Catching Up With Soap Legend Linda Dano As She Joins The Hallmark Family

She wowed us for decades on NBC’s Another World as the flamboyant, but flawed (and also fantastic) Felicia Gallant, and then made her way through the ABC soaps as Rae Cummings. Now, Linda Dano is back on our small screens… and of course, it’s with a soap connection.

On The Chronicle Mysteries, Days of Our Lives veteran Alison Sweeney plays Alex McPherson, a novelist and podcaster who takes on a cold case.

At the Hallmark Channel’s recent semi-annual bash, Soap Hub caught up with Linda Dano, who shared the scoop on her new role on The Chronicle Mysteries, AW memories, and her time at ABC as Rae Cummings!

How are you enjoying tonight?
This party’s magnificent! Hallmark is treating me like I’m a star!

You are!
Thank you. I came home after doing the film and friends were asking me if I’d do another. I said if they ask, yes! Ali [Sweeney] called me at home and offered me the part. It all started last year when I called her and said I love Hallmark. It’s so ‘feel good.’ And I’m happy to see you on it.

A few months later, she called me and said, ‘I have a part for you.’ It’s in the last of her three films [for now] with this series. She asked if I’d come and play. I didn’t hesitate. I asked if they’d fly me to Vancouver where it filmed. They did! First class!

What can you say about your role on The Chronicle Mysteries?
The woman I play and her husband created and operate a wine empire. I’m the matriarch. Everyone at Hallmark couldn’t have been nicer. I felt so at home, so welcome, which is important.

It’s going to be 20 years in June that AW went off the air.
Can you believe that?

In the AW finale, Felicia had …continue reading on the next page —>

Continue reading on the next page…

In the AW finale, Felicia had a line after the wedding of Cass (Stephen Schnetzer) and Lila (Lisa Peluso), something about it being ‘okay,’ which seemed to be a way of saying to the audience you were okay with the show ending. How were you really feeling?
Not great. I was very sad. I was the last person to leave the building. I went to every office, every department — wardrobe, makeup, all of them. It was Vivien [Stern, my late publicist] and myself.

I said goodbye to everything and everybody. At that moment, I already knew I was going to ABC to reprise Rae Cummings. [Ed. Note: When Dano first played the part on One Life to Live in 1978, the character went by her first name ‘Gretel.’ FYI: ‘Rae’ is both Gretel and Dano’s middle name.]

I wasn’t allowed to speak about going back to ABC until it happened. Even Stephen [Schnetzer, ex-Cass, AW] didn’t know. I was asked to come [back] to ABC long before AW was canceled, but I said, ‘No, I can’t. If this show goes under, I need to be here till the very end. I won’t do it.’ So, I didn’t and I didn’t know that ABC would ever call again. I felt so strongly about AW. It was my family, and a very special show.

Did you keep anything of Felicia’s?
Everything! I have feather boas coming out of my ears!

Who from AW are you in touch with?
Stephen [Schnetzer], of course. Also, John Bolger (ex-Gabe), David Forsyth (ex-John), Anna Holbrook (ex-Sharlene), and Anna Stuart (ex-Donna). I just had lunch with John Aprea (ex-Lucas).

You’d taken a break from acting and now, thanks to Ali and Hallmark you’re back. What’s next for you?
I’m not sure. I’m open to things that I haven’t been open to in a long time. After [my husband] Frank died, I went to GL because of Ellen Wheeler (ex-Marley/Vicky, AW; former GL executive producer).

My character, Lena Kendall, was in prison and I wore an orange jumpsuit. I said the only way I’d do it is you have to kill me. I want blood coming out of my mouth! I’d never played dead before; she said, okay, I’ll kill you.

It was emotional being there. I knew all the crew members, their families, their kids. After work, I’d come home to my dark apartment and my two baby dogs, and I’d cry. It was so hard on me. Frank hadn’t been gone that long. Then, [my publicist and dear friend] Vivien Stern died four years ago.

I still have an apartment in New York. That’s where all the parties with all the old AW people happen. They all come, we all laugh and talk. We’re all getting together later this month to toast Carmen [Duncan, Iris, who died in February]. We’re going to have several drinks in her honor.

The Chronicle Mysteries will air later this year on the Hallmark Channel.