The April 5 episode of The Locher Room included another big casting reveal. Last week, beloved Another World star Stephen Schnetzer revealed he will be returning to the soap he has not appeared on since 1980. This week, Deidre Hall (Marlena) revealed that Gloria Loring will be returning to the soap as Liz Chandler, the songstress who helped ruin Marlena's marriage to Don Craig, but who later became one of her best friends.
Loring played Liz from 1980 to 1986, and the character's daughter is the half-sister of Sarah Horton. Noel Curtis was Liz's daughter with Neil Curtis, and Neil was Sarah's biological father.
When Liz first came onto the Salem scene, she had an affair with Marlena's husband Don and eventually married him. However, the union was short-lived. She fell for Dr. Neil Curtis but learned she was still legally married to her first husband, Tony DiMera. After a prison stint, Liz and Neil married, and Marlena was their matron of honor.
Liz also had a singing career. Both the character and Loring had a hit single in 1986 with "Friends and Lovers," a duet with Carl Anderson that became Shane and Kimberly Donovan's love theme. Liz also sang Bo and Hope's love theme, "Tonight I Celebrate My Love," at Hope's 18th birthday party.
Since leaving DAYS in 1986, Loring made various episodic TV appearances on shows like Beverly Hills, 90210; Burke's Law,; and Silk Stalkings. She is also known for singing the theme song for the classic NBC sitcom Facts of Life and for being mom to singer and The Masked Singer panelist Robin Thicke.
There's no word yet on when Loring will air, but Hall did say that several old stars will be returning to the set in the next few weeks, so look for more surprises soon.
If you'd like to hear more from Gloria Loring on coincidence, music, and daytime drama, check our Soap Central Live podcast flashback here:
Do you remember the days of Liz Chandler? What other blast-from-the-past stars would you like to see back in Salem? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
