Jennifer Bassey
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Bassey is an American
actress.
in London
, Jennifer Bassey moved back to the United States and took roles in many Off-Broadway
plays. This led to further work in the daytime soap opera
field.
After appearing in Love of Life
, The Edge of Night
, and Somerset
, Bassey changed her professional name from "Joan Bassie" to "Jennifer Bassey." She chose the name Jennifer from Dr. Jennifer Stark, the role she had played on Love of Life.
She landed the plum role of Marian Colby on ABC
's top rated soap opera All My Children
(1983-1987, 1989, 1995-2009, 2011). She has appeared on All My Children for over 20 years and is a favorite among fans. She played a wealthy widow who became a real estate agent. Later, she was revealed to be the murderer of Zack Grayson. In 1999 she won, with cast member David Canary, the Soap Opera Digest Award
as "Favorite Couple" then in 1998 she won the award as "Favorite Scene Stealer." In 1999 she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy as "Best Supporting Actress". Since 2003 Bassey has appeared on All My Children in a recurring capacity.
On May 22, 2009, Bassey returned to All My Children as Marian Chandler, but this time without David Canary
's Stuart who was killed off at the beginning of the week. This marked Bassey's first appearance since her own husband died. Bassey's storyline, focused on her grieving the loss of Stuart, culminated in Marian attempting to shoot her husband's killer in court before suffering a mental breakdown. She exited the serial on August 7, 2009.
Bassey made her final return for All My Children in 2011 for four episodes, her character having been released from a mental institution only to reunite with her presumed deceased husband, including the series finale.
Bassey has been married once, to her longtime companion, playwright Luther Davis
from 2004 until his death in 2008 at the age of 91.
Bassey resides in Manhattan and West Palm Beach, Florida.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress.
Biography
After graduating from Royal Academy of Dramatic ArtRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Jennifer Bassey moved back to the United States and took roles in many Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
plays. This led to further work in the daytime 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,...
field.
After appearing in Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...
, The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...
, and Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, Bassey changed her professional name from "Joan Bassie" to "Jennifer Bassey." She chose the name Jennifer from Dr. Jennifer Stark, the role she had played on Love of Life.
She landed the plum role of Marian Colby on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's top rated soap opera All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
(1983-1987, 1989, 1995-2009, 2011). She has appeared on All My Children for over 20 years and is a favorite among fans. She played a wealthy widow who became a real estate agent. Later, she was revealed to be the murderer of Zack Grayson. In 1999 she won, with cast member David Canary, the Soap Opera Digest Award
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...
as "Favorite Couple" then in 1998 she won the award as "Favorite Scene Stealer." In 1999 she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy as "Best Supporting Actress". Since 2003 Bassey has appeared on All My Children in a recurring capacity.
On May 22, 2009, Bassey returned to All My Children as Marian Chandler, but this time without David Canary
David Canary
David Hoyt Canary is an American actor, who starred in both soap operas and prime time television. He is best known for his roles as the ranch foreman, Candy Canaday on Bonanza and identical twins Adam Chandler from 1983 to 2010 and Stuart Chandler from 1984 to 2009 on the daytime serial, All My...
's Stuart who was killed off at the beginning of the week. This marked Bassey's first appearance since her own husband died. Bassey's storyline, focused on her grieving the loss of Stuart, culminated in Marian attempting to shoot her husband's killer in court before suffering a mental breakdown. She exited the serial on August 7, 2009.
Bassey made her final return for All My Children in 2011 for four episodes, her character having been released from a mental institution only to reunite with her presumed deceased husband, including the series finale.
Bassey has been married once, to her longtime companion, playwright Luther Davis
Luther Davis
Luther Davis was an American play- and screenwriter. He attended Culver Academies, received a BA from Yale and rose to the rank of major in the US Air Force...
from 2004 until his death in 2008 at the age of 91.
Bassey resides in Manhattan and West Palm Beach, Florida.