Deidre Hall

Deidre: (her least favourite storyline on Days Of Our Lives) I did the first crib death. I wasn't that skilled as an actress. I wasn't comfortable with unrestrained emotion on camera. (The writers) decided to let Marlena walk in and find the baby. It was hugely difficult and hugely frightening. I spoke to doctors who had counselled people through that experience. The stories were horrific of the human response. I felt lost and scared, and unprepared to do those scenes.

Deidre: (her favourite storyline on Days Of Our Lives) I loved the possession story. Those were two long arcs where I got to veer away from Marlena's perfection.

Deidre: When I was early on the show [Days Of Our Lives], I met a man through my fan mail. He lived In Chester, Pennsylvania. We wrote back and forth. He became my pal. When I first wrote him he was 97 years old. When he turned 98, I said, 'I'm coming back for your birthday'. I flew to Pennsylvania and I spent his birthday with him. He was an artist and an illustrator for the Saturday Evening Post. He was extraordinary. That's one of the gifts that I get to have playing Marlena: meeting wonderful people.