Martha Byrne
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Mary Martha Byrne (born December 23, 1969) is an American actress, singer and television writer. She played the role of
Lily Walsh Snyder Lily Walsh is a fictional character from the CBS daytime soap opera, ''As the World Turns''. Most notably played by Martha Byrne from May 1985 to September 29, 1989 and again from April 1993 to April 22, 2008, the character was originated in June ...
on the
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
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 ...
'' from 1985 to 1989, then again from 1993 to 2008; as well as, from 2000 to 2003, Lily's twin sister, Rose D'Angelo. Byrne has also appeared in other stage, television and movie roles, including the title role in the 1983 film '' Anna to the Infinite Power''. She is currently executive producer of the digital drama series ''
Anacostia Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Southeast Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. It is located east of the Anacostia River, after which the neighborhood is na ...
'', where she has played the role of Alexis Jordan since 2011. Byrne has won three
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
s for acting.


Early life

Byrne was born in
Ridgewood, New Jersey Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 24,958,Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
''
Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...
'', where she played the role of July. She was a featured actor on a number of prime time episodic television programs, including ''
Kate and Allie ''Kate & Allie'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from March 19, 1984 to May 22, 1989, starring Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin as two divorced women, both with children, who decide to live together in the same house. ...
'', ''
Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...
'', ''
Parker Lewis Can't Lose ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' is an American teen sitcom that originally aired on Fox from September 1990 to June 1993. It was produced by Clyde Phillips Productions in association with Columbia Pictures Television. During the last season, the se ...
'', ''
Jake and the Fatman ''Jake and the Fatman'' is an American crime drama television series starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. (Jason Lochinvar) "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from September ...
'', '' In the Heat of the Night'', and '' Hearts are Wild''. Byrne also appeared in several television movies, with featured roles in ''When the Cradle Falls'' and ''Pink Lightning.'' Byrne's best known film role was as the title character in the 1983 film '' Anna to the Infinite Power''. In 2010 she provided the commentary for the film's DVD release.


Daytime television

Byrne is best known for portraying
Lily Walsh Snyder Lily Walsh is a fictional character from the CBS daytime soap opera, ''As the World Turns''. Most notably played by Martha Byrne from May 1985 to September 29, 1989 and again from April 1993 to April 22, 2008, the character was originated in June ...
on the
CBS Daytime CBS Daytime is a division within CBS that is responsible for the daytime television block programming on the CBS' late morning and early afternoon schedule. The block has historically encompassed soap operas and game shows. Schedule NOTE: All tim ...
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
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 ...
''. She started in May 1985 at age 15, taking over from another teenage actress. Byrne soon became part of a "
supercouple A supercouple or super couple (also known as a power couple) is a popular and/or wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or obsessive fashion. The term originated in the United States, and it was coined in the earl ...
" when then-
head writer A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits. In fictional comedy o ...
Douglas Marland Douglas Marland (born Marland Messner; May 5, 1934 – March 6, 1993) was an American writer, known for his work as the head writer of several soap operas. Career Marland began his career as an actor, appearing on the Irna Phillips series ''The B ...
paired "poor little rich girl" Lily with hard-luck farmhand
Holden Snyder Holden Snyder is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera ''As the World Turns''. He was portrayed by Jon Hensley from 1985 to 1988, 1990 to 1995 and 1997 until the show's final episode on September 17, 2010. Hensley's character is par ...
, played by
Jon Hensley Jon Hensley (born August 26, 1965, in Browns Mills, New Jersey) is an American actor, singer and songwriter, best recognized for his portrayal of Holden Snyder on the CBS daytime soap opera ''As the World Turns'', a role he held from 1985 unt ...
. The show attracted controversy in 1987 when Byrne—months shy of her 18th birthday—and equally underage actor Brian Bloom played out a storyline in which they lost their virginity to each other. Byrne won a
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for
Outstanding Younger Actress The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series was an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It was given annually ...
in 1987. She left ''As the World Turns'' in 1989, and returned in April 1993. From 2000 until 2003, Byrne also played a second role, Lily's long-lost twin, Rose D'Angelo. She won another Daytime Emmy in 2001, this time as Outstanding Lead Actress. Byrne left ''As the World Turns'' again in April 2008. The show's
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
Christopher Goutman Christopher Goutman (born December 19, 1952) is an American writer, producer, actor and director. He is most notable for his work on daytime soap operas. He was married from 1985–2016 to actress Marcia McCabe, whom he met while he was on ''Search ...
stated, "We made Martha an incredibly generous offer in hopes that she would remain a valuable member of the ''ATWT'' cast. Unfortunately, Martha has decided to leave despite our best efforts to keep her." Byrne later asserted that the contract negotiations fell through because the show refused to guarantee her the same number of episodes of work she had previously been guaranteed. She added that a casting call was made for her successor during her contract negotiations, which fueled her drive to leave. Byrne's last airdate on the show was April 22, 2008; her successor,
Noelle Beck Noelle Beck (born December 14, 1967, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American actress, best known for her role as Trisha Alden on the ABC daytime soap opera ''Loving''. Career Beck graduated from Baltimore School for the Arts. She portrayed ''Lov ...
, appeared in the role of Lily from May 2008 until the series' end in 2010. Byrne was hired as a script writer by
Bradley Bell Bradley Phillip Bell (born June 29, 1964) is an American television writer and producer. Bell is an eight-time Daytime Emmy Award winner and is executive producer and head writer for ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', an American soap opera. Ea ...
for ''
The Bold and the Beautiful ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''The Yo ...
'' in early 2009. From June 17 though September 9, 2009, she portrayed
Andrea Floyd ''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
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 opera ''
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 ...
''. Byrne began portraying Alexis Jordan (née Joanne Edwards) on the soap opera
web series A web series (also known as a web show) is a series of scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet, which first emerged in the late 1990s and became more prominent in the early 2000s. A single i ...
''
Anacostia Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Southeast Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. It is located east of the Anacostia River, after which the neighborhood is na ...
'' in 2011, winning a 2012
Indie Series Award The Indie Series Awards (formerly the Indie Soap Awards) is an annual event hosted by ''We Love Soaps'', based in Los Angeles, California, honoring the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Internet. The ceremony ...
for Best Guest Appearance (Drama), and a 2015
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series. The entire cast won a 2015 Indie Series Award for Best Ensemble (Drama). Byrne served as a co-executive producer, director and writer for the series from 2012-2016, and was promoted to Executive Producer in the show's 2017 fifth season. As a producer, Byrne was also nominated for the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series in 2015.


Music

Byrne is also a singer. She contributed a Christmas medley to the 1994 RCA release, ''A Soap Opera Christmas.'' She released her self-titled album ''Martha Byrne'' in 1996. She has also released a second album, ''Woman Thing Music''. Byrne again was the subject of controversy, as the sponsor of the second album was Philip Morris. The CD could only be purchased in conjunction with the purchase of cigarettes, or at one of the "Woman Music Thing" concerts that Philip Morris sponsored. Byrne eventually withdrew endorsement from the music label, as she did not want to be associated with a product that could encourage underage smoking. In 2006 Byrne released a third album, ''The Other Side''.


Awards and recognition

Byrne is a ten-time
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
-nominee as actress and producer, winning
Outstanding Younger Actress The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series was an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It was given annually ...
in 1987, Outstanding Lead Actress in 2001, and Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series in 2015.


Personal life

Byrne married Michael McMahon, a former undercover officer in the
New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
, on November 12, 1994. She grew up in
Waldwick, New Jersey Waldwick () is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 9,625,Ridgewood.Staff
"'Empire’s Got Talent': Bergen native Martha Byrne holds one night only event"
Bergen.com, November 8, 2011. Accessed December 20, 2013. "Waldwick native and Ridgewood resident Martha Byrne held an 'Empire’s Got Talent' event last night in New York City."
Their first child, Michael Terrence McMahon, was born on May 29, 1998. An episode of the
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
series ''
A Baby Story ''A Baby Story'' is an American Reality television, reality series that began airing on TLC (TV channel), TLC and Discovery Channel in 1998 until 2007. Overview The series follows a couple through the late days of their pregnancy, sometimes pres ...
'' chronicled her second pregnancy and the birth of her son, Maxwell Vincent McMahon, on September 3, 2002. Their third child and first daughter, Annmarie, was born June 12, 2006.


Filmography


Writer


Producer


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Byrne, Martha 1969 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from New Jersey American child actresses American women singers American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American soap opera actresses American soap opera writers American television actresses Daytime Emmy Award winners Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winners Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series winners People from Ridgewood, New Jersey People from Waldwick, New Jersey Women soap opera writers American women television writers Screenwriters from New Jersey