Mickey Horton is a fictional character from the soap operaDays of Our Lives, played from the show's debut episode in 1965 until January 2004 by John Clarke, spanning 3,500 episodes.[1][2] The role was briefly played in 2004 by Richard Voigts, then by John Ingle from 2004 through 2006.[3]Kevin Dobson appeared as Mickey in the character's final appearances between April and October 2008.[4]
Mickey was the middle son of Tom and Alice Horton and had four siblings: Tommy, Addie, Marie and, possibly his biggest rival, Bill.[1][6] In the first episode in 1965, Mickey was introduced as a lawyer in Salem.[1][7][6] His father Tom found out that Addie's daughter Julie and a friend stole mink from a department store.[1][8] Wary that there might be legal repercussions, Tom and Mickey went to the police station to talk to the chief of police and Julie.[9][10]
In 1965, Mickey started a relationship with Diane Hunter, whose divorce case Mickey was handling, and helped her to deal with her teenage daughter Susan. Diane and her husband later reconciled, mainly because of Susan.[1][11] After many long nights working together, Mickey had his sights set on court psychiatrist Laura Spencer.[12][1] She was initially engaged to Mickey's brother Bill, but she and Mickey got together after Bill called off the wedding and left town.[13] After the David Martin murder case, they grew closer and became engaged.[14] They married the following year.[1][11]
Mickey took a sterility test, revealing that he was unable to have children; he forgot to review the results in the face of Laura announcing her pregnancy. He was unaware that his brother Bill was the father and that he had raped Laura in a drunken rage.[11][1][12] Tom saw Mickey's test results and confronted Laura, who lied and said she and Bill consensually had sex. They agreed to keep the secret to protect the family.[15][11]Michael William Horton was born in November 1968, with Mickey still believing he was the biological father.[16]
In 1970, Mickey had an affair with his secretary Linda Patterson. After he refused to leave Laura for her, Linda attempted suicide; news of the affair spread quickly in Salem. Mickey and Laura decided to stay together for the sake of their son.[1][17] Linda learned she was pregnant with what she thought was Mickey's baby, but was later revealed to be an ex-boyfriend's.[17] Mike learned about Mickey's affair in 1973 and confronted his father, who suffered a heart attack.[11][16]
John Clarke and Suzanne Rogers as Mickey and Maggie Horton
Mickey's brother Bill, a surgeon, performed a life-saving operation. Not long after, Mickey suffered a stroke and developed amnesia.[18][1] He left Salem and adopted the name Marty Hanson. Maggie Simmons, a paralyzed farm girl, took him in and they fell in love, marrying in January 1974. Later, after Mickey's picture appeared in the paper, he was reunited with his family despite Maggie's best efforts. Bill offered to operate on Mickey in an attempt to restore his memory, but Mickey refused.[1] Bill later performed a surgery to help Maggie walk again but it did not work.[1][19] Laura had started a relationship with Bill after Mickey's disappearance; she and Mickey decided to divorce. Mickey and Maggie remarried in October 1974 after they realized their first marriage was invalid due to Mickey's marriage to Laura.[18][19]
In 1976, Mike had an accident on Maggie's farm that required a blood donation. Neither of his parents were a match, leading Mickey to the conclusion that he was not Mike's biological father.[20][1] This was confirmed when he found that his brother was a match. Mickey's memory returned. He went to Linda to ask if Melissa was his and she said no.[1] In a fit of rage at being lied to for years, Mickey bought a gun and plotted to kill his brother. The two fought over the gun and it went off, shooting Bill in the arm.[1][20] Mickey suffered a mental breakdown in the aftermath and was sent to the Bayview Sanitarium for a year.[1]
Following his release from Bayview, Mickey and Maggie adopted their foster daughter Janice.[1][19] Janice was kidnapped by her biological mother Joanna in 1978 but was found and returned to the Horton household. Maggie began drinking and she and Mickey lost custody of Janice to Joanna the following year. In 1981, Maggie agreed to be a surrogate mother for an anonymous donor and was inseminated by Dr. Neil Curtis. She tested pregnant shortly after.[1][19][21] Mickey discovered that the anonymous donor was Evan Whyland but Maggie wanted to keep the baby regardless. Sarah Horton was born later that year; Mickey and Maggie were awarded custody over Evan.[1][21] They also wound up with custody of Melissa after Linda failed to appear in court.[1][22][19]
Mickey was kidnapped by Stefano DiMera after Mickey discovered that Stefano was blackmailing Evan and that Stefano caused Maggie's car accident.[23][1] In 1983, Mickey escaped the DiMera island and arrived back in Salem to find that Maggie, believing Mickey was dead, was in a relationship with attorney Don Craig. The revelation gave Mickey a second heart attack, from which he eventually recovered.[1][23] Mickey and Maggie divorced but Maggie quickly realized she was still in love with Mickey. She left Salem for New York for a year and returned in 1985, having missed Linda's plot to steal Anderson Manufacturing stock from Melissa under the guise of repairing their relationship.[1][24] Mickey was shot and convalesced at Maggie's house. They remarried in 1986.[1][25]
In 1988, Mickey ran for Senate. His rival was Jack Deveraux, who was dating Melissa. Jack proposed but Melissa learned he was using her and broke up with him. Meanwhile, Maggie and Mickey's relationship had become strained due to the long hours Mickey worked. Maggie had an affair with Neil Curtis, the doctor who inseminated her. Sarah caught them having sex and threatened to tell Mickey; Maggie and Neil then revealed that Neil was Sarah's biological father, not Evan. Despite this, Sarah still told Mickey, who blamed himself for the affair. Mickey and Maggie eventually repaired their relationship and Neil left town.[1][21]
In 2003, the Salem Stalker broke into the Horton home. Mickey was stabbed with a scalpel and Maggie was killed with a blow to the head from a wine bottle.[26][27][1] After months of grieving, Mickey married Bonnie Lockhart. It was soon revealed that Maggie was still alive and had been kidnapped by the DiMera family and stranded on their island with other Salem Stalker victims. Upon her return, Mickey spent months unsure of whether he would stay with Maggie, whose "death" had nullified their marriage, or Bonnie, his current wife. He eventually decided to return to Maggie.[1]
During the mid-2000s, Mickey was in Chicago covering several trials and was rarely seen in Salem.[citation needed] He appeared in the 2008 and 2009 Christmas episodes, watching movies and sitting in the kitchen with his mother.[28] Before New Year's Eve in 2009, he called to tell Maggie he was unable to make it home to Salem; the two decided to spend more time together in 2010. They agreed to go on a cruise in January on Julie's recommendation.[29]
Death
Mickey died from a heart attack while packing to go on a cruise with Maggie on January 8, 2010.[1][6] Maggie found Mickey's body and came downstairs in shock after attempting CPR.[1]Hope arrived at the house while Maggie was still in shock; she went upstairs to check on Mickey and called 911. The paramedics removed Mickey's body from the house.[30] A week later, the family held a memorial service, where Mickey and Maggie were both celebrated.[31] Melissa attended the service to comfort Maggie.[32] In June, Mickey's mother died of natural causes. Maggie and Julie celebrated Alice's relationship with her son, Mickey.[33]
Mickey's cases
Mickey was usually seen whenever a Salem character had legal problems and needed an attorney. Despite this, he had a reputation for never winning a case; many of his clients ended up in prison for crimes they didn't commit.[6]
Mickey represented the defendant unless otherwise stated in the table below; his role in the cases are listed. He spent a few years as assistant district attorney in the late 1980s.[citation needed]
Year
Role
Defendant
Accused crime/case
Verdict
Sentence
Actual culprit
End result and other details
1966
Lawyer
Tom Horton
Negligence in death of Carl Sawyer
Case dismissed
N/A
N/A
Marie told the court that she had attempted to commit suicide and that thanks to Tom she was still alive. Because of Marie's testimony, it became clear to everyone that it had been impossible for Tom to visit Carl because he'd had an emergency happening in his own home. As a result, the case was dismissed.[34]
Mickey encouraged her to plead innocent by reason of insanity, but Susan pleaded guilty (by reason of insanity) instead. Then Susan escaped from prison, only to face Helen Martin, who was grief-stricken that her son was taken from her. Helen shot Susan in the chest. Susan survived but had a serious heart problem that Tom took care of later on.[1][11]
1969
Lawyer
Bill Horton
Involuntary manslaughter of Kitty Horton
Guilty
Five years in prison
Bill Horton
Bill refused to say exactly why he had gone to see Kitty the night that she suffered a heart attack; (she had been blackmailing him with a taped conversation where Laura admitted that Michael was Bill's son. They lost the case as a result.[11][35]
1976
Defendant and lawyer
Mickey Horton
Attempted murder of Bill Horton
Guilty
Sent to Bayview Sanatorium
Mickey Horton
Mickey defended himself at a sanity hearing following his attempt to kill his brother. He lost the case after Laura's testimony, which stated that Mickey was well enough to be treated at home rather than in a sanitarium. This was thrown out as it wasn't objective. Mickey lost control of his calm demeanor at that moment and tried to strangle Bill. As a result, he was sent to Bayview.[1][20]
Julie entered an innocent plea but things went downhill when details of Julie's relationship with Larry and the rape came out. Had Arlo Roberts not confessed, they would have lost the case.[36][37]
Kimberly was represented by Chris Kositchek. Mickey and fellow DA Leslie Landman won and sent Kim to jail. However, Shane eventually helped trap Gillian, who really killed Emma, and she was put in prison.[39]
Harper poisoned Kayla because he felt Kayla had betrayed Jack by being with Steve. Kayla later had the charges dropped.[41]
1989
Prosecutor
Sally Wales
Attempted robbery of Brady Fish Market
Guilty
10 years in prison
Sally Wales
Sally was a homeless teen who had held people at gunpoint at the Brady Fish Market so that she could be arrested and have her child in prison. Mickey was able to get the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.[42]
Mickey asked Carly Manning to testify on behalf of Bo. Emmy, who was madly in love with Bo, was asked to testify against him. While Emmy's testimony damaged Bo's case, Carly then took the stand and told the judge about Bo's personal circumstances at the time of his criminal activities: his wife Hope's death and their son Shawn-Douglas' accident. She also told the judge that everyone believed Bo to be a hero. After hearing this, the judge decided to let Bo off with a one-year probation and 1000 hours of community work.[45][11][46]
Mickey almost lost the case, but just as the judge was about to pass sentence, Bo Brady jumped in and helped Billie remember that Stefano had killed her father, Curtis. The case against Billie was dismissed.[48]
John was in the gas chamber when Jack and Jennifer came in with evidence to save him. Years later, it was discovered that André DiMera, while pretending to be his cousin Tony, was actually the one who died by suicide via gunshot.[49][50]
Jack was sentenced to life in prison but escaped with Jennifer's help. After staging Jennifer's "death," they were able to prove that Peter was still alive.[51]
Lucas murdered Franco, who was attempting to murder his mother, Kate. To protect her son, Kate framed Sami; to save Sami, she had Franco's dying friend Roberto Barelli confess to the killing on his deathbed, freeing Sami and letting Lucas off the hook.[52][53][54]
Craig Wesley, Mike's rival, convinced Ali that if she pursued a relationship with Mike, Mike would make her head nurse. This turned out to be untrue but the two had already had sex, which led Ali to filing a sexual harassment suit against Mike. The hospital board investigated this incident.[25]
↑ Mickey and Maggie first married in January 1974; however the marriage was invalid because he was still legally married to Laura. Laura and Mickey divorced in October 1974, and Mickey and Maggie were remarried that same month. Their divorce was finalized in January 1984.
Related Research Articles
Jack Deveraux is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network, most famously played by Matthew Ashford since 1987. He is a member of the Johnson family and first appeared onscreen in 1987. Ashford is the third actor to play in the role, and appeared regularly from 1987 through 1993 and from 2001 to 2006, with a few minor breaks in between, in addition to a small guest stint in 2007. In September 2011, after a four-year absence, the character returned to reconnect with his estranged family. His return was short-lived when it was announced that Ashford had been let go, last appearing on August 15, 2012, when the character was killed off in an elevator shaft. From 2016 to 2017, Ashford reprised the role for several guest-appearances; he returned full-time on December 28, 2018. The character has also been portrayed for lesser stints by Mark Valley, Steve Wilder, and Jon Lindstrom.
Sarah Horton is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by Pat Falken Smith, and introduced by Betty Corday and Al Rabin, Sarah is the daughter of Neil Curtis and Maggie Horton. In 2018, under head writer Ron Carlivati, the character was reintroduced with actress Linsey Godfrey in the role. Godfrey's performance in the role garnered her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019. In March 2021, Godfrey departed the role, but returned in January 2022.
Lucas Horton is a fictional character on the American daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives, portrayed by Bryan Dattilo. Introduced in 1993 as Lucas Roberts, the military cadet son of businesswoman Kate Roberts, he later discovers he is the son of Bill Horton. Lucas was once in a relationship and married to Sami Brady, his mother Kate strongly disapproved of the relationship and repeatedly tried to derail it. In 2007, Lucas changed his and his son's surname to his father's surname. Lucas and Sami are the parents of Will Horton and Allie Horton, as well as the grandparents of Arianna Horton and Henry Horton. Lucas has also been married to Carrie Brady, Chloe Lane and Nicole Walker. An important storyline for Lucas is his recurring battle with alcoholism.
Alice Horton is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, portrayed by Frances Reid from the show's debut on November 8, 1965, until December 26, 2007.
Kate Roberts is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. The matriarch of the series' Roberts family, the role was originated by Deborah Adair in 1993, and is currently played by Lauren Koslow, who has held the role since 1996. Kate is the mother of Austin Reed, Billie Reed, Lucas Horton, Philip Kiriakis, and the twins Cassie and Rex Brady. Kate is the ex-wife of Curtis Reed, Victor Kiriakis, Roman Brady and Stefano DiMera, and is the widow of André DiMera. She is known for getting what she wants via scheming.
Maggie Horton Kiriakis is a fictional character from the American Peacock/NBC network soap opera Days of Our Lives played by Suzanne Rogers since 1973, the longest running role on the show, and one of the longest running in American soap operas.
Abigail Deveraux is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. Abigail was created by scriptwriter Sheri Anderson and executive producer Ken Corday. Abigail's storylines often focus on young love and budding romances. She is a member of the high class, core family, the Hortons. She is also the daughter of popular super couple Jack Deveraux and Jennifer Horton. Abigail was often titularized as the show's younger leading heroine when the character was portrayed by Ashley Benson, and is known for her popular fan pairing with Max Brady, which spanned from 2005 to 2007, when her character left for the United Kingdom to be with her parents. The character returned to the series in March 2011, then portrayed by Kate Mansi, but departed in June 2016. Marci Miller stepped into the role from November 2016 to November 2018. Following Miller's exit, Mansi returned to the role from November 2018 to February 2019. Mansi then appeared as Abigail that August in the spin-off, Chad and Abby in Paris, and then on the main show from November 2019 to May 2020. In September 2020, Miller returned to the role, until Abigail was killed off in July 2022.
Thomas Horton is a fictional character and patriarch of the Horton family on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. He was played by Macdonald Carey from 1965 until his death in 1994.
William "Bill" Horton is a fictional character from the American NBC daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives. He was a surgeon, and was one of the five children of the show's original couple, Tom and Alice Horton. Bill was a regular character on Days of Our Lives for most of its first fifteen years. The role is most associated with actor Edward Mallory, who portrayed the character for the greatest time.
Julie Olson Williams is a fictional character and member of the Horton family on the NBC daytime drama, Days of Our Lives, a long running serial about working class life in the fictional town of Salem.
Jennifer Horton is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network, currently played by actress Cady McClain. Jennifer was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith, and executive producer Betty Corday. Melissa Reeves played the role of Jennifer on and off for over 35 years, premiering on October 9, 1985. The role has also been portrayed by Maren Stephenson, Jennifer Peterson, Stephanie Cameron, and Marci Miller.
Melissa Horton is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera, Days of Our Lives.
Laura Horton is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera, Days of Our Lives, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional, United States town of Salem. Created by writer Peggy Phillips, Laura's storylines focus on family troubles. She is a member of the series' Horton family. Laura's marriage to Mickey Horton was a big part of the characters' history. She was also married to his brother, Bill. Many of Laura's storylines have also revolved around her mental health issues. Laura was initially portrayed by Floy Dean from June to October 1966, before Susan Flannery stepped in, portraying Laura from November 1966 to May 1975. Susan Oliver then portrayed Laura from October 1975 to June 1976, followed by Rosemary Forsyth from August 1976 to March 1980. The character then took a hiatus until 1993, when the role was recast with Jaime Lyn Bauer, who played Laura from November 1993 to July 1999. Bauer returned as Laura for brief stints in 2003, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2021. Cady McClain also briefly portrayed the role in flashbacks in February 2021.
Marlena Evans is a fictional character on the NBC/Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives, a long-running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem. She has been played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976, but the character was absent from the show from 1987 to August 1991 and again from January 2009 to September 2011. Marlena was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith and executive producer Betty Corday, and has become one of Days of our Lives' most well-known characters. Hall made her debut on the soap on June 21, 1976, currently making her the second longest running actress on the serial, surpassed only by Suzanne Rogers.
Xander Kiriakis is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. The character, created by Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell, is portrayed by Paul Telfer.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
