Deidre Hall

Deidre Hall is an American actress and model known for playing Marlena Evans on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives, a part she has held for 50 years. Born in Milwaukee and raised in Florida, she studied psychology in college before turning to acting. She spent a summer in Los Angeles, landed modeling jobs and commercials, and soon began appearing on television. In 1976 she played a superheroine in the children's show Electra Woman and Dyna Girl. That same year she joined Days of Our Lives as Dr. Marlena Evans, a role that brought her fame. Her work as Marlena brought two Soapy Awards in 1982 and 1983, three Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1984, 1985, and 1995, and three Daytime Emmy nominations. In 1986 she was the first person to receive the Outstanding Contribution by an Actress/Actor Award. She played Jessie Witherspoon on Our House from 1986 to 1988 and returned to Days of Our Lives in 1991.