Days of our Lives is well known for having its villains return over and over and over, whether it be Stefano DiMera, Orpheus, Andre DiMera, or Vivian Alamain. Yet, one character who never returned after exiting Salem was Alex Marshall, the charismatic slimeball who has some deep ties to the Horton family.
Days of our Lives Missing Link
Played by the dashing Quinn Redeker from 1979 to 1987, Alex was an integral part of the Salem canvas and was the right-hand man for Stefano (Joseph Mascolo), Victor Kiriakis (John Aniston), and Stuart Whyland (Robert Alda) at different times, so he knew how to get his hands dirty. Yet, anyone who started watching in the last three decades probably has no idea who he is.
Perhaps the fact that Redeker went on to play fan-favorite Rex Sterling on The Young and the Restless for almost a decade after leaving DAYS played into the reasoning of not bringing him back, but they missed a golden opportunity.
It was obvious from the outset that Alex was a devious jerk. He blackmailed Stephanie Woodruff and stole an important device from Anderson Manufacturing. And he made a play for Mary Anderson, eventually winning her heart, though his motives were more about taking control of her family’s company.
Fans soon learned that he had something of a history with Marie Horton (now a nun) and was the biological father of Jessica Blake! He showed his softer side when his daughter finally learned the truth and he tried to win back Marie’s heart.
But his villainous ways would resurface. While working for Stefano, Alex would indirectly be responsible for the death of Evan Whyland (Lane Davies) and tried to kill Kayla Brady by way of a robot with a poisoned needle. Over the years, he also tried to kill Roman Brady and Alice Horton!
He finally got his due when he was convicted for trying to burn down the Salem Inn, and after being carted off to jail, we never saw him again!
There were several times when a return by Alex could have worked great. He could have come back to help Stefano or Victor on a number of occasions and continued battling with Roman and Shane Donavan having dallied with both their exes (Anna DiMera and Emma) and also always trying to pull a fast one.
Alex could have also popped up to be the dad of any long list of Salemnites through the years and DAYS could have also done a bit more with Jessica. Plus, his grandson was Nick Fallon, and it would have been interesting to see the devious minds working together.
As someone who always enjoyed Quinn Redeker’s on-screen smirk, this writer has always wanted Alex Marshall to return and feel Days of our Lives writers did a disservice to fans by forgetting about this infamous character. If you have any favorite memories of Alex, sound off in the comments section below.
Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Salem, check out all the latest that’s been posted on DAYS spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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