Hillary Bauer
Encyclopedia
Hillary Bauer was a fictional character that lived in the town of Springfield on the CBS daytime drama Guiding Light
. She was a member of the core Bauer family, being the daughter of Bill Bauer and his Canadian mistress Simone Kincaid, thus half-sister to Mike and Ed Bauer and step-daughter of Bert Bauer. Hillary’s longtime best friend was kooky Nurse Katie Parker. The role of Hillary Bauer was originated by Linda McCullough in 1977, but is most often associated with Marsha Clark
, who played Hillary from March 1978 to September 1984, when the popular character was killed off in an explosion. Hillary was created by Guiding Light 's then-head writers Bridget and Jerome Dobson
.
Hillary first arrived in Springfield in late 1977 to do a nursing internship at Cedars. Little did she know how much her arrival in Springfield would shake up her own world, as well as others'. Her father, "Bill Kincaid" was at first reluctant to visit her in Springfield, and only when an emergency appendectomy caused him to at last rush to town to be by Hillary's bedside did he finally visit her. Bill was hesitant to meet any of Hillary's new friends and colleagues, particularly Dr. Ed Bauer
, Ed's brother Mike Bauer
, and Ed's fiance nurse Rita Stapleton
(who was taking care of HIllary after her appendectomy). Eventually it would come out that Bill was, in fact, Bill Bauer
, patriarch of the Bauer family, and presumed dead since the plane he was to have been on in 1969 went down (he was not on the plane). Rather than contacting his family in Springfield to let them know he was still alive, he moved to Vancouver to be with his mistress Simone and their daughter Hillary, where he had spent the previous eight years.
Though initially shocked, Ed and Mike were able to accept Hillary as their sister, and even Bill's former wife, Bert Bauer accepted her as a daughter, inviting Hillary into her home after a failed romance with Roger Thorpe; she actually lived in Bert's house for several months in 1979 before moving in with her best friend, nurse Katie Parker.
When Hillary eventually finished her internship and became a registered nurse, she decided to remain in Springfield, where she'd built a life. She had a quirky, offbeat sense of humor. She suffered unrequited love for handsome Dr. Kelly Morgan. Hillary later fell in love with Dr. Jim Reardon
and traveled to the Caribbean to help find a cure for a disease known as “The Dreaming Death”. In the Caribbean, Hillary met journalist Fletcher Reade, who promptly fell in love with the spunky nurse. Hillary did not return his romantic affections, but her presence in Springfield led Fletcher to come to town. Hillary came down with the “Dreaming Death” herself, and fell into a semi-coma which her lover Jim Reardon was able to save her from. Sadly, the disease killed Hillary’s friend and fellow nurse Lesley Ann Andrews. Upon Hillary’s recovery, Jim proposed to her and Hillary gladly accepted, sending a dejected Fletcher Reade into the arms of Dr. Claire Ramsey after Hillary’s gentle rejection.
In 1984, Hillary and Jim became embroiled in a mystery surrounding the new home of friends and Hillary’s future in-laws, Annabelle Simms Reardon and Tony Reardon. After an inquisitive Hillary deduced the Spaulding family was somehow involved in the mystery, she was seriously injured in an explosion the evil Susan Piper had set for Annabelle and Tony. Despite the efforts of her half-brother Ed, Hillary died. The Bauer family and Springfield mourned her passing in a huge funeral.
The “killing off” of the character of Hillary Bauer on “Guiding Light’” proved unpopular with many fans, especially since the same headwriter Pamela Long Hammer had written off Mike Bauer, Hope Bauer and Alan-Michael Spaulding. Many see the birth of the character of Michelle Bauer the following year was an attempt by the show to appease fans and strengthen the Bauer family presence on the show.
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
. She was a member of the core Bauer family, being the daughter of Bill Bauer and his Canadian mistress Simone Kincaid, thus half-sister to Mike and Ed Bauer and step-daughter of Bert Bauer. Hillary’s longtime best friend was kooky Nurse Katie Parker. The role of Hillary Bauer was originated by Linda McCullough in 1977, but is most often associated with Marsha Clark
Marsha Clark
Marsha Clark is an American actress, best known for her roles in soap operas, including the second Hillary Bauer on Guiding Light, the third Tina Lord on One Life to Live and Judge Karen Fitzpatrick on Days of our Lives...
, who played Hillary from March 1978 to September 1984, when the popular character was killed off in an explosion. Hillary was created by Guiding Light 's then-head writers Bridget and Jerome Dobson
Bridget and Jerome Dobson
Bridget and Jerome Dobson were writers for American soap operas best known as creators of the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara .Bridget Dobson is the daughter of General Hospital creators Frank and Doris Hursley. Bridget and Jerome married in 1961...
.
Hillary first arrived in Springfield in late 1977 to do a nursing internship at Cedars. Little did she know how much her arrival in Springfield would shake up her own world, as well as others'. Her father, "Bill Kincaid" was at first reluctant to visit her in Springfield, and only when an emergency appendectomy caused him to at last rush to town to be by Hillary's bedside did he finally visit her. Bill was hesitant to meet any of Hillary's new friends and colleagues, particularly Dr. Ed Bauer
Ed Bauer
William Edward "Ed" Bauer Jr. is a fictional character on CBS's daytime drama Guiding Light. While having been portrayed by five different actors, Ed has been portrayed by a number of actors, including Robert Gentry, Mart Hulswit and Peter Simon....
, Ed's brother Mike Bauer
Mike Bauer
Mike Bauer is a retired American tour professional tennis player. Bauer won three singles and nine top-tier doubles titles during his career. He reached a career high singles ranking of World No. 29 in November 1984....
, and Ed's fiance nurse Rita Stapleton
Rita Stapleton
Rita Stapleton Bauer was a fictional character on the CBS soap Guiding Light. The character was played by Lenore Kasdorf, and was created by Bridget and Jerome Dobson, shortly after they became Guiding Light's head writers in 1975. Rita was written out in 1981, when Kasdorf announced she was...
(who was taking care of HIllary after her appendectomy). Eventually it would come out that Bill was, in fact, Bill Bauer
Bill Bauer
William Bauer is a U.S.-born poet who immigrated with his wife, Nancy Bauer, to Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1965.-Works:*A Migration now Largely Forgotten , Fiddlehead*If I Don’t Tell You, No One Else Will , Fiddlehead...
, patriarch of the Bauer family, and presumed dead since the plane he was to have been on in 1969 went down (he was not on the plane). Rather than contacting his family in Springfield to let them know he was still alive, he moved to Vancouver to be with his mistress Simone and their daughter Hillary, where he had spent the previous eight years.
Though initially shocked, Ed and Mike were able to accept Hillary as their sister, and even Bill's former wife, Bert Bauer accepted her as a daughter, inviting Hillary into her home after a failed romance with Roger Thorpe; she actually lived in Bert's house for several months in 1979 before moving in with her best friend, nurse Katie Parker.
When Hillary eventually finished her internship and became a registered nurse, she decided to remain in Springfield, where she'd built a life. She had a quirky, offbeat sense of humor. She suffered unrequited love for handsome Dr. Kelly Morgan. Hillary later fell in love with Dr. Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon is an animation director and storyboard consultant, best known for his work on the animated TV series The Simpsons. He has directed over 30 episodes of the series, and was credited as a supervising director for seasons 9 through 15...
and traveled to the Caribbean to help find a cure for a disease known as “The Dreaming Death”. In the Caribbean, Hillary met journalist Fletcher Reade, who promptly fell in love with the spunky nurse. Hillary did not return his romantic affections, but her presence in Springfield led Fletcher to come to town. Hillary came down with the “Dreaming Death” herself, and fell into a semi-coma which her lover Jim Reardon was able to save her from. Sadly, the disease killed Hillary’s friend and fellow nurse Lesley Ann Andrews. Upon Hillary’s recovery, Jim proposed to her and Hillary gladly accepted, sending a dejected Fletcher Reade into the arms of Dr. Claire Ramsey after Hillary’s gentle rejection.
In 1984, Hillary and Jim became embroiled in a mystery surrounding the new home of friends and Hillary’s future in-laws, Annabelle Simms Reardon and Tony Reardon. After an inquisitive Hillary deduced the Spaulding family was somehow involved in the mystery, she was seriously injured in an explosion the evil Susan Piper had set for Annabelle and Tony. Despite the efforts of her half-brother Ed, Hillary died. The Bauer family and Springfield mourned her passing in a huge funeral.
The “killing off” of the character of Hillary Bauer on “Guiding Light’” proved unpopular with many fans, especially since the same headwriter Pamela Long Hammer had written off Mike Bauer, Hope Bauer and Alan-Michael Spaulding. Many see the birth of the character of Michelle Bauer the following year was an attempt by the show to appease fans and strengthen the Bauer family presence on the show.