As the World Turns Wayback: Remember Craig Montgomery

As The World Turns hero Craig Montgomery was one of the most memorable anti-heroes in soap opera history. The character started out in life making a lot of mistakes before redeeming himself.

Alas, all the progress Craig had made over the years seemed fated for him to return to his opportunistic ways. Here’s a look back at the complicated life and loves of Craig Montgomery on As the World Turns.

Bad Boy
Craig’s desire for a better life caused him to make many bad and criminal choices. He feigned paralysis in order to keep Betsy, his wife, from leaving him, and framed Steve Andropolous for robbery. Craig went to jail for his crimes.

After he was released, he had a chance at redemption. His new boss (and one-time lover), Lucinda Walsh, sent him to war-torn Montega to locate Sierra Esteban, her secret daughter. Craig not only located the freedom-fighter but fell in love with her, too. Later, a betrayed Sierra impulsively wed childhood beau Tonio Reyes.

Suddenly, Life Had New Meaning
Craig, despite his relationship with Iva Snyder, never stopped loving Sierra. The two were already finding their way back to one another when Craig learned that he had fathered Sierra’s son Bryant. Soon after, Craig was presumed dead. He found his way home just as Sierra had been lost following an uprising in Montega.

Craig romanced both Emily Stewart and Ellie Snyder, but once Sierra was found alive, he dumped fiancée Ellie and moved back to Montega with Sierra and Bryant, living happily ever after…for a while.

They returned to Oakdale years later and some of the spark had gone out of their marriage. They split and Craig took up with Samantha Markham, Lucinda’s half-sister. Realizing, he truly loved Sierra and their life together, Craig returned to Montega and the couple had a second child, daughter Lucy.

Return To Oakdale
Years later, however, he returned to his manipulative ways. Craig played with Carly Tenney’s heart, drugged Lucinda, and “borrowed” from Bryant’s trust fund to satisfy his needs. His next bride – and victim — was Barbara Ryan, who was horribly burned in an explosion. Craig was found innocent of any wrongdoing, but their marriage ended.

Tragedy And Trials
Craig suffered an enormous loss after Bryant was killed in a car accident. He became mixed up with James Stenbeck and worked overtime to squash Lucy’s romance with Aaron Snyder. To gain financial leverage, Craig wed heiress Rosanna Cabot, Carly’s half-sister.

He also arranged for an illegal adoption of son Cabot to secure his marriage. Next, Craig fathered Jennifer Munson’s baby but switched it with a deceased infant. Craig was jailed for trying to kill Rosanna after she discovered the truth.

Siblings And Situations
Later, Craig, his conviction overturned, wound up in a triangle with Meg and Paul. Alas, a pregnant Meg lost Paul’s baby after she got caught in a crossfire between the two men. Craig used his half-sister Katie to beat a wrap that he’d planted a bomb in Paul’s car.

He scored another victory when a judge finally gave him legal custody of his son Johnny. Both Carly and Rosanna re-entered Craig’s life, but both women decided he wasn’t the man for them. Next, returning to his old ways, Craig burned down Monte Carlo (formerly Barbara Ryan Originals), for the insurance money.

His Third Son
Craig was poised to return to prison when Lily told him that young Gabriel was his biological son, the product of an affair Craig had with his and Sierra’s maid. Craig got arrested for stealing Parker’s trust fund, but he used Parker’s crimes as leverage to get the charges dropped.

As the series came to an end, Craig showed a glimmer of hope by genuinely raising his glass after Carly and Jack wed. He was saddened that Gabriel was moving back to Montega, but glad that Rosanna would be staying in Oakdale. Perhaps somewhere the love of a good woman finally turned Craig around?