Actress Identification Filter
February 7, 2011 11:57 AM Subscribe
A soap opera actress lives in my neighborhood and I see her every day walking her dog. We exchange friendly hellos, and it's driving me crazy that I don't know her name. Halp!
Okay, she's a soap actress -- or at least she was years ago when I was watching General Hospital. She's got red hair. She's tall and thin -- but not a "bombshell" type. More of a boyish figure. I think she might have played a baddie -- but I'm not sure.
It's not the woman who played Lucy Coe on General Hospital -- but the vibe is similar.
Nowadays she looks to be in her late 40s, maybe 50. Can anybody tell me who this is from my feeble description?!?
Okay, she's a soap actress -- or at least she was years ago when I was watching General Hospital. She's got red hair. She's tall and thin -- but not a "bombshell" type. More of a boyish figure. I think she might have played a baddie -- but I'm not sure.
It's not the woman who played Lucy Coe on General Hospital -- but the vibe is similar.
Nowadays she looks to be in her late 40s, maybe 50. Can anybody tell me who this is from my feeble description?!?
Response by poster: No, not Jackie Zeman. Less pretty than that -- I hate to even type that, but I think the woman I'm talking about was specifically presented as a very plain type of character. Her hair and clothes, if I'm not mistaken, were always presented more plainly than most soap characters.
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:05 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:05 PM on February 7, 2011
Why don't you ask her?
posted by Leezie at 12:07 PM on February 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Leezie at 12:07 PM on February 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
"or at least she was years ago when I was watching General Hospital"
could you narrow this down for us? were you watching in the 70s, 80s, 90s, etc?
posted by nadawi at 12:10 PM on February 7, 2011
could you narrow this down for us? were you watching in the 70s, 80s, 90s, etc?
posted by nadawi at 12:10 PM on February 7, 2011
If you're slick, you might be able to ask her without her realizing you don't know her name. "This is so silly--I know we see each other every day--but you used to be on a soap opera, right? Which one?"
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:23 PM on February 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:23 PM on February 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
Do you think it might be Skye Chandler (real name Robin Christopher)? She also went by Skye Quartermaine.
posted by Gilbert at 12:38 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by Gilbert at 12:38 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: I could definitely ask her, and I will if it i comes to that, but I'd love to find the answer here.
It's not Michelle Stafford or Robin Christopher. Start thinking: older, meaner (her character) and way, way less pretty.
(I watched regularly through the late 80s and I'm pretty sure she was on a soap then, but def. not General Hospital.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:40 PM on February 7, 2011
It's not Michelle Stafford or Robin Christopher. Start thinking: older, meaner (her character) and way, way less pretty.
(I watched regularly through the late 80s and I'm pretty sure she was on a soap then, but def. not General Hospital.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:40 PM on February 7, 2011
She's a bit older than your range, but maybe Jane Elliott?
posted by diamondsky at 12:51 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by diamondsky at 12:51 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: Not Jane Elliot.
Keep the guesses coming, peeps. I beg of you! It's driving me craaazy!
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:59 PM on February 7, 2011
Keep the guesses coming, peeps. I beg of you! It's driving me craaazy!
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:59 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: But maybe I'm thinking too young -- who's out there with red hair now in their 50s?
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:59 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:59 PM on February 7, 2011
Well, even older is Maree Cheatham who played Lucy Coe's Aunt Charlene on GH.
posted by cabingirl at 1:19 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by cabingirl at 1:19 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: Not Mareer Cheatham, but I adore you all for even trying to help me.
What if I said, she's really not pretty. Kind of thin and pinched. Does this help?
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:23 PM on February 7, 2011
What if I said, she's really not pretty. Kind of thin and pinched. Does this help?
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:23 PM on February 7, 2011
Brenda Dickson? She currently looks like the victim of some shitty cosmetic surgery.
posted by iconomy at 1:24 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by iconomy at 1:24 PM on February 7, 2011
Look her up on IMDB.com. They'll usually have pictures of people that starred on the show.
posted by JohnE at 1:25 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by JohnE at 1:25 PM on February 7, 2011
Best answer: If she were older, I'd say possibly Jill Larson/Opal Gardner etc. on All My Children
posted by sardonyx at 1:35 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by sardonyx at 1:35 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: (Yeah, I don't know which show.) Not Brenda Dickson.
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:37 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:37 PM on February 7, 2011
Some random guesses:
Suzanne Rogers (Days of Our Lives)
Patsy Pease (Days of Our Lives)
Robin Strasser (One Life to Live)
posted by twoporedomain at 2:19 PM on February 7, 2011
Suzanne Rogers (Days of Our Lives)
Patsy Pease (Days of Our Lives)
Robin Strasser (One Life to Live)
posted by twoporedomain at 2:19 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: None of those. Wow -- I had no idea I was asking such a tough question. I figured someone would answer it in three seconds and I'd be bummed I wasted a question on it!
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:38 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:38 PM on February 7, 2011
Again slightly older than your age range, but Robin Strasser/Dorian Lord on One Life to Live.
posted by sardonyx at 3:00 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by sardonyx at 3:00 PM on February 7, 2011
Another possibility: Julia Barr/Brooke English, AMC.
Or Kate Collins/Natalie & Janet Gree Dillon, AMC.
posted by sardonyx at 3:08 PM on February 7, 2011
Or Kate Collins/Natalie & Janet Gree Dillon, AMC.
posted by sardonyx at 3:08 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: No, Sardonyx, neither of those. Way, way less pretty. (It kills me to describe the woman that way, but maybe it'll help the search.) Think of the deliberately unattractive characters.
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:11 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:11 PM on February 7, 2011
Gillian Spencer? (AMC's Daisy Cortlandt)
Elizabeth Lawrence? (Probably too old. Definitely a "pinched" character -- Daisy's mother, Myra Murdoch Sloane, was the Corlandt's housekeeper)
Tracey Bregman? Y&R/B&B's Lauren -- a baddie in her heyday, but stylish. A bit "pinched" looking these days.
posted by jgirl at 3:40 PM on February 7, 2011
Elizabeth Lawrence? (Probably too old. Definitely a "pinched" character -- Daisy's mother, Myra Murdoch Sloane, was the Corlandt's housekeeper)
Tracey Bregman? Y&R/B&B's Lauren -- a baddie in her heyday, but stylish. A bit "pinched" looking these days.
posted by jgirl at 3:40 PM on February 7, 2011
I must admit you've got me curious. At this point I'm just going to through some names at the wall:
Jeanne Cooper
Ilene Kristen
Bobbie Eakes
I know you said you watched GH, but any change it's Vanessa Marcil?
The funny thing is I'm not a celebrity or actress worshipper, but I'm really shocked the MeFi hasn't given you the answer yet, so I'm really curious about the resolution of your question.
posted by sardonyx at 3:40 PM on February 7, 2011
Jeanne Cooper
Ilene Kristen
Bobbie Eakes
I know you said you watched GH, but any change it's Vanessa Marcil?
The funny thing is I'm not a celebrity or actress worshipper, but I'm really shocked the MeFi hasn't given you the answer yet, so I'm really curious about the resolution of your question.
posted by sardonyx at 3:40 PM on February 7, 2011
Barbara Garrick? She played Allison Perkins on One Life to Live in the 1980s. (She was definitely a villain.)
posted by atropos at 3:55 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by atropos at 3:55 PM on February 7, 2011
Jeanne Cooper is much older than the OP describes, despite her various rejuvenations.
posted by jgirl at 3:55 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by jgirl at 3:55 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: Ack! None of those! Okay, let me take a different route and see if this jogs anyone's memory:
This is a yoga teacher who I take classes from. In my daydreams, this yoga teacher is the younger, prettier version of the soap opera actress who lives on my block.
(And thanks to all of you who are hanging in here with me on this.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:59 PM on February 7, 2011
This is a yoga teacher who I take classes from. In my daydreams, this yoga teacher is the younger, prettier version of the soap opera actress who lives on my block.
(And thanks to all of you who are hanging in here with me on this.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:59 PM on February 7, 2011
Marcy Walker? (Liza Colby on AMC)
Jennifer Bassey? (Marion Colby Chandler, Liza's mother. A bit red-headed, fine-boned face [not unattractive] and deliciously evil for schtupping Liza's boyfriend Tad, back in the 80s!)
Man, I'm supposed to be studying the Ottoman Empire right now...
posted by jgirl at 4:00 PM on February 7, 2011
Jennifer Bassey? (Marion Colby Chandler, Liza's mother. A bit red-headed, fine-boned face [not unattractive] and deliciously evil for schtupping Liza's boyfriend Tad, back in the 80s!)
Man, I'm supposed to be studying the Ottoman Empire right now...
posted by jgirl at 4:00 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: WAIT WAIT WAIT -- I somehow missed it up above. It is Jill Larson.
OMG I'm so sorry -- somehow I missed clicking on that one in my constant looking back and forth at this thread.
She is prettier in real life and has a cute little black dog.
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:03 PM on February 7, 2011
OMG I'm so sorry -- somehow I missed clicking on that one in my constant looking back and forth at this thread.
She is prettier in real life and has a cute little black dog.
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:03 PM on February 7, 2011
Best answer: It doesn't surprise me that Jill Larson looks very different in real life. Her character was always dressed in the most outrageous, white-trash-meets-old-money styles imagainable: lots of big earrings, frizzy hair, tight clothes and over-done make-up. The running joke was the she owned a beauty salon and was always offering her best friend, the glamorous Erica Kane, make-overs and time in the chair.
posted by sardonyx at 4:09 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by sardonyx at 4:09 PM on February 7, 2011
I probably should have linked to a picture like this instead of the much better shot.
posted by sardonyx at 4:15 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by sardonyx at 4:15 PM on February 7, 2011
Response by poster: Wow, she's a lot older than I thought she was -- 63. Guess I need to remember that when estimating ages in the future!
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:25 PM on February 7, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:25 PM on February 7, 2011
It doesn't surprise me that Jill Larson looks very different in real life. Her character was always dressed in the most outrageous, white-trash-meets-old-money styles imagainable: lots of big earrings, frizzy hair, tight clothes and over-done make-up. The running joke was the she owned a beauty salon and was always offering her best friend, the glamorous Erica Kane, make-overs and time in the chair.
She's still playing Opal on AMC, in a recurring role. And Opal has moved beyond the trashy side of her look and is now rather elegant in an avant garde sort of way.
posted by fuse theorem at 4:29 PM on February 7, 2011
She's still playing Opal on AMC, in a recurring role. And Opal has moved beyond the trashy side of her look and is now rather elegant in an avant garde sort of way.
posted by fuse theorem at 4:29 PM on February 7, 2011
Or maybe I should have posted something like these:
Opal in the Glamorama
Opal gets revenge
Opal, Palmer and Daisy
posted by sardonyx at 4:32 PM on February 7, 2011
Opal in the Glamorama
Opal gets revenge
Opal, Palmer and Daisy
posted by sardonyx at 4:32 PM on February 7, 2011
You're right fuse theorem. The last few times I saw her, avant garde elegant was a good description of the character's style.
I wasn't sure if Opal's character was still on the show or not, especially as I have the impression that ABC dumped a number of older, character actors from its soaps during the past few years.
In a total co-incidence I happened to flip AMC on today for the first time in a number of years. I swear I had no idea who three-quarters of the characters were. I got the impression a bunch were re-casts, but some of the others I couldn't even guess at.
posted by sardonyx at 4:42 PM on February 7, 2011
I wasn't sure if Opal's character was still on the show or not, especially as I have the impression that ABC dumped a number of older, character actors from its soaps during the past few years.
In a total co-incidence I happened to flip AMC on today for the first time in a number of years. I swear I had no idea who three-quarters of the characters were. I got the impression a bunch were re-casts, but some of the others I couldn't even guess at.
posted by sardonyx at 4:42 PM on February 7, 2011
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posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:58 AM on February 7, 2011