Breaking News
Erika Slezak Pays Tribute to ‘One Life to Live’ TV Sister Lynn Benesch Upon Learning of Her Passing
When Erika Slezak joined One Life to Live in 1971 as the third Victoria Lord (following Gillian Spencer and Joanne Dorian), longtime fans of the beloved soap remember that Viki had a younger sister, Meredith, who was played by Lynn Benesch (born Lynn Benish, and who later was also known as Lynn Chester). Benesch was the second actress to take on the part of Meredith Lord following the exit of Trish Van Devere.
Now, Erika has posted a touching remembrance after having recently found out that Lynn Benish Chester had passed away. Obituary records detail that Lynn died back in 2023 at the age of 82. The obit shares, Lynn was the mother to two daughter, Jennie and Annie, and wife of Larry Tucker (who passed away in 2024).
Lynn appeared on One Life to Life from 1969-1973 until Meredith was killed-off when she suffered a massive brain trauma, but before succumbing to her injuries, tells Viki how happy the love of her life, Dr. Larry Wolek (Michael Storm) made her. Benesch appeared one more time in 1987 when Viki traveled to heaven and saw her sister. Throughout her career, Lynn also appeared on other soap operas including: General Hospital, The Doctors, and The Young and the Restless.

Courtesy/ErikaSlezak.com/ABC
In q heartfelt post on her website on January 19, 2026, Erika expressed, “I recently learned that Lynn Benish, who portrayed my sister Meredith on One Life to Live, has passed away. After she left California, Lynn and I had lost touch. Lynn was incredibly supportive during my early days on the show, providing invaluable help throughout my first year on OLTL. She led me by the hand and told me where everything was and what the schedule was. She and Syd Andrews, our stage manager and Ernie Graves who was Victor, literally walked me through that first day. Lynn’s kindness will always be remembered. May she rest in peace.”
It’s pretty incredible to hear those words from the six-time Daytime Emmy winning legend, and for those of us who watched One Life to Live from the very beginning and who remember the relationship between Viki and Meredith.
When Erika mentions Ernest Graves, he was the first Victor Lord of One Life from 1968-1974, and at that time the character was not the monster he later became when the writers wrote into the story of Viki’s sexual abuse by her father as a young child; which caused her to split into multiple personalities: Tori, Tommy, Jean, Princess, Niki, and Victor.
Share your remembrances of Lynn Benesch as she was known during her run on One Life to Live as Viki’s sister’s Meredith Lord via the comment section below, and your reaction to Erika Slezak’s sentiments on her former co-star.
Lynn was great as Meredith as was Ernest Graves as Victor, hated what they did with the character later. Both he and later Shepard Strudwick played Victor as a difficult man but one who was devoted to his daughters.
I am very sorry to hear this news. I most definitely remember Lynn as Meredith Lord Wolek. Lynn played Meredith longer than the originator of the role. I was very sorry when they killed off the character. It bothered me that in later years, Meredith was completely forgotten. Meredith was a much better sister to Viki than perpetual trouble maker Tina.
May Lynn Benesch rest in peace.
My watching of OLTL was kind of akin to being a fair weather fan. I loved OLTL but could not afford the time it took to juggle AMC, ( my first soap)OLTL and GH. It was embarrassment of riches back in the day. But my spotty watching of OLTL afforded me the pleasure of watching the brilliant Erika Slezak interact with the incredibly talented and charismatic May Lynn. She was so good that she had the ability to piss me off on behalf of Vicki.
I always liked watching Lynn as Meredith. I probably didn’t see Trish Can Devere as I started watching OLTL in 1970.
I remember her scenes with Dr Joyce Brothers, in the hospital. I believe Meredith was experiencing postpartum depression and Dr Brothers was helping her through it.
Didn’t Larry call her Mery?
I always thought it was unfortunate that Meredith was killed off so early in the show’s run. She could have had terrific storylines.
R.I.P. That is THE Meredith I remember. First time I was devastated when a soap character was killed off.
I’m shocked that the soap world is just now learning of Lynn’s passing. I always thought she deserved a larger television presence after leaving One Life to Live. Had I known of her turns on The Young and the Restless and General Hospital, I may have tuned in. Her seven episodes on The Doctors can be viewed on the free streaming service, It’s Real Good TV, which hosts episodes from December 1967 to September 1980. Lynn’s episodes were in 1968.
It was unfortunate that Lynn’s swan song of episodes had to play out during the regular disruption of the Senate Watergate Hearings.I also always thought Agnes Nixon erred in killing Meredith off (and Jenny on All My Children too) because there ought to have been so much more to their stories. In both cases, it had an unfortunate effect of neutering Larry’s character (and Greg’s). Larry perhaps got better treatment than Greg, but still, there was really nowhere to go without their true loves.
Breaking News
‘Santa Barbara’ Alums A Martinez and Marcy Walker: In Conversation; Two-Hour Livestream Event with the Iconic Cruz and Eden Announced
Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 7. That’s when Daytime Emmy winners, A Martinez and Marcy Walker, also known as beloved Santa Barbara supercouple, Cruz and Eden, will participate in a global two-hour streaming event where they will be in conversation together for the first time in years.
The last time A and Marcy appeared publicly together was back in August of 2024, when both stars were in attendance at the 40th anniversary of Santa Barbara. Now, host Melissa Braverman, who has also penned the upcoming book, Santa Barbara: The Complete Story, will moderate this special event beginning at 4pm ET/1pm PT.
Fans around the world who continue to celebrate the enduring legacy of Santa Barbara will be able to watch Braverman lead an intimate discussion with the actors and go behind the iconic characters of Cruz Castillo and Eden Capwell.

Photo: JPI
In a statement, Braverman shared, “A Martinez and Marcy Walker didn’t just play a couple. They created a cultural phenomenon that resonated across continents. This event is a rare opportunity for fans to hear directly from A and Marcy about their chemistry, their favorite storylines, and the lasting impact of the show’s unique storytelling.”
She added, “A and Marcy’s partnership as Cruz and Eden was unforgettable. Bringing them together for a dedicated conversation about their SB journey is a true event, and a testament to their enduring appeal and the sheer popularity of the characters they created.”
The exclusive event will feature: a moderated discussion exploring the actors’ favorite memories from the Santa Barbara set. Behind-the-scenes insights into the show’s most famous location shoots and dramatic arcs, and a Q&A session where ticket holders can submit questions in advance to the stars.
Martinez, currently starring in AMC’s hit series Dark Winds is known for his multi-decade TV and film career. He won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in 1990 for his portrayal of Cruz. In the soaps, A has also appeared on General Hospital, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives and The Bay. Walker, whose unforgettable daytime run began as Liza Colby on All My Children before her definitive turn on Santa Barbara, took home the Outstanding Lead Actress honors in 1989 for her work as Eden Capwell.
Tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime reunion are $100, and registration is open now. For additional event information, visit Melissa’s author page on Facebook or www.melissabraverman.com.
So, if you are a Santa Barbara fan and one of the unforgettable Cruz and Eden, does this sound like the event for you? Let us know, and share your favorite Santa Barbara moment and storyline of Cruz and Eden’s via the comment section, But first, in case you missed it, the Michael Fairman Channel shared the arrivals at the 40th anniversary of Santa Barbara in this video below.
Breaking News
Jennifer Harmon, ‘One Life to Live’s’ Cathy Craig, and ‘How to Survive a Marriage’ Star, Dead at 82
Sad news to report for the One Life to Live family. Actress Jennifer Harmon who was the last actress to play the emotionally troubled Cathy Craig has passed away. Harmon, who also starred on the defunct NBC soap opera, How to Survive a Marriage, died in New York on May 9 at the age of 82. Harmon’s family made the announcement.
Jennifer was the fifth actress to play One Life to Live’s Cathy, following Catherine Burns, Amy Levitt, Jane Alice Brandon and Dorrie Kavanaugh. During her two year tenure with the soap, from 1976 through 1978, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series at the 5th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1978. The award that year went to Another World’s Laurie Heineman (ex-Sharlene Frame).
In her soap career, not only did Harmon have major success as Cathy on One Life to Live, but she starred on NBC’s new soap opera, How to Survive a Marriage as Chris Kirby and stayed with the series through its entire run which lasted just over a year from 1974-1975.

Photo: NBC
How to Survive a Marriage told the story of divorced couple as they battle for custody of their daughter, and as the mom enters the workforce. In the span of a year, Chris got divorced, remarried and battled alcoholism. Rosemary Prinz was the featured name in the cast.
On One Life to Live, Cathy was the nemesis of Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak). Cathy blamed the wealthy Viki for the accident that killed her child Megan Craig Riley (even though the baby has a congenital heart defect and her life expectancy was short). So, she set out to make Viki’s life hell by kidnapping Viki and Joe’s child, Kevin.
Later, Jennifer would return to One Life to Live in the 90s to play Viki’s attorney in a new role, went on to play Jean Weatherill on Guiding Light in 1991 and Lucretia Jones on Loving in 1995. Her primetime TV credits included: Barnaby Jones, Dallas, The White Shadow, St. Elsewhere, Homicide: Life on the Street, Oz, Rescue Me and The Good Wife.
Harmon was also known as one of the most accomplished stage actresses on Broadway having appeared over 21 times in different productions spanning nearly 50 years including in plays of the works of legendary playwrights: Noël Coward, Wendy Wasserstein, Lillian Hellman, Neil Simon, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and Jon Robin Baitz. Throughout her theatre career she was was known as a reliable actress, and at times was an understudy for the likes of: Stockard Channing, Judi Dench, Jessica Lange, Blythe Danner and Jessica Lange.
Share your remembrances of Jennifer Harmon on One Life to Live, How to Survive a Marriage, and more, in the comment section below.
Breaking News
‘EastEnders’ Wins Best Soap at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards
Our friends from across the pond, BBC One’s EastEnders took home Best Soap honors at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards in London, England on Sunday, May 10.
Just last year, EastEnders celebrated 40 years on television and has seen a resurgence. In attendance were cast members: Michelle Collins, Jessie Wallace, Diane Parish, and Aaron Thiara, as well former executive producer Chris Clenshaw and his successor, current showrunner Ben Wadey.
EastEnders was nominated in the category along with their rivals, Casualty and Coronation Street. Accepting on stage was 20-year veteran of the series, Diane Parish, who paid tribute to all the hard working people in front of the camera and behind the scenes. “It’s not easy doing a soap, but we manage to make it work,” shared Parish.

Courtesy/BBCOne
A BIG RETURN AND MEDICAL CRISIS IN STORY AHEAD
Recently, it was confirmed that in honor of her two decades with the show, Parish’s character, Denise Fox, is set for a major storyline this year, when she is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a blood cancer.
And there’s more! In the winner’s press room, Ben Wadey shared there is a major return in store teasing,“I would keep your eyes peeled in the next few weeks, there might be some surprises on the horizon.”
On the official EastEnders Instagram account it also shared, “EastEnders has gone and won the Soap award at the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards! 🎉🥳🍾🙌What a huge honour, we truly couldn’t be prouder. Thank you BAFTA the whole cast and crew will be holding this one high when it makes it way home to Walford.”

Photo: EastEnders
BAFTA TV AWARD HISTORY IS MADE
Adolescence, the Netflix drama that took home Emmys and Golden Globes stateside, made BAFTA TV history during the ceremony winning four awards for the first time ever. Stephen Graham finally took home the coveted Leading Actor category in what was his 8th attempt to win a BAFTA in the fields of both TV and motion pictures.
The series is Netflix’s second most-watched English-language show of all time, and won BAFTA’s for Limited Drama and Supporting Actor and Actress for Owen Cooper and Christine Tremarco.
For a complete list of all the winners, click here.
So, happy to hear EastEnders won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Soap? If you catch EastEnders, who do you think might be returning on the horizon as teased by the series current EP? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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