This topic has been discussed before, although I do not know it were here or not.

What soap opera characters committed suicide?

I do remember that Naomi Vernon on One Life to Live (played by Teri Keane) gave hints to her family (Dr. Will, Brad, and Samantha) that she was considering killing herself.   However, she did not intend to do that.   She took an overdose of something while thinking that one of them would find her before she died.   (She was very jealous of the relationship between her husband and Jenny Siegel, R. N.)  She was only found (I think by Brad) after she was dead.

Laura Cooper on Somerset.

It has been said that Claire English Cassen Shea killed herself by walking in front of an oncoming bus.   This was never said on the show, but some people have said that it was implied.

On the serial, The Young Marrieds, the final scene of the final episode was shown going into a closet to presumably kill himself.    What happened to the character what never resolved.

On All My Children, Devon Shepherd considered suicide upon learning that she had lost Dan Kinnecott to the villianess Brooke English.   She went to a bridge, but decided not to kill herself.  (This may have been after she learned that she and Wally were expecting.    I cannot remember with certainty.)

My big question is about Ryan's Hope.   Did Ken George Jones commit suicide?

Any remarks on this subject will be appreciated.

Edited January 13, 20223 yr by danfling

Storm Logan on B&B is the first that comes to mind.

Surprisingly (we are talking about B&B here) they actually dealt pretty head on with the aftermath. Storm shot himself to give his sister Katie his heart, and her, understandably, conflicting emotions about this was very frankly discussed. Especially in a fantastic scene with Heather Tom and Susan Flannery.

Completed suicides on soaps are very rare.  But there have been a few cases. I have heard about some of them,  but cannot remember -- mostly because I was not watching those characters at the time, so didn't see the scenes myself.  

One I recall: Naomi Collins killed herself on Dark Shadows by drinking poison.

I'm sure others posters will have a better memory than I do, and will add to the list.

 

Edited January 13, 20223 yr by Neil Johnson

Yeah it has been a topic of particular interest to me why there have been so very few.

Here is the previous discussion on the topic: 

Storm is the one that comes to mind in the modern era.
On primetime, Melrose Place's Craig (David Charvet's character) shot himself in his car which I remember being shocked about back then, even if the character was meh. Just felt like a brutal death because it was out of grief for Sydney (which makes the reboot retcon she was actually alive particularly galling) whereas other suicides (like Amanda's boss) tended to be from people who had done something bad.

 

Edited January 13, 20223 yr by FrenchBug82

in her 1972 new yorker piece on soap opera, renata adler mentions a storyline from ‘the doctors’:

“of an educated man so bitter that he kills himself solely to frame another man for murder.“

have no idea who the character in question is.

as for claire cassen:

from everything i read, she’s hit by a car after running into the street trying to apologize to her grandson, dan.

near the end of her unfinished memoir, ‘all my world,’ irna philllips tells the story of her post-heart attack depression in 1960-61. she then goes into great detail about claire’s 1962 depression, noting ‘i don’t believe i realized it at the time, at least nor consciously, that i was having her go through the same kind of depression that i had experienced. i mentioned (2 pages earlier) that i had contemplated suicide but i took it a step beyond contemplation with claire. she took an overdose of sleeping pills…’’

Edited January 14, 20223 yr by wonderwoman1951

Dan Allison was the character on The Doctors who killed himself and framed Steve Aldrich for his murder.  He had a heart attack and tampered with the medical device that was keeping him alive.

I think Traci on Y&R attempted suicide when she was pregnant and alone?

Katherine threw herself overboard from acruise ship.

Vanessa threw herself off a balcony to frame Lorie.

There a number of soap character(usually female), who took a handful of pills due to some trauma, who were conveniently rescued in time.

It was a standard plot device that could lightly deal with a topic and but pretty much avoid tackling it head on. (see also abortion)

The attempted suicides were brushed aside.

Edited January 14, 20223 yr by Paul Raven

4 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

I think Traci on Y&R attempted suicide when she was pregnant and alone?

Yes in June 1984.  Beth Maitland won an Emmy.  They rebroadcast it in summer 2020 during the classic episode pandemic break reruns.  The one they rebroadcast was -Episode #2874. Original US airdate June 27, 1984, when Danny and Cricked found Traci.  But there was more to the story in the episodes before and after that.

Edited January 14, 20223 yr by janea4old

Who was the character on OLTL who committed suicide by accident. I am thinking it was Brad Vernon's mother. She did it as a cry for attention as her husband had fallen in love with Jenny Wolek. Her intention was to have Brad or someone get to her before she died, but he didn't turn up in time as he thought she was faking it or something, so she ended up dying. I am probably messing this up. Anyone know the story.

Because of the topic... in case anyone needs this,
List of international suicide hotlines
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/suicide/suicide-prevention-hotlines-resources-worldwide

4 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

I think Traci on Y&R attempted suicide when she was pregnant and alone?

Katherine threw herself overboard from acruise ship.

Vanessa threw herself off a balcony to frame Lorie.

There a number of soap character(usually female), who took a handful of pills due to some trauma, who were conveniently rescued in time.

It was a standard plot device that could lightly deal with a topic and but pretty much avoid tackling it head on. (see also abortion)

The attempted suicides were brushed aside.

Don't forget Y&R's very first female suicide attempt -- Sally McGuire, pregnant by one man (Snapper), saved by another man (Brad Eliot), married another man (Pierre Roulland).   

 

I think it was Schuyler’s mom on OLTL. Can’t remember exactly but she blew her brains out.That was one hell of a shocking scene.

Edit. Yeah, it was Schuyler’s mom. Leah Joplin. 

foster mom. Forgot Roxy was his bio mom. It’s been so long.

https://www.soapcentral.com/one-life-to-live/whoswho/schuyler.php

 

Edited January 14, 20223 yr by Ryan Chamberlain

15 hours ago, danfling said:

I do remember that Naomi Vernon on One Life to Live (played by Teri Keane) gave hints to her family (Dr. Will, Brad, and Samantha) that she was considering killing herself.   However, she did not intend to do that.   She took an overdose of something while thinking that one of them would find her before she died.   (She was very jealous of the relationship between her husband and Jenny Siegel, R. N.)  She was only found (I think by Brad) after she was dead.

Danfling used this example to start the thread.

Aidan Connor from Coronation Street in 2018!

It hit me hard coz I went through something similar at that time and that made his death so hard. It really got under my skin and showed me that there is more to life and that I can’t just give up!

1 hour ago, Paul Raven said:

Danfling used this example to start the thread.

Oh I totally didn't even see it. Thanks

Storm (B&B) was the best one I seen thus far. I would love to see a another character commit suicide and see how it impacts their love ones, and/or someone struggling with depression that attempt suicide but lives with the after effects of that for years to come.

Edited January 14, 20223 yr by DemetriKane