Darlene Conley

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Darlene Conley
Darlene Conley.jpg
Born(1934-07-18)July 18, 1934
Chicago, Illinois, U.S
DiedJanuary 14, 2007(2007-01-14) (aged 72)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active1954–2006
Spouse(s) Bill Woodson (1959–1966) (divorced)
Kurt Hensch (1970–1981) (divorced)
Children1

Darlene Conley (July 18, 1934 – January 14, 2007) was an American actress. Conley's career spanned fifty years, but she was best known for her performances in daytime television, and in particular, for her portrayal of larger-than-life fashion industrialist Sally Spectra on The Bold and the Beautiful . Conley played the role from 1989 until her death eighteen years later. Darlene's character Sally is the only soap opera character to be displayed at Madame Tussaud's wax figures galleries in Amsterdam and Las Vegas.

Contents

Life and career

Conley, an Irish American, was born in Chicago, Illinois, [1] the daughter of Melba (née Manthey) and Raymond Conley. [2] She began her acting career at age 15 when she was cast in the touring production of the Broadway play The Heiress . [3] After graduating from high school, she appeared in several stage productions, including Cyrano de Bergerac , The Baker's Wife and Night of the Iguana . In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Conley was employed with the traveling theater group the Chicago Uptown Circuit Players and Playwrights Company and on Broadway with the Helen Hayes Repertory Theater. [4]

In 1963, Conley landed a bit part in the movie The Birds , which was followed by similar small roles in movies like Valley of the Dolls and Lady Sings the Blues . [4] On television, Conley appeared in a number of made-for-television movies and guest-starred on prime time shows including Ironside , The Bill Cosby Show and Gunsmoke . She also appeared in the first episode of the fifth season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as a prison warden. Conley appeared on Little House on the Prairie in 1981, in the episode entitled "A Wiser Heart."

Daytime television

Conley's performance as Rose DeVille on the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless followed, with Conley playing many small roles on other soaps for most of the 1980s. She was the tough but basically decent prison warden Edith Hopkins on Days of Our Lives in 1983 during Liz Chandler's incarceration for Marie Horton's shooting. As Trixie on General Hospital from 1984 to 1988, she was an old hooker pal of Ruby's who worked at Kelly's. Her role as Rose De Ville on The Young and the Restless inspired William J. Bell to cast her as flamboyant fashion maven Sally Spectra on his newer serial, The Bold and the Beautiful . She earned two Outstanding Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy and six Soap Opera Digest Awards nominations for her role. [4]

She was friends with several actors who appeared on "B&B", including Fabio, who has appeared on the show several times, usually under the guise of celebrating Sally's birthday. She was also friends with Phyllis Diller, who also appeared on the show as Sally's friend, Gladys Pope.

Illness and death

Conley became ill in 2004 due to a fall that broke several bones. She recovered from the fall and returned to work (although she was usually seated during her scenes). Reports surfaced in the media in the fall of 2006 that Conley had surgery and received treatment for stomach cancer. Conley died on January 14, 2007. [3] B&B featured a tribute to Conley; John McCook presented the tribute, which featured her memorable moments on the show.

Sally Spectra is still a character on B&B. Sally's absence has been explained by having her son CJ tell his father, Clarke (and viewers), that Sally had taken a permanent vacation in St. Tropez. Head writer Brad Bell said that Sally is "bigger than life" and will live on forever. [5]

In late 2007, Sally decided to sell her fashion house. Nick Marone and Jackie Marone bought Spectra and ran the company; in a later story in 2017, the show revisited many of the storylines of Sally Spectra to introduce a new younger character, also named Sally, who is the niece of the original Sally Spectra. The younger Spectra relaunched the house of Spectra fashion line. In addition, the show brought back the character of CJ to appear in several episodes.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963 The Birds Waitress
1967 Valley of the Dolls Nurse in Sanitarium
1968 Faces Billy Mae
1970 Ironside LandladyEpisode: "A Killing Will Occur"
1970 The Name of the Game Blanche ReidEpisode: "A Love to Remember"
1970 The Bill Cosby Show Market CashierEpisode: "The Old Man of 4-C"
1970 Gunsmoke Leelah CaseEpisode: " Gentry's Law"
1970Captain MilkshakeMrs. Hamilton
1971 Longstreet Mrs. BenbrookEpisode: "A World of Perfect Complicity"
1971 Minnie and Moskowitz uncredited
1972 Lady Sings the Blues uncredited
1972 Play It as It Lays Kate's Nurse
1972 Ghost Story Ruth JerroldEpisode: "The Summer House"
1973Gentle SavageMac Moody
1973 The President's Plane Is Missing uncredited
1974 Get Christie Love! Virginia
1974 The Mary Tyler Moore Show MatronEpisode: "Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?"
1978Return EngagementAide
1979 The Stingiest Man in Town Mrs. CratchitVoice
1979 Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July Mrs. Claus
1979 The Jeffersons MotherEpisode: "The Other Woman"
1979–80
1986–87		 The Young and the Restless Rose DeVilleRecurring role
1981The ChoiceMarilyn
1981The Nashville GrabRooney
1981 Little House on the Prairie Mrs. PierceEpisode: "A Wiser Heart"
1983The FighterMrs. MacCauley
1983 Cagney & Lacey Charge NurseEpisode: "Burn Out"
1983 I Want to Live Miss Bain
1983 Days of Our Lives Warden Edith BakerRecurring role
1984 Capitol LouiseRecurring role
1985 Robert Kennedy and His Times ModeratorMiniseries
1985 Murder, She Wrote MimsEpisode: "Jessica Behind Bars"
1986 Tough Guys Gladys Ripps
1987 Scarecrow and Mrs. King JenkinsEpisode: "The Khrushchev List"
1987 Highway to Heaven Mrs. ParkerEpisode: "In with the 'In' Crowd"
1984–1988 General Hospital Trixie MonahanRecurring role
1988–2006 The Bold and the Beautiful Sally Spectra Series regular, 1558 episodes
Nominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1991–1992)
Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Comic Actress: Daytime (1990, 1993)
Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Scene Stealer (1994)
Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Showstopper (1997)
Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress: Daytime (1991–1992)
1997 The Return of Mombi Mombi Voice
1998 Pittige tijden Sally SpectraEpisode

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References

  1. ↑ Times Staff and Wire Reports. "Darlene Conley, 72; actress in TV soaps, movies". soapcentral.com. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Darlene Conley Biography ((?)-)". www.filmreference.com.
  3. 1 2 "Actress Darlene Conley Dies At 72 - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. January 17, 2007.
  4. 1 2 3 "Daytime Star Darlene Conley Dies". Television Academy.
  5. ↑ "'The Bold and the Beautiful' Shocks Fans with Spectra Surprise and We Have the Inside Scoop".
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