General Hospital’s Jacklyn Zeman Celebrates Her Birthday

On General Hospital, Bobbie Spencer is the former Queen of Scheme. Off-screen, actress Jacklyn Zeman, who has played the character for over 45 years, is celebrating a major milestone.

Happy Birthday, Jacklyn Zeman

That’s because she was born on March 6, 1953, in Englewood, NJ, which means that this veteran performer is turning 70 years old today! Zeman’s career began with a bit part on the daytime drama The Edge of Night, which was quickly followed by a one-year stint on One Life to Live.

On the latter program, she was Lana McClain. When a storyline-dictated exit occurred in December of 1977, Zeman was immediately hired by General Hospital producer Gloria Monty to portray student nurse — and all-around bad girl — Barbara Jean “Bobbie” Spencer.

Zeman was an absolute revelation in the role, and her magnetic performance earned her the 1979 Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Villainess. She also netted four Daytime Emmy Award nominations.

Zeman’s other acting credits include the films The Day the Music Died, Young Doctors in Love in Love, Class Reunion, and Deep In the Valley, as well as the TV movie Jury Duty and episodes of The New Mike Hammer, Sledge Hammer, Chicago Hope, and Misguided. Since 2010, she has starred in the online serial The Bay.

Outside of her acting career, Zeman is known for working as the spokesperson for Excedrin aspirin throughout the 1990s, as well as her line of signature jewelry that she frequently sells via the Home Shopping Network. She also had hosting duties on the TLC series Make This Place Your Home.

Soap Hub would like to wish Jacklyn Zeman a very happy birthday, and you can, too, by clicking on the Twitter link below.