Internationally renowned daytime drama actress Darlene Conley, who played the vividly colored, comedic and tough dame with a heart of gold, Sally Spectra on The Bold and the Beautiful, died on January 14, 2007 from cancer.

“Darlene understood better than anyone that each moment of airtime was precious”, said Bradley P. Bell, Executive Producer and Head Writer of The Bold and the Beautiful. “She constantly entertained us with every move, every breath, every inflection of her voice. Whether she was the villain, the damsel, the sexpot, or the comedienne, Darlene was brilliant. An extraordinary actress of film, radio, stage and television, my family had the privilege and honor of Darlene gracing our shows for three decades. She was truly one-of-a-kind. We will miss her beyond measure.”

“Darlene was a beloved member of the CBS family for many years,” said Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President of Daytime, CBS, “Her talent, wit, and energy made her a force to be reckoned with and her loss is immeasurable. She’ll be greatly missed but also greatly remembered.”

Born in Chicago, Illinois on July 18, 1934, of Irish-German heritage, she was discovered at age 15 by legendary Broadway impresario Jed Harris who cast her as the Irish maid in a touring production of the 19th century melodrama The Heiress, which starred Basil Rathbone. After graduating high school, she toured the country with classical theater companies before appearing in Shakespearean roles on Broadway with the Helen Hayes Repertory Theater. She later appeared in a Broadway revival of the Night of the Iguana, with Richard Chamberlain, and in David Merrick’s musical The Baker’s Wife. Her Los Angeles theater credits included Cyrano de Bergerac and Night of the Iguana (both with Chamberlain), The Time of the Cuckoo with Jean Stapleton and Ring Around the Moon with Michael York.

Alfred Hitchcock cast Conley in her first feature film, The Birds, and she worked with John Cassavetes in Faces and Minnie & Moscowitz. Conley also appeared in The Valley of the Dolls, Play it as it Lays and Lady Sings the Blues, as well as Tough Guys, with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas.

Conley has appeared in a host of made for television films, mini-series and vintage prime-time dramatic series including Robert Kennedy & His Times, The Fighter, The Choice, Return Engagement and The President’s Plane is Missing as well as The Cosby Show, Murder, She Wrote, Cagney & Lacey, Little House on the Prairie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Highway to Heaven.

Daytime television became home to Conley, who once said “It (daytime) is really the best medium today for women of a certain age to do something really flashy; it’s where what we do well as actresses matters.” Conley portrayed Edith Baker on Days of Our Lives, Louie on Capitol and Trixie Monahan on General Hospital before being given the role of the nefarious Rose de Ville, by the late William J. Bell, on The Young and Restless. When Bell co-created The Bold and the Beautiful with his wife Lee Phillip-Bell, he envisioned a special role for Conley, the role of Sally Spectra. Conley showcased her dramatic range and abilities with the character, and over the years has portrayed an exotic repertoire of offbeat flamboyant characters within the role. As Sally, Conley was a master of disguises including Mae West, a German spy, an Italian gigolo, a nun, and even a rendition of another B&B character, Massimo Marone.

For her portrayal of Sally Spectra on The Bold and the Beautiful, Conley was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards and six Soap Opera Digest Awards.

Additionally, Conley has the distinction of being the only daytime star to be chosen by the world famous Madame Tussaud’s to have her character, Sally Spectra, displayed in their gallery of wax figures, in both Amsterdam and Las Vegas.

Conley is survived by her son, Raymond Woodson, ex-husband Bill Woodson, sisters Carol Fontana and Sharon Wilson, a host of nieces and nephews, her long time friend and caretaker, Eva Hansen and her manager of 24 years, Sandra Siegal. Service arrangements are pending. 

Source: CBS Daytime