Deidre Hall
Encyclopedia
Deidre Ann Hall is a dramatic American
actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans
on NBC
's daytime drama Days of our Lives
, which she played for over 29 years, and is to return to the role this summer. The character is considered an icon to the soap, and has been experienced some of the most outrageous storylines in soap opera
history. She is also an ambassador for Operation Smile.
Hall has won many award
s for her portrayal of Marlena. She has won three Soap Opera Digest Awards
for outstanding lead actress in 1984, 1985, and 1995. She won Outstanding Contribution by an Actress/Actor in 1986. Hall also received an award with Drake Hogestyn
in 2005 for Favorite Couple: John and Marlena. She has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy numerous times but has never managed to achieve one.
sister, Andrea Hall
, were born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
and raised in Lake Worth, Florida
. At age 12, Hall was elected
Junior Orange Bowl Queen. She is a graduate of Lake Worth High School, Class of 1965, and studied psychology before sidetracking into acting.
, Hall appeared in press materials for the 1952 Hudson
Twin-H-Power engine. In her late teens, Hall traveled to Los Angeles for the summer - while attending Palm Beach Junior College - and there she landed some modeling jobs and commercials through an agent. Quickly, she began appearing in television shows, thinking it was temporarily until landing a serious career as a psychologist. In a later interview, she recalled that one day, she realized that acting was her serious career.
In the 1970s, she portrayed the superheroine Electra Woman in "ElectraWoman and DynaGirl", a Sid and Marty Krofft children's show.
Hall appeared on a number of shows, including Emergency!
(as Nurse Sally Lewis), and The Young and the Restless
(as Barbara Anderson), before joining Days of our Lives
in 1976 as Dr. Marlena Evans
. In an interview, Hall said that she thought that she would have no chance, considering that she was uncertain to pursue a career in soap operas, as well as having had to compete against established soap opera veterans for the role. Hall was cast, though, and the role skyrocketed her to fame, which was proved by fan protests when a 1979 NBC promo hinted that Hall's character would be killed off. Two separate daytime television magazines named Hall the best soap actress of 1983.
In 1986, Hall began playing Jesse Witherspoon on the family drama, Our House, which ran for two seasons. She initially reacted without concern on playing on two television series at a time, explaining that she filmed Our House on weekdays while taping Days of our Lives on Saturdays. However, Hall exited Days of our Lives in 1987 when it became too difficult to co-ordinate her prime time and daytime schedules. Our House was cancelled in 1988, though she did not immediately return to the soap opera.
Instead, Hall continued to make guest appearances on a variety of prime time shows until March 1991, when she made a dramatic return to Days of our Lives. This decision was a result of a request by producer Ken Corday
, who hoped her return would have influence on the low ratings. According to the actress, she was approached to play a new character, but she refused and insisted on portraying Marlena, with a contract for six months only. Producers were reluctant to give into Hall's requests, fearing that the fans would leave after six months when Hall left. However, Hall remained on contract with the show for eighteen more years until January 24, 2009, when she was terminated due to budget cuts mandated by NBC. Her salary on Days was in the range of $60,000.00 per month, much higher than most other daytime serial actors. Hall has appeared in over 3800 episodes.
In 1995, Hall produced and starred in Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story, a made for TV movie about her personal struggles to become a mother. Longtime Days co-star Suzanne Rogers is featured in the program.
Since at least early 2009, Hall has occasionally guest-hosted Clout
, a talk radio program syndicated through Air America Media.
In 2010 Deidre Hall and her writing partner Lynne Bowman wrote "Deidre Hall's Kitchen Closeup."
In 2011 Hall guest starred on the season finale of Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva.
She and Drake Hogestyn
reprised their roles as Marlena Evans
and John Black
on September 26, 2011.
She and her writing partner Lynne Bowman are coming out with a beauty book titled "Deidre Hall's How does she do it" and it should be out on Amazon.com on or around November 1st.
for President.
She has been married 4 times. Her husbands were:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans
Marlena Evans
Dr. Marlena Evans Black is a long-running fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, Days of our Lives, a long running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem. She was played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976, with a few minor breaks in between from 1987 to March 1991 and...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's daytime drama Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
, which she played for over 29 years, and is to return to the role this summer. The character is considered an icon to the soap, and has been experienced some of the most outrageous storylines in soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
history. She is also an ambassador for Operation Smile.
Hall has won many award
Award
An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
s for her portrayal of Marlena. She has won three Soap Opera Digest Awards
Soap Opera Digest Awards
The Soap Opera Digest Awards were an awards show held by the daytime television magazine Soap Opera Digest. The awards were founded in 1984 to replace the less-lavish Soapy Award; those awards shows had run since 1977. The Soap Opera Digest Awards are meant to promote excellence in the soap opera...
for outstanding lead actress in 1984, 1985, and 1995. She won Outstanding Contribution by an Actress/Actor in 1986. Hall also received an award with Drake Hogestyn
Drake Hogestyn
Drake Hogestyn is an American actor best known for his long running role as John Black on the American soap opera Days of our Lives.-Early life:...
in 2005 for Favorite Couple: John and Marlena. She has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy numerous times but has never managed to achieve one.
Early years
Hall and her twinTwin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
sister, Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
Andrea Jean Hall is an American soap opera actress who has since retired from the genre.-Personal life:She is the twin of fellow soap actress, Deidre Hall...
, were born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
and raised in Lake Worth, Florida
Lake Worth, Florida
Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, which takes its name from the body of water along its eastern border, originally called "Lake Worth", and now generally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon. The lake itself was named for General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the last...
. At age 12, Hall was elected
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
Junior Orange Bowl Queen. She is a graduate of Lake Worth High School, Class of 1965, and studied psychology before sidetracking into acting.
Career
Along with her sister, AndreaAndrea Hall
Andrea Jean Hall is an American soap opera actress who has since retired from the genre.-Personal life:She is the twin of fellow soap actress, Deidre Hall...
, Hall appeared in press materials for the 1952 Hudson
Hudson Motor Car Company
The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other brand automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, from 1909 to 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation to form American Motors. The Hudson name was continued through the 1957 model year, after which it was dropped.- Company strategy...
Twin-H-Power engine. In her late teens, Hall traveled to Los Angeles for the summer - while attending Palm Beach Junior College - and there she landed some modeling jobs and commercials through an agent. Quickly, she began appearing in television shows, thinking it was temporarily until landing a serious career as a psychologist. In a later interview, she recalled that one day, she realized that acting was her serious career.
In the 1970s, she portrayed the superheroine Electra Woman in "ElectraWoman and DynaGirl", a Sid and Marty Krofft children's show.
Hall appeared on a number of shows, including Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
(as Nurse Sally Lewis), and The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
(as Barbara Anderson), before joining Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
in 1976 as Dr. Marlena Evans
Marlena Evans
Dr. Marlena Evans Black is a long-running fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, Days of our Lives, a long running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem. She was played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976, with a few minor breaks in between from 1987 to March 1991 and...
. In an interview, Hall said that she thought that she would have no chance, considering that she was uncertain to pursue a career in soap operas, as well as having had to compete against established soap opera veterans for the role. Hall was cast, though, and the role skyrocketed her to fame, which was proved by fan protests when a 1979 NBC promo hinted that Hall's character would be killed off. Two separate daytime television magazines named Hall the best soap actress of 1983.
In 1986, Hall began playing Jesse Witherspoon on the family drama, Our House, which ran for two seasons. She initially reacted without concern on playing on two television series at a time, explaining that she filmed Our House on weekdays while taping Days of our Lives on Saturdays. However, Hall exited Days of our Lives in 1987 when it became too difficult to co-ordinate her prime time and daytime schedules. Our House was cancelled in 1988, though she did not immediately return to the soap opera.
Instead, Hall continued to make guest appearances on a variety of prime time shows until March 1991, when she made a dramatic return to Days of our Lives. This decision was a result of a request by producer Ken Corday
Ken Corday
Ken Corday is an American television soap opera producer and music composer. He is the son of the late Ted and Betty Corday...
, who hoped her return would have influence on the low ratings. According to the actress, she was approached to play a new character, but she refused and insisted on portraying Marlena, with a contract for six months only. Producers were reluctant to give into Hall's requests, fearing that the fans would leave after six months when Hall left. However, Hall remained on contract with the show for eighteen more years until January 24, 2009, when she was terminated due to budget cuts mandated by NBC. Her salary on Days was in the range of $60,000.00 per month, much higher than most other daytime serial actors. Hall has appeared in over 3800 episodes.
In 1995, Hall produced and starred in Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story, a made for TV movie about her personal struggles to become a mother. Longtime Days co-star Suzanne Rogers is featured in the program.
Since at least early 2009, Hall has occasionally guest-hosted Clout
Clout (radio show)
Clout is a talk radio program in the United States, which began on the Air America Radio Network, and is now airing on WCPT, a progressive talk radio station in Chicago....
, a talk radio program syndicated through Air America Media.
In 2010 Deidre Hall and her writing partner Lynne Bowman wrote "Deidre Hall's Kitchen Closeup."
In 2011 Hall guest starred on the season finale of Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva.
She and Drake Hogestyn
Drake Hogestyn
Drake Hogestyn is an American actor best known for his long running role as John Black on the American soap opera Days of our Lives.-Early life:...
reprised their roles as Marlena Evans
Marlena Evans
Dr. Marlena Evans Black is a long-running fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, Days of our Lives, a long running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem. She was played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976, with a few minor breaks in between from 1987 to March 1991 and...
and John Black
John Black
John Black may refer to:Real people:*John Black , Scottish professional footballer active in the 1970s and 80s.*John Black , captain, privateer and survivor of the mutiny on the Lady Shore*John Black John Black may refer to:Real people:*John Black (footballer), Scottish professional footballer...
on September 26, 2011.
She and her writing partner Lynne Bowman are coming out with a beauty book titled "Deidre Hall's How does she do it" and it should be out on Amazon.com on or around November 1st.
Personal life
Hall has donated $1,000 to the campaign of Representative Dennis KucinichDennis Kucinich
Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
for President.
She has been married 4 times. Her husbands were:
- William Hudson (May 6, 1966-1970)
- Singer Keith BarbourKeith BarbourKeith Barbour is an American singer-songwriter. He was a member of the Jabberwocks, Brown University's oldest male a cappella group, while in college. He was a member of The New Christy Minstrels before signing to Epic Records as a solo artist in 1969...
(1972-1977) - Producer/Writer, Michael Dubelko (1987-1989)
- Author/Screenwriter, Steve SohmerSteve SohmerSteve Sohmer is a Shakespearean scholar, author of scholarly books and fiction, television screenwriter, and former network television and motion picture studio senior executive....
(1991-2006). Hall and Sohmer have two sons, David Atticus Sohmer, born August 23, 1992, and Tully Chapin Sohmer, born January 19, 1995. Both boys were born via a surrogate mother known as Robin B.
Awards, honors and nominations
- Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy AwardThe Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
- Nominated, Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for a Daytime Drama Series (1980) - Soapy-Winner, Outstanding Actress (1982)
- Soapy - Winner, Outstanding Actress (1983)
- Soap Opera Digest Award - Winner, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Soap Opera (1984)
- Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy AwardThe Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
- Nominated, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series (1984) - Soap Opera Digest Award - Winner, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Serial (1985)
- Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy AwardThe Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
- Nominated, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1985) - Soap Opera Digest Award - Winner, Outstanding Contribution by an Actor/Actress to the Form of Continuing Drama who is currently on a Daytime Serial (1986)
- Soap Opera Digest Award - Winner, Outstanding Lead Actress (1995)
- Soap Opera Digest Award - Nominated, Hottest Romance (1998)shared with Drake HogestynDrake HogestynDrake Hogestyn is an American actor best known for his long running role as John Black on the American soap opera Days of our Lives.-Early life:...
- Soap Opera Digest Award - Nominated, Outstanding Lead Actress (1999)
- Soap Opera Digest Award - Nominated, Outstanding Lead Actress (2005)
- TV Land AwardsTV Land AwardsThe TV Land Awards is an American television awards ceremony that generally commemorates shows now off the air, rather than in current production as with awards such as the Emmys. It is presented in a manner that spoofs other entertainment award ceremonies...
- Nominated, Superest Super Hero (2005) shared with Judy Strangis - Soap Opera Digest Award - Winner, Favorite Couple (2005) shared with Drake HogestynDrake HogestynDrake Hogestyn is an American actor best known for his long running role as John Black on the American soap opera Days of our Lives.-Early life:...
Roles
- San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport (TV series)San Francisco International Airport was a television drama aired in the United States by NBC as a part of its 1970-71 wheel series Four in One....
(1970) - Night GalleryNight GalleryNight Gallery is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although...
(Blonde - 1971) - Adventures of Nick Carter (Ivy Duncan - 1972)
- Adam-12Adam-12Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...
(Nurse - 1972) - The Streets of San FranciscoThe Streets of San FranciscoThe Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
(Bank Teller - 1972) - Emergency!Emergency!Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
(Nurse Sally Lewis - 1972-1973) - The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
(Barbara - 1973) - Columbo (Receptionist - 1974)
- Kung FuKung Fu (TV series)Kung Fu is an American television series that starred David Carradine. It was created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, who was also a writer for, and co-producer of, the series...
(Luise - 1975) - KarenKaren (1975 TV series)Karen was a short-lived ABC situation comedy starring Karen Valentine.A mid-season replacement, Karen lasted only five months before being canceled for low ratings.-Plot:...
(Janet Bartel - 1975) - S.W.A.T.S.W.A.T. (TV series)----S.W.A.T. is a 1970s American television series about the adventures of the WCPD's Olympic Division Special Weapons And Tactics team operating in an unidentified California city....
(Diane - 1975) - Joe Forrester (1976)
- Special Delivery (1976)
- Electra Woman and Dyna GirlElectra Woman and Dyna GirlElectra Woman and Dyna Girl is a Sid and Marty Krofft live action children's television series from 1976. The series lasted 16 weeks as part of the umbrella series The Krofft Supershow. During the second season, it was dropped along with Dr. Shrinker...
(Electra Woman - 1976) - Days of our LivesDays of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
(Dr. Marlena Evans - 1976-1987; 1991-2009; 2011) - Pray TVPray TVPray TV is a 1980 comedy film spoofing televangelism.-Synopsis:Failing UHF TV station KRUD, Channel 17, is "reborn" as Christian television station KGOD. The new format is a big success but attracts an incompatible mix of fringe ministries and broadcasters wanting time on the station...
(Sarah of Nazareth - 1980) - The Million Dollar Face (Barbara Sanderson - 1981)
- Hot PursuitHot pursuitIn law enforcement and international law, hot pursuit can refer to:*An immediate pursuit by the police such as a car chase.*In international treaty law, laws of federal states, or other legal rules governing cross-border police operations when law enforcement officers and agents of one...
(1984) - HotelHotelA hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
(Maggie Dawson - 1984) - A Reason to LiveA Reason to LiveA Reason to Live is a 1985 television film directed by Peter Levin.- Plot :The Stewarts were once a happy family, but trouble starts when wife Delores announces she wants to divorce her husband Gus. Gus, who loves his wife very much, is not able to deal with this. Problems only get bigger when he...
(Delores Stewart - 1985) - Our House (Jessica 'Jessie' Witherspoon - 1986-1988)
- Take My Daughters, Please (Nell - 1988)
- WiseguyWiseguyWiseguy is an American crime drama series that aired on CBS from September 16, 1987 to December 8, 1990 for a total of four seasons. Starring Ken Wahl, the series was produced by Stephen J...
(Claudia Newquay, 1989) - Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star AssassinPerry Mason (TV series)Perry Mason is an American legal drama produced by Paisano Productions that ran from September 1957 to May 1966 on CBS. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a fictional Los Angeles defense attorney who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner...
(Linda Horton - 1989) - Columbo (Dian Hunter - 1990)
- Murder, She WroteMurder, She WroteMurder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
(Claudia Carboni - 1990) - And the Sea Will Tell (Muff Graham - 1991)
- For the Very First Time (Mrs. O'Neil - 1991)
- Woman on the Ledge (Quinn - 1993)
- OP Center (Kate Michaels - 1995)
- Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story (Herself - 1995)
- Drop Dead Diva (Herself - 2011)