Citizens of Springfield, Guiding Light

The following are fictional characters, both past and present, from the CBS soap opera "Guiding Light."

Ross Marler

"Jerry ver Dorn" (1979-2005)

An ambitous lawyer, Ross arrived in Springfield on March 23, 1979. He came to Springfield to defend Roger Thorpe who was accused of raping his then wife Holly Norris. He would go on to be Springfield's mayor and district attorney. He would later run for the United States Senate. Though he lost, Ross would later serve as Mayor of Springfield and be appointed to the U.S. House of Representatives.

He was married three times, to Carrie Todd (divorced; 1981-1982) and Blake Marler (divorced; 1994-1997) and (his death; 2003-2006). He had four children, Dinah Marler with former fiancee, Vanessa Chamberlain, and two boys and one girl with Blake.

In 2006, Ross and his aide, Nicole Landers, were flying back to Springfield when their plane crashed, the FAA ruled it an accident, neither body was found.

Vanessa Chamberlain

"Maeve Kinkead (off and on from 1980)"

Vanessa entered Springfield along with her father Henry, in 1980 as a spoiled socialite. Vanessa tried to get back involved with her teenage lover Ross Marler, but he consistently rejected her advances. Vanessa would later go on to a relationship with Dr. Ed Bauer, but the relationship ended over lies and secrets. Vanessa would later discover that Quint McCord was her half-brother, Quint was her father’s aide at Spaulding Enterprises.

Vanessa would later marry Billy Lewis, but the marriage was rocky and filled with secrets; Vanessa was addicted to tranquilizers and Billy to gambling, and it did not help matters when Dinah showed up at her door proclaiming to be her daughter. It was true; Dinah was Vanessa’s daughter from an earlier affair in her teen years with Ross Marler. Through all of this Vanessa and Billy had a son Bill. Billy and Vanessa would divorce but reconcile twice more, but it would never last and Vanessa eventually found her way into Matt Reardon’s arms. During this time Vanessa learned she had a severe brain disease and instead of going through it with her family she faked her death and moved to a convent in Switzerland, but eventually Vanessa miraculously recovered and returned home. Matt and Vanessa would later marry in 1996 and have a girl together, Maureen. In 2008, Vanessa and Matt would divorce.

Carrie Todd Marler

"Jane Elliot" (1981-1982)

Carrie was young woman from Milwaukee who was brought to Springfield to fill a position as a graphic artist at Spaulding Enterprises. Carrie was introduced to Ross and it was love at first sight, the two had stark differences though. Carrie was more carefree and led a healthy life, while Ross was more up-tight and strict sort of man. The two would eventually move in together and become engaged.

Carrie as it turned out was not as she seemed, she had murdered a man, Joe Bradley. Diane Ballard had been blackmailing Carrie and Joe would later find the information Diane had on Carrie after Diane was murdered. During her trial for Joe’s murder, Carrie was acquitted after the jury came to a conclusion that it was an accident. After this ordeal Ross and Carrie would eventually marry and Carrie was reunited with her son that she gave up for adoption years ago.

But the happiness would end there as it was discovered that Carrie had multiple personality disorder. She had two personalities, the normal Carrie Todd and the wild partier Carrie Anderson. Carrie Anderson or Carrie #2 seduced many of Springfield’s men including Joshua Lewis, Justin Marler and Roy Kennedy. Ross confronted Carrie with her philandering but she denied it, at this time she was Carrie Todd. But Carrie #2 continued acting out, she went to Josh’s office screaming at him and demanding the two marry. Carrie #2 then tried to kill Ross with a pair of scissors but before she could finish the job Carrie Todd reappeared and stopped herself. Ross would eventually help Carrie get treatment, who by this time had developed a third personality, a childlike one named Carrie MacKenzie. Shortly after Carrie would leave Springfield to seek further, more extensive treatment in England.

Carrie, and Jane Elliot, left the canvas abruptly over a disagreement between the series head writer Douglas Marland and executive producer Allen Potter about the character and its direction.

Hart Jessup

"Various actors, Frank Grillo is most identified with the role (1996-1999)"

Hart is the son of Roger Thorpe and Laura Jessup. Hart came to Springfield searching for his father, whom he had never met and his mother had died shortly before he ventured to Springfield. He found his father, Roger Thorpe, married to one of the town’s richest women, Alexandra Spaulding, but unlike his father Hart had a good and kind soul. Hart was furious at Roger when he learned Roger had weaseld his grandfathers farm away from him. Devastated at the reveal Hart slept with Bridget Reardon. Bridget became pregnant that night with a boy, who would later be named Peter, but Hart only learned of this years later. Hart would leave town but after a few years away Hart returned to Springfield to be a father to his now known son, Peter.

Back in town Hart struck up a relationship with his father’s new and much younger wife Dinah Marler. The two would fall in love and plot together to regain Dinah’s fortune, which Roger had embezzled. The two would gaslight Roger and eventually Dinah became head of Roger’s finances and the two regained Dinah’s fortune and Hart’s farm.Hart though would fall in love with town newcomer Cassie Layne, but to keep him Dinah got pregnant with another man’s child and when she miscarried she made Hart feel guilty for it, but when Hart discovered the truth he threw Dinah out. With the truth out Dinah returned to the Jessup farm to kill Cassie, but Hart jumped in front of the bullet meant for Dinah. He was transported to the hospital but Dinah arrived to try and convince him that the shooting was Cassie’s fault but when he told her no, she shook him and he went into cardiac arrest and died shortly after.

Hart was married once to Dinah Marler (divorced) and has one son with Cassie Layne, Roger Joshua "RJ" Jessup.

Holly Lindsey Reade

"Lynn Deerfield (1970-1976) later Maureen Garrett (1976-1980, 1988-2006)"

Holly was raised by her mother Barbara after her father abandoned the two. Eventually Holly's father returned and showered her with gifts and pushed his employee, Roger Thorpe, to date his daughter. Holly and Roger dated but when Holly became suspicous of Roger, she left him and began a relationship with Dr. Ed Bauer, whom she married in Las Vegas and soon wound up pregnant, but Ed divorces Holly when he learns that their child, Blake is not his but actually Roger Thorpe's. Holly and Roger soon married after Holly's divorce, but it was rocky. Roger was abusive and one night he raped Holly.

Holly, while hallucinating the night Roger raped her, shot him and supposedly killed him. Holly was sent to prison for his murder but later released due to the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Holly and Blake would leave for Switzerland soon after.

Holly returned to Springfield in 1989 to find out that Roger had faked his death and was still alive. Holly then became engaged to Ross Marler, who dumps her when he finds her with Roger in a Mexican hotel room. She and Roger's wife, Alexandra Spaulding, set up a test to prove whether Roger can remain faithful to Alex. It is the first time that Roger and Holly connect peacefully since they both came back to town. Holly still in love with Ross, catches her daughter, Blake, in bed with him. Blake was getting revenge on her mother for her intervening ways. Because of this, Holly sabotages Ross's Senate campaign.

After Roger left her for Alexandra Spaulding, Holly moves on with Fletcher Reade, who she has a daughter with, Meg, who was born with down syndrome. Fletcher would later divorce Holly and move to Canada, taking Meg with him. Holly could not handle the pain and began to drink and starts stalking the nursery ward at Cedars, she would later be caught and sent to a mental institution. Holly would eventually recover mentally and move on with her life.

In 2006 she gave a moving eulogy about her frienship with Ross at his funeral. She visited her mother Barbara Norris and traveled around Europe with her grandchildren Kevin, Jason and eventually Clarissa during the time Blake was in a coma. She eventually returned to Springfield in the spring of 2007 and left again for Europe in the fall of that year to again live with her mother Barbara Norris.

Lillian Raines

"Tina Sloan (May 1983-present)"

Lillian Raines is a registered nurse working at Cedars Hospital in Springfield, she is the mother of Beth Spaulding Bauer, and grandmother of Lizzie Spaulding and James Spaulding. Lillian had survive a significant amount of turmoil in the 1980s because of her wild daughter Beth, including faking her own death.

In December of 1991 Lillian discovered a lump in her breast and was soon diagnosed with breast cancer. Lillian told no one except for her close friend Dr. Ed Bauer. Ed convinced Lillian to have surgery to remove the lump, she did and the cancer was successfully removed. During her struggle with cancer, Lillian became attracted to Ed, even though he was married to her good friend Maureen. Ed and Lillian would start up an affair, but Ed eventually broke it off, in fear that Maureen would find out and divorce him. Lillian sad and depressed decided to leave Springfield, but before she did she wrote Ed a letter about their affair. The letter was found by Maureen who confronted her friend Lillian and threw her out of her house, Ed would try to reason with Maureen but Maureen refused and left the Bauer cabin in a hurry and died in a car crash. Lillian was guilt-ridden over her friend's death.

Lillian would eventually overcome her guilt and continue to be a caring mother and grandmother. She is currently dating Buzz Cooper.

Jackie Scott Marler

"Cindy Pickett (1976-1980), Cynthia Bostick (1979), Carrie Mowery (1980-1982)"

Jackie came from Chicago and soon got married to Justin Marler. She found out she was pregnant, but later caught Justin in bed with a woman named Brandy. Jackie told Justin she had aborted the baby to get back at him and afterward the marriage fell apart. Jackie went to Switzerland and had her baby and gave it to Alan and Elizabeth Spaulding whose baby had been stillborn, after which she would learn Brandy had an affair with Alan to and felt betrayal.

Later she go to Springfield where Alan and Elizabeth lived with the baby they named Phillip and when their marriage fell apart Jackie cozed up to Alan and they eventually married. Soon when Elizabeth found out the truth Phillip was actually Jackie's son she resented him, worse Alan had an affair with Hope Bauer that in the end caused Jackie to leave him. In the process she found out she was pregnant, but quickly miscarried. She intern dated Mike Bauer, but had an affair with Justin who had arrived dating Carrie Todd. Jackie would go on to become pregnant and she and Justin would re-wed. Jackie would have baby Samantha Marler and soon when Carrie told Jackie she and Justin where having an affair, Jackie decided to leave town. Jackie left town, but was involved in a plane crash. Her body has not yet been found.

Danny Santos

"Paul Anthony Stewart" (November 1998-November 2005)

Danny was part of the criminal Santos family which consisted of his mother, Carmen, Tony, and Mike Santos. Danny did many illegal doings in the first year of his tenure on-screen, but soon fell head over heels for Michelle Bauer. Michelle and Danny became an item. Carmen did not approve of the two and tried to have Michelle killed numerous times.Michelle eventually conceived a daughter which she later miscarried due to one of Carmen's schemes. Just a few months after that, Michelle became pregnant again but left town after divorcing Danny. Danny had become obsessive over taking revenge for his mother's "apparent" death, (it was later discovered that had faked her death, with the help of Claire Ramsey and Maria Santos) along with being pulled back into the violent mob life. Michelle came back to town soon after that, with the fears of a miscarriage.Danny ans Michelle eventually reconciled as they welcomes their son,Robert Fredrico Santos, togehter in this world during March 2001. Even after the duo was settled happily with a child, Carmen was not through with her spite and hatred of the two of them being together.She want as far as framing Michelle and Danny to have them both ultimately arrested. However, this did not stop the pair from getting married for the fourth time, after several trips down the altar.Later on, Carmen would be faced with the terrible fate of her own untimely demise,due to one of hr schemes. After this, the couple separated many times for a viriety of reasons, but ultimately reconciled because of Robbie, their son. They got married for the fifth time on the fourth of July, during the yearly traditional Bauer barbecue. However,in May 2004, the couple's love would endure another tide of time's test, as Michelle would be caught in a warehouse explosion related to Mob activities and loose all of her memory.Michelle's amnesia took a toll on the couple and drove them apart, as Michelle could not remember the mutual affection they bore for each other once. The emotional gap betwenn the couple drove Michelle into the arms of Tony Santos, and Danny to that of Marina Cooper.Robbie continued to grow distant from his mother because she did not remember all the memeories they ahd togehter, as a family, any longer. He was the one who suffered the most though all of the emotional turmoil his parents were going through, which ended up with him running away. He was then brought back to safety and eventually accepted the inevitable separation of his parents. However, I guess fate wouldn't have it that way. In March 2005, Michelle regained her memory due to a beam of the roof collapsed on the heads of the duo, on one of Danny's worksites. In the midst of the wreckage from the collapsed beam, all of their overwhelming mutual feelings and emotions returned, and the pair would end up making love and conceive Hope. But unfortunately, this "concussion sex" would be the sign of their grand reconciliation. Despite regaining her memory, the duo decided on a divorce and Michelle tentatively went along, making plans of her marriage to Tony Santos. But she couldn't go throgh with it and this whole issue ended in a terrible trio clash, which tragically claimed the life of Tony Santos. Michelle left town again butcouldn't keep her distance from Danny and the timeless love that she always had for him.In September 2005, Michelle gave birth to their daughter, Hope Elizabeth Winslow Santos. But,unbeknowst to anyone,their little girl was delivered and then subsequently stolen by Edmund Winslow, who gave this child to his then-wife Cassie Winslow. Dinah Marler eventually uncovered the truth and returned baby Hope to Danny and Michelle. Due to the connection they felt once again because of baby hope and the apparent chance of experiencing the joyous bond of being a family together again, the couple remarried for the 6th time--after Danny got separated from his then-girlfriend Marina Cooper. A week before thanksgiving and after a pre-thanksgiving dinner,they bid their tearful goodbyes to friends and family. Finally together as a happy family unit with Robbie and Hope,Danny and Michelle then left Springfield, heading towards Louisiana to be with Ed Bauer (Michelle's fahter, whose helping a lot of Hurricane Katrina victims there).While on-screen on the show, during their final episode,the couple also mentioned of probably moving form Louisiana to California afterwards with Ed, where he has plans to open up a free clinic.

Nadine Cooper

Nadine, the ex-wife of Buzz Cooper and mother to Frank Cooper and Harley Cooper arrived in Springfield on a scheme to builk the Lewis family out of money. However, she ended up falling madly in love with Billy Lewis and marrying him in 1991. However, the marriage would fall apart due to Billy's obsession with Vanessa Chamberlain and they'd divorce in 1993. Nadine would return to her get rich quick scheming days and remarry Buzz in 1994 to claim money from a "true love" competition. The marriage would quickly soure as Nadine got into cahoots with Roger Thorpe in his attempts to destroy Jenna Bradshaw (his ex-wife) thriving relationship with Buzz. Nadine however would fall victim to the murderous Brent Lawerence in 1996.

She made a return appearance to her daughter Harley 10 years later to give her advice.

ee also

* "Guiding Light"

External links

* [http://www.sonypictures.com/gl/cast/index.jhtml Character Biographies] at Soap City
* [http://www.soapcentral.com/gl/whoswho/index.php Character Profiles] at Soap Central