Doris Belack has passed away

[OLTL_fan]

RIP. I never knew she was on OLTL.

[DRW50]

This was probably done in late 1976, but that is interesting, no mention of Doris Quinlan (although I think Joe Stuart was there by this time).

[EricMontreal22]

Or Gordon Russell, who had been official HW for a few years by then. (i know Don Wallace is usually credited with Paul Roberts as co-HWs with Agnes in the early years). I believe Stuart didn't join till mid '77, but am not certain.

[ZoeTate]

So strange that three soaps are canceled and their original matriarch figures - Helen Wagner, Mary Fickett and now Doris Belack have all passed away before the actual last episode. Tragic in the case of Mary and Doris that their parts were reduced/or they were forced to leave. Anna could have been a wonderful character still on One Life, a show that desperately needed someone with common sense. Patricia Elliott couldn't cut it.

Remember an episode of Ellen(the sticom not the boring talk show) where Doris was reunited with Alice Hirson(who hilariously played Ellen's mother) as they were in the middle of a card game.

[DRW50]

I guess you could say that Wanda replaced Anna in that role, and Marilyn Chris was great, although she was basically a spare part for many years until her exit.

I never knew Doris was on Ellen. Did they do an in joke about OLTL? Alice was wonderful on that show. She was also very good on St. Elsewhere. It's too bad they can't bring the Siegels back.

[ZoeTate]

Carl I wish they'd found a way to do some OLTL aside, but nah. It was cool seeing the two actresses reunited years after One Life. Alice Hirson was a hoot on Ellen.

Anna was such a no b.s. character, she gave it to people like it was. I loved her voice too. She was connected to so many characters. Wasn't it assumed she had loved Joe Riley for years since she and Eileen and Joe all grew up together?

[DRW50]

I think that was a neat idea for the early years of the show, that the blue collar characters like Vinnie and Anna are in love with or have a crush on the lead characters (although Vinnie wanted Niki, not Viki), sort of representing the average viewer who may have been drawn to a Joe or a Viki. Then they both got to find love on their own terms, with happy endings (compared to most couples on soaps anyway).