We had some Mary love posts in Another Thread a few months ago. She is a great character, a true individual who's a worthy foil for a few characters, not to mention just a fun dayplayer addition for society functions like Enid Nelson and Marian Colby had become in the early '90s. Even once Greenlee is gone, there are wonderful opportunities for snooty luncheons where Mary pops up and gets Hammacher SCHLAMMERED at 11 in the morning on Bloody Marys (natch), sobbing and getting indignant about her daughter's untimely passing.

I think it was interesting that once the Jack/Greenlee story played out, Mary functioned better outside the Greenlee universe. Her stint in the Chandler Mansion was GOLD, and I loved her fights with Erica. She does have lots of potential to remain on AMC in a recurring role, and I hope that they realize that she's a fun character to have around...and yes, a great foil for Adam, Jack, and Erica.

It's Anna, I think.

Her Donna Love was my MAJOR draw into AW since the early 80s.

I couldnt stand her as Donna on AW but I loved Mary. She was a great foil for Erica and Adam. I hope she gets to do some interacting with them and instead stuck to just Greenlee and Ryan

I never cared for Philece Sampler's Donna. I like when Donna and Matt Cory were sleeping with each other. I think they got married for about 3 days too.

I couldnt stand her as Donna on AW but I loved Mary. She was a great foil for Erica and Adam. I hope she gets to do some interacting with them and instead stuck to just Greenlee and Ryan

BLASPHEMY! Donna Love is one of daytime's all-time greatest characters, thanks to the layered performances Ms. Stuart gave day in & day out.

I never cared for Philece Sampler's Donna. I like when Donna and Matt Cory were sleeping with each other. I think they got married for about 3 days too.

Philiece Sampler was NEVER Donna. I remember her Donna being friends with Felicia & Rachel, which never made any sense. Donna unapologetically hated those two and truly had no female friends on the show. I too LOVED the Matt/Donna relationship. They had such chemistry- it was by far my favorite May/December romance of all-time.

It's Anna, I think.

Her Donna Love was my MAJOR draw into AW since the early 80s.

Yes, I'm excited about this news mainly because of Anna Stuart and the AW connection. Donna Love was one of the best characters on a show loaded with great ones.

Edited January 25, 200916 yr by jfung79

BLASPHEMY! Donna Love is one of daytime's all-time greatest characters, thanks to the layered performances Ms. Stuart gave day in & day out.

Philiece Sampler was NEVER Donna. I remember her Donna being friends with Felicia & Rachel, which never made any sense. Donna unapologetically hated those two and truly had no female friends on the show. I too LOVED the Matt/Donna relationship. They had such chemistry- it was by far my favorite May/December romance of all-time.

You are very much right. I never thought Philiece fit that role well. They should just written Donna out at that time and made a whole new role for Philiece as another love daughter or something. She and Anne Heche looked close in age as well.

Yes, I'm excited about this news mainly because of Anna Stuart and the AW connection. Donna Love was one of the best characters on a show loaded with great ones.

That's a great way to put it! Donna Love was one of the best in a sea of stars. Anna Stuart is a terrific, underrated, icon of fabulousness.

And I agree, Donna/Matt was the best May/December romance in daytime history.

Edited January 25, 200916 yr by DaytimeFan

I think this is a pointless return.

Anna Stuart is an actress I have loved for years. It goes back to her stint on The Doctors when she was the ultimate heroine as Toni Ferra Powers. Anna Stuart was wonderful in that role. Then I loved her on GH as Gina although I felt her character was never developed as it should have been.

When she took over on AW as Donna (a role created for her when she auditioned for Felicia), I loved the actress but I hated the character for awhile. It was clearly evident that there was no real plans for Donna as she wandered for so long. She had a few dates, she was seen in parties and restaurants, and stuff but she had no real purpose. finally they brought her family in and she was good as the snobby older sister of Marley and they of course tied her to Carl Hutchins. But even then her only purpose on the show was as the snobby sister. She was a clear ripoff of Vanessa Chamberlain on GL at the time - a role that Anna had coincidentally temporarily played.

Donna did not come into her own as a character and truly win everyone over until she was revealed to be Marley's mother and the Michael Hudson story. I also loved her affair with Catlin Ewing. They were so hot together.

Donna became one of my favorite characters on AW - something that in the beginning I would never dream - as she just seemed so unimportant at the time. It goes to show you never know what can happen with any character.

My biggest problem with the character of Donna was the friendship with Rachel & Felicia too. Also the made up history of Donna and Rachel being classmates when they were in high school. For years Donna and Rachel had no history together and then all of a sudden they went to school together.

Anna Stuart is an actress I have loved for years. It goes back to her stint on The Doctors when she was the ultimate heroine as Toni Ferra Powers. Anna Stuart was wonderful in that role. Then I loved her on GH as Gina although I felt her character was never developed as it should have been.

When she took over on AW as Donna (a role created for her when she auditioned for Felicia), I loved the actress but I hated the character for awhile. It was clearly evident that there was no real plans for Donna as she wandered for so long. She had a few dates, she was seen in parties and restaurants, and stuff but she had no real purpose. finally they brought her family in and she was good as the snobby older sister of Marley and they of course tied her to Carl Hutchins. But even then her only purpose on the show was as the snobby sister. She was a clear ripoff of Vanessa Chamberlain on GL at the time - a role that Anna had coincidentally temporarily played.

Donna did not come into her own as a character and truly win everyone over until she was revealed to be Marley's mother and the Michael Hudson story. I also loved her affair with Catlin Ewing. They were so hot together.

Donna became one of my favorite characters on AW - something that in the beginning I would never dream - as she just seemed so unimportant at the time. It goes to show you never know what can happen with any character.

My biggest problem with the character of Donna was the friendship with Rachel & Felicia too. Also the made up history of Donna and Rachel being classmates when they were in high school. For years Donna and Rachel had no history together and then all of a sudden they went to school together.

I didn't know she and Rachel were suppose to be classmates. I thought Ada and Elizabeth were suppose to be friends, hell I don't know I am too damn young to recall.

My biggest problem with the character of Donna was the friendship with Rachel & Felicia too. Also the made up history of Donna and Rachel being classmates when they were in high school. For years Donna and Rachel had no history together and then all of a sudden they went to school together.

They really only did that with Philiece in the role. When Anna came back, it was over. I remember some hilarious scenes ensuing when Michael went off on Donna for having no female friends in town. So suddenly she was inviting Rachel & Felicia to brunch etc.... Both were like "What the hell?"

Long live Donna Love Hudson!

I didn't know she and Rachel were suppose to be classmates. I thought Ada and Elizabeth were suppose to be friends, hell I don't know I am too damn young to recall.

It was mentioned in several scenes. I remember Rachel and Michael talking in one scene about their high school days. And they were talking about his relationship with Donna back then and how snobbish Donna was to all of them. At least they got the part right of Michael and Rachel both being from the wrong side of the tracks.

I could have understood it all or partly accepted if at least when Donna was first shown there had been some mention of them having a past together or knowing one another but it wasn't.

Plus when Rachel and Ada were first introduced it was mentioned they were from the South or at least Ada was. It never seemed that Rachel really grew up there then. Of course later writers were very good at changing parts of the history of these characters Agnes Nixon created (i.e. in particular Steve Frame was an only child but later came from a big family).

And Greg my memory may be playing tricks on me right now but I was thinking the scenes of Michael and Rachel talking about high school were when Anna Stuart was back in the role. I feel sure it was because I missed a great deal of Philece Sampler's run as I did not have a VCR at the time and was working a shift where I didn't have every day during the week off - so I missed a lot at the time. By the time Anna Stuart returned I was back working nights and saw AW everyday.

One thing that also bugged me to death was one particular scene in the Donna and the twins story. This was after Reginal showed up alive and brought Mary McKinnon back to town (played wonderfully by Denise Alexander). They had the adopted son Scott. Scott was looking for his real parents. One day Donna had a breakdown and she was dreaming about the birth of the twins or really the babies. When the babies were born in her mind - in the present as she lay on the stretcher and the paramedics were taking her away she pulled pillows in as each of the babies were handed to her in her dream. She pulled 3 pillows to her and hugged them. It was clear that she had triplets and the third child was going to be Scott. Michael even had lots of scenes with Scott and they were clearly bonding them. And then poof it all was dropped and never revisited.

It was mentioned in several scenes. I remember Rachel and Michael talking in one scene about their high school days. And they were talking about his relationship with Donna back then and how snobbish Donna was to all of them. At least they got the part right of Michael and Rachel both being from the wrong side of the tracks.

I could have understood it all or partly accepted if at least when Donna was first shown there had been some mention of them having a past together or knowing one another but it wasn't.

Plus when Rachel and Ada were first introduced it was mentioned they were from the South or at least Ada was. It never seemed that Rachel really grew up there then. Of course later writers were very good at changing parts of the history of these characters Agnes Nixon created (i.e. in particular Steve Frame was an only child but later came from a big family).

And Greg my memory may be playing tricks on me right now but I was thinking the scenes of Michael and Rachel talking about high school were when Anna Stuart was back in the role. I feel sure it was because I missed a great deal of Philece Sampler's run as I did not have a VCR at the time and was working a shift where I didn't have every day during the week off - so I missed a lot at the time. By the time Anna Stuart returned I was back working nights and saw AW everyday.

One thing that also bugged me to death was one particular scene in the Donna and the twins story. This was after Reginal showed up alive and brought Mary McKinnon back to town (played wonderfully by Denise Alexander). They had the adopted son Scott. Scott was looking for his real parents. One day Donna had a breakdown and she was dreaming about the birth of the twins or really the babies. When the babies were born in her mind - in the present as she lay on the stretcher and the paramedics were taking her away she pulled pillows in as each of the babies were handed to her in her dream. She pulled 3 pillows to her and hugged them. It was clear that she had triplets and the third child was going to be Scott. Michael even had lots of scenes with Scott and they were clearly bonding them. And then poof it all was dropped and never revisited.

OMG, Steve, I knew i wasn't crazy. I remember telling my mom about this last week and she swear i was lying and that she was there to witness it and that never occurred!!! I am a big fan via old tapes and formerly soapnet, I remember seeing that on a tape. its funny how Donna, Michael, and Rachel were classmates, but Philiece Sampler's Donna could have been a child of Rachel's. Rachel, and Mary should have been classmates they looked close in age.

I think it was interesting that once the Jack/Greenlee story played out, Mary functioned better outside the Greenlee universe. Her stint in the Chandler Mansion was GOLD, and I loved her fights with Erica. She does have lots of potential to remain on AMC in a recurring role, and I hope that they realize that she's a fun character to have around...and yes, a great foil for Adam, Jack, and Erica.

ITA with everything you said but the way the soap industry(especially frons) is towards older women I wouldn't bet on her staying.