Isabella Toscano
Encyclopedia
Isabella Beatrice Black (née Toscano) was a fictional character
on the NBC
soap opera
Days of our Lives
. Originally appearing in 1989, Isabella was portrayed by Staci Greason
in both the character's three-year run as well as in subsequent episodes when Isabella appeared as a ghost.
, whose brother, Steve Johnson was being blackmailed by his first wife Marina, did not believe that she was insane. Therefore, Jack helped her escape and hid her in his loft. Together, Jack and Isabella found the Toscano family treasure and her mother's diary, for which Marina has been searching all along.
When Marina's dead body was discovered, Steve's wife, Kayla Brady
was convicted in her murder. Unwilling to believe that Kayla was guilty, Isabella teamed up with Kayla's brother, Roman Brady. In a surprising turn of events, Isabella and Roman discovered that Isabella killed Marina, then blocked the deed from her memory. With this new evidence, Kayla was released and Isabella cleared on the grounds of self-defense.
In the summer of 1990, Isabella became a key figure in the infamous Cruise of Deception
storyline when Ernesto Toscano, also seeking his late wife Loretta's diary, invited Salem's most prominent members aboard his yacht. Jack returned some of the diary's pages that he had stolen, and Isabella discovered that her biological father was not Ernesto but Victor Kiriakis
. A furious Ernesto then kidnapped Isabella, taking her to a nearby island. Just before Ernesto succeeded in poisoning Isabella as he had her mother after he discovered Loretta's affair with Victor, Roman rescued Isabella. In the mayhem, Ernesto and Hope Brady were killed.
Returning to Salem, Isabella began a private investigation agency with her new-found brother, Bo Brady
, and her relationship with Roman deepened. The couple become engaged and made plans to move in together when Roman's presumed-dead wife, Marlena
, returned to Salem. A devastated Isabella assured Roman that she would not stand in the way of rebuilding his marriage with Marlena. However, she began to truly despair when she discovered that she was pregnant with Roman/John's baby.
Things came to a head when Roman and Marlena were confronted by a man claiming to be the "real" Roman Brady. Roman's mother, Caroline Brady
, confirmed the latter's claim. Salemites were stunned to learn that the man that they called Roman for five years was an impostor. Devastated, the false Roman reverted to using his old name, John Black, and began a desperate search into his real identity. He also reunited with Isabella after she told him that she was carrying his child. On May 19, 1992, during the couple's marriage ceremomy, Isabella went into labor; she quickly gave birth to Brady Victor Black
and named him in honor of the Brady family and Isabella's father.
The Black family's happiness was short-lived when Dr. Carly Manning
informed Isabella that her back pain was the result of advanced pancreatic cancer
. Telling John that she wanted to die in her "real" home, John and Isabella went to Venice where she quietly died in John's arms on October 16, 1992.
. In a not-unusual daytime plot twist, Marlena discovered that baby Belle was John's, not Roman's child. Isabella's ghost made several guest appearances: In 1995, as part of Satan
's plot, and in 2000, while attempting to save Eric Brady. Later that year, Isabella appeared to John as her former husband prayed for guidance, unsure as how he could best help their angry, now college-age son, Brady. In 2002 and 2003, a ghostly Isabella again appeared to a now calmer Brady, who was struggling with his feelings for Chloe Lane
. She also appeared to Brady on several occasions in 2010 while Brady had Vivian Alamain
buried alive inside a sarcophagus that Vivian had intended to bury Maggie Horton
alive in.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
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,...
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
. Originally appearing in 1989, Isabella was portrayed by Staci Greason
Staci Greason
Staci Greason is an American actress. She starred on the soap opera Days of our Lives from 1989 to 1992 as the character Isabella Toscano Black.-External links:...
in both the character's three-year run as well as in subsequent episodes when Isabella appeared as a ghost.
Character history and storylines
Isabella was born on July 27, 1960, to Loretta Toscano and Ernesto Toscano. She had an older sister, Marina Theresa Toscano. Isabella was initially introduced in 1989 as in inmate in an asylum. Though Marina had forced Isabella into the asylum, Jack DeverauxJack Deveraux
Jack Harcourt Deveraux, Sr. is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. He is the most prominent member of the Johnson family and is most famously played by Matthew Ashford. After a four-year absence, the character has recently returned to "Salem" to reconnect with his estranged...
, whose brother, Steve Johnson was being blackmailed by his first wife Marina, did not believe that she was insane. Therefore, Jack helped her escape and hid her in his loft. Together, Jack and Isabella found the Toscano family treasure and her mother's diary, for which Marina has been searching all along.
When Marina's dead body was discovered, Steve's wife, Kayla Brady
Kayla Brady
Dr. Kayla Caroline Johnson is a fictional character on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of our Lives. She made her first on-screen appearance on in 1982. Kayla was created by Pat Falken Smith as one of the original members of the Brady family. The role was originated in 1982 by actress Catherine...
was convicted in her murder. Unwilling to believe that Kayla was guilty, Isabella teamed up with Kayla's brother, Roman Brady. In a surprising turn of events, Isabella and Roman discovered that Isabella killed Marina, then blocked the deed from her memory. With this new evidence, Kayla was released and Isabella cleared on the grounds of self-defense.
In the summer of 1990, Isabella became a key figure in the infamous Cruise of Deception
Cruise of Deception
The Cruise of Deception was a major cliffhanger and resolution storyline on the daytime drama Days of our Lives. Billed as a "miniseries" by NBC advertisements, it aired from June 7 until July 16, 1990....
storyline when Ernesto Toscano, also seeking his late wife Loretta's diary, invited Salem's most prominent members aboard his yacht. Jack returned some of the diary's pages that he had stolen, and Isabella discovered that her biological father was not Ernesto but Victor Kiriakis
Victor Kiriakis
Victor Kiriakis I is a fictional character on NBC's Days of our Lives. The role has been portrayed by John Aniston since 1985. His time on the show has been 1985 to 1997, 1998 to present with a brief storyline driven absence in 2004 when his character was "killed off" but found alive on the island...
. A furious Ernesto then kidnapped Isabella, taking her to a nearby island. Just before Ernesto succeeded in poisoning Isabella as he had her mother after he discovered Loretta's affair with Victor, Roman rescued Isabella. In the mayhem, Ernesto and Hope Brady were killed.
Returning to Salem, Isabella began a private investigation agency with her new-found brother, Bo Brady
Bo Brady
Beauregard Aurelius "Bo" Brady is a fictional character on the NBC Soap Opera, Days of our Lives, the youngest of the series' Brady family. Created under head-writer Margaret DePreist, the role was originated by actor Peter Reckell on May 2, 1983. Robert Kelker-Kelly briefly stepped into the role...
, and her relationship with Roman deepened. The couple become engaged and made plans to move in together when Roman's presumed-dead wife, Marlena
Marlena Evans
Dr. Marlena Evans Black is a long-running fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, Days of our Lives, a long running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem. She was played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976, with a few minor breaks in between from 1987 to March 1991 and...
, returned to Salem. A devastated Isabella assured Roman that she would not stand in the way of rebuilding his marriage with Marlena. However, she began to truly despair when she discovered that she was pregnant with Roman/John's baby.
Things came to a head when Roman and Marlena were confronted by a man claiming to be the "real" Roman Brady. Roman's mother, Caroline Brady
Caroline Brady
Caroline Brady is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional United States town of Salem. The character still remains a large part of the current storylines. Created by writer Margaret DePriest, the role was...
, confirmed the latter's claim. Salemites were stunned to learn that the man that they called Roman for five years was an impostor. Devastated, the false Roman reverted to using his old name, John Black, and began a desperate search into his real identity. He also reunited with Isabella after she told him that she was carrying his child. On May 19, 1992, during the couple's marriage ceremomy, Isabella went into labor; she quickly gave birth to Brady Victor Black
Brady Black
Brady Victor Black is a character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. He is the son of John Black and Isabella Toscano and an heir to Greek tycoon Victor Kiriakis. The character was initially played by Alex, Max, and Dash Lucero , and subsequently by Eric and Brandon Billings...
and named him in honor of the Brady family and Isabella's father.
The Black family's happiness was short-lived when Dr. Carly Manning
Carly Manning
Dr. Carly Manning is a fictional character that appeared on the television soap opera Days of our Lives. Carly has been portrayed by Crystal Chappell from June 12, 1990 to October 18, 1993...
informed Isabella that her back pain was the result of advanced pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. Telling John that she wanted to die in her "real" home, John and Isabella went to Venice where she quietly died in John's arms on October 16, 1992.
Isabella's afterlife
Isabella's memory continued to play a role in subsequent story lines. In 1993, Marlena and Roman Brady named their newborn daughter, IsabellaBelle Black
Isabella "Belle" Brady is a fictional character on the U.S. daytime television drama Days of our Lives. The only child of supercouple John Black and Marlena Evans, she is also one half of the supercouple Shawn Brady and Belle Black...
. In a not-unusual daytime plot twist, Marlena discovered that baby Belle was John's, not Roman's child. Isabella's ghost made several guest appearances: In 1995, as part of Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
's plot, and in 2000, while attempting to save Eric Brady. Later that year, Isabella appeared to John as her former husband prayed for guidance, unsure as how he could best help their angry, now college-age son, Brady. In 2002 and 2003, a ghostly Isabella again appeared to a now calmer Brady, who was struggling with his feelings for Chloe Lane
Chloe Lane
Chloe Lane is a fictional character on the American NBC soap opera Days of our Lives. Created by head writer Tom Langan, she is portrayed by actress Nadia Bjorlin...
. She also appeared to Brady on several occasions in 2010 while Brady had Vivian Alamain
Vivian Alamain
Vivian Alamain is a fictional character on the NBC Soap Opera, Days of our Lives, head of the series' Alamain family. Created by writer Richard J. Allen, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Louise Sorel. In 2000, Sorel departed from the series and the role was not recast with another actress...
buried alive inside a sarcophagus that Vivian had intended to bury Maggie Horton
Maggie Horton
Margaret "Maggie" Horton is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Salem. She has been portrayed by actress Suzanne Rogers continuously since 1973, though she left the show briefly in 1984 and...
alive in.