Y&R - RIP Sharon Farrell (Flo Webster)

[YRfan23]

I posted about this but wasn’t sure at the time if it was actually confirmed but she unfortunately passed on May 15 this year at the age of 82.

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  I loved her as Flo and always hope they surprised us with a return down the line. Her talents were definitely wasted a year or two after she joined the show though. 

 

https://deadline.com/2023/08/sharon-farrell-dies-actress-who-starred-in-film-its-alive-and-on-tvs-the-young-and-the-restless-was-82-1235455823/

Edited August 5, 2023 by YRfan23

[titan1978]

Sad to see this. I was obsessed with everything Nina on Y&R, especially when they moved her into the Jill/Katherine orbit, and later with David. I loved the relationship they had onscreen.

[DramatistDreamer]

Who can forget those drop curls that framed her face?
In a sea of memorable Y&R characters, Flo Webster was without doubt, unforgettable and Farrell and Tricia Cast had such believable mother/daughter (albeit a put upon daughter) chemistry. R.I.P Ms. Farrell.

[Soapsuds]

Loved her...she's on with those curls in the 2:02 mark.

 

[kalbir]

Agree.

RIP Sharon Farrell.

[BoldRestless]

I always enjoyed her and it's too bad they never pursued the story of Nina's father. Rest in peace.

[DRW50]

The wording of the Deadline article seems vague, but the Hollywood Reporter article talks more about her career and has some comments from her son.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sharon-farrell-dead-its-alive-marlowe-reivers-1235551740/

I loved her work as Flo. Flo was such an old trope, but Sharon and Tricia Cast had wonderful chemistry as mother and daughter - very believable. Flo was also a character who allowed us to see different sides of Nina, which was something the character lost after she became so trapped in the misery with Ryan. 

I never had any idea at the time what a long career Farrell had had - she never seemed like she was slumming or out of her depth in soaps.

We've lost so many soap names of late. I hope her passing was quick and peaceful.

[BoldRestless]

What stunning photos! Thank you.

[Soapsuds]

 

[DramatistDreamer]

Heh, Ryan was a big ole hoe! Nothing that I have seen on Y&R the last several times I have watched matches this height of drama, with sustained drama and a big satisfying dramatic payoff.

[FrenchFan]

Loved her as Flo when I was a kid.

Her talents were wasted. She was only on contract for a year with the infamous David Kimble storyline but I liked that she was kept in recurring until Christmas 1997. Her relationship with Nina was very interesting.

[gimmetoo]

First saw her playing Mary Beth Evans' mother on mid-80s syndicated soap Rituals.  RIP.

[soapfan770]

RIP Sharon as well. I really loved the Nina/Flo relationship and wish they had a built a working class family around them as well. (Nina’s dad, a couple of half siblings?)

I first remembered Farrell as the nasty stepmother in Night of the Comet (one my favorite 80’s cult flicks) and that’s where I first knew her from. Farrell’s casting was of a time when Y&R could cast an old-school Hollywood name or well known character actor without making a big deal and Bell having it work well on-screen, unlike all the DOA D-list washups we got during the MAB era. 

[Soapsuds]

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[DRW50]

I'd forgotten about that. I wonder if it helped lead to her Y&R casting.

Yes, similar to when he brought Morey Amsterdam in. By the time of the MAB era, the inherent self-loathing of soaps meant we were supposed to be awed that Meredith Baxter or Bonnie Franklin (RIP) were slumming, when neither of them had ever been on anything especially astounding either compared to Y&R's golden years.