Marlena's previous departure

[Lil0]

Can someone help me recall? Several years ago Marlena was written off of the show. I can't remember the circumstances. Was Roman written off at the same time or under some other circumstances? What I do remember was that Deidre was approached to come back and she wanted Wayne Northrup to come back also -- that was a part of her agreeing to return. Does anyone out there remember this???? What was that story line about?

 

[Poirot]

Not exactly the way I remember that time. Diedre left the show to do a prime time family type series, and was gone for 5 years. Roman was already gone (Wayne N.'84) a few years before, having died in a fight with Stefano, fell off a cliff onto a beach, dying in Bo's arms.

2 years later, the "Pawn" came into town with Steve, turning out to be Roman, now played by Drake H. When Diedre H. decided to leave the show in 87, Marlena was supposedly killed in a plane explosion in front of Roman"s (Drake) eyes. When she returned, 5 years later........the infamous pier scene.....it was to Drake's Roman.

Now Wayne had been asked several times to return, he got talked into it once, which is how "real Roman" returned, and Drake became John Black. But Wayne left again, preferring life on his ranch. A few years ago he got talked into returning as a different character, Alex North.....in a storyline everyone hated,.....and subsequently Alex North lost his life falling off a cliff onto a beach. LOL

 

[Lil0]

Thanks, Poirot,
I thought that Deidre and Wayne returned together at one point. When Wayne returned as "the real Roman", had Deidre also been gone for awhile?
I'm recalling that in the movie about Deidre's life there is a scene in which she and Wayne are agreeing to return to Days. Does this ring any bells?

 

[txlala]

Thanks, Poirot,
I thought that Deidre and Wayne returned together at one point. When Wayne returned as "the real Roman", had Deidre also been gone for awhile?
I'm recalling that in the movie about Deidre's life there is a scene in which she and Wayne are agreeing to return to Days. Does this ring any bells?

While they did not return exactly at the same type I believe that Wayne's Roman was discovered shortly after Marlena returned. Roman and Marlena had been held captive on the same island and when Drake's Roman and Marlena went to investigate they discovered the real Roman. And I remember the scene you are referring to from Dee's life story. Wayne and his wife Lynn both appeared as themselves and Wayne and Dee discussed the two of them returning to Days.

 

[Poirot]

I thought Wayne's Roman escaped by himself, but that later John's Roman & Marlena found the place???? No matter. It was supposed to be somewhere near Mexico I think.

 

[Nurse Hamster]

I seem to remember jungle. I'm not sure it was Mexico.

 

[DrChip]

Here's how I remember it all:

Deidre wanted to try something different, but she didn't want to leave "Days." She went in to audition for one of the lead roles on "Our House." The casting people really liked her audition, but they told her she just didn't look the part. She looked too glamorous; she looked like a soap star. So Deidre left, toned down her makeup, toned down her big '80s hair, changed her clothes, and went back a second time. She got the job.

Although Deidre's work schedule was said to accommodate both shows, I remember thinking that Marlena was on our screens less and less. At one point, Marlena helped a suicidal patient off a ledge only to end up falling off herself. She then was in a coma for some time. Then Orpheus kidnapped her, so she was away for a while and had limited interaction with others. When "Our House" was picked up for a second year, it wasn't possible to keep doing both shows. Because of contract obligations, Deidre had to leave "Days" in 1987. So just as Roman (John) got to the airport, Orpheus's plane was taking off with Marlena in it. The plane crashed, and Marlena was presumed dead. "Our House" was canceled after the second season, but Deidre did not attempt to return to "Days" at that time; she needed time off for personal reasons.

In 1991, Deidre was approached about returning. She was eager to return and play Marlena again, but she asked that the writers not give the character amnesia. She didn't want to play an amnesiac. The only problem, she admitted, was that if Marlena didn't have amnesia, she would have moved heaven and earth to get back to "Roman" and her children. Suddenly Deidre had a lightbulb moment. "Unless, of course, she found the real Roman!" She then inked a deal that allowed her to come back if Wayne Northrop returned as the real Roman.

The storyline played out a little differently, though. Marlena woke up from a drug-induced coma in Mexico and returned to Salem to find "Roman" engaged to Isabella. After wandering around Salem and considering disappearing, she finally reunited with "Roman" on the pier. She moved back into their home, but she was having nightmares about being in Mexico. Suddenly, she woke up, and said to "Roman," "You were there. I saw you." She had a flashback of seeing a man in a prison cell. Later, we saw a man watching a video of "Roman" and Marlena together. He asked, "Why is he calling her Doc? And why is she calling him Roman?" The camera moved in on his face, and we saw Wayne playing the real Roman again.

And the rest is history.

 

[DrChip]

I seem to remember jungle. I'm not sure it was Mexico.

As Roman was escaping from his cell in San Cristobal, Mexico, John and Marlena were making their way to San Cristobal to find answers about her captivity. Roman saw them in the jungle and shot John. Marlena grabbed a gun and demanded the person to come out. That's when Roman appeared and she saw him.

And, as much as I LOVE Deidre Hall, the scene in which she threatens to shoot whoever shot John is one of the most laughable scenes she has ever done. LOL

 

[Nurse Hamster]

I just knew there was jungle. Thanks for the info DrChip. Somebody has to keep us oldies who are suffering from Almostimers on the straight and narrow.