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| Karen Spencer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The Bold and the Beautiful character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Joanna Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration |
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| First appearance | December 11, 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | April 18, 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | William J. Bell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Karen Spencer is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful played by Joanna Johnson. [1]
After Joanna Johnson's character Caroline Spencer Forrester was killed off the show, Karen was created to bring back Johnson to the Soap Opera. She first appeared on December 11, 1991 and remained until June 10, 1994. [2] Johnson briefly returned to the role on April 28, 2009, and again in May 2012 for a several week brief story-arc. [3]
Johnson was announced to be returning to the series in March 2012 with her daughter, Caroline. [4] In April 2012, it was announced that Crystal Chappell would join the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful as Caroline's "other" mother and Karen's wife, Danielle. [5] Despite having a busy schedule, Johnson reprised the role again in 2014, appearing on April 17 and 18 of that year. [6]
Karen was kidnapped as an infant under the name Faith Roberts and was raised in Texas by a waitress named Bonnie Roberts. Ridge Forrester was married to her identical twin sister Caroline Spencer (Johnson), who died of leukemia and married her psychiatrist Taylor Hayes. Taylor's ex-husband Blake Hayes wanted Taylor back and discovered Caroline had an identical twin sister who had been kidnapped as a baby. Blake found her in Texas and found out she was Caroline's twin sister. Blake dyed her hair like Caroline's so Karen could lure Ridge away from Taylor. Her father Bill Spencer found out and Ridge only wanted her as a friend. Blake was furious and left town. Ridge's brother Thorne, who had also been married to Caroline, began to date Karen. Thorne had Karen move in with him and his wife Macy Alexander. Thorne admits to having feelings for both of them and begins a relationship with Karen. Karen also befriended Brooke Logan. Thorne went back to Macy and Karen began a friendship with attorney Connor Davis. Sheila Carter wanted more power in Forrester Creations and by taking a picture of Karen and Connor kissing and got Connor fired but when Karen admit he was just a friend Shelia's plan failed. Karen enjoyed spending time with Forrester Creations' rival the Spectra Fashions. Karen began to be more involved with Connor and had him take and HIV test and he was negative but Karen was ready. Connor gave Karen a few drinks and went to bed together. Connor felt bad and told this to Macy. Macy decided to give him what he deserved. Connor gave Karen a surprise wedding. After they got married Connor went on a date with Darla Einstein, an employee at Spectra. Karen felt terrible, made peace with Connor, and returned Spectra to Sally Spectra before leaving L.A.
It was revealed that Karen had been working for her father at Spencer Publications in New York City. Stephanie called her to offer her condolences about the death of her father. She was present for the reading of her father's will where in it, he bequeathed 50% of Spencer Publications to her and the other 50% to her half-brother Bill Spencer Jr. She and Bill Jr. were also named the successor Co-CEOs of Spencer Publications. Although Karen was hesitant to assume the role, Stephanie assured her she would do a fine job. [7] Karen then decided to stay around town and befriended Nick Marone. Karen attended her half-brother's wedding to Katie Logan in November 2009. [8] She left town again shortly after, and focused on running the East Coast division of Spencer Publications back in New York. She returns in for Katie's surprise vow renewal ceremony in 2011.
Karen had a surprise of her own: a grown-up daughter she named after her late twin sister. Caroline was a budding designer that Brooke recruited to work with her son, Rick Forrester, in an attempt to keep Rick away from his scheming ex-wife, Amber Moore. Caroline moved to Los Angeles in 2012, and was soon followed by Karen and Karen's friend, Danielle.
Karen invites Caroline and her boyfriend, Thomas over. However, Karen insisted that Caroline keep the "family secret" when Thomas kept asking about Caroline's father. But Caroline finally convinced Karen to admit that Danielle was her spouse and Caroline's second mother. [9] Thomas took the news in stride, but Karen was adamant that Bill not discover she had come out as a lesbian, even as Karen arranged to have Danielle interview with Bill for a job at Spencer.
Caroline later reveals to Thomas that Karen's father wanted Karen to marry a junior executive at Spencer Publications but she refused. When he found out about Karen's relationship with Danielle, he refused to meet Danielle or acknowledge that Karen had a partner. He also forced Karen to keep it a secret from everyone, including Bill Spencer, Jr., and nearly disinherited Karen. With Danielle's encouragement, Karen finally found the courage to come out to Bill. Bill accepted Danielle into the family. Months later, Karen and Danielle rushed to Caroline's side when she fell over a balcony during an argument with Bill. Caroline swore it was an accident, but Karen, among others, couldn't help wondering if Bill had pushed Caroline.
When it's revealed that Bill had an affair with his sister-in-law, Brooke Logan, Katie divorces Bill and, as part of the settlement, Katie receives 1% ownership of Spencer Publications. Karen and Katie combine their stock, fire Bill from Spencer Publications and make Katie CEO of Spencer Publications.
Many months later, with Spencer faltering under Katie's leadership, Brooke and Bill approached Karen, asking her to reinstate Bill as CEO. Karen appreciated Bill's efforts to change, but she opted to keep Katie in the position. However, Brooke had kept papers Bill once tricked Katie into signing, documents which would give Bill joint custody of his and Katie's son, Will, as well as control of Spencer Publications again. Brooke had stopped Bill from filing them, but now used them to force Katie to relinquish the CEO position to Bill. Karen leaves L.A. for New York with Danielle. The two make their home in NYC once again, with Karen back to running the East Coast operations of Spencer Publications. Karen and Danielle later hosted Caroline for an extended visit. When Caroline is struck by a car, Karen and Danielle help their wheelchair-bound daughter convalesce.
Charlie Mason and Dustin Cushman from Soaps She Knows put Karen and Danielle on their list of Daytime's Groundbreaking LGBTQ+ Characters and Couples but were disappointed with their lack of development, writing that "Unfortunately, an introduction to the couple was about all we got." [10] Speaking of her 2014 return, Michael Fairman from Michael Fairman TV wrote that it "will be nice to have Joanna home albeit for visit!" [6]
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera The Young and the Restless; several characters from each of the two shows have crossed over to the other since the early 1990s. Set in Los Angeles, California, the show centers upon the Forrester family and their haute couture business.
Eric Forrester is a fictional character from the American CBS Daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, played by John McCook. He made his debut screen appearance on March 23, 1987, the show's first episode. The character appeared briefly on The Young and the Restless in 1993, 1995, 1996, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2017, and 2021. McCook had also played Lance Prentiss from 1976 to 1980. Eric is a famed fashion designer whom is known for his marriages to Stephanie Forrester. Over the years, he got divorced from Stephanie, and often he aroused her jealousy, when he had been involved with many other women, whom are listed as follows: Margo Lynley, Beth Logan, Brooke Logan, Sheila Carter, Taylor Hayes, Sally Spectra, Maggie Forrester, Lauren Fenmore, Jackie Marone, Donna Logan and Quinn Fuller.
Thorne Forrester is a fictional character on CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The character was played by Clayton Norcross from the show's premiere in 1987 until 1989, by Jeff Trachta from 1989 until 1996 and Winsor Harmon from 1996 to 2016. In September 2017, Harmon announced that the role of Thorne was to be recast, and several days after, it was announced that daytime veteran Ingo Rademacher had been cast in the role; he made his first appearance on November 27, 2017. Rademacher departed the role in February 2019. Harmon briefly returned to the role in March 2022, and once again in December 2023.
Stephanie Douglas Forrester is a fictional character from The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera on the CBS network. Stephanie is known as a strong woman who acts decisively and sometimes also controversially, to protect her children and her marriage to the famed fashion designer Eric Forrester. The determination to overprotect her children stems as a result the abuse Stephanie suffered as a child at the hands of her father John Douglas. Stephanie had a long-standing rivalry with Brooke Logan, who at first was a serious competitor for Eric's love, and later was involved with her two sons Ridge and Thorne. She had also rivalries with other women that were competitors for Eric's love, such as Margo Lynley, Beth Logan, Sheila Carter, Sally Spectra, Maggie Forrester, Lauren Fenmore, Jackie Marone and Donna Logan, but with some of them, she also developed friendships. She had also rivalries with Deveney Dixon, who at first was pretend to be her daughter Angela, and later was involved with her son Thorne, and Morgan DeWitt who was involved with her son Ridge, and even got pregnant from him when both was young, but Stephanie took her to have an abortion at the clinic. Stephanie had also a good friendship with her daughter-in-law Taylor Hayes, and she always preferred her over her second daughter-in-law Brooke. Out of respect for friendship with Stephanie, Taylor was involved with Eric only after her death. She has been portrayed since the show's inception in 1987 by Emmy-winning actress Susan Flannery. Stephanie's lung cancer diagnosis played a central role in the series, and the character died of the disease on November 26, 2012.
Macy Alexander is a fictional character in the American soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Bobbie Eakes played the role from April 27, 1989, to July 2000, briefly in August 2001, and again from December 2002 to October 2003. Macy was introduced as the daughter of Sally Spectra, with many of her storylines revolving around her relationship with Thorne Forrester, whom she has been married to three times. Other storylines have revolved around her relationships with both her paternal and maternal family, and various other men, including Grant Chambers, Lorenzo Barelli and Deacon Sharpe.
Caroline Spencer Forrester is a fictional character from the American soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. The role was played by Joanna Johnson from March 23, 1987, to July 19, 1990. She returned as a vision on June 11, 1992 and as a ghost on January 5, 2001. Johnson also plays Caroline's identical twin sister, Karen Spencer.
Katie Logan is a fictional character from The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera on the CBS network. Portrayed by Nancy Sloan for much of her duration on the series, she is currently portrayed by Daytime Emmy Award winning actress, Heather Tom. She is the younger sister of Storm, Brooke and Donna Logan. The character is known for her relationship with Bill Spencer Jr..
The Forrester family is a family in the CBS Daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The Forresters own and run the Los Angeles-based fashion house Forrester Creations.
The Logan family is a fictional family in the CBS Daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The family debuted in the soap opera's first episode, and were a central family in the show's early years, but by the early 1990s, most of the family had departed. Between 1991 and 2006, the family was solely represented by Brooke Logan and her children, with her other family members making occasional guest appearances, usually at one of Brooke's weddings. Between 2006 and 2008, Brooke's parents, Stephen Logan and Elizabeth Logan, Brooke's sisters, Donna Logan and Katie Logan, and Brooke's brother Storm Logan, were all recast and reintroduced. The family is currently represented by Brooke, her daughter Hope Logan, Hope's daughter Beth Spencer, Brooke's sisters, Donna and Katie and Katie's son Will Spencer. This is a list of all known members of the Logan family, both past and present, deceased and living.
Brooke Logan is a fictional character from The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera on the CBS network. She has been portrayed by Katherine Kelly Lang since the series's debut in March 1987. The character is part of the original four central characters and actors. Over the years, she has developed into a business woman working at Forrester Creations and a mother to five children: Rick, Bridget, Hope, R.J. and Jack. Her character is described as having "emerged as the show's quintessential vixen, always in turmoil and forever symbolic of true love and destiny prevailing." The character has also had long-time rivalries with Stephanie Forrester and Taylor Hayes. In addition to Ridge, Brooke has also had marriages with Eric Forrester, Ridge's two half-brothers, Thorne Forrester and Nick Marone, her brother-in-law Bill Spencer, Jr., and several others, including marriages to Whip Jones and Grant Chambers.
Darla Einstein Forrester is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, played by Schae Harrison from 1989 to July 18, 2006; also appearing as a ghost in July 2007, March, April, and November 2014, and in June and July 2015.
Taylor Hayes is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The character was created by William J. Bell and originated by Hunter Tylo during the episode dated June 6, 1990. Tylo exited the series in 1994 but returned several months later. She exited again in 1996 after being cast on Melrose Place, but returned shortly after being fired from that show for being pregnant. After Tylo grew dissatisfied with her character's direction and agreed with executive producer Bradley Bell that Taylor was "played out", the character was subsequently killed off and last appeared in October 2002. Tylo reprised Taylor as a ghost in 2004 before returning as a regular in April 2005, with the character revealed to be alive. Tylo exited The Bold and the Beautiful again in July 2013, but returned for guest appearances in 2014. She returned again from April 2018 to March 2019 on a recurring basis. The character was later recast with Krista Allen, who appeared as Taylor from December 2021 to November 2023. Rebecca Budig assumed the role in August 2024 when Taylor was revealed to be in Monaco.
Bill Spencer Jr. is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. He is portrayed by Don Diamont. Bill Spencer Jr. is the previously unknown illegitimate son of media mogul, Bill Spencer, a character that appeared from the series premiere until 1994 and then only sporadically afterwards. He is also the half-brother of Karen Spencer and the late Caroline Forrester. He was born in early March 1963.
Ridge Forrester is a fictional character from The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera on the CBS network. The character was introduced in the series premiere on March 23, 1987, and has been a regular fixture ever since. Ronn Moss played the role since the beginning, and was one of four remaining original cast members for 25 years, along with Susan Flannery, John McCook and Katherine Kelly Lang. During a leave of absence in 1992, Moss was briefly replaced by Lane Davies. The character's fate was uncertain when Moss departed the role in 2012, although head-writer Bradley Bell confirmed in an interview with Michael Logan of TV Guide that he had plans for a recast should Moss choose not to return to the series. In October 2013, TV Guide's Michael Logan reported that the role of Ridge was recast with former All My Children actor, Thorsten Kaye. Kaye made his first appearance as Ridge on December 13, 2013. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Denise Richards' husband Aaron Phypers appeared as Ridge in intimate scenes with Shauna Fulton in 2020.
Caroline Spencer is a fictional character from The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera on the CBS network. Created by producer Bradley Bell, she is portrayed by actress Linsey Godfrey. She is the daughter of media mogul Karen Spencer, niece of media mogul Bill Spencer Jr., and namesake of her aunt, Caroline Spencer Forrester (Johnson).
The Spencer family is a fictional family in the CBS Daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. They were introduced at the beginning of the show with the introduction of media mogul Bill Spencer Sr. until his departure in 1994. Currently, the family is represented by Bill Jr., Liam, Wyatt, Will, Douglas, Kelly and Beth. The Spencers own and manage the international media conglomerate Spencer Publications.
Danielle "Dani" Spencer is a fictional character from the CBS American soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful, played by Crystal Chappell. She made her first appearance on May 17, 2012. Danielle was introduced as the partner of established character Karen Spencer and the other mother of Caroline Spencer in the soap's first gay storyline. Executive producer Bradley Bell decided to introduce the character in order to explore attitudes towards same-sex marriage. Danielle's initial storyline revolved around her move to Los Angeles and being revealed as Karen's wife, which involves Karen coming out to her family. During the storyline, Johnson herself came out publicly. Chappell had previously portrayed LGBT+ women in two other soap operas and Bell wanted her to play Danielle. Danielle's introduction received good reviews, but Danielle and Karen's lack of storyline and development was criticised.
