Marlena Evans

Marlena Evans
Days of Our Lives character
Portrayed by	Deidre Hall (1976–present) Eileen Davidson (1995, 2021)[a] Staci Greason (1995)[a] Drake Hogestyn (2021)[b] Stephen Nichols (2021)[c] Galen Gering (2021)[d]
Duration	1976–1987 1991–2009 2011–present
First appearance	June 21, 1976
Classification	Present; regular
Created by	Pat Falken Smith
Introduced by	Betty Corday (1976) Ken Corday and Al Rabin (1991) Ken Corday, Noel Maxam and Greg Meng (2011)
Book appearances	A Secret in Salem
Spin-off appearances	Days of Our Lives: Night Sins (1993) Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem (2021–2022) Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas (2021)
In-universe information Other names Salem Stalker Marlena Craig Marlena Brady Marlena Bradford Marlena Black Samantha Evans Kristen DiMera Isabella Toscano Hattie Adams John Black Steve Johnson Rafe Hernandez Occupation Psychiatrist Radio host Therapist Wedding officiant Parents Frank Evans Martha Evans Sisters Samantha Evans Husband Alex North (1970s–2006) Don Craig (1979–1981) Roman Brady (1983–1994) Eugene Bradford (1984) John Black (1986–1991, 1999–2005, 2006–2008, 2009–2012, 2013–2014, 2018–present)[e] Children DJ Craig Eric Brady Sami Brady Belle Black Stepsons Brady Black Paul Narita Grandchildren Will Horton Claire Brady Allie Horton Johnny DiMera Sydney DiMera Grace Brady (legal) Holly Jonas (surrogate) Mackenzie Horton Jude Roman Brady Uncles Robert Evans First cousins Trista Evans Other relatives Arianna Horton Henry Horton

Marlena Evans is a fictional character on the NBC/Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives, a long-running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem. She has been played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976, but the character was absent from the show from 1987 to August 1991 and again from January 2009 to September 2011. Marlena was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith and executive producer Betty Corday, and has become one of Days of our Lives' most well-known characters. Hall made her debut on the soap on June 21, 1976, currently making her the second longest running actress on the serial, surpassed only by Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Horton).^[1]

Throughout the course of her existence on the program, she has experienced what some consider to be the most outrageous circumstances of any character in soap opera history. These would include being possessed by the devil two times (in 1994 and 2021); a plummet from a 30-story-window (which she survived); being used as a surrogate for genetically engineered babies, Rex and Cassie, during a four-year coma, where she was presumed dead after being involved in a plane crash; being mind-controlled to believe she was a serial killer; being targeted by several serial killers; and becoming pregnant late in life and suffering a miscarriage, which caused her to have hysterical amnesia. She has also been kidnapped numerous times over the past 45 years. She is a doctor, wife, mother, twin, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Marlena has been a staple in the US press during her time on Days of Our Lives, a representative of the symbiosis between American's soaps and tabloid soap magazines. Widely read tabloids, such as Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly, would routinely publish forthcoming developments in Marlena's storylines. Marlena was well received by critics, and is notable for her popular pairing with John Black. The character is well-known even outside of the show's viewer-base. In 2010, Sheri Anderson (a former head writer for Days) began writing books about off-screen characters from the soap. John and Marlena were included in one called A Secret in Salem.^[2]

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