Marla Adams
Marla Adams on the set of The Secret Storm in 1968.
Born	(1938-08-28)August 28, 1938 Ocean City, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	April 25, 2024(2024-04-25) (aged 85) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1958–2020

Marla Vene Adams (August 28, 1938 – April 25, 2024) was an American actress. She was best known for playing the roles of Belle Clemens on the CBS soap opera The Secret Storm (1968 to 1974) and Dina Abbott Mergeron on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless (1983 to 1986, 1991, 1996, 2008, 2017 to 2020). She won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role on The Young and the Restless in 2021. She had been nominated in the same category in 2018.

Early life

Adams was born in Ocean City, New Jersey. She won the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May pageants. ^[1] She was named Miss Diamond Jubilee at the 75th anniversary celebration of her hometown in 1954. Adams graduated from Ocean City High School two years later. She studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. ^{[2] [3]}

Career

The day she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Adams won the role of Ottilie Schill in the original Broadway production of The Visit. ^[2] The play ran from May 5, 1958 to November 29, 1958 at the Morosco Theatre. She co-starred with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. ^[4] She made her film debut, appearing opposite Natalie Wood in the period drama Splendor in the Grass (1961). ^{[5] [6]}

Adams briefly appeared as Mildred Deal on General Hospital in 1963. She was cast as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm in 1968, playing the role until the show's cancellation in 1974. ^{[2] [7]} She was the show's reigning villainess, stopping at almost nothing to destroy the life of the show's leading heroine, Amy Ames ( Jada Rowland). ^[3]

Adams made guest appearances on The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Harry O, Marcus Welby, M.D., and Barnaby Jones. ^{[3] [8]} She played Ruth in the TV movie The Secret Night Caller (1975), co-starring with Robert Reed. ^[9] She guest starred on Emergency!, Adam-12, and Starsky & Hutch. ^{[3] [8]} Adams appeared in the comedy film Special Delivery (1976). ^[10] She continued to land guest starring roles on The Streets of San Francisco, The Love Boat, Carter Country, Archie Bunker's Place, and Happy Days. ^{[8] [11]}

In 1983, Adams briefly played the role of Myrna Clegg on the CBS soap opera Capitol. ^[2] She was then cast as Dina Abbott Mergeron on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The character was the wife of John Abbott and the mother of his three children. Adams began airing in the role on May 27, 1983. ^[12]

Adams played Cathy in the TV movie Concrete Beat (1984). ^[13] She also appeared in the film Gotcha! (1985). ^[14] In 1986, she left the role of Dina on The Young and the Restless when her contract ended. ^[12] She guest starred on Who's the Boss? and Beauty and the Beast. ^[8] Adams played Shirley in the TV movie Maybe Baby (1988). ^[15]

She played Helen Mullins on the NBC soap opera Generations from 1989 to 1990. ^[2] Adams then played Beth Logan on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful in December 1990. The role had previously been played by Nancy Burnett. ^[16] Adams made a brief return to The Young and the Restless as Dina in 1991. ^[12]

Adams appeared in the TV movie White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (1991). ^[17] She also played Gladys Baker, the mother of Marilyn Monroe, in the TV movie Marilyn and Me (1991). ^[18]

Adams briefly returned to The Young and the Restless as Dina in 1996. ^[12] She appeared on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives as Dr. Claire McIntyre, first airing on February 3, 1999. She played the role until September 2, 1999. ^[19] She also had a recurring role on Walker, Texas Ranger from 2000 to 2001. ^[20] In 2000, she played First Lady Matthews in the television film The President's Man, starring Chuck Norris and Dylan Neal. ^{[21] [22]}

She reprised her role as Dina for three episodes on The Young and the Restless in 2008 when Katharine Chancellor was presumed dead. In May 2017, Adams returned to her role. ^[23] The following March, her performance garnered her first Emmy Nomination for Best Supporting Actress. In October 2020, it was announced that she would exit the role. ^[24] She won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her character's storyline tackling Alzheimer's disease, after her second nomination, on June 25, 2021. ^[25]

Personal life and death

Adams met her first husband, George Oates, at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. They were married for seven years, then divorced after he left her for her best friend. She later remarried and divorced again. Adams had two children, a son and a daughter. She also had two grandchildren. ^[2]

She died in Los Angeles on April 25, 2024, at the age of 85. ^[3]

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marla Adams.

• Marla Adams at IMDb
• Marla Adams at AllMovie
• Marla Adams (Aveleyman)