Marla Adams, who brought Dina Mergeron to life on The Young and the Restless for 27 years, died at the age of 85 on April 25, according to the actress' family.
Adams was born on August 28, 1938, in Ocean City, NJ. She found a love of performing when she won both the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May pageants, and she later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. By 1958, she landed her first Broadway role in The Visit and three years later appeared in the feature film Splendor in the Grass with Natalie Wood.
Adams' soap career began on The Secret Storm, where she played Belle Clemens from 1968 to 1974. However, she was most known for bringing Dina Abbott Mergeron to life starting in 1982. Adams played Dina on and off as she flitted in and out of Genoa City for the next four decades.
In between her stints on Y&R as Jack, Ashley, and Traci's wayward, jet-setting mother, Adams wowed soap audiences on The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, Generations, and Capitol. Primetime credits include The Golden Girls, Hart to Hart, and Love Boat.
Adams' last Y&R story, in which Dina slowly succumbed to the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, won the actress a Daytime Emmy in 2021 after previously being nominated for the same story in 2018.
"On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to Marla's family. We're so grateful and in awe of Marla's incredible performance as Dina Mergeron as both Marla and Dina made an unforgettable mark on Y&R," Executive Producer and Head Writer Josh Griffith said in a statement.
Adams is survived by her daughter, Pam Oates; son, Gunnar Garat; grandchildren, Gefjon and Stone; and her great-grandson, Remi.
We send our deepest sympathies to Marla Adams’ family. We’re so grateful and in awe of Marla’s incredible performance as Dina Abbott Mergeron as both Marla and Dina made an unforgettable mark on Y&R. pic.twitter.com/M4uHXdm8fP
— Young & The Restless (@YRInsider) April 26, 2024
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