Tony DiMera | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Days of Our Lives character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Portrayed by | Thaao Penghlis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Duration |
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First appearance | November 6, 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last appearance | May 29, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Classification | Former; recurring (returning) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Created by | Pat Falken Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduced by |
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Spin-off appearances | Chad and Abby in Paris (2019) Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem (2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tony DiMera is a fictional character from the Peacock American soap opera Days of Our Lives , played by actor Thaao Penghlis on and off from November 6, 1981, until October 24, 1985, and from July 19, 2007, until April 1, 2009. One of the character's main storylines includes being impersonated by fellow character André DiMera at various points in the character's tenure. Both roles were played by Penghlis. He reprised the role in a guest capacity in March 2019, before returning in a recurring capacity later that July, and exiting again in May 2023. On October 3, 2024, it was announced Penghlis would reprise the role, [1] when Tony returns in June 2025. [2]
Count Tony DiMera arrived in Salem in 1981 with two purposes. He wanted to win back his wife, Liz Chandler, whom he had never officially divorced. He also wanted to scope out Salem on orders from his father Stefano DiMera to see if it was suitable to relocate the DiMera family business. Setting up his penthouse with hidden cameras, Tony throws a big party with invites sent to all of Salem's finest. After the party, Tony shows the videos to Stefano. Learning that the Brady family, the DiMeras sworn enemy, is alive and well in Salem, Stefano has Tony plant roots in the business community in order to continue the vendetta against them.
In 1982, Tony proposed to Renée DuMonde, who accepted. However, Renée discovered Lee DuMonde's diary. Reading the diary she learned that Lee was really her mother and that Stefano DiMera was her father, making Tony her half-brother. Renée quickly broke things off with Tony, not telling him the real reason in order to spare his feelings. Tony refused to let Renée go and, when she told him the truth, he refused to believe they were siblings. Tony blamed Stefano for breaking them up. When Tony tried to leave town, Stefano faked a heart attack. Tony later learned that he and Renée were in fact not related due to a death-bed confession by his mother Daphne DiMera and had the blood tests to prove it. Renée had moved on and was married to David Banning when Tony learned the truth. Despite the evidence that they were not related, Renée refused to leave David. She was later killed by André.
Around the same time, Liz Chandler became pregnant with Neil Curtis' child, though Tony believed it was his. Tony would grant Liz her divorce, but only after the baby was born, because he wanted the baby if it proved to be his. Liz gave birth to her baby, and when Tony realized it was Neil Curtis' child he quickly divorced Liz.
In 1984, Tony and evil lookalike André came face to face. André chained Tony up and took his place pretending to be Tony. It was the first, but wouldn't be the last time he impersonated Tony in the next 20 years.
In 1985, Tony and Anna became engaged once again. Their attempts at marriage encountered many rocky starts. Their first attempt was sabotaged by Alex Marshall and an actor playing a minister, thus their "marriage" was invalid. When they attempted a second time to get married, Anna was kidnapped. Eventually Tony and Anna were finally married, and returned to Salem. After returning from Salem Anna was accused of murder and while trying to prove her innocence Tony disappeared. Anna was also blamed for her husband's disappearance, but in truth Tony was held captive by a very much alive Claud Van Zandt, Anna's supposed victim. Claud was eventually discovered as being alive, and Anna was acquitted of all charges. Eventually, Tony was blackmailed by Emma Donovan to divorce Anna and leave Salem.
In 1994, Kristen Blake promised her ailing father, Stefano that she would marry Tony. She goes through with her wedding to Tony, who is later revealed to be Tony's lookalike, André (Penghlis). Kristen travels to the family estate in New Orleans, Maison Blanche, where she is taken captive by a very much alive Stefano forcing John Black to come to the rescue. She later discovers "Tony's" schemes to impregnate her and moves in with John. She and John are about to marry when it is revealed that John is actually a priest; Kristen, a devout Catholic, returns to "Tony." [3] Later, John and Kristen are reunited after he is released from his vows and her marriage to "Tony" is annulled. In November 1995, Kristen goes to Aremid as her brother Peter Blake is preparing to marry Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves). While there, "Tony" fakes his death and frames John. Though she believes in John's innocence, Peter forces Kristen to testify against him despite John being exonerated. [4]
After over twenty years outside of Salem, Tony was finally located on a deserted island. Anna convinced him to return to Salem to confront his past (and his father), and Tony agreed to team up with the Bradys to end the DiMera/Brady feud once and for all.
In 2009, Count Antony "Tony" DiMera was pronounced dead in Salem University Hospital after falling and becoming impaled, following a fight with Philip Kiriakis over a fuels project that Tony acquired from Titan Industries. The fight was witnessed by Tony's then sister-in-law Nicole Walker. In March 2019, Tony appears in a dream to Marlena Evans. In July 2019, he is revealed to be alive when Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) visits him in Chicago, after it is revealed she helped him escape from a warehouse explosion, where he was being kept during Dr. Rolf's experimental treatment. There, Kristen blackmails Tony into marrying her — under the disguise of Nicole — in order to gain control of DiMera Enterprises.
Before her death, Daphne DiMera claimed that her lover Enrico, the DiMera family gardener, was Tony's real father and blood tests in the early 1980s supported this as fact.
In 2020, Charlie Mason from Soaps She Knows placed Tony and André jointly at #28 on a list of the 35 most memorable characters from Days of Our Lives, commenting that "Thaao Penghlis’ lookalike connivers have to share an entry, if only because during any given era, we could never be sure which of them we were really watching." [5]
Thaao Penghlis is an Australian actor. He is best known for roles in United States daytime soap operas such as Days of Our Lives, Santa Barbara, and General Hospital, but has also guest-starred on a number of crime dramas, such as Kojak, Cannon, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, Hart to Hart, Nero Wolfe and Magnum, P.I.. He also starred in the late 1980s remake of Mission: Impossible. Penghlis has studied under Hollywood acting teacher Milton Katselas.
Roman Brady is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. The role was originated in 1981 by Wayne Northrop, who played the role until 1984 and from 1991 to 1994, and is currently being portrayed by series veteran Josh Taylor, who stepped into the role in 1997. Roman is a member of the fictional Brady family, and has been a central character on the show since his introduction in 1981. Over the years, Roman has been involved in a number of storylines, including romances, family conflicts, and mystery plots.
Stefano DiMera is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, played by Joseph Mascolo. Created by Pat Falken Smith, Stefano was introduced on January 18, 1982 as the father of Tony DiMera looking to expand his criminal empire to Salem. Stefano's early storylines included his feud with Roman Brady, playing his children – Tony and Renée DuMonde against one another when he is presumed dead, orchestrating a series of murders with his son and Tony's deranged look-a-like André, and replacing the presumed dead Roman with the brainwashed John Black.
Abe Carver is a fictional character on the long-running American soap opera Days of Our Lives. Actor James Reynolds has played the character since he originated it on the series in 1981, and is currently the fifth longest serving actor on the show. The role is one of the longest-running African American characters in American soap operas. The character was created by head writer Pat Falken Smith. Abe is the widowed husband of Lexie Carver, daughter of international crime lord, Stefano DiMera. He is the father of Brandon Walker and Theo Carver and the adoptive father of Lani Price.
Lexie Carver is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera, Days of Our Lives, created by head writer Leah Laiman. The role has been played most notably by actress Renée Jones, who appeared in the role from 1993 until departing in 2012. She is the daughter of crime boss Stefano DiMera, and the psychic Celeste Perrault. She is the mother of Theo Carver, and was the wife of mayor Abe Carver.
John Black is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera originally aired on NBC and now streaming on Peacock. Drake Hogestyn played the role from January 1986 until January 2009, and returned in September 2011. Hogestyn last appears as John in the September 9, 2024, episode, weeks before his death on September 28.
Anna DiMera is a fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, Days of Our Lives. She was introduced as the estranged wife of Roman Brady and the biological mother of his daughter, Carrie Brady. Created by head writers, Margaret DePriest and Sheri Anderson, Anna is portrayed by Leann Hunley. Anna is known for being a member of the powerful, upper class DiMera family from her marriages to Tony DiMera.
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.
EJ DiMera is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writer James E. Reilly and introduced under executive producers, Ken Corday and Tom Langan, EJ is the son of crime boss Stefano DiMera and the eccentric Susan Banks. Originally portrayed by child actors: Avalon, Dillon and Vincent Ragone from February 1997 to April 1998, the character was rapidly aged in 2006 when James Scott was cast in the role; he departed the role in October 2014. In 2018, the role was briefly portrayed by Trey Baxter. In June 2021, Australian actor Dan Feuerriegel assumed the role.
Susan Banks is a fictional character on NBC's daytime drama Days of Our Lives. She was played by Eileen Davidson from November 4, 1996, to April 8, 1998, and again in 2014 and 2017. Susan is the eccentric mother of Elvis "EJ" DiMera, and once acted as Kristen Blake's doppelganger. In November 2011, it was announced that Brynn Thayer would take over the role of Susan, since Davidson was committed to The Young and the Restless. Thayer made her brief one-off appearance as Susan on December 7, 2011.
Kristen Blake DiMera is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. The role was portrayed by Eileen Davidson. Davidson joined the cast of Days of Our Lives in 1993, and departed in 1998 after a five-year stint. After a 14-year absence, Davidson returned to the role of Kristen in the fall of 2012. Kristen and her brother Peter were raised by super villain Stefano DiMera at a very young age following the deaths of their parents; however, their mother Rachel was later revealed to be alive.
Nicole Walker is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, a long-running series about working-class life in the fictional town of Salem. She was introduced in 1998 by head writer Sally Sussman Morina, and executive producer Ken Corday. Actress Arianne Zucker has portrayed the character since her introduction to the series in 1998. In 2006, Zucker left the soap in pursuit of other acting possibilities. She returned to the role in 2008. In 2016, Zucker also appeared as Helena Tasso, a deceased woman who bears a resemblance to Nicole, in flashbacks. In March 2017, Zucker announced she would once again leave the role. She made her final appearance in the role on October 20, 2017. Following her departure, media outlets began to report that Zucker was to reprise the role for a short-term visit in December 2017 after being spotted on-set; Zucker explained her visit, stating that her daughter was included in the annual telling of the Christmas Story at the University Hospital.
André DiMera is a fictional character from the NBC Daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives. The role was originated in 1983 by Thaao Penghlis when André was introduced as the nephew of Stefano DiMera. Having undergone plastic surgery to look identical to Stefano's stepson, Tony, André—on Stefano's behalf—sets out to frame Roman Brady for a series of murders. However, plans go awry as André claims several victims including Stefano's daughter Renée DuMonde. André's later plans to help Stefano heal his brain tumor and get revenge on their enemies culminates in André's presumed death in November 1984.
Elvis "EJ" Aaron DiMera and Samantha "Sami" Gene Brady DiMera are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American soap opera Days of Our Lives. Since 1993, the role of Sami Brady has been portrayed by actress Alison Sweeney. James Scott originally portrayed the role of EJ DiMera when the character was introduced on May 30, 2006, but in 2021 when EJ finally returns for the first time on-screen since his supposed death in 2014, he is now portrayed by actor Dan Feuerriegel. Scott says that his days of acting are now behind him.
Santo DiMera is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. He was portrayed by James Scott from July 9, 2007 to September 28, 2007. Scott reprised the role on August 20, 2008, as a figment of John's imagination. The titular character was the father of Stefano DiMera and established the wealth and power of the DiMera family.
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.
Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem is an American soap opera limited series. It is a spin-off of the flagship Days of Our Lives television series. It premiered on Peacock on September 6, 2021, with a daily episode through September 10, 2021. Beyond Salem: Chapter 2, a second season of five episodes, premiered on July 11, 2022.