the case reminded Buchanan that the sentence was conditional, until the court hears about the victim, Bradley Asolas’ medical conditions during the sentencing hearing set for October 6th. According to the Santa Maria Times, Asolas and his wife, Sandy, said they were “shocked and appalled at the outcome of Friday’s hearing.”
In court reports, Buchanan crossed the double yellow line on the highway on May 18, 2016, and slammed head-on into Asolas. The victim suffered serious injuries and had to be flown to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
The crash reportedly caused injuries to the pelvis, humerus, two broken ribs, lacerations of the liver, spleen and pancreas, just to name a few of the injuries Asolas sustained. In addition, nearly half of his heart muscle died and parts of his spinal column were broken. The reports from the case also add that cardiac problems developed soon after the crash that further complicated Asolas road to recovery.
So, what do you think of the case and what sentence that Buchanan should receive? Comment below.
It’s not up to me to decide on a sentence. It does sound like the victim sustained horrific injuries.
People need to stop drinking and driving.
If you go to the link, it sounds like she’ll be sentenced to a year in jail and 5 years probation. If, after hearing from the victim, the judge wants to deviate from this, Jensen can withdraw her guilty plea.
My cousin Jess died tragically at age 19 after a drunk driver slammed into the car she was riding in-she was her parents only child…people who are drunk driving and causes these horrible crimes deserve more than a slap in the hand and NO forgiveness because that means you accept what has happen and in my book its not forgivable…i am no longer a fan of hers and hope she does prison but longer than a year…do i sound too harsh…i dont care how harsh i sound…
Amen Jimmy!
Amen JimH
ANOTHER AMEN!!!!!
Absolutely, jimh! There is too often more mercy displayed for the perpetrators than the victims of these totally avoidable criminal tragedies that never could have/should have happened in the first place were the completely selfish decision(s) to drink and drive not been chosen.
You bet, Jimmy, Timmmy, and Shay…LOL…
Lock her up and throw away the key. I have lost all respect for Jensen, of whom I was such a fan.
….just as she has no respect for herself and human life.
There is no excuse; nothing for which to understand or forgive.
And, for those who claim that we should give a care, show compassion for others’ misfortune, mental state or problems….believe you me, I do…boy, do I, in spades!!!! I reserve those feelings for those who deserve it….for those who are injured.
But, she knew well enough to get in a car and take it to the proverbial “saloon” of old. How could I feel sorry for her. She should have known better. I am sure this cannot be the first time….she just didn’t get caught. It was bound to happen, sooner or later…one hopes it won’t happen again….or will it? Is a slap on the wrist in order?
She has issues? Who doesn’t???? These issues should be solved by a professional, not by drowning herself in alcohol. This coward’s way out is irresponsible and dangerous to others on the road….as we have seen.
But, if she makes the choice of drinking herself into oblivion, she should do it in the privacy of her own home, not take it outside and use her vehicle as a deadly weapon.
I pray the injured party comes out of this in good health…..must be hard on his emotional state, as well; and the family’s.
Celia…once again, you are SO RIGHT ON!!!!! My dear…whatever respect that I had for Jensen is now G-O-N-E FOREVER!!!!! SAYONARA!!!!!
Have a good one, my friend.
Pay the two dollars.
I loved Jensen as Vicky. She was everyone’s favourite! But we have to separate the actress from the characters. Celebrities are human. They have problems and addictions and make mistakes and cannot be above or outside the law. Their actions have consequences too. I hope she gets the help she needs first and foremost if alcohol is a problem. If she does time in jail, I hope it is a time of learning and soul searching rather than a terrible or violent experience. Maybe one day we could see her on our screens again. Melissa or Sarah Horton on Days? Kristen Forrester on B and B? My prayers are with JB as she enters this uncertain period in her life.
Anne heche everyone’s favorite vicky and won an emmy and soap digest award. I feel for Jensen but drinking and driving is just bad.
Had to reply here…if my family member drives drunk i would feel the same as i do about her…put that person away…i have had several family members spend time in jail and prison and i tell them too that they got what they deserve…none have killed anyone but if they did i wouldnt have anything to do with them!
I agree with you Jovin, Jensen was the best Vicky!
She couldn’t even play both parts they had to bring Ellen wheeler back to play marley. Anne was the best, sorry. Jensen’s Vicky was an imitation of Anne. She was just ok.
Calm down Anne Heche!
This is BEYOND RIDICULOUS!!!!! That Jensen Buchanan chick needs to be sentenced to A LOT of years in prison!!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!
She needs life in prison Jaybird, big boo will come after her..Jensen is a drunk.
Ricardo…DAMN RIGHT that woman needs life in prison!!!!! That woman clearly has ISSUES!!!!! Beyond pathetic.
Have a good one, Ricardo.
Oh, I’m right there with you, Jay, my friend. Truly sad all the way around.
Throw the book at her! She is old enough to know better and someone was seriously hurt!
It’s a tragic case for all. I have respect for her for taking responsibility for her actions. No one really wins in this situation.
I have to say… a year in prison is NOTHING compared to what happened to the victim. We all know what happens when we get behind the wheel, and sadly most of the time it is always the innocent victims that are the most damaged in these cases.
A year in prison? This man will never again be the same. Tell that to his family.
Sorry but I have no patience in these matters. Unforgivable.
I agree, especially when services like Uber and Lyft abound, in addition to the always reliable taxi. Absolutely NO reason to drink and drive in this day and age.
This whole mess is extraordinarily sad and depressing. What a horrific and tragic turn this man’s life has taken.
It’s insane that we still must deal with drunk driving tragedies in 2017. When will people finally get it? Will they ever? Shame on you, Ms Buchanan!
It is up to the court to decide, not on a social media blog.
Michael posted the article, we will react, its a blog, get it?
I have read so many ugly comments about JB pleading guilty. Do I condone drunk driving? Absolutely not. But for all everyone knows, she could have a serious issue and might need help and support. I am sure she feels bad enough without everyone casting stones. I hope she is getting the care she needs and will come back with a great story to tell about overcoming a horrible issue. I would love to see people stop hiding behind their computers and spewing hatred and have a little more understanding that actors, singers, and anyone in the public eye are human and make mistakes.
Mistake?…it isnt like something you can easily erase with a pencil…her victim needs support, not her…she is old enough to know what she was doing….i have problems and i dont drink as an excuse….she chose to drink but her victim did not choose to be a victim!
Hopefully the VICTIM will come out of this with a great story!
It always baffles me, Ray, how hate is always used when someone expresses her/his opinion on an article as serious as this which Mr. Fairman posts. Now, I ask; is that fair?
Hate has nothing to do with it. You have heard of MADD, I am sure, Ray…..and, with all due respect, I am a mother with children who one day will be drivers. My rldest is eight; yet I worry already. I also worry when he goes to school, when both my children are in the car with my husband and me, or with family. I can taste my fear.
As many here have said, there’s absolutely no reason for Jensen to get drunk and drive. I do not care about her problems. Get help….she has family!!!!
I care for the innocent victims who have every right to be on the road without worrying about these low-life drunks damaging them for life.
This is how I feel. It does not make me a hater. I know someone very close to me, as an intern ( in the emergency room, just a few years ago) who saw more deaths than a body could count due to drunk driving.
She made the choice, knowing she could potentially kill both herself and other motorist….please, the thought it could have been a child makes my hair stand on end and give me goose bumps—-sick to my stomach.
Just as you are surprised at those of us who “spew hate” ( absolutely not true) for rebelling against this evil, I am surprised how easily you defend her—-mind blowing!!
I apologize to anyone that I might have offended with my comments. First of all, let me say again, that I do not condone driving under the influence. It is stupid with Uber being so inexpensive. Second, I was raised to help others when they are down and facing issues. I do not drink or takr drugs, b
I was typing on my phone and it sent my comment before I was finished. It was never my intent to hurt anyone with my comments. You are correct, I have never lost anyone in a drunk driving accident. But, I have lost friends to drugs, which is a choice I made early in life never to do. After re-reading my comments, it seemed like I was supporting the “guilty” party instead of having sympathy for the victim. Again, not my intent.
It is obvious that Jensen made a very bad decision. It is obvious she needs help that she made such a bad decision to drink and drive. My comments were made because unless some of the comments that were made from people that know her personally, they seemed unusually tough. The women needs help, not to be condemned as the worst person on the planet.
Nowadays, I am just as concerned with people texting while driving. If your husband, wife or children make the mistake of doing this and hurts someone in an a car accident, are you going to have the same feelings toward them as you do someone who drinks and gets behind the wheel? Is it really worse to hurt someone while texting or from drinking? Again, I do not condone either, but before bad comments are made, maybe we should stop to think how we would feel if this was a member of our family or a good friend.
Ray, be strong. My faith teaches me compassion. I 100%believe this is horrible for the victim and family. It isn’t wrong to want both sides to heal.
It’s irresponsible to drink and drive and this is why we have our laws. But I will pray for both, its how I was raised in my faith.
Ray, I’m sorry you got the squeeze here. I believe I heard you express how wrong this is and how she can’t walk this back. You expressed compassion and that is commendable in my family.
I wish everyone the best. Even when it’s impossible to manage without digging deep. I will let the Lord judge and I will help when I can.
Shine your light, Ray
I appreciate your compassion and faith, Tomas. I am a devout Catholic; however, I never use the word hate, unless to explain a thought, as I did above. Not part of my vocabulary. Not in my household.
So, if we are to be so tolerant , we should not call others haters…..and, I definitely would not use the word in conjunction with God. If we do that, then we are all hypocrites.
Then again, some of us can never reach the pinnacle of religious purity and absolution as others, can we??
I just wonder how far people’s graciousness and forgiving nature would go given such circumstance as losing a loved one due to a drunken driver. No one’s open heart is that robust.
I have interacted with Ray before, and I know he’s a good soul.
We just happen to have different outlooks on this situation. He is a better person than I, I guess.
He can take care of himself, no need for you to disparage others with your subtle remak. Now, I ask, how does that fit in with your holiness? LOL. Just trying to understand.
Hi, Ray,
No need to apologize…not to me, at least. I was not insulted…..just somewhat mortified.
I do not want to come across as callous, without feeling or compassion. But, Jensen represents thousands upon thousands of mindless drivers with a devil-may-care attitude, who get drunk and then go on the road and create blood-baths.
When will they ever learn? This could not have been the first time….and, it always ends up in tragedy.
I feel helpless, as I am sure, so does everyone else.
I will sip a glass of wine on social occasions, but never to the point of oblivion. Good grief, I never even tried/smoked anything illegal out there. And, believe me, Ray, I’ve had ( and to some degree still do) my share of excrutiating emotional pain….
Yes, one may argue that some people have a stronger mental constitution; granted……but, Jensen is no babe in the cradle. She knows well enough what’s what.
I pray she gets the help she needs and that HER victim recovers….at least, physically.
Mentally?….well, that’s another story.
Thank you for replying.
Lock her up! No excuses and it will send a clear message to all those other boozy/coked up pill popping actors and actresses that the orange suit awaits if they cause human carnage when intoxicated.
A serious case of what can happen when we combine driving with drinking. My heart goes out to the injured gentleman and I imagine Jensen will pay a hefty price for her criminal act. Sad all the way ’round.
I hope everyone involved heals from this tragic experience. Just remember that alcoholism is a disease, not a choice. Jensen is not a bad person trying to become good again. She is a sick person trying to get well. I hope she is getting the help she needs and can turn this negative experience into a positive by in turn helping others overcome their problems with alcohol and drug abuse. Sending her to jail won’t do any good. Still, it looks like she is taking responsibility for what happened and willing to accept the consequences. I hope Bradley recuperates fully and can lead a long and fully functional life. I also hope he and his family can summon enough empathy to find forgiveness in their hearts and also try to turn this painful experience into a positive one moving forward. My thoughts are with them all.
Sending her to jail wont do any good…so should she just simply walk…if a drunk driver did this to you and your family you are ok with it…is that the message you want out there..that you cant help being an alcoholic so its all right if you hurt and kill someone because its just a sign you need help…let her get her help in prison…its wrong to drink and drive and we must keep sending this message out there…its the only way to get people who drink too much to learn what they are doing is wrong and dangerous…
Exactly, and what about the sick and injured person laying in the hospital bed…I sometimes (usually) feel as though the victim is forgotten about in these situations. Good post Jimh.
Jim….with all due respect…what if it was one of your family members who was the driver? I doubt you would be so bold and vitriolic. The thing that most people don’t get is that many people who drive drunk do not set out to do so. What alcohol does is it goes to work immediately on your frontal lobes in your brain. It obliterates your ability to reason, to think clearly, and if enough is consumed it literally blocks your ability to think at all! I am not making excuses, I am just presenting scientific facts. Jensen is well past the party girl starlet stage. I doubt she was going out for a good time and to be a bad ass. Sometimes when people need to learn a lesson, they learn it the hard way. Jail is not a fix for the root problems associated with alcohol abuse. Do I think Jensen needs some criminal prosecution? Yes, absolutely. There has to be something done in that way. Maybe with the one year in jail, that will help her to go cold turkey with the. Lose. Maybe the jail will have counsellors or programs relating to addictions. The 5 years of probation may order her to attend meetings, maintain sobriety, maybe restricted driving privileges, etc. I am truly shocked by the harsh words posted on this site. I think a little more compassion and understanding for one another would be a great thing in this instance, and in the world at large. We as a society are always so quick to blame and point fingers that we rarely take the time to look inwards and imagine ourselves or our loved ones in a similar situation. I have been hit by, believe it or not, 4 drunk drivers in my life! I have been injured, through two bouts at a physical rehabilitation centre, I have lost jobs, and income, and suffer from all kinds of nasty pains and spasms. I don’t have a hate on for any of the drivers who hit me. I do hope that they received whatever legal punishments were due to them, but I also hope that they got help with their drinking problems. I forgive each and every one of them, and if I can say that, anyone should be able to. There are good and bad things about every situation, and good will come out of this. This man will, if he hasn’t already, receive quite a substantial financial package. Along his journey to recovery, he will meet many amazing people, including health care workers and fellow victims. Everything happens for a reason, and instead of spewing more anger and hate, try forgiveness! It is a wonderfully liberating feeling, and it puts you firmly in charge of your emotions! We all screw up, and we all want and expect forgiveness.
@Jovin….You are obviously an exceptional person, and I commend you for your positive outlook on life and deeply forgiving nature, but not everyone is perhaps as loving or spiritual as you to be able to accept their particular circumstances with the same amount of grace or mercy you have repeatedly demonstrated. And quite frankly, I cannot condemn them for their feelings anymore than I would you for yours. We all respond to things differently, and for those of us who truly believe in leading responsible, productive lives, it is indeed a very bitter pill to swallow to give someone else a complete pass when they do to us what we would never willingly do to another human being. Whilst I’ve been fortunate enough to never suffer the immense physical damages you have in collisions, I’ve been through enough of them where each and every time it was somebody else’s completely careless and thoughtless conduct which caused me much unnecessary emotional distress and extreme inconvenience, not to mention, the destruction of some very fine vehicles which were never the same after said incidents…personal property which belonged to me and which I actually treasured very much since they were gifts from my parents for graduations and other major life events. Nobody had the right to deprive me of the driving pleasure of those beautiful cars, and yet, because of what I suspect was illegal drug use by an uninsured party who initially left the scene of the crime in one case, and a few distracted dingbat women on cellphones on two other occasions, that is exactly what happened, and you know what? Years later, it still absolutely frosts me that none of these people were ever made to really pay for their trespasses against me because of too lax laws. Yes, my insurance company dealt with these guilty individuals, but not the justice system, so if they pled poverty or filed for bankruptcy, then they still got off scot-free whilst I was left with nothing more than much-devalued autos and bad memories. Understandably, you may not find that proposition as daunting as your own real life struggles, but it’s something which has made me ever more resolved in my conviction that people should always be made to pay for their bad behavior, both in terms of financial settlements and jail time when warranted!
Sending ANY human to jail who is a functioning, tax payer who contributes positively to society will do good going to jail and learning a lesson from their poor choices!
I agree with your point that alcoholism is a disease, but I still have to point out that even for those with that disease, there are choices, and choices have consequences. Being alcoholic (if indeed she is) means she has less control than many of us over the temptations to consume it; it doesn’t mean she has to get behind the wheel when she does, and I’ve never heard or read anything to indicate that alcoholics are less aware of how drunk they are than other people, they just have a (much) harder time controlling their drinking and/or stopping themselves from drinking. I feel bad for her, but the majority of my sympathy has to go to the victim; regardless of the degree of responsibility any of us might assign to JB, the victim is clearly blameless, and he’s the one who is really suffering.
I just don’t get it: how many stories like this do we have to hear before it sinks in? If you drink, don’t drive. (And if you don’t think you can stop yourself from driving if you drink, then maybe you shouldn’t drink period?)
Two lives wrecked. I shake my head. It’s sad.
Very good reply-AGREED. It is/was a choice and choices do have consequences.
@Michael
with all due respect to people affected
Thank you for the flip side of the REALITY of alcoholism. I have “lived” with this in my family growing up.
here I am a grown adult – middle age – and the devastation still cuts.
it wears on you… whittles you down. you have to let them live their own
tragic consequences befall all walks
God speed
Everyone on this story…I am also concerned about how many states are legalizing recreational marijuana. I have heard the state’s reasons why…to cut out the illegal, black market. But i can’t help but think it’s also to get the tax revenue. It seems to me that you are just allowing more possible dui’s on the road.
@jovin: statistically drunk drivers who get arrested have done this before they just have never been caught. She needs to be punished for ruining someone’s life with her carelessness.
Um…did you READ my post??
Bingo, Maca!!!!!!
The victim sustained an extensive amount of injuries. What a senseless tragedy. A very long road to recovery for the victim..
Own up to your mistakes. Be a decent human being and do the right thing regardless of what the law allows you to plead. This is disgusting.
Sorry, but I have absolutely no sympathy, empathy, hope, or good will for Buchanan. And this isn’t simply a matter of “people…hiding behind their computers and spewing hatred.” It’s a matter of an adult “hiding behind” the steering wheel of her car and carelessly, recklessly, unthinkingly committing a heinous crime. She must be punished and provide retribution to the victim!
EXACTLY, BROTHER…EXACTLY!!!!!
Thank you, Jay!
Amen, James! This revolting behavior is given too much of a pass in our society in the name of “compassion”…it’s no different than that of all the heroin addicts who are ruining this country with their unconscionable conduct…it’s costing us an absolute mint, increasing crime and putting innocent people’s lives at risk on a daily basis by allowing this behavior to continue without penalty…especially the poor children who these unthinking individuals are bringing into the world and then refusing to put first, as any responsible and caring parent would do! I’m sick of the lot of them, and tired of being lectured by politicians (of both parties) that it’s the duty of the taxpayers to keep enabling these losers to do what they’re doing without consequence. Their victims are the ones who deserve all the sympathy and resources that can be spared.
Thank you, Shay! Your reinforcement and further insights are most welcome. I appreciate the impetus you’ve provided to consider these other factors as well. You are indeed correct about the “revolting behavior” and “unconscionable conduct…putting innocent people’s lives at risk on a daily basis” and thus surmounting exorbitant costs: monetary and otherwise. I do consider myself lucky never to have become any sort of addict. But each of us is responsible for his or her own behavior, even if that behavior is a criminal offense…
Who is paying for the man’s medical costs she was three times over the limit and because it is liberal California probation and a fine will probably all that happens where we’re friends I do not understand how this tragic event happened.
I can’t imagine she will have much left after the attorney’s fees, and I assume, she must be paying for the man’s medical costs? If not now, at some point, she will be, I would assume? What a tragedy. That poor man. A senseless act.
I would hope she had car insurance. I don’t know how much that will cover. It sounds like the man is permanently affected by his injuries.
The article described Jensen as retired.
Anyone else having trouble typing in this forum?
I’m so sorry to hear this has happened. I can’t help but feel bad for the family that was injured and I can’t help but feel bad that this terrible decision to drive drunk is going to cost an actress whom I really admired a lot more than a prison sentence and restitution. IT’s a sad , sad warning that people shouldn’t drink and drive.
Agreed. It’s horrible what happened to the poor man and his family.
I enjoyed Jensen on “Another World” and am really sorry to see the route her life has taken.
Unfortunate accident – Glad she owned up. Drinking and driving happens more often than you think, and we can all learn a lesson here. PLAN if you are going to consume alcohol. Or wait, or Uber it home…. That said, I really loved this actress! And I wish her well.
@jovin
thank you for encompassing all facets of this atrocity
i’d like to put out their that @JimH would never come from a place of vitriol
his heart is as wide as yours and mine.
this is such a sensitive subject that I Place so much share with all posts.
this cuts
still I will remain vigilant for all those who share
@Jovin
this site is acting up
cannot type
“…what alcohol does is it goes to work immediately on your frontal lobes In your brain. obliterates your ability to reason, to think clearly, and if enough is consumed it literally blocks your reason to think at all ”
the human psyche all have their defense mechanism. their rational is repeated so often that it loses all meaning.
god speed and god bless all those afflicted
OK…you know what: A year in prison, 5 years in prison and another year in a county jail…WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP!!!!!!!!!! That Jensen Buchanan woman clearly has PROBLEMS!!!!! I say…throw her in front of a NO-NONSENSE AND HARD-NOSED JUDGE who will THROW THE BOOK AND HER…AND BEYOND!!!!!
The End.
I meant to type 5 years of probation and not 5 years in prison. Sorry about that.
Later.
My husband was the victim. We still live with her decision to get in her car with an alcohol content of .341 at 6:20 AM. I sat there by his side not knowing if he would live or die. Now he has a heart failure team working to keep him alive. She only spent one month in jail, because of overcrowding in the jail. I do forgive her, but we will forever live with the pain her decision made that day. Last I heard she is in a sober living facility in Santa Barbara County until she gets to go back to her career in LA. If any of us had done the same thing we would be in prison right now. Think about these things. Please call a friend, family member, Uber whatever, but don’t drink and drive. Her alcohol content was .341 that is truly a felony.
She should get the maximum sentence and probation like everybody else. She could afford car service.
This summer beginning on July 21, Netflix streams the return of WWE: Unreal for its third season. The behind the scenes docudrama series gives fans a glimpse of life in WWE and inside the writers room, as injuries, last-minute pivots, and career-defining decisions reshape WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania 42.
WWE Unreal is taking fans deeper than ever inside World Wrestling Entertainment’s creative process, The hit docuseries will once again pull back the curtain on some of the biggest moments, boldest decisions, and unforgettable storytelling with some of the WWE’s greatest legends who’ve shaped the industry and new stars who are emerging as prominent parts of the future.
In the new season of ‘Unreal’ which consists of 5 episodes at 50 minutes each: John Cena says goodbye, a fan favorite returns, and the next generation of Superstars rise to the occasion.
Photo: WWE
The cast and WWE superstars featured include: the aforementioned Cena, plus Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, CM Punk, AJ Lee, Trick Williams, Lash Legend, Stephanie Vaquer, Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Chelsea Green, Matt Cardona, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
As previously reported AJ Lee revealed on General Hospital star Maurice Benard’s (Sonny Corinthos) mental health series, State of Mind, that she was part of the cast of WWE: Unreal.
WWE: Unreal production credits include: Directors/Showrunners: Chris Weaver and Erik Powers Executive Producers: Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers, Jessica Boddy, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, Marc Pomarico Sr. Producers: Harley Glantz, Brian Decker, Michael Flynn Producers: John Galiani, Dan Gati, Jeremy Lundblad Production Companies: Omaha Productions, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, WWE.
So, what do you think of the loglines for the new season of WWE: Unreal? Who are you most excited to see featured in the behind the scenes drama from the list of WWE superstars and the twists and turns leading into this past April’s WrestleMania 42? Let us know via the comment section below.
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
General Hospital
Maurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
With the highly-anticipated returns of Finola Hughes (Anna Devane) on this week’s June 24 episode of General Hospital, Steve Burton’s (Jason Morgan) upcoming return on July 13, which also serves as the ABC daytime drama’s 16,000 episode, things are about to fire on all cylinders in the story, as noted today by series star, Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos).
On Father’s Day, the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning actor and mental health activist took to his Instagram and expressed in a video that he has some unbelievable upcoming senes with the aforementioned Burton and Hughes. Add to that Nazneen Contractor (Justine Turner) and Rick Hearst (Ric Lansing), where Benard gave credit where credit is due to the GH writing team, which is led by co-head writers, Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten..
In this video, Benard said, “I just want to get on here and say that I did some work with Steve Burton, Finola Hughes, Rick Hearst, Nazneen Contractor, and they’re all just fantastic. Truly fantastic. But, I want to say the writing was just exceptional. It truly was. It was exceptional. So, thankful for that kind of writing. I know writers don’t get the credit a lot, but I just want to say to the General Hospital writing team, keep rolling!”
GENERAL HOSPITAL PREVIEW
So now the question becomes, with a major tease like that, what is about to go down between Sonny, Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric? Will we finally get to the end of the line for Sidwell (Carlo Rota), as previously teased by the GH co-head writers? Will we learn what happened to Jason and Anna, fully? Will Justine and Sonny becomes closer or stop their liaisons? And what of Ric? Will he be true blue to his brother or double-cross him? There is a lot at stake as we move further into the summer and one that looks like it could be one of the more exciting ones in years!
FINOLA HUGHES CONFIRMED AMAZING SCENES WITH MAURICE BENARD
As a punctuation point to his video, Benard also shared this written message in the post: “I just did some wonderful scenes with Steve Burton, Rick Hearst, Finola Hughes and Nazneen Contractor and and unbelievable writing, freaking amazing scenes that you will see in the near future on General Hospital.” In fact, Finola Hughes jumped in the post comment thread and responded, “I loved our scenes so much xxx”
Fans will most likely see all the scenes Benard referred to later in July, since GH tapes approximately six weeks ahead of air.
So, are you excited to see what Maurice is talking about? Are you hyped for what’s to come on GH? Any clue on what you think will go down between the main characters on the soap with the returns of Anna Devane and Jason Morgan to the mix? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
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