Soap Opera Digest
Soap Opera Weekly

READER PANEL

Join the Soap Opera Digest Reader Panel. If you love this magazine, you'll love being on the Reader Panel!

PROFILE

Star of the Week

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Features

If I Only Had a Brain...Tumor

— By Mala Bhattacharjee

Due to a childhood injury that affected her brain, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL's Pam bypasses jail to go directly to a treatment facility (and doesn't collect $200). She's hardly the first daytime character whose head trauma has gotten them off the hook for their actions — or gotten them into more trouble.

Maurice Benard and Tamara Braun
Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Carly (Tamara Braun)
— ABC

Carly, GENERAL HOSPITAL, 2003-'04
After Sonny shot her in the head as she gave birth to their son, Morgan, Carly slipped into a deep coma, envisioning an alternate life with Lorenzo Alcazar. When she awoke, those feelings of love were still there and a baffled and heartbroken Carly couldn't connect to Sonny or her children. After Sonny rejected her for her emotional betrayal and a custody battle for the kids ensued, she ended up falling in love with Lorenzo for real.

Jeff Branson
Jonathan (Jeff Branson)
— ABC

Jonathan, ALL MY CHILDREN; 2005
Ryan Lavery's ne'er-do-well younger brother grew increasingly violent, hitting girlfriend Maggie Stone and exploding into rages. He eventually tried to kill Kendall, Lily and Greenlee, and holed up with the corpse of his brother, Braden — whom he did kill. But months after Jonathan was presumed dead in an explosion, he resurfaced with a brain tumor. Once they "cut the bad part out," Jonathan became a genial, lovable romantic hero who fell in love with autistic Lily.

Emily O'Brien, Greg Rikaart and Adrianne Leon
Jana (Emily O'Brien) holding Kevin (Greg Rikaart) and Colleen (Adrianne Leon) hostage
JPI

Jana, YOUNG AND RESTLESS; 2006-'07
Jana Hawkes killed Newman Enterprises employee Carmen Mesta and even locked Kevin and Colleen in a freezer to burn to death, all because of a mysterious reliquary and the treasure it was linked to. When she later contacted Kevin, he set a trap to catch her. She was arrested for her crimes, but began having violent seizures. Viewers learned a brain tumor had caused Jana's erratic behavior. Former victim Kevin stood by her side as she got treatment and began serving her sentence. They soon fell in love.

Maura West and Michael Park
Carly (Maura West) and Jack (Michael Park) reconnect
— PGP

Carly, AS THE WORLD TURNS; 2007
Thinking she was dying of a terminal brain lesion, Carly Tenney was content to suffer in silence and keep the truth from her family. When her condition inevitably worsened, her ex, Jack, who was marrying Katie Peretti, came rushing to her side. Unable to resist the reconnection, Carly neglected to tell Jack one minor detail: She'd already learned she wasn't dying, after all! She convinced Jack to take her away to their special place, Montana, and even to make love to her “one last time.” A heartbroken Jack asked to marry her again. Her conscience finally got to her on their wedding day and she spilled the truth — while her sister, Rosanna, spilled that Carly had known about her condition for weeks. Sure, Carly would live, but the remarriage died then and there.

RELATED RESOURCES

Reader Comments 
Posted Wed Mar 4, 2009, 2:34 PM — By Carl Pflanzer

I think I know who is Rex Balsom's father is on OLTL. I think it is Carlos Hesser. I think Roxy lied yet again that he is dead. After all, the actor playing that role is scheduled to return to Ilanview very shortly. This twist is gonna be a hoot! I am still bowled over David's father being Bo Buchanan just a few days earlier!


Add Comment
Name (Required):
Email (Required, will not be shown to public):
Comment (Required, max chars: 1024):
You have characters left.
 

Type the characters you see in this picture

  

Subscribe to Soap Opera Digest for just $21.95 - that's only 84¢ an issue! With your subscription you'll receive THE INSIDER, our subscriber-only weekly newsletter filled with news and gossip you won't find anywhere else!

First Name:
Last Name:
Address Line 1:
Address Line 2:
City:
State:
Zip:
Email:
Credit CardBill me later
 
 
Credit CardBill me later
 
 

 

You need to upgrade your Flash Player Place your alternate content here.

HOT OFF THE NET

POLLING BOOTH

SOAP OPERA OFFERS



Source Interlink Media
261 Madison Avenue • New York, NY • 10016