Friday, November 07, 2008

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: DANA DELANY (EX-HAYLEY; ATWT)

Viewers have had the chance to follow Delany's career since she made her professional debut in the daytime drama "Love of Life" in 1979. Her standout television roles include "China Beach" and "Kidnapped."

Comic book fans heard her as the voice of Lois Lane in the 1996 animated series "Superman" and the 2003 animated series "Justice League."

Whether she stays on Wisteria Lane or moves on, Delany just wants to keep doing the job she loves.

"I hate to say this but I live to work," Delany says. "The more the work, the happier I am."

Entire interview, here.

On As The World Turns in 1981, Delany played Hayley Wilson, young and naive daughter of an archeology professor (remember, the big movie that year was Raiders of the Lost Ark; adventurous scientific types became popular on several soaps) who brought a sample of her father's work to James Stenbeck. James ordered Hayley to keep her father's discoveries a secret, then rushed off to see Professor Wilson in Egypt. James returned soon after with the news that -- oops, not sure how it happened -- but the poor professor had perished in a cave-in.

When Hayley became ill, Dr. John Dixon took a paternal interest in the girl. He took a more selfish interest in her when he learned that James might have had something to do with her father's death. Pretty soon, James was smuggling precious, Middle Eastern gems into the United States, John was telling Margo to break off her relationship with Stenbeck (yes, new viewers, believe it or not, Margo once had a hot and heavy affair with James -- while he was married to Barbara, no less. Kind of makes Barbara going after Tom while he was married to Margo seem somewhat more justified, doesn't it?), and James was romancing Hayley's aunt Connie, on top of juggling an oblivious Barbara and a jealous Margo.

Connie was supposed to be managing Hayley's inheritance, but instead she invested it -- with James' urging -- into Barbara's new business, Fashions, which James was using as front to smuggle in his contraband jewels. When Hayley asked for money to go to college, Connie claimed it was all tied up in her investments. She also urged Hayley to stay away from Eric Hollister (a clean-shaven Peter Reckell; above) -- since Connie knew that if Hayley married, Hayley would take over managing her own trust.

Connie demanded that James give her the money back so she could send Hayley to school, or Connie would tell Barbara they'd been having an affair. James assured her he would do so posthaste. Soon afterwards, Connie was discovered dead -- a presumed suicide.

Poor James, death just seems to follow his innocent self wherever he goes.

Hayley felt bad about her aunt's death. But then she married Eric, got back her money and moved out of town.

All's well that ends well.

No comments: