Darlene Conley
Encyclopedia
Darlene Conley was an American
actress.
Conley's career spanned fifty years, but she was best known for her performances in daytime television, and in particular, for her portrayal of larger-than-life fashion industrialist Sally Spectra
on The Bold and the Beautiful
. Conley played the role from 1988 until her death nineteen years later. Darlene's character Sally is the only soap opera character to be displayed at Madame Tussaud's wax figures galleries in Amsterdam and Las Vegas.
, was born on the South Side of Chicago
, Illinois
, the daughter of Melba (née Manthey) and Raymond Conley. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Conley was employed with the travelling theater group the Chicago Uptown Circuit Players and Playwrights Company. She earned a bit part in the movie The Birds
, which was followed by similar small roles in movies like Valley of the Dolls
and Lady Sings the Blues. Darlene also appeared in the 1st episode of the 5th season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as a prison warder.
followed, with Conley playing many small roles on other soaps for most of the 1980s. An encore as Rose DeVille inspired William J. Bell
to cast her as flamboyant fashion maven Sally Spectra on his newer serial. She earned two Outstanding Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy
nominations.
She was friends with several actors who appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful
, including Fabio
, who has appeared on the show several times, usually under the guise of celebrating Sally's birthday. She was also friends with Phyllis Diller
, who also appeared on the show as Sally's friend Gladys Pope.
Reports surfaced in the media in the fall of 2006 that Conley had surgery and received treatment for stomach cancer
. Conley died on January 14, 2007. B&B featured a tribute to Conley; John McCook
presented the tribute, which featured her memorable moments on the show.
The show has kept the role of Sally Spectra alive. Sally's absence has been explained by having her son CJ tell his father, Clarke (and viewers), that Sally had taken a permanent vacation in St. Tropez. In late 2007, Sally decided to sell her fashion house. Nick Marone and Jackie Marone have bought Spectra and are running the company, under the guidance of Clarke Garrison
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress.
Conley's career spanned fifty years, but she was best known for her performances in daytime television, and in particular, for her portrayal of larger-than-life fashion industrialist Sally Spectra
Sally Spectra
Sally Spectra was a fictional character on the American soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Sally was played by actress Darlene Conley from 1988 until Conley's death on January 14, 2007 and last appeared onscreen on January 26, 2007 via flashback memorial...
on The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
. Conley played the role from 1988 until her death nineteen years later. Darlene's character Sally is the only soap opera character to be displayed at Madame Tussaud's wax figures galleries in Amsterdam and Las Vegas.
Life and career
Conley, an Irish AmericanIrish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, was born on the South Side of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the daughter of Melba (née Manthey) and Raymond Conley. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Conley was employed with the travelling theater group the Chicago Uptown Circuit Players and Playwrights Company. She earned a bit part in the movie The Birds
The Birds (film)
The Birds is a 1963 horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on the 1952 short story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California which is, suddenly and for unexplained reasons, the subject of a series of widespread and violent bird attacks over the course of a few...
, which was followed by similar small roles in movies like Valley of the Dolls
Valley of the Dolls (film)
The soundtrack was released in 1967. Dionne Warwick sang the title track; however, her version is not on the soundtrack. Warwick was signed to Scepter Records at the time and could not contractually appear...
and Lady Sings the Blues. Darlene also appeared in the 1st episode of the 5th season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as a prison warder.
Daytime television
Her performance as Rose DeVille on The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
followed, with Conley playing many small roles on other soaps for most of the 1980s. An encore as Rose DeVille inspired William J. Bell
William J. Bell
William J. Bell was the creator and executive producer of the soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.-Personal life:...
to cast her as flamboyant fashion maven Sally Spectra on his newer serial. She earned two Outstanding Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
nominations.
She was friends with several actors who appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
, including Fabio
Fabio Lanzoni
Fabio Lanzoni ; born March 15, 1959), widely known simply as Fabio, is a famous international Italian fashion model, spokesperson and actor who appeared on the cover of hundreds of romance novels throughout the 1980s and 1990s....
, who has appeared on the show several times, usually under the guise of celebrating Sally's birthday. She was also friends with Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
, who also appeared on the show as Sally's friend Gladys Pope.
Illness and death
Conley had been ill since 2004 due to a fall that broke several bones. She recovered from the fall and had returned to work (although she was usually seated during her scenes).Reports surfaced in the media in the fall of 2006 that Conley had surgery and received treatment for stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
. Conley died on January 14, 2007. B&B featured a tribute to Conley; John McCook
John McCook
John McCook is an American actor best known for his roles on daytime soap operas.-Career:Since 1987, he has played the role of Eric Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. From 1976 to February 1980, he portrayed the character of Lance Prentiss on The Young and the Restless. In addition, he has...
presented the tribute, which featured her memorable moments on the show.
The show has kept the role of Sally Spectra alive. Sally's absence has been explained by having her son CJ tell his father, Clarke (and viewers), that Sally had taken a permanent vacation in St. Tropez. In late 2007, Sally decided to sell her fashion house. Nick Marone and Jackie Marone have bought Spectra and are running the company, under the guidance of Clarke Garrison
Clarke Garrison
Clarke Garrison, Sr. is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, portrayed from 1987 to 1992, from 1996 to 2009 and 2010 by actor Daniel McVicar.-Character's background:...
.