Home / Arts and Entertainment / Iconic Soap Star Deidre Hall Recalls Fans' Outrage Over Fake Marlena Death in 1982
Iconic Soap Star Deidre Hall Recalls Fans' Outrage Over Fake Marlena Death in 1982
11 Nov
Summary
- Deidre Hall's character Marlena was thought to be killed off in 1982, sparking fan outrage
- It was actually her twin sister Samantha who died, not Marlena
- Hall has continued to be a cast member on Days of Our Lives since 1977

In 2025, iconic Days of Our Lives actress Deidre Hall looks back on a pivotal moment in her career over 40 years ago. In 1982, fans were outraged when they believed Hall's character Marlena had been killed off the show. However, it was actually Marlena's twin sister Samantha, portrayed by Hall's real-life twin Andrea Hall, who had died at the hands of the Salem Strangler.
The news traveled fast, and fans immediately surrounded the studio, refusing to accept Marlena's supposed death. Executive producer Al Rabin informed Hall of the situation, and she decided to go out and meet with the distressed fans directly. "It was a simpler time, secrets were secrets, and storylines stayed mysterious and weren't being leaked, so you could surprise an audience," Hall recently recalled.
Fortunately for fans, Hall has continued to be a cast member on Days of Our Lives since first joining the show in 1977. She has cherished the storylines that have involved her and her twin sister, which have spanned from 1977 to 1982 and again in 2000 to 2001.




