Dina Mergeron
Encyclopedia
Dina Mergeron is a fictional character on the CBS
soap opera
The Young and the Restless
. She was played by actress Marla Adams
from 1983 to 1986 on contract. She returned for guest appearances in 1991 and 1996. She returned again for a brief appearance in 2008 after being unseen for 12 years.
. She was the mother of Jack, Ashley
and Traci Abbott, and she was the grandmother of Jack's sons, Keemo and Kyle, Ashley's daughter, Abby
, and Traci's daughter, Colleen
.
Dina came from a professional upper-class society of Genoa City. It was been mentioned in many past conversations that she and Katherine Chancellor
were very good friends. A prime example came when they were having tea at the Chancellor Estate and remembered the day Dina and John asked Katherine to be Ashley's godmother a few days after she was born. It was revealed that it was Katherine who gave Ashley the middle name of Suzanne as a tribute to a former close friend of theirs in high school who had died because she was such a "beauty."
It had also been comically noted over the years that Joanna Manning, Neil Fenmore, Stuart Brooks, Katherine Chancellor
, Gary Reynolds, John Abbott
and Dina were quite close friends who had gone to the same high school through their earlier years and developed a strong level of friendship beyond those years.
Dina left John some years prior to the Abbott's arrival in Genoa City
, leaving him to raise Jack, Ashley and Traci on his own. Thanks to the help of his housekeeper, Mamie Johnson
, he did a fine job.
In 1983, Dina was now the widow of a wealthy cosmetics baron, Marcel Mergeron. She came to Genoa City and tried to buy Jabot Cosmetics. She kept her identity hidden, but she failed. When she was in town, the secret also came out that Ashley was not John's daughter. Dina was at Jack's side after he was shot by his first wife, Patty Williams
.
When Ashley accepted Parisian painter Eric Garrison's marriage proposal, his belongings arrived from Paris. Ashley found among them a painting of her estranged mother, which signed, "All My Love, Eric". Ashley soon broke it off with Eric and fell in love with Marc Mergeron, who turned out to be Dina's stepson from Marcel Mergeron. Soon, former Genoa City Country Club tennis pro, Brent Davis, returned to town and began an affair with Katherine Chancellor. When he found out that he was dying, Brent wanted to reveal that he had been Dina's lover and was Ashley's real father. Dina and Kay tried to talk him out of it, but Ashley was traumatized by the news when he told her, and she ended up losing her memory at a roadside dinner, where she took the name "Annie" and worked as a waitress. When Brent and Kay returned from a vacation together, Dina confronted Brent about what he had done. Dina shot Brent but missed, and Kay was shot instead. Jack figured out what had happened, and he and his flame at the time, Jill Foster
, confronted Dina. Dina and John began a search for Ashley. A truck driver saw one of their fliers, figured out who "Annie" really was and offered her whereabouts to John for ransom. Victor Newman
ended up finding her at the diner and took her home to recuperate with him and his wife, Nikki Newman, at the Newman Ranch. Ashley forgave Brent, her real father, just before his death, and she vowed that John Abbott would never find out. Only Dina, Jack, Jill, Katherine and Victor know the secret of Ashley's real parentage to this day.
Dina made infrequent visits periodically, but for the most part has remained in Paris, France, where she runs Mergeron Cosmetics. She was mentioned when John mistook his last wife, Gloria Bardwell
, as Dina. In 2006, Dina and Mamie sent flowers to remember John, as they both were unable to attend his funeral.
In 2008, Dina made an appearance, after a 12-year absence, for her dear friend, Katherine Chancellor
's funeral. In reality, Katherine had a stroke and suffered from amnesia, and Katherine's look-alike friend, Marge Cotroke, was the woman who really died. She got a chance to meet Jack's wife at the time, Sharon Collins and get reacquainted with her children. After the funeral, Dina left to attend a charity drive in Palm Springs
. In 2009, Dina also sent flowers for her granddaughter, Colleen Carlton's
funeral, as she was unable to attend because she was on a cruise.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Young and the Restless
The 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...
. She was played by actress Marla Adams
Marla Adams
Marla Adams is an American soap opera actress, best known for her roles as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm, from 1968 to 1974, and as Dina Abbott Mergeron on The Young and the Restless, from 1983 to 1986 and in 1996...
from 1983 to 1986 on contract. She returned for guest appearances in 1991 and 1996. She returned again for a brief appearance in 2008 after being unseen for 12 years.
Character Background
Dina was the first wife of Jabot founder, John AbbottJohn Abbott (The Young and the Restless)
John Abbott, Sr. is a fictional character on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He is the patriarch of the Abbotts, one of the core families that was introduced to the show in 1980. The character was originated by Brett Halsey from May 1980 to March 1981...
. She was the mother of Jack, Ashley
Ashley Abbott
Ashley Suzanne Abbott McCall is a fictional character from the American soap opera The Young and the Restless, currently played by American actress Eileen Davidson, who had played the character for a total of more than 16 years prior to her return in September 2008...
and Traci Abbott, and she was the grandmother of Jack's sons, Keemo and Kyle, Ashley's daughter, Abby
Abby Carlton
Abigail "Abby" Rachel Newman is a fictional character from the American soap opera The Young and the Restless. Darcy Rose Byrnes played the role from 2003 to June 2008. Byrnes also made several appearances as Abby on The Bold and the Beautiful...
, and Traci's daughter, Colleen
Colleen Carlton
Colleen Cecile Carlton is a fictional character from the American soap opera The Young and the Restless. She was last portrayed by Tammin Sursok, who joined the cast on July 30, 2007 and departed on October 5, 2009...
.
Dina came from a professional upper-class society of Genoa City. It was been mentioned in many past conversations that she and Katherine Chancellor
Katherine Chancellor
Katherine Chancellor Murphy is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless...
were very good friends. A prime example came when they were having tea at the Chancellor Estate and remembered the day Dina and John asked Katherine to be Ashley's godmother a few days after she was born. It was revealed that it was Katherine who gave Ashley the middle name of Suzanne as a tribute to a former close friend of theirs in high school who had died because she was such a "beauty."
It had also been comically noted over the years that Joanna Manning, Neil Fenmore, Stuart Brooks, Katherine Chancellor
Katherine Chancellor
Katherine Chancellor Murphy is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless...
, Gary Reynolds, John Abbott
John Abbott (The Young and the Restless)
John Abbott, Sr. is a fictional character on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He is the patriarch of the Abbotts, one of the core families that was introduced to the show in 1980. The character was originated by Brett Halsey from May 1980 to March 1981...
and Dina were quite close friends who had gone to the same high school through their earlier years and developed a strong level of friendship beyond those years.
Dina left John some years prior to the Abbott's arrival in Genoa City
Genoa City (fictional city)
Genoa City, Wisconsin is the fictional setting for the long-running American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The real U.S. village of the same name is otherwise unlike and unrelated to the mid-size city depicted in the series.- Overview :...
, leaving him to raise Jack, Ashley and Traci on his own. Thanks to the help of his housekeeper, Mamie Johnson
Mamie Johnson (The Young and the Restless)
Mamie Johnson is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The role was originated in 1980 by Marguerite Ray, who was replaced in 1990 by Veronica Redd. Redd departed the series in 1995, and returned from 1999 to 2004...
, he did a fine job.
In 1983, Dina was now the widow of a wealthy cosmetics baron, Marcel Mergeron. She came to Genoa City and tried to buy Jabot Cosmetics. She kept her identity hidden, but she failed. When she was in town, the secret also came out that Ashley was not John's daughter. Dina was at Jack's side after he was shot by his first wife, Patty Williams
Patty Williams
Patricia Ann "Patty" Williams is a fictional character in the American soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by originating actress Tammy Taylor briefly in 1980 before Lilibet Stern took over the role from 1980 to 1983 and by Andrea Evans from 1983 to October 1984...
.
When Ashley accepted Parisian painter Eric Garrison's marriage proposal, his belongings arrived from Paris. Ashley found among them a painting of her estranged mother, which signed, "All My Love, Eric". Ashley soon broke it off with Eric and fell in love with Marc Mergeron, who turned out to be Dina's stepson from Marcel Mergeron. Soon, former Genoa City Country Club tennis pro, Brent Davis, returned to town and began an affair with Katherine Chancellor. When he found out that he was dying, Brent wanted to reveal that he had been Dina's lover and was Ashley's real father. Dina and Kay tried to talk him out of it, but Ashley was traumatized by the news when he told her, and she ended up losing her memory at a roadside dinner, where she took the name "Annie" and worked as a waitress. When Brent and Kay returned from a vacation together, Dina confronted Brent about what he had done. Dina shot Brent but missed, and Kay was shot instead. Jack figured out what had happened, and he and his flame at the time, Jill Foster
Jill Foster Abbott
Jill Abbott Fenmore is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. She is one of the series' original characters, and the only one remaining from its debut in March 1973...
, confronted Dina. Dina and John began a search for Ashley. A truck driver saw one of their fliers, figured out who "Annie" really was and offered her whereabouts to John for ransom. Victor Newman
Victor Newman
Victor Newman is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless played by actor Eric Braeden from February 1980 through November 2, 2009 and again from January 15, 2010 to present. The character briefly appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful in 1999...
ended up finding her at the diner and took her home to recuperate with him and his wife, Nikki Newman, at the Newman Ranch. Ashley forgave Brent, her real father, just before his death, and she vowed that John Abbott would never find out. Only Dina, Jack, Jill, Katherine and Victor know the secret of Ashley's real parentage to this day.
Dina made infrequent visits periodically, but for the most part has remained in Paris, France, where she runs Mergeron Cosmetics. She was mentioned when John mistook his last wife, Gloria Bardwell
Gloria Bardwell
Gloria Bardwell is a fictional character, a resident of Genoa City on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless. The role was originated by Joan Van Ark who played the role from April 6, 2004 to January 7, 2005, and is currently portrayed by Judith Chapman, who assumed the role on January...
, as Dina. In 2006, Dina and Mamie sent flowers to remember John, as they both were unable to attend his funeral.
In 2008, Dina made an appearance, after a 12-year absence, for her dear friend, Katherine Chancellor
Katherine Chancellor
Katherine Chancellor Murphy is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless...
's funeral. In reality, Katherine had a stroke and suffered from amnesia, and Katherine's look-alike friend, Marge Cotroke, was the woman who really died. She got a chance to meet Jack's wife at the time, Sharon Collins and get reacquainted with her children. After the funeral, Dina left to attend a charity drive in Palm Springs
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
. In 2009, Dina also sent flowers for her granddaughter, Colleen Carlton's
Colleen Carlton
Colleen Cecile Carlton is a fictional character from the American soap opera The Young and the Restless. She was last portrayed by Tammin Sursok, who joined the cast on July 30, 2007 and departed on October 5, 2009...
funeral, as she was unable to attend because she was on a cruise.