Gillian Spencer (born December 18, 1939) is an American soap opera actress and writer. She had supporting roles on the soaps ''

The Secret Storm ''The Secret Storm'' is an American soap opera that the CBS television network transmitted from February 1, 1954, to February 8, 1974. It was created by Roy Winsor, who also created the long-running soap operas ''Search for Tomorrow'' and ''Love ...

'' as Lynn Wilkins Warren from 1961-1962 and ''

The Edge of Night ''The Edge of Night'' is an American television mystery crime drama series and soap opera, created by Irving Vendig and produced by Procter & Gamble Productions. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that netwo ...

'' as Leora Davies in 1963 before joining ''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...

'' in 1965 in the role of the troubled heroine Robin Fletcher. Gillian was part of the original cast of ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

'' as the original

Victoria Lord Victoria Lord is a fictional character and matriarch of the Lord family on the American soap opera ''One Life to Live'', played for over 41 years by six-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning actress Erika Slezak. The character was created as one of th ...

from 1968 until 1970, and it was during her stint that Viki's split personality was introduced. While

Erika Slezak Erika Alma Hermina Slezak (; born August 5, 1946) is an American actress, best known for her role as Victoria "Viki" Lord on the American daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' from 1971 through the television finale in 2012 and again in the ...

would become famous for this part, Gillian and

Lee Patterson Lee Patterson (March 31, 1929 – February 14, 2007) was a Canadian film and television actor. Life and career Patterson was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, as Beverley Frank Atherly Patterson. He attended the Ontario College of Art and ...

(Joe Riley) were fan favorites and the show's first major romantic couple. From 1972-1975, she played ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...

s Jennifer Hughes, Kim Stewart's sister, Bob's third wife and Frannie's mother who died after being hit by a car. However, she is probably best remembered for playing the role of Daisy Cortlandt on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

soap, ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 20 ...

'', a role she played from 1980 through 1989, and in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, and on April 20, 2010 with Taylor Miller (Nina Cortlandt) for the tribute episode for James Mitchell (

Palmer Cortlandt Palmer Cortlandt is a fictional character on the long-running ABC soap opera ''All My Children'', played by James Mitchell from 1979 to 2010. A major character until 2002, when health issues forced him to reduce his work load, Mitchell continu ...

). Daisy (Palmer's first wife) was originally presumed dead and used the alias "Monique Jonvil" to befriend Nina in college. Over the years, Nina often referred to her mother as "Monique". For her role of Daisy, Spencer received an Emmy Nomination for Best Actress. In 1997, Gillian made a guest return to "As the World Turns" where the spirit of Jennifer appeared to her ailing sister. Spencer appeared in the 1968 feature comedy ''

What's So Bad About Feeling Good? ''What's So Bad About Feeling Good?'' is a 1968 American comedy film directed by George Seaton and starring George Peppard and Mary Tyler Moore. The film was a box office disappointment. Plot Pete (George Peppard) is a former advertising exec ...

''; in the film, she plays The Sack, a melancholy young woman living in a New York City commune with a burlap sack covering her entire body except for her bare feet. She was co- head writer of '' Another World''. She has also been a writer for ''

'', ''

'' and the serial ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

''.

Positions held

'' *Script Writer (1989–1992) *Story Consultant (1986–1989) *Actress: Daisy Cortlandt (1979–1989, 1994, 1995, 2010) '' Another World'' *Script Writer (1997–1999) ''

'' *Script Writer (1993–1994) *Actress: Jennifer Sullivan Ryan Hughes, R. N. (1972–1975, 1997) ''

'' *Script Writer (September 3, 2001 – September 2003) ''

'' *Actress: Lyn Wilkins (1962–1963) ''

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...

'' *Breakdown Writer (2000–2001) ''

'' *Script Writer (March 2004 – May 13, 2005) *Occasional Script Writer (December 2003) *Actress: Robin Lang (1964–1967) ''

'' *Interim Headwriter (July 16, 1999 – December 1999) *Script Writer (May 12–14, 1999) *Breakdown Writer (May 17 –July 15, 1999) *Actress:

(1968–1970) ''

'' *Actress: Leora Davies (1963)

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer, Gillian Actresses from Seattle American soap opera actresses American soap opera writers Place of birth missing (living people) Daytime Emmy Award winners American women television writers Writers from Seattle 1939 births Living people Women soap opera writers Screenwriters from Washington (state) 21st-century American women