Lanna Saunders
Encyclopedia
Lanna Saunders was an American
actress, best known for her role as Marie Horton
on the television soap opera Days of our Lives
, on which she appeared from 1979 to 1985. She also played the character Betty Andrews on the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless
.
Saunders came from a prominent Russia
n acting family; her father was actor Nicholas Saunders and her grandfather was actor Nicholas Soussanin, who both emigrated from the Ukrainian SSR
in the 1920s. Saunders first started in acting at age 13, studying under Elia Kazan
and later joining his Lincoln Center Company. She met her future husband, actor, Lawrence Pressman
, while performing on Broadway, and they were married from 1973 until her death. They have one son, actor, David Pressman . Her father died August, 2006 at 92 years old. She is also survived by her mother and brother Theo Saunders.
Saunders was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
in 1982 and she left Days of our Lives three years later when she became too ill to continue in the role. She died on March 10, 2007 from undisclosed complications from MS.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, best known for her role as Marie Horton
Marie Horton
Marie Horton is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives. She was played by Maree Cheatham , Kate Woodville , Lanna Saunders . Created by head writer Ted Corday, she is currently portrayed by Maree Cheatham, who is most recognizable in the role...
on the television soap opera 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...
, on which she appeared from 1979 to 1985. She also played the character Betty Andrews on the daytime soap opera 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...
.
Saunders came from a prominent Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n acting family; her father was actor Nicholas Saunders and her grandfather was actor Nicholas Soussanin, who both emigrated from the Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
in the 1920s. Saunders first started in acting at age 13, studying under Elia Kazan
Elia Kazan
Elia Kazan was an American director and actor, described by the New York Times as "one of the most honored and influential directors in Broadway and Hollywood history". Born in Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, to Greek parents originally from Kayseri in Anatolia, the family emigrated...
and later joining his Lincoln Center Company. She met her future husband, actor, Lawrence Pressman
Lawrence Pressman
David M. Pressman, Senior is an American actor, probably best known for roles on Doogie Howser, M.D., Ladies Man, a recurring role on Profiler, the titular character on Mulligan's Stew and as a fictional scientist in the 1971 film The Hellstrom Chronicle.His first role was on the soap opera The...
, while performing on Broadway, and they were married from 1973 until her death. They have one son, actor, David Pressman . Her father died August, 2006 at 92 years old. She is also survived by her mother and brother Theo Saunders.
Saunders was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
in 1982 and she left Days of our Lives three years later when she became too ill to continue in the role. She died on March 10, 2007 from undisclosed complications from MS.