Olivia Blake
Encyclopedia
Olivia Richards is a fictional character
from the US NBC
soap opera
Sunset Beach
, played by Lesley-Anne Down
.
(Sam Behrens
). The serial's creator and producer Aaron Spelling
, originally named the character "Sheila", however Down looked through a list of potential names and requested that it be changed to Olivia. Olivia was also billed as one of the serial's lead characters.
Olivia was featured in a high profile storyline in which a earthquake and tsunami occur in Sunset Beach. The storyline was created in a bid to gain ratings. In the storyline Olivia becomes trapped underneath her mansion home. Down agreed to do some stunts herself and was placed in a make shift set of rubble and timber. Down was required to wear safety matter to prevent actual harm to herself. Down said she complete confidence in the production. However, in one scene a stunt double was used to drop a chandelier onto Olivia in the wreckage. Down admitted she was glad that she did not have to perform the stunt.
(Vanessa Dorman
) and Sean Richards
(Randy Spelling
). She is revealed to be a recovered alcoholic and secret lover of Del Douglas (John Reilly). Olivia is enemies with his daughter Annie Douglas
(Sarah Buxton). When Del is murdered, Olivia and Annie are boths suspects, though Elaine Stevens (Leigh Taylor-Young
) is the real murderer. Olivia is angry when she discovers Gregory's scheme to ruin Caitlin's relationship with jewel thief Cole Deschanel
(Eddie Cibrian
). Olivia has a flash back and realises that she has slept with Cole. Olivia soon discovers that Cole is the son of her former lover A.J. Deschanel (Gordon Thomson) and Elaine Stevens. Olivia becomes pregnant and is unsure whether Cole and Gregory is the father. Caitlin manages to prevent Olivia from having an abortion. Caitlin then discovers that she too is pregnant. Olivia and Gregory ruin Sean's relationship with Tiffany Thorne (Jennifer Banko-Stewart
) so they can perfect their plan to get Caitlin away from Cole.
As Gregory is unaware of Olivia's pregnancy, he asks her to pretend she is pregnant and later fake a miscarriage. Gregory thinks that they will be able to guilt Caitlin into giving them their baby and ruining her relationship with Cole in the process. Meanwhile Annie is scheming to steal Gregory from Olivia, she tries to convince Olivia they are having an affair. Gregory changes his mind and says he will pay a doctor to tell Caitlin her baby is dead after labour. Caitlin finds out about the plot and fakes her own death in a car accident. Though Caitlin loses her baby, so she enlists Annie to help gain revenge. Annie lures Olivia into a country cabin and incudes her labour, drugs her and steals her baby, giving it to Caitlin. Annie drugged Olivia to believe that she lost her baby through drinking excess alcohol.
Annie manages to split Olivia and Gregory up and after her divorce comes through, Gregory marries Annie. Olivia tries to move on with her life, even though she suspects her baby may still be alive. Olivia meets up with her first lover, A.J. and they later reconcile their relationship. Olivia discoveres the truth about Annie's scheme and realises that her daughter asked Annie to help her find a baby. Olivia's family falls apart when the truth about Caitlin and Annie's plan is made public. Further trouble ensues when Caitlin finds out about Olivia and Cole's affair. Olivia was then trapped in an earthquake and she tried grew attached to Trey.
Olivia continues her relationship with A.J. Gregory is presumed dead after falling into the ocean, and he comes back pretending to be Tobias Richards, a relative. Olivia, along with Annie, fight for Gregory's will, and she claims everything belonged to her son, Trey. Annie is keen on doing anything to get the money, so she asks Mrs. Moreau to give her a potion that will force Olivia to start drinking again. The family is disappointed to see Olivia drinking again, and most of her family disown her. Annie's scheme is revealed by Gregory, who confronts Mrs. Moreau. Gregory's final battle is meant to be his victory, but he ends up in prison, where Olivia is sad to see him end up. She loved him. Olivia's broken family return and she was happy to see everything normal again. She raised Trey, her daughter was happy with Cole, Gregory was behind bars. Olivia and A.J. decide to end their relationship and he starts a romance with her best friend Bette Katzenkazrahi
(Kathleen Noone
).
" in terms of tragic events they both endure. He also opined that Olivia should not have worried so much about her flashbacks, because they looked unrealistic. Justine Elias of The New York Times
said Down and Buxton showed signs of "becoming a classic matchup of battling soap opera vixens" in the respective roles of Olivia and Annie. Candace Havens of The Vindicator
praised Sunset Beach for it's casting of Down, Berhens and Noone and opined it was "one thing" producers got right. While Julia Shih of The Michigan Daily opined that "credit should go to Lesley-Anne Down whose portrayal of a woman torn by her emotions is excellent". John Millar of the Daily Record
quipped that Olivia's car accident and subsequent situation in the tsunami were "nothing serious" and said it was another "regular week" in the serial. Sharon Feinstein of the Daily Mirror said that Olivia was a "wealthy super bitch" and a nineties version of Alexis Colby
(Joan Collins
) from Dynasty
.
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...
from the US 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,...
Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach (TV series)
Sunset Beach was an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on January 6, 1997, and last airing on December 31, 1999. The show followed the loves and lives of the people living in a fictional coastal city named Sunset Beach, on the coast of California...
, played by Lesley-Anne Down
Lesley-Anne Down
Lesley-Anne Down is a British film and television actress, former model and singer.Down achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series Upstairs, Downstairs...
.
Character development
In November 1996, it was announced that Lesley-Anne Down had been cast into the role of Olivia. She was billed as a "troubled alcoholic" and the "trophy wife" of Gregory RichardsGregory Richards
Gregory Richards was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actor Sam Behrens during the show's entire run.-Character history:...
(Sam Behrens
Sam Behrens
Sam Behrens is an actor most notably recognized from his role as Gregory Richards in Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach. He has been married to Shari Belafonte since December 31, 1989.-Filmography:...
). The serial's creator and producer Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
, originally named the character "Sheila", however Down looked through a list of potential names and requested that it be changed to Olivia. Olivia was also billed as one of the serial's lead characters.
Olivia was featured in a high profile storyline in which a earthquake and tsunami occur in Sunset Beach. The storyline was created in a bid to gain ratings. In the storyline Olivia becomes trapped underneath her mansion home. Down agreed to do some stunts herself and was placed in a make shift set of rubble and timber. Down was required to wear safety matter to prevent actual harm to herself. Down said she complete confidence in the production. However, in one scene a stunt double was used to drop a chandelier onto Olivia in the wreckage. Down admitted she was glad that she did not have to perform the stunt.
Storylines
Olivia is introduced as the wife of Gregory and a mother of, CaitlinCaitlin Richards Deschanel
Caitlin Richards Deschanel was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by two different actresses. The first actress, Vanessa Dorman, portrayed the role from January 9, 1997 to June 18, 1998, when she hit contract problems and was let go...
(Vanessa Dorman
Vanessa Dorman
Vanessa Dorman is an American actress most notably recognized from her role as the first Caitlin Richards Deschanel in Aaron Spelling's soap opera Sunset Beach. She portrayed the role from January 9, 1997 to June 18, 1998, when she hit contract problems and was let go...
) and Sean Richards
Sean Richards
Sean Richards is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Randy Spelling.-Character development:In 1997, it was announced that Randy Spelling had been cast as Sean. Spelling is the son of Sunset Beach creator Aaron Spelling....
(Randy Spelling
Randy Spelling
Randall Gene "Randy" Spelling is an American actor. He is the brother of Tori Spelling and the son of Candy and Aaron Spelling.He is now a life coach in Los Angeles.-Career:...
). She is revealed to be a recovered alcoholic and secret lover of Del Douglas (John Reilly). Olivia is enemies with his daughter Annie Douglas
Annie Douglas Richards
Annie Douglas is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Sarah Buxton. The character's creation was announced in 1996 prior to the serial going on air. Series creator Aaron Spelling helped create Annie's appearance and style. Annie has been characterised as a "rich...
(Sarah Buxton). When Del is murdered, Olivia and Annie are boths suspects, though Elaine Stevens (Leigh Taylor-Young
Leigh Taylor-Young
Leigh Taylor-Young is an American actress who has appeared on stage, screen, and television.-Early life:Leigh Taylor-Young was born on January 25, 1945 in Washington, D.C. Her last name is an amalgamation of the last names of her father, a diplomat, and her stepfather, a successful Detroit executive...
) is the real murderer. Olivia is angry when she discovers Gregory's scheme to ruin Caitlin's relationship with jewel thief Cole Deschanel
Cole Deschanel
Cole Deschanel was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by two different actors. The first actor, Ashley Hamilton, portrayed the role briefly from January 21 to February 19, 1997, when the producers decided that Eddie Cibrian would fit the role better...
(Eddie Cibrian
Eddie Cibrian
Edward Carl "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as Cole Deschanel on Sunset Beach, Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami, Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch and Russell Varon in Invasion.-Early life and career:...
). Olivia has a flash back and realises that she has slept with Cole. Olivia soon discovers that Cole is the son of her former lover A.J. Deschanel (Gordon Thomson) and Elaine Stevens. Olivia becomes pregnant and is unsure whether Cole and Gregory is the father. Caitlin manages to prevent Olivia from having an abortion. Caitlin then discovers that she too is pregnant. Olivia and Gregory ruin Sean's relationship with Tiffany Thorne (Jennifer Banko-Stewart
Jennifer Banko-Stewart
Jennifer Banko-Stewart is an American actress who has worked in national television and mainstream films since an early age...
) so they can perfect their plan to get Caitlin away from Cole.
As Gregory is unaware of Olivia's pregnancy, he asks her to pretend she is pregnant and later fake a miscarriage. Gregory thinks that they will be able to guilt Caitlin into giving them their baby and ruining her relationship with Cole in the process. Meanwhile Annie is scheming to steal Gregory from Olivia, she tries to convince Olivia they are having an affair. Gregory changes his mind and says he will pay a doctor to tell Caitlin her baby is dead after labour. Caitlin finds out about the plot and fakes her own death in a car accident. Though Caitlin loses her baby, so she enlists Annie to help gain revenge. Annie lures Olivia into a country cabin and incudes her labour, drugs her and steals her baby, giving it to Caitlin. Annie drugged Olivia to believe that she lost her baby through drinking excess alcohol.
Annie manages to split Olivia and Gregory up and after her divorce comes through, Gregory marries Annie. Olivia tries to move on with her life, even though she suspects her baby may still be alive. Olivia meets up with her first lover, A.J. and they later reconcile their relationship. Olivia discoveres the truth about Annie's scheme and realises that her daughter asked Annie to help her find a baby. Olivia's family falls apart when the truth about Caitlin and Annie's plan is made public. Further trouble ensues when Caitlin finds out about Olivia and Cole's affair. Olivia was then trapped in an earthquake and she tried grew attached to Trey.
Olivia continues her relationship with A.J. Gregory is presumed dead after falling into the ocean, and he comes back pretending to be Tobias Richards, a relative. Olivia, along with Annie, fight for Gregory's will, and she claims everything belonged to her son, Trey. Annie is keen on doing anything to get the money, so she asks Mrs. Moreau to give her a potion that will force Olivia to start drinking again. The family is disappointed to see Olivia drinking again, and most of her family disown her. Annie's scheme is revealed by Gregory, who confronts Mrs. Moreau. Gregory's final battle is meant to be his victory, but he ends up in prison, where Olivia is sad to see him end up. She loved him. Olivia's broken family return and she was happy to see everything normal again. She raised Trey, her daughter was happy with Cole, Gregory was behind bars. Olivia and A.J. decide to end their relationship and he starts a romance with her best friend Bette Katzenkazrahi
Bette Katzenkazrahi
Bette Katzenkazrahi is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Kathleen Noone.-Character development:...
(Kathleen Noone
Kathleen Noone
Kathleen Noone is an Emmy Award winning American film, stage and television actress , best known roles for Ellen Shepherd Dalton on the daytime drama All My Children , Claudia Whittaker on the primetime drama Knots Landing and Bette Katzenkazrahi on the daytime drama Sunset Beach .-Life and...
).
Reception
In 1997, for her portrayal of Olivia, Down won the award for "Best Actress" at the Soap Opera Update Awards. Charlie Catchpole of the Daily Mirror said as the "beautiful rich but tragic" Olivia, Down was "out-Sue-Ellening Sue-EllenSue Ellen Ewing
Sue Ellen Ewing is a character on the popular American television series Dallas, played by Linda Gray from 1978 to 1989. Sue Ellen was the long-suffering two-time wife of the nefarious J. R. Ewing....
" in terms of tragic events they both endure. He also opined that Olivia should not have worried so much about her flashbacks, because they looked unrealistic. Justine Elias of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
said Down and Buxton showed signs of "becoming a classic matchup of battling soap opera vixens" in the respective roles of Olivia and Annie. Candace Havens of The Vindicator
The Vindicator
The Vindicator, also known at times as The Youngstown Vindicator, is a daily newspaper serving Youngstown, Ohio and the Mahoning County Region as well as southern Trumbull County and northern Columbiana County. Founded in 1869, the newspaper currently has a circulation of 62,100 daily and 87,000...
praised Sunset Beach for it's casting of Down, Berhens and Noone and opined it was "one thing" producers got right. While Julia Shih of The Michigan Daily opined that "credit should go to Lesley-Anne Down whose portrayal of a woman torn by her emotions is excellent". John Millar of the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
quipped that Olivia's car accident and subsequent situation in the tsunami were "nothing serious" and said it was another "regular week" in the serial. Sharon Feinstein of the Daily Mirror said that Olivia was a "wealthy super bitch" and a nineties version of Alexis Colby
Alexis Colby
Alexis Colby is a fictional character and the primary antagonist on the American TV series Dynasty....
(Joan Collins
Joan Collins
Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
) from Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
.