Marla Adams
Mourning for the “Shadows of Passion” star
Marla Adams played the role of Dina Abbott Mergeron in “Shadows of Passion”.
© Sthanlee B. Mirador/ddp/Sipa USA
For more than 40 years she repeatedly coined “Shadows of Passion”. Now fans have to say goodbye to Marla Adams.
Actress Marla Adams (1938-2024) is dead. She was best known for her role as the scheming Diana Abbott Mergeron in the US soap opera “Shadows of Passion”. The actress was 85 years old.
Ensemble praises her as “unforgettable”
As The Hollywood Reporter reported, series talent director Matt Kane announced that Adams died on April 25 in Los Angeles. A cause of death was not released. An obituary on the series’ Instagram page reads: “On behalf of the entire cast, we extend our deepest condolences to Marla’s family. We are so grateful and in awe of Marla’s incredible achievement.” She left an “unforgettable mark” on “The Young and the Restless,” as the series is originally called.
From beauty miss to actress
Marla Adams was born on August 28, 1938 in Ocean City, New Jersey and took part in several beauty pageants before her acting career. She achieved many titles, including Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May. She eventually began pursuing acting as a student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her early roles included appearing on Broadway in The Old Lady’s Visit (1958) and the lead role of June in the feature film Fever in the Blood (1961). From 1968 to 1974 she played the lead role of Belle Clemens in the series “The Secret Storm” and appeared in more than 40 television and film productions throughout her career, including “Golden Girls”.
Marla Adams received the Daytime Emmy in 2021
In 1982 she came to “Shadows of Passion” – initially for three years. But she returned for brief appearances in 1991, 1996 and 2008. Then in 2017, head writer and producer Sally Sussman asked her to take on a larger role again. Until 2020, Marla Adams once again played matriarch Dina Mergeron, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. In an episode broadcast in October 2020, she finally died the serial death. Eight months later, Adams received the only Daytime Emmy of her long career. She was nominated for the award once in 2018. “Of all the characters I’ve played, from ‘The Secret Storm’ to Broadway, this was the most amazing and amazing role I’ve had the opportunity to play,” she said in an interview.
Adams leaves behind a daughter, a son, two grandchildren and a great-grandchild.