The following article was written by Curtis Harding and Kristyn Burtt for Soaps She Knows. To view the original article on Soaps She Knows, click here.
Happy anniversary, Deidre Hall! It’s been 50 years since Marlena Evans first stepped foot in Salem, and there has never been a dull moment. Yes, technically, Evans’ anniversary is June 21st, but since that was a Sunday, Days of Our Lives celebrated the moment onscreen with its Monday episode.
The episode was supersized to pack in a torrent of flashbacks, from Marlena’s first days in Salem, back in 1976, to her romance with Don, Roman and, of course, John. And there was a whole lot more in between, including some truly, heartbreaking, harrowing moments! (We dare anyone to keep a dry eye watching Marlena find DJ in that crib.)
A short while back, Days of Our Lives celebrated Hall’s milestone on-set, and Soaps was on-hand for it all. Hall was gracious enough to speak with us for a bit and reflect on the journey.
On How Marlena’s Impacted Viewers
“When I began playing a psychiatrist,” Hall shared. “ I didn’t know a psychiatrist. I hadn’t been to a psychiatrist. I figured if I haven’t been, then millions and millions of people have never been. So they let me play what I think she is.”
And that, Hall continued, “she is a very good listener. I think she is patient and will sit a long time waiting for you to find your own answer, and then you’ll move on. She has a way of guiding you without pushing you. She has all these qualities as a psychiatrist.”
There’s a reason Marlena’s the person everyone in town turns to for advice — and that Belle called her the Heart of Salem.
On Her Favorite Salem Era
Hall’s own heart was filled with joy back when she got to act with her twin sister, Andrea, who, for a time, played Marlena’s twin, Samantha. In fact, that may have been her favorite era on the soap.
“That was great fun,” Hall smiled. “Not just because it was fun to have her step into my world, but because she was uniquely qualified to be on a sound stage. You couldn’t throw her; you couldn’t confuse her. She just got it. Whatever you threw her away, she picked up and ran with it. She was not self-important; she was just comfortable being herself.”
Of course, for all the laughter and joy, Marlena’s reminiscing over a life well-lived on Monday’s episode began with a heavy heart. Her 50 years in Salem coincided almost painfully with the first anniversary of John’s passing, just a couple weeks earlier. And it’s something Hall herself is still very aware of.
On Drake Hogestyn Not Being There for the Milestone
Hall admitted it feels a bit unreal to not have Drake Hogestyn and John with her for this celebration. “I am still surprised that he’s not here,” she explained, “because there were so many days over 40 years where I was working and he wasn’t, or he was working and I wasn’t. We weren’t doing the scenes together.”
And in a way, it still kind of feels like “This is just another one of those days, and then another one of those days, and then another one of those days. So, it’s… I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s just, he’s still here somewhere.”
And somewhere, we’re sure, he was there cheering her on as she celebrated 50 incredible years on Days of Our Lives.
Deidre Hall’s Speech
And, of course, what would a good fête be without a speech, courtesy of the guest of honor herself?
“When I walked on stage [for] my first 13-week jaunt,” Hall shared with all those gathered, “I kind of thought, ’Oh, this will be so much fun.’ And I had no idea that it was going to turn into a lifetime. Several lifetimes, depending upon how many times I die and come back!
“People ask me what it’s like to spend 50 years in Salem, and it really is very much like real life. Just with better lighting, and a higher chance of being kidnapped and possessed, and also a higher chance of discovering that you have an evil twin!
“But seriously, without the inspiration and the vision of [creators] Ted and Betty Corday, it continues today under the watchful eye and the mindful guidance of [executive producer] Ken and family.
“So, thank you for creating this world. Thank you for protecting it and giving us all these wonderful storylines to tell. You didn’t just build a television show. You built a legacy. And you built a home. In 50 years, I couldn’t have imagined this journey.”