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Margaret DePriest, Writer for ‘General Hospital,’ ‘Days of our Lives,’ ‘All My Children’ and More, Dies at 94

By Michael Fairman

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Photos: NBC, ABC, CBS

One of the most revered soap opera writers in the genre’s history, Margaret DePriest, has passed away at the age 94. The five-time Daytime Emmy nominee, died of natural causes at her home in Greenwich Village, New York per her daughter, Sara Kimbell, who informed the Hollywood Reporter.

DePriest actually passed away one month ago on September 29, 2025, but the importance of her stories and work should not be under estimated in the field of daytime drama. After starting her show business career as an actress on stage and television, she nabbed the role of Abby Cameron in 1965 on The Edge of the Night. The same year, she won an Obie Award for Best Actress for her work in the theatre for her turn in The Place for Chance.

Later, she co-created the CBS daytime drama Where the Heart Is in 1969 and the rest is a resume that is remarkable. Eventually, DePriest became the head writer of Love of Life in 1975, then wrote for The Doctors in 1976. One of her big breaks was working alongside General Hospital iconic executive producer, Gloria Monty as DePriest helped revive GH from ailing soap from 1978-1981 in the early heyday of Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis) and through the their 1981 wedding along with Pat Falken Smith.

Photo: ABC

Later, DePriest headed to Salem and Days of our Lives, and in 1982 was the co-head writer along with Sheri Anderson where they created and introduced the blue-collar Brady family into the mix. Margaret was also credited with creating the Salem Strangler serial killer storyline to help revitalize the show and was instrumental in the writing of Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope’s (Kristian Alfonso)1985 iconic wedding

DePriest was also head writer on NBC’s Another World in 1986-88 and again from 1996-97, ABC’s All My Children in 1989-90 and One Life to Live in 1990-91, and on NBC’s Sunset Beach from 1998-99.

Sara Kimbell said of her mother’s writing in soaps, that she was “exacting and unafraid to challenge executives. She favored strong female leads and layered storylines that tackled social change, class and identity.”

Photo: NBC

Throughout her writing career, DePriest received five Daytime Emmy nominations for Writing in a Drama Series; One in 1981 for General Hospital, two in 1984 and 1985 for Days of Our Lives, one in 1990 for All My Children and one in 1992 for One Live to Live.

In addition to Margaret’s daughter, survivors include her son, Jake; son-in-law Wayne; and grandchildren Eli and Chaya. DePriest was married to her second husband, writer Paul Price, until he passed away in 2012.

Share your remembrances for the writing of Margaret DePriest and your condolences via the comment section below.

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I love her name it sounds so Gothic

1978-1981 on GH and 1982-1985 on Days was such a fantastic time to be a soap fan. Those were among my favorite eras in those 2 soaps. Today’s stories don’t even come close.

Those were my college and coming out as queer years so they are special to me beyond being my must see soap years.

Thank you Margaret, Pat & Sherri!

Your appreciation is spot on and resonates with me (same age and experience).

I followed her from soap to soap like I did Douglas Marland.

Based on scenes I have seen, Margaret DePriest had a very specific writing style that worked for the times she wrote for soap operas, and judging from her daughter’s own words, she definitley enjoyed the art of language. R.I.P. to Ms DePriest, and thank you for your storied contributions to the American soap opera.

Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Sophia Seemingly Plans to End Her Life, But Not Before Setting Fire to Johnny’s Apartment With Him Trapped Inside

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The final few moments of the Thursday, April 30 episode of Days of our Lives, will pave the way, to what just may be the end of Sophia Choi’s (Rachel Boyd) life, but not as you may think!

After an unhinged Sophia paid a visit to Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman), maced him in the eyes, knocked him out and then tied up to a chair, now conscious, she lets him know that she holds him responsible for all the trouble and trauma she has gone through from adopting her child, and her being sent to a mental institution.

So instead of the unregistered gun Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) gave her to finish off Johnny, Sophia sets up a plan to light candle, use nail polish remover and turn on the gas on the stove to ultimately create a mass explosion, which although Johnny pleaded to her not to that to all the innocent people inside his apartment building, she doesn’t seem to care.

Photo: JPI

FIERY FACE OFF

The plan was supposed to be, after she takes care of Johnny she will toss the gun in the Salem River, then focus on payback to Holly Jonas before leaving town to start a new life.

Now, Sophia makes her exit, leaving Johnny to be a few moments away from an explosion or gas inhalation, when Chanel (Raven Bowens) comes home after awaiting the results of her mammogram. She sees Johnny tied up, as he panics and tells her to put out the flame on the candle, things go awry, and a fire has begun and everything may go up in flames with Johnny and Chanel inside.

Photo: JPI

A BROKEN SOPHIA

Back in her room, Sophia breaks down after reading the social media comments about her, she planted, and then starts writing a suicide or farewell note which says. “I’m tired of begging for forgiveness for my mistakes. All I wanted was to move forward, to be loved and understood. But it’s clear that I was never going to get that. Holly Jonas said that I was dead to her. So, as her former BFF, I’m going to make her dream a reality.”

Photo: JPI

A DEADLY TRAP

Now, the fate of Johnny, Chanel and Sophia will be revealed on tomorrow’s May 1st cliffhanger, which may be the end of Sophia when she crosses paths with Kirsten at the bridge near the river. We do know Rachel Boyd is no longer appearing in the show credits section and is now off contract with the soap.

So, what did you think of the climatic final moments of DAYS? What did you think of the performance of Rachel Boyd as Sophia Choi? Let us know via the comment section.

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Jacob Martinez is ‘Days of Our Lives’ New Javi Hernandez Replacing Al Calderon in the Role

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Finally! The casting has been revealed as to just who would be Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Days of our Lives, Javi Hernandez. On Friday, April 30, the long-running soap opera revealed Jacob Martinez is taking on the part and he will first be seen this coming June 30th and then on all-new episodes streaming on Peacock.

As previously reported, the popular Calderon exited the soap opera last year to join the cast of the NBC primetime medical drama, Brilliant Minds as nurse Nico Silva, who in May will air the remainder of their second season. The series has been on the bubble for renewal by the network. His last episodes as Javi will also air this May on DAYS.

Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming, Martinez has been secretly ensconced in all the drama in Salem for quite some time. When viewers see the new Javi in story, we should learn what will happen in Javi’s relationship with Leo Stark played by Emmy winner, Greg Rikaart, plus his continued relationship with his relatives in the Hernandez clan. Currently, when Javi returned to Salem after taking care of his ailing father, and after the bust-up of his marriage to Leo thanks to Dimitri (Peter Porte), he claimed he had moved on with someone else while he was away from Salem.

Photo: JPI

Like Calderon before him, Martinez is a multi-talented actor and singer. Jacob’s resume is impressive having appeared in the musical In Pieces: The Musical at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater and he was hand-picked by Joey Contreras to play the role of Grey. Other credits include: the short film, Memory Swim and the play Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage.

Martinez hails from Norfolk, Nebraska and appeared when he was very young at the Johnny Carson Theatre, and as DAYS fans know, Jacob is now working at the Days of our Lives studios, right where the “Tonight Show” is filled. In addition, Jacob Martinez is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).

Taking to his Instagram on Thursday, April 30 once the news of his casting was revealed, Martinez, expressed, “Way too many people to thank in one post, so I’ll just say THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART to each and every person who continues to pour into me and encourage me to chase my dreams. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am. I already feel beyond blessed, supported, and loved. See you all in Salem ⏳”

Jacob Martinez appeared on Friday on the Days of our Lives Instagram account announcing his casting. You can check it out below. Deadline was the first to report the casting switch.

So, excited to learn who is the new Javi Hernandez? Please welcome Jacob Martinez to the role and be on the lookout for his debut on June 30. Comment below.

 

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Days of Our Lives’ Conner Floyd on Chad’s Quest For Abigail’s Resurrection; But Who Should Be Cast as NuAbby?

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Former Y&R favorite, Conner Floyd made his debut as the recast Chad DiMera on Days of our Lives last week on the April 21 episode of the Peacock streaming soap opera

Floyd replaced Billy Flynn in the role who is firmly cemented in his old stomping grounds of Genoa City and The Young and the Restless as Chad DiMera. For the last year or two of Chad’s story, he believed his wife, Abigail Devereaux DiMera could be alive, he even thought Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) was Abigail until the story turned.

Now with Floyd taking over the role and Lexie coming back to life after years of being dead, and Chad noting how Dr. Rolf (Richard Wharton) and his brother, EJ (Dan Feuerriegel), could resurrect somehow they all love, he thinks, how about Abigail? The part of Abigail was played by Kate Mansi and then Marci Miller. 

Photo: JPI

Speaking with Stephanie Sloane for her new Daytime Dish Newsletter on the matter, Conner shared, “Any kind of idea that she could possibly be coming back, as farfetched as that may seem, he’s stuck on it. The idea gets in his head, and he’s locked in on it.”

CHAD WRESTLES WITH THE FATE OF ABIGAIL

Floyd added that Chad, “He’s asking Theo (Joseph Tyler Andrews) about it. He’s asking EJ about it. It’s one of those things where he loves her so much that the peace in his mind that he’s made with this kind of comes unbroken. So the fact that that she might be able to come back, he’s so bent on it, he thinks it’s going to happen and he kind of spirals away.”

A NEW ABIGAIL ON THE HORIZON?

Photo: ABC

That begs the question, with Days of Our Lives taping ten months in advance, which is already taking them into the beginning of 2027, is it possible that the soap has already recast Abigail and its being kept top secret?

Recently, it was revealed that former General Hospital favorite, Sofia Mattsson (ex-Sasha) has joined Days of our Lives. Back on March 30 it was reported that Mattsson is now taping all-new episodes that will be seen in 2027, but her role was being hush-hush! Could she the new Abby?

If not, the question is, since it seems that Kate Mansi is not coming back as she is firmly entrenched in her role as Kristina Corinthos-Davis on General Hospital and other outside projects, and Marci Miller has also been away from soaps for awhile working on other TV and film roles and indie motion pictures, who should play nuAbby?

Now below, let us know, who do you think would make the perfect leading lady opposite Conner Floyd as a recast Abigail Deveraux DiMera? Be our armchair quarterback casting director and drop your pick in the comment section.

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