OLTL History 1968-1978

1968

At Llanfair, the sprawling eighteenth century home of the Lord family, Victoria Lord always placed her father on a pedestal. In Viki’s eyes, her father, publishing tycoon Victor Lord, could do no wrong. Upon the death of his wife, Eugenia, Victor Lord had thrown himself into his work, concentrating on grooming Victoria to eventually take over the reins of his family-owned newspaper, The Banner. Victor had hoped to have a son to follow in his footsteps, so instead, he did the next best thing. He put Victoria through years of strict training and emotional pressure, so that she would be prepared to live up to the impossibly high standards of the Lord name.

Victoria Lord poured all her energies into The Banner, thereby pleasing her father. Though a strikingly beautiful young woman, Viki had little time, or inclination, for romance. Since her father would certainly disapprove of any young man Viki would have dated, she had long repressed any desire to become involved in a romantic relationship.

Victor’s younger and frail daughter, Meredith, implored Viki to break the ties to their father, but most men were intimidated by the cold, businesslike Victoria. All except one: The Banner’s star reporter, Joseph Francis Riley, a charismatic fellow from -- like his best pal, Vince Wolek -- the "wrong side of the Llanview tracks." Joe and Viki clashed often as they worked side by side at The Banner. But Joe stirred feelings in Viki that she had never experienced before. She was falling in love, much to the consternation of her father. Victor did everything in his power to separate his daughter from this cad. Viki was terribly torn between loving this charming and sexy man, and pleasing her always-demanding father. This internal dilemma caused her to have splitting headaches. To complicate matters, Viki began receiving a series of threatening notes calling for her to end her relationship with Joe. Who could be sending them? The answer lay deep in Viki’s psyche.

In the fall of 1968, a bubbly gal named Niki Smith began making nightly appearances at Ernie’s, a seedy waterfront bar. Several regulars noted, but discounted, the fact that this fun-loving floozy bore a strong physical resemblance to heiress Victoria Lord. If they only knew the truth -- Niki was Viki! Suffering from a split personality, the normally reserved Viki unknowingly donned a wig, slapped on a ton of makeup and painted the town red as her own flashy alter-ego.

To Vince Wolek, Niki Smith was the perfect woman and the minute he set eyes on her, he was in love! Eventually, Vinnie’s heart was broken when he learned the truth that Niki did not exist at all. Selflessly, he told Viki of Niki’s existence, and with the support of her friends and family, she sought treatment with the Llanview Hospital’s Chief of Psychiatry, Dr. Marcus Polk.

Victor Lord objected to Meredith’s fascination with Larry Wolek, a working-class doctor from "the wrong side of the tracks." Victor pushed Meredith into an engagement with Dr. Ted Hale, a man he believed was more fitting of her social standing. In July, Meredith broke her engagement. The following day, Ted took a deadly fall down the fourth floor fire escape landing and the Llanview Police immediately charged Larry Wolek with his murder. Though Larry insisted to the police that Ted simply lost his footing and fell, nurse Karen Martin told the police that Larry and Ted had been arguing about Meredith. She claimed to have heard Larry threaten Ted! Larry vehemently denied this accusation, but he was lying. He had threatened Ted! But only after Meredith’s spurned fiance threatened to tell Meredith a terrible secret. Ted knew something that Larry desperately wanted to keep from Meredith: she was dying of a blood disease. Ted never had the chance to reveal his secret because as Ted turned away from Larry, he tripped and fell down the steps to his death.

Larry stood trial and was nearly convicted of murder. However, in a closed-door session, the truth eventually came out and Larry was freed. The court records were sealed, sparing Meredith the news that she only had a precious few months to live. Larry Wolek hoped to spend every last minute with the woman he loved. Unbeknownst to Larry, Meredith had overheard the truth about her deadly blood disease. Not wanting to burden Larry, she ran away to San Francisco, then sent him the "Dear John" letter. She didn’t love him, Meredith claimed. Nurse Karen Martin was more than willing to offer Larry a shoulder to cry on. When Meredith returned, she spurned Larry’s overtures to get back together. Bewildered, Larry wept in Karen’s open arms.

1969

Early in the winter of 1969, Larry had been napping in a hospital storeroom when a fire suddenly broke out. Karen bravely risked her life to rescue the unconscious Dr. Wolek. For weeks, Larry’s face, burned in the fire, remained wrapped in bandages. Upon his recovery, Larry gave in to Karen’s seductive overtures and made love to her. Miraculously, Meredith’s condition improved dramatically in 1969, prompting Larry’s heart to hope that they could be together again. Eventually, she gave in, and admitted her love. Larry rejoiced at the news! He and Meredith were back together at last. But not for long because just days later, Karen broke the news to Larry that she was pregnant with his child. Not wanting Karen to have an illegal abortion, a devastated Larry sacrificed his own happiness and entered into a loveless marriage with Karen Martin.

As the "Niki" episodes slowly waned, Viki went ahead with plans to marry Joe Riley. However, on their wedding day in late June of 1969, Niki Smith suddenly returned in the middle of the ceremony and fled the church – with an overjoyed Vince Wolek at her side! When Vince insisted that she marry him immediately, Niki panicked. Her only escape was to allow Viki to emerge. She returned home, reunited with Joe, and took major leaps to overcome her split personality. Viki finally remembered writing the threatening notes, then recalled the one memory from her distant past that she had blocked out.

With Doctor Polk’s guidance, Viki remembered seeing a terrible argument between her parents at the top of the steep spiral staircase at Llanfair. Victor, raging with anger, confronted his wife with his suspicion that her unborn child had been fathered by another man. Eugenia suddenly lost her balance and plummeted to the bottom of the steps. To five-year-old Victoria, it may have appeared that her father pushed her mother to her death. Soon after, Eugenia Lord gave birth to a tiny little girl, Meredith, then quietly passed away. Seemingly free at last of her inner turmoil, Viki married Joe.

Meredith found solace with a young man who suffered from amnesia. She gave him the name "Tom Edwards" – Edwards being the name of her cat! Merrie immediately acknowledged that she and Tom shared a common bond: He didn’t seem to have a past, and she may not have a future. Before long they were engaged to marry. Victor took an immediate liking to the young man, treating him like a son. In fact, Victor Lord had a son – one that he had never met. Years earlier, Victor had a wartime affair with a woman named Dorothy Randolph. For years, Victor searched in vain for the child she gave birth to, who was now a grown man.

Karen Martin Wolek miscarried and she and Larry separated, but Meredith was still determined to go through with her marriage to Tom Edwards. Tom could see the undeniable love between Larry and Merrie, and released her from her promise. Larry and Merrie were free to marry!

Llanview Hospital’s newly-arrived Chief of Staff, Dr. Jim Craig, was baffled by the case of actress Carla Benari. Miss Benari seemed to suffer from the early stages of cirrhosis. Dr. Craig, a widower, took more than a professional interest in Carla’s case. Jim Craig quickly fell in love with his pretty young patient. Carla responded with a yes when Jim tenderly asked her to marry him. But deep in her heart, Carla knew that she didn’t love Jim Craig, and this troubled her. Was she willing to settle for a man she didn’t love?

Dr. Craig assigned Carla’s case to Dr. Price Trainor, an idealistic black intern, who immediately butted heads with his new patient. Carla realized that there was an exciting chemistry in the air every time she was near Dr. Trainor. Price knew exactly what it was — love. This proud black man felt guilty and ashamed to have fallen in love with a white woman.

One day, Carla paid a surprise visit to Anna Wolek, a friend she had met at Llanview Hospital. As she knocked at the door, Sadie Gray opened the door of her apartment across the hall, and Carla stopped cold when she saw Sadie. There was a long, awkward moment of awareness, then recognition, followed by mutual shock. Carla Benari was really Clara Gray, the daughter who had broken Sadie’s heart when she walked out of her life as a teenager! As a light-skinned black woman trying to make it as an actress, Carla discovered that acting roles were nearly impossible to obtain. So, she made the difficult choice to pass herself off as white woman.

1970

Sadie forced her daughter to deal with the fact that she was engaged to a white doctor whom she was too guilty to love, while falling for a black doctor. Carla ended her engagement to Jim, and broke the news of her true heritage to an angry Price. Proud of his heritage, Price bitterly rejected Carla because she had rejected her race.

Dr. Jim Craig fell in love with Anna Wolek. After Anna joyously married Jim, she suddenly found herself dealing with her rebellious teenage daughter growing up in a volatile time -- the 1960's. Cathy Craig resented Anna’s sudden intrusion in her life and she turned to drugs. Cathy finally persuaded her father to take her to New York City’s Odyssey House for rehab.

As the drug problem in Llanview grew worse, reporter Joe Riley began an investigative series in The Banner. Joe’s probing worried his new wife Viki, who feared for his safety. Vince Wolek became an unwitting accomplice to the Llanview drug trade, and got mixed up in a drug related murder. Joe Riley began his own private mission to prove the innocence of his longtime friend. During his investigation in California, Joe’s car had careened off a cliff. Though his body was not recovered, Joe Riley was presumed dead. Devastated, Viki’s only joy came when Vince Wolek was cleared of Artie Duncan’s murder. Cathy Craig remembered that she had killed the drug-dealing mobster in self-defense, then blocked it from her memory.

A new man, Steve Burke, entered Viki’s life. Victor Lord brought the veteran newspaperman in to serve as The Banner’s new Executive Editor.

Larry had changed his medical interest from psychiatry to internal medicine, and worked in Llanview's free clinic. Meredith decided she wanted a baby! Larry, sensitive to her blood condition, which was still in remission, did not think it wise for her to get pregnant. But Merrie was so adamant that Larry gave in.

1971

Price and Carla reconciled, but their relationship came to an end when he took a fellowship in Scotland. Carla accepted comfort from Bert Skelly, Llanview’s prominent black D.A.

Steve was the kind of conservative man that Victor had always envisioned for his daughter. The manipulative Mr. Lord schemed to throw Steve and Viki together – with disastrous results. But after many months, Viki finally returned Steve’s feelings, and they planned to marry. Vince Wolek, along with Joe’s sister Eileen, was appalled at Viki’s decision to remarry. They had refused to give up hope that Joe was alive. Both bristled when Viki signed the papers declaring Joseph Francis Riley legally dead, and plunged ahead with wedding plans.

Steve’s brilliant young secretary, Marcy Wade, secretly carried a torch for her boss. Intensely jealous, Marcy grew to hate Victoria Lord. Learning of Viki’s problems with a split personality, Marcy developed a scheme to drive Viki over the edge, by making her believe that Niki Smith had returned. She even donned a wig at Ernie’s Bar to offer conclusive proof to Viki that her alter-ego had returned. However, Marcy’s skillful scheme backfired: Viki’s deep troubles over the Niki matter actually brought her closer to Steve! Slipping deeper into psychosis, Marcy planned to kill Vince, and frame Niki for the crime. However, Steve was onto Marcy, and ended her charade in a deadly struggle for Marcy's gun, during which Marcy dropped her purse. A vagrant suddenly appeared, grabbed it, and ran. Just then, the gun went off, and Marcy fell to the ground, dead.

Lt. Ed Hall of the Llanview Police Department launched an investigation into Marcy’s death. Though Steve proclaimed his innocence, Lt. Hall developed his own theory that Steve and Marcy were having an affair behind Viki’s back, and when she planned to blow the whistle on him, Steve killed her. Viki watched in horror as her fiance was charged with first degree murder. Only Marcy’s purse, containing an incriminating note saying that Niki Smith planned to kill Vince Wolek, could save him.

Eileen and Dave Siegel were dismayed when their daughter Julie moved in with her older boyfriend, former football hero Jack Lawson. When Julie finally realized that her lover wasn't faithful, she suffered a nervous breakdown. During this difficult period, Julie met a new man, Dr. Mark Toland, a Llanview Hospital intern with a captivating Texas drawl. They married in 1971, but Dr. Toland soon discovered that his new wife, still emotionally scarred by her breakup with Jack, was frigid in bed. The Toland marriage was in big trouble!

1972

By 1972, twins were on the way for Larry and Meredith! Sadly, one of the twins was stillborn. The other, a boy named Dan, was born healthy. After the tragedy, Meredith became deeply depressed. Larry sought the counsel of a celebrated psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers, to help his troubled wife.

On the waterfront, a mysterious, unshaven man who had read accounts of Steve’s plight, located the missing purse in the belongings of his vagrant friend, Charley. This stranger held the evidence that could exonerate Steve Burke and that man was Joe Riley!

Suffering from a potentially fatal brain aneurism, Joe stumbled into a Llanview diner and passed out, where Wanda Webb, a tough-talking waitress with a huge heart, nursed Joe back to health -- and fell in love with the handsome stranger in the process! Fearing that he was going to die, Joe did not want his family to know he was alive after all. But he had to get the purse to the authorities, and sent it to his brother-in-law -- Steve’s lawyer, Dave Siegel -- and the evidence gained Steve’s acquittal.

Very weak, Joe lurked in the bushes at Llanfair to watch Viki marry another man. Steve and Viki left on their honeymoon just as Joe collapsed. The news of Joe Riley’s amazing return delighted the residents of Llanview -- especially his devoted sister Eileen. Steve and Viki returned to Llanview to be greeted by the startling news about Joe. Viki promptly fainted, then raced to Llanview Hospital to see Joe. Viki and Joe stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. As she whispered his name, Joe took a step forward, then collapsed at her feet. His fate would soon be determined by a delicate operation to repair the aneurism. Joe regained consciousness, and at the sight of Viki, his will to live surfaced. Joe's operation was successful, and upon his recovery, Viki was forced to make a choice between her two men.

Wanda was heartbroken at Joe's choice to return to Viki, but was taken by surprise to meet Vince Wolek.

Dave Siegel passed away from a massive heart attack. His sudden death left his wife Eileen depressed and alone to raise their children Julie and Timmy.

1973

With Joe's miraculous return from the dead, Viki now had two husbands! She admitted that she cared equally for both Joe and Steve, but since she was Steve's wife now, her duty was to him. Still, the more she came into contact with Joe at The Banner, the stronger her attraction to him became. Fate finally intervened: working together again, their old chemistry was back! While away on assignment, Joe and Viki made love. The next morning, Viki was torn, and informed Joe that she still couldn't leave Steve. A bitter argument ensued, Viki fled in tears, only to have an accident which left Viki comatose for months.

Upon her recovery, Viki stuck to her plans and returned to Steve. Joe, crushed by her rejection, poured his energies into assisting Cathy Craig, now a successful writer.

A personal tragedy helped make Viki realize that she should end her marriage to Steve. Thieves broke into Llanfair in search of Victor Lord's art collection. In the melee that ensued, Meredith slipped and hit her head. As she lay on her deathbed, she asked Viki to let Larry know how happy he made her. Larry decided to move in with his sister Anna and her husband Jim. Meredith's death made Viki realize how precious true love can be, and she asked Steve for a separation. Steve agreed, and at long last, Joe and Viki could be together!

Bert proposed to Carla, and she considered it, but then met police Lieutenant Ed Hall. Ed looked at Carla, told her she was much too stuffy and kissed her. Ed and Carla soon fell in love, and Carla ended her relationship with Bert, now a Congressman.


Dr. Dorian Cramer had moved to Llanview with her neurotic younger sister Melinda, who was once a promising pianist. Melinda's budding career was cut short when a fall left her with a paralyzed left arm. When they learned of the accident, Dorian and Melinda's parents hired a small plane to fly to Melinda's side. The plane crashed, killing the Cramer parents. Dorian had lost another sister, Agatha, (a fact that later turned out not to be true) when she died of pneumonia. Melinda was Dorian's only family, and became wholly devoted to her sister.

Despite ongoing therapy, Mark's wife Julie still had sexual problems. Frustrated with Julie's frigidity, Mark found what he needed in Dorian's bed. Melinda became furious because she had developed a crush on Mark, too!

To numb her grief, Dave's widow Eileen turned to painkillers. She eventually sought treatment from Dr. Dorian Cramer. When Eileen's prescriptions ran out, she turned to a street kid, Joshua West, to get her fix.

1974

After Meredith's death, Larry Wolek buried himself in his work. He grew to love one of his patients, Rachel Wilson, who was critically ill with Hodgkin's deases. Rachel confided to her nurse, Susan, that she wanted to die -- and she hoped Larry would help her end her life.

More deranged than ever, Melinda was fed up with living in her sister's shadow. Melinda schemed to stab the lovers in their "love nest." In the ensuing melee, Mark's hand was sliced open and Melinda was ultimately subdued and institutionalized.

Although still in love with Viki, Joe allowed himself to be seduced by Cathy. Viki returned from the Caribbean with her divorce papers to discover Cathy Craig was pregnant with Joe's baby! Joe offered to marry her. Cathy refused, wanting to raise their child alone. Quietly, Viki and Joe overcame the shock and quietly remarried in a simple ceremony in New York.

Wanda found lasting happiness with Joe's best friend, Vince. Now a cop, he made the wisecracking waitress his bride. Vince's friend, Police Lieutenant Ed Hall, found himself a loving bride when he married Carla Gray. Ed and Carla's new marriage was put to the test when they adopted a rebellious young street urchin, Joshua West.

Cathy Craig gave birth to a baby girl, Megan Riley Craig, who suffered from a congenital heart defect passed on by her father, Joe Riley. Though the baby underwent a corrective surgical procedure, Cathy and Joe were not told that Megan would never live past adolescence. Viki pleaded with Larry not to tell Joe that his genes had passed on Megan's fatal ailment -- and that Viki's future children could suffer the same fate. She took Larry's words of warning seriously, but ignored them! Knowing Joe would never allow her to have children if he knew of his problem, she vowed to keep the news from him.

Dr. Mark Toland gave Rachel her medication -- unaware that Dorian had already administered the required dose of potassium chloride and failed to initial her chart. The accidental overdose killed Rachel. Mark quickly realized what he had done and joined with his lover, Dorian, to cover up their negligence. Larry was arrested for committing a mercy-killing, and was convicted of murder.

1975

Riddled with guilt, Dorian threatened to tell Dr. Jim Craig the truth about Rachel's death. In a panic, Mark bolted -- and as Dorian chased after him she took a terrible fall down the stairs. As Dorian lay in a coma, Mark skipped town. Eventually, Dorian emerged from the coma, and delivered the courtroom testimony which set Larry Wolek free. Dorian was fined and suspended from Llanview Hospital. Dorian blamed Viki -- a hospital board member -- for the decision, and she was determined to gain revenge.

Dorian quickly found work as the private physician -- to Viki's father, Victor Lord! Viki resented Dorian's presence, but Victor shocked everyone by revealing the incredible news: he had made Dorian his wife!

With his health failing, Victor wanted to find his long-lost son. While in South America, Mark Toland discovered information about Victor's son and attempted to blackmail the greedy Dorian, who did not want Victor's heir to muck up her plans to inherit the Lord fortune.

Dorian persuaded Mark to change his blackmail plans by getting him to blackmail Viki about the secret of Joe's genetic responsibility in his child's heart problem. Before Viki could pay off Mark, nurse Susan Barry shot him dead in a case of mistaken identity and Viki's secret remained intact.

A mysterious man named Tony Harris showed up in Llanview with his exotic Asian lover, Michiko. Tony had come to Llanview bearing photos of the Lord family, and although it wasn't revealed at first, the handsome young man was Victor's long-lost son! Eventually, Tony and Victor shared an emotional reunion, which only made Dorian resentful. She successfully schemed to turn the two men into bitter enemies. Thanks to Dorian's evil machinations, Victor and Tony were at each other's throats!

Cathy's daughter, Megan, was killed in a car accident, which also left Viki in a deep coma. Upon her recovery, Viki pledged to get pregnant without telling Joe the inherent risk it posed to their child. Cathy, convinced that Megan's death was not an accident, vowed revenge on Viki.

Eileen Siegel's son, Tim, came home to reveal that he had dropped out of law school. Tim became instantly smitten with a beautiful young nurse, Jenny Wolek, a distant cousin to Vince, Anna, and Larry -- but to Tim's surprise, Jenny Wolek was about to take her final vows as a nun! Torn between her feelings for Tim and her commitment to God, Jenny decided to marry the man she loved. Before Jenny married Tim, she agreed to honor her commitment to aid earthquake victims in San Carlos, where several nuns were later killed in an explosion. Would Tim ever see his beloved Jenny again?

Viki came out of her coma months later and discovered that she was pregnant with Joe's baby. What would have been viewed as joyous news, was marred for Viki by the knowledge that Megan's heart problem had been traced genetically to Joe. She had to make the tough decision whether or not to abort a potentially unhealthy baby or keeping the precious child no matter what its fate. Ultimately, Viki decided to have the baby.

Tony began a romance with Cathy Craig, but shared a history with The Banner's newest editor, Pat Kendall. Years earlier, Pat and Tony had engaged in a sizzling romance in Rio, and Pat was still secretly in love with him. Rather than go to him and confess her feelings, Pat avoided Tony. Meanwhile, Tony could not avoid the fact that Cathy, still emotionally wounded by the death of her baby, began to lose touch with reality! When she learned that Viki was pregnant, Cathy grew psychotic with rage. Pat brought her 9-year-old son, Brian to live with her in Llanview. Only Pat knew the truth that Brian was Tony's son! Pat confided the truth to her friend, Viki, who helped her make a major decision. Pat resolved to fight for Tony, but she was too late because Tony and Cathy eloped!

1976

Suffering from malaria, nurse Jenny Wolek returned from South America and was confined to ICU at Llanview Hospital. Accompanying her was Jenny's friend, Dr. Peter Janssen. Upon her recovery, Jenny and Tim made plans to marry. Tim's mother, Eileen, managed to convince the young lovers to postpone the wedding until June, but Jenny moved up the wedding date when she experienced a frightening feeling that something terrible was going to happen. The revised plans did not sit well with Vince.

Vince and Tim lost their tempers, and when Tim took a swing at Vince, he lost his balance, fell down the stairs, and suffered serious injuries. Jenny decided that they should marry immediately in the ICU. As they were pronounced man and wife, Tim's condition took a turn for the worse, and Tim died in Jenny's arms. Joe Riley was shaken by his nephew's death, coming so closely on the heels of his own daughter, Megan's, untimely passing. Seeing Joe's grief tore Viki apart. More than ever she felt responsible for the death of Joe's only child. Soon his feelings would be buoyed by some incredible news -- Viki was pregnant!

Dorian had secretly planned a party in her own honor at Llanfair, wanting to show everyone that she was now the lady of the manor at Llanfair, a role always held by Viki. She removed Viki's mother's portrait over the fireplace and replaced it with a huge painting bearing her own likeness. Joining the party, Viki was visibly shaken upon seeing Dorian's portrait, but refused to give Dorian the satisfaction of seeing her anger. Instead, she quietly excused herself. When Viki was ready to return to the party, she stood at the top of the stairs with her cane, about to descend. Looking to embarrass Viki, Dorian brought everyone into the foyer to watch Viki slowly descend the stairs. Defiantly, Viki handed Joe her cane. Looking Dorian straight in the eye, she slowly and elegantly came down the stairs -- as the guests burst into applause! Dorian's faint smile belied the humiliation she felt in every pore of her body.

The feud between Victor and his son Tony grew more heated when Tony planned to build a singles bar on the road to Llanfair. Dorian continued to fan the flames and persuaded Victor to change his will, making her the main beneficiary. In time, Dorian's efforts began to fail. Sensing his own mortality, Victor's hostility towards Tony began to wane. Despite Dorian's tricks, the father and son tentatively reached out to each other.

Fearing that a father/son reunion would end her chances at inheriting the Lord fortune, Dorian poisoned Victor's mind against his son! When Tony realized Dorian's trickery, he told his father. When Victor confronted her with her lies, Dorian was forced to admit that she knew before anyone else did that Tony was Victor's son. The shock of this revelation triggered a massive stroke, that left Victor unable to speak!

Determined to keep her husband from recovering, Dorian succeeded in having Victor moved from the hospital back to Llanfair. She hoped to prevent his children from learning of the climactic fight she and Victor had that led up to his stroke. A second stroke sent him back to the hospital. Victor struggled to speak to Viki, but didn't survive long enough to tell Viki the truth about Dorian. Under very mysterious circumstances, Victor Lord died.

Llanview was stunned when Dorian, rather than Viki, was named executor of Victor's estate in his will. Tony received nothing! Dorian swiftly moved to take over the Lord family empire. Dorian then set her sights on a new conquest: Viki's husband, Joe! Dorian "accidentally" told Joe the secret of his genetic condition, and all hell broke loose. The revelation left Joe devastated. Viki and Joe eventually reconciled, and nervously looked forward to the birth of their baby. Tony managed to convince his deranged wife, Cathy, to seek help with Llanview Hospital's new Chief of Psychiatry, Dr. Will Vernon.

Viki gave birth to a baby boy -- Kevin Lord Riley! Joe and Viki were overjoyed to learn the wonderful news that their son did not have the heart defect that afflicted Megan. Their happiness was shortlived when Cathy kidnapped Kevin! Eventually, Cathy was apprehended, but the baby was nowhere to be found! Cathy, more delusional than ever, had no memory of ever marrying Tony. Worse, she had no memory of ever having seen a baby!

Pat's support made Tony realize how much she still meant to him. They gave in to their feelings and made love.

After months of mourning, Jenny met a young man who made her smile again. He was Brad Vernon, the son of Will and Naomi Vernon. Brad, who once dreamed of being a tennis pro, had suffered a severe knee injury that kept him from ever realizing his lofty goals. Brad began romancing Jenny -- and two-timing her -- with Lana McClain a local Llanview waitress! At first, Brad's only reason for pursuing Lana was to get her into the sack. Lana, sympathetic and naive, genuinely cared for Brad, but the flame-haired waitress was being conned into thinking he felt the same way.

Naomi Vernon began to suspect that her husband Will was having an affair with his nurse, Jenny -- the very same woman who was dating their son, Brad. Seeing Jenny as a threat to her own marriage, Naomi began pushing her towards Brad, who began to realize that the sweet and virginal Jenny wasn't like all the other girls he had slept with. He was falling in love with her!

1977

Larry decided to open his own private medical practice, and began an affair with his distant cousin -- Jenny's sister, Karen, who was flashy, pushy, and ambitious. Raised by a family of modest means, Karen wanted to live the high life and she saw Larry as her meal ticket. In short order, she wooed Larry into joining the country club, proposing to her, and giving her the biggest, most expensive engagement ring in Llanview's jewelry store. It was just a matter of time before wedding bells would be ringing!

Months passed without word about Viki and Joe's missing son, Kevin. To numb his pain, Joe began drinking heavily. Finally, when he came home drunk one night, Joe and Viki got into a major battle and old wounds were reopened. Dorian did everything in her power to break up the Rileys. The last straw came when Joe went on a drinking binge and spent the night at Dorian's home. Viki asked Joe to move out and Viki and Joe's marriage shattered.

Cathy's memory finally returned and she provided the authorities with enough information to locate the woman with whom she left baby Kevin. After a happy reunion with her son, Viki vowed never to give him up again. That same night, Joe had been in a bar room brawl, hit his head and was hospitalized with a concussion. Upon learning that Kevin had been returned, Joe was overcome with guilt. In an emotional scene, he begged for Viki's forgiveness and another chance for their marriage. Though the wounds were still deep, Viki accepted Joe's request and they reunited.

Dorian stumbled upon Joe passed out at his desk, but he wasn't drunk this time. Dorian discovered that, for weeks, Joe had been having headaches and periods of blurred vision. Behind Viki's back, Dorian took Joe to New York for tests which showed a possible brain tumor! Dorian convinced Joe that it would be too much of a strain on Viki if he were to reveal his diagnosis. Dorian tried unsuccessfully to use Joe's secret as the fuel to destroy his marriage to Viki. Joe decided he couldn't keep the secret from Viki any longer, but had another seizure at Llanfair and passed out. While Joe was unconscious, Dorian made a wreck of the room and tore her own dress. When Joe came to, she convinced him that he was the one who did all the damage in the room. Joe was terrified! Fearing for the safety of his loved ones, Joe persuaded Viki to take Kevin away to their cabin in the mountains.

Joe finally told Viki the truth. Viki grew closer to her beloved Joe than she had ever been. Together, they went to New York where a second C.A.T. scan revealed the grim news that Joe had a brain tumor. The tumor was surgically removed and turned out to be benign.

Cathy recovered from her mental illness and the kidnapping charges against her were dropped. Tony platonically resumed his marriage with Cathy until she was strong enough to face life on her own. Pat had told Tony that Brian was their son. However, both decided that it would be too traumatic to tell the boy the truth. Healthy at last, Cathy gave Tony his freedom and Tony and Pat were to finally be together! Tony and Pat gently told Brian about their wedding plans. Brian lashed out -- announcing that he hated Tony! On the eve of their wedding, Tony was critically injured in an automobile accident. Pat was barely over the shock of Tony's accident when she discovered that her husband, Paul Kendall was not dead after all! Paul's return proved to be the beginning of an emotional and stormy dilemma for Pat. Upon Tony's recovery, Pat broke the news to Tony that she had decided, for Brian's sake, that Paul would be moving back home. Soon, Tony and Pat began an affair behind Paul's back.

Karen Wolek wanted the biggest, most lavish affair that Llanview had ever seen. Her plans went smoothly until a week before the wedding when Marco Dane arrived in Llavniew. Karen was mortified to see her ex-lover because he knew that Karen had once been involved in an embezzlement scheme and spent six months on probation. If Larry found out about her past, he would never agree to marry a lying criminal like Karen. Karen and Larry tied the knot, and Marco remained silent about Karen's secret - for now.

Their honeymoon was shortlived and Karen quickly became bored with married life. Despite Larry's urging, Karen refused to change her profligate ways. When she was in a local boutique, Karen tried on an expensive dress that she obviously could not afford on the budget Larry had given her. An older, wealthy man stood in the background and admired her. He was Talbot Huddleston, a pillar of the community.

Huddleston presented Karen with a tantalizing offer -- he would buy her the dress if Karen agreed to have lunch with him. Karen accepted, but their rendevous included more than just lunch. After a meal and a few glasses of wine, Karen returned to Huddleston's hotel room and they made love. Before long, Karen was indulging her champagne tastes by having sex with a variety men, in exchange for extravagant gifts of jewelry and clothing.

Newcomer Becky Lee Hunt had come to Llanview to seek fame as a country western singer. Becky Lee fell in love with Viki's young cousin, Richard Abbott, who was working as a reporter for The Banner.

Working side by side with Jenny, Will found himself falling in love. Naomi began to suspect that her husband harbored strong feelings for this young woman, Jenny, who dated their son, Brad. One night, while working late at the hospital, an anguished Will confessed to Jenny that he was in love with her. Jenny was consumed with guilt: she simply could not be responsible for the dissolution of the Vernon marriage. Her voice quivering, Jenny told Will that she could no longer work for him.

Jenny became more and more troubled by the fact that Will and Brad were both in love with her and decided to go away to a retreat to seek spiritual guidance. Meanwhile, Naomi embarked upon a desperate plan designed to get Will to come back to her. She attempted suicide by swallowing a overdose of barbiturates -- but Naomi never intended to die. Naomi had every intention of having Brad find her in time. But Brad, never dreaming what his mother was up to, was busy two-timing Jenny again with Lana McClain. While Brad seduced Lana, his mother overdosed and died. Naomi's death destroyed the Vernon family. Overcome with guilt, Jenny decided that she would no longer see Brad or Will.

Even after Brad later reconciled with Jenny, he continued to see Lana on the side. Meanwhile, Jenny could see that Will was still in love with her. She decided that the only way to free herself of the overwhelming guilt was to marry Brad! Jenny's decision to marry him astonished Brad, who was about to receive an even bigger shock -- Lana was pregnant with his child! The news panicked Brad -- who tried everything in his power to convince Lana to have an abortion.

Lana sank into a state of deep depression, numbing her pain with liquor and pills. Terrified that that she would spoil his wedding, Brad went to see Lana, who was very drunk. Prior to Brad's arrival, Lana made herself some hot milk into which she had dissolved two sleeping pills. When Lana became agitated, he gave her the milk, unaware it contained a deadly dose of drugs. Just as he was about to leave, Brad noticed that Lana had passed out. When he tried to rouse her, he dis-covered to his horror that she was dead!

In a total panic, Brad cleaned up the apartment and set-up an alibi for himself. During the inquest, Marco Dane tried to implicate Brad. Jenny maintained complete faith in her fiancé, and married Brad immediately. Jenny took the stand, and sent everyone into shock by announcing that she and Brad were man and wife. The police suspected there was foul play in Lana's death, but unable to prove it, Brad was exonerated of any wrongdoing.

1978

After months of personal agony, Pat Kendall finally decided to tell her son Brian that Tony Lord was his natural father. Brian took the news badly. He hated Tony! Blinded by tears, he raced out the door and into the street. At that very moment, Karen Wolek was a passenger in a car driven by her favorite "patron," Talbot Huddleston. In the midst of an argument with Karen, Talbot did not see the boy crossing his path. The car struck and killed Brian instantly. To avoid scandal, Huddleston sped away from the accident scene. The relationship between Tony and Pat deteriorated quickly in the weeks after their son's death.
After a hostage crisis at Llanview hospital, Brad realized for the first time how much he truly loved Jenny. In a moving moment with his father Will, Brad vowed that if Jenny survived the ordeal, he would confess all his transgressions -- including the fact that he was present in Lana's apartment on the night she died. When Jenny was safely returned, Brad stayed true to his word and made a full confession of his sins to a stunned Jenny, who realized that her whole marriage to Brad was based on a lie! Jenny decided their marriage was over. After serving his three-month prison sentence, Brad Vernon came home to learn that Jenny was sticking to her decision to obtain a papal annulment from the church. Brad, now more embittered than ever, was determined to get even with her in any way he could.

Brad's younger sister, Samantha, developed a teenage crush on an older man, Tony Lord. Deeply hurt by Tony's rejection, Samantha ran from Tony's place in tears. Dr. Pamela Shepherd, Will Vernon's new fiancé, followed Samantha into her car where she tried to calm her down. Sam drove off with Pam in the car --and had a terrible accident. Pam died in the crash, and Sam suffered severe facial burns that left her with the possibility of disfigurement. Guilt-ridden, Tony presented Sam with an engagement ring and prepared to marry her, regardless of how her facial surgery turned out. Jenny's heart went out to Brad in the days after Samantha's tragic accident. Once again, Jenny returned to this man who had brought her so much pain.

After divorcing Paul Kendall, Pat resolved to start her life over. She poured her energies into her new TV talk show on Llanview's WVLE-TV. She was flattered by the attention paid to her by millionaire Adam Brewster, who hid from Pat the fact that he suffered dangerous epileptic seizures. Gretel Rae Cummings was working as Adam Brewster's assistant. Only Gretel knew about Adam's secret epilepsy. Eventually, Pat discovered the truth and she and Adam were married. Adam was also concealing that he was involved in a shady arms deal. Gretel was also aware of Adam's involvement in the arms deal and tried to reason with him to get out of it.

When Adam refused to listen to Gretel, she became deeply disappointed in him and quit her job. Brad Vernon then replaced Gretel as Adam's assistant. Brad, who had always found Gretel attractive, asked her out to dinner. Brad tried to seduce Gretel, but she fought back. Brad nearly raped Gretel, but he didn't succeed and it was clear that he had made a life-long enemy in Gretel.

Snobby and ambitious Edwina Lewis, a new writer working for Dorian's "Lord Press," came to Llanview and set her sights on Becky Lee Hunt's man, the wealthy Richard Abbott. Despite Edwina's seductive efforts, Richard asked Becky to marry him. Faced with losing Richard, Edwina took off for North Carolina to do a little digging into Becky's past. There she learned that Becky's real name was Jackson, not Hunt.

Richard received a tantalizing offer from The Banner's editor, Joe Riley, to head up the newspaper's European Bureau. Just as Richard and Becky were about to leave for Europe, a "red neck" named Luke Jackson showed up in Llanview. Luke was Becky Lee's husband! Edwina viewed Luke's presence as a godsend. He was the one way that she could keep Richard from leaving Llanview. One night, Luke brutally beat Richard, leaving him with a fractured skull. Luke was apprehended and sent to jail -- but before long he escaped and plotted to get his final revenge on Becky Lee for leaving him.

In a shootout, Ed Hall was hit and rushed to Llanview Hospital where he was operated on by Dr. Jack Scott. Dr. Scott performed a delicate operation to remove a bullet lodged near Ed's heart. Carla was grateful to the gruff no-nonsense, Dr. Scott, who began to show more than a passing interest in Ed's wife, Carla.

Carla began spending more and more time at the hospital with Jack, her new boss. Their simmering relationship reached an important turning point when Jack asked Carla to accompany him to a medical convention in the Virgin Islands. When they reached the Caribbean, Jack kissed Carla, and she responded! In the aftermath, Carla was devastated and guilt-ridden.

In the aftermath of the near-tragedy with Luke Jackson, Becky and Richard married in a loving ceremony held at Joe and Viki's carriage house. Following the wedding, they left Llanview for a fresh start in Europe.

Dorian's sister Melinda returned after having spent several years in a mental institution, and sabotaged Dorian's budding romance with Dr. Peter Janssen, wanting the doctor all for herself. Melinda stood her ground, and gave Dorian the comeuppance she had so long deserved. A defeated Dorian could do nothing as Melinda and Peter eloped.

But Melinda's compulsive behavior returned. Melinda resumed her career as a concert pianist. Practicing day and night, she nearly drove Peter insane with her compulsive playing. Her hopes were dashed when, in her big audition, she failed to impress the world-famous Bruno Weston.

Having discovered Karen's afternoon rendezvouses with married men, Marco forced Karen into becoming one of his "freelance hookers." Then he threatened to spill the beans to Karen's husband, Larry. So as not to appear to be a sponger, he also worked as Dorian Lord's handyman, chauffeur, gardener, errand boy, and even became her lover! When Marco learned Dorian's sister Melinda lied about her successful audition for Bruno Weston, he threatened to tell the world.

Viki's lifestyle changed dramatically when her childhood friend Irene Clayton returned to town to tell Viki that she was dying. Irene asked Viki to take care of her sixteen-year old daughter, Tina. When Irene died, Tina arrived -- and suddenly Viki was facing the daunting challenge of raising a teenager! Karen broke down and confided to Viki that she was a hooker. Believing that Karen was sincere in wanting to quit "the life", Viki confronted Marco Dane and threatened to ruin him if he didn't leave Karen alone. Marco bowed to Viki's threats, but vowed to somehow get even with her someday. Before long, he had found the instrument to even the score -- Tina!

Marco opened a local modeling agency and slowly won the confidence of Tina Clayton. Marco plotted to take modeling photographs of Tina and superimpose those shots over the nude body of another model. To get even with Viki, Marco would show the world that Tina was a pornographic model! Marco never dreamed he would come to like Tina himself!

Feeling sorry for the sweet girl, Marco abandoned his scheme and instead began to gaslight Viki into thinking that her split personality, Niki Smith, had returned. When Viki again confronted Marco, he blackmailed her with the dummy photos. When Viki visited Marco to pay him off, she found him dead! She took the photos and fled.