The arrival of Alexandra Spaulding in Springfield heralded a new era of greatness on Guiding Light — and in soap opera history. Over the next 25 years, four different actresses would play the part of the regal, loving, yet cutthroat matriarch!
Actresses Lydia Bruce (briefly), Marj Dusay, and Joan Collins all brought the part of Alexandra to life but it was the woman who originated the role — daytime legend Beverlee McKinsey — who truly made her unforgettable!
Mistress of Manipulation
Alexandra returned to town and within a matter of months, she had orchestrated her powerful brother Alan’s downfall, took over his business, found her long lost son (Brandon — AKA Lujack) and long lost half-sister (Victoria), made a pal in Lillian Raines, and began a new romance with shady Warren Andrews.
Often, Alexandra was put in a position of having to choose between Lujack and her nephew Phillip; Lujack, of course, would win out. Alex was less ambivalent about her step-daughter India — she couldn’t stand her! The two had many a showdown in either of their homes or in the powder room of the country club.
Don’t Mess With The Baroness!
Alex cozied up to widowed journalist Fletcher Reade, but she got in over her head by falling for Roger Thorpe, back from the dead after nearly a decade. She was charmed by the ambitious businessman and wed him.
But upon finding out that Roger had slept with Mindy, Alex trashed him publicly at the country club. Alexandra was overjoyed upon finding out that her late son Lujack had a twin — Nick — but after moving heaven and earth to convince Nick she was his mom and causing Mindy to leave him before their wedding, he rejected Alex and she left town.
Spaulding Shenanigans
Alex returned to Springfield and the Spaulding mansion became well-populated. Her brother Alan got out of jail and their half-sister Amanda returned home. Alex entered into a friendship with Hawk Shayne and was the one who announced to all of Springfield that Reva Shayne was alive! Boardroom shenanigans kept Alex busy. When she’d had enough, she went to visit Nick and his wife Susan in Europe.
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Triple-A
Alexandra returned to town and got mixed up in Alan’s ill-advised romance with Annie Dutton. It wasn’t uncommon for the siblings to meddle in one another’s lives. A few years later, Alex pulled the mother of all power plays — or rather the ‘ex-wife’ of all power plays.
She called upon Phillip’s former mates — Mindy Lewis, India, Blake Thorpe, Beth Raines, and Harley Cooper — to use the stock Phillip had given them (some had to be blackmailed into it) to vote Alan out of office. Next, Alex exposed Alan’s wife Olivia as the woman who made trouble for Beth.
My Three Sons
It appeared to Harley as if Alex was the birth mother of Gus Aitoro (since she was obviously hiding a secret), but the secret wasn’t exactly what she thought — instead it turned out Alan was his dad. Alex stepped away from Spaulding Enterprises but kept busy by altering sister-in-law Olivia’s paternity tests and stalking Reva.
Eventually, Alex wound up in jail following her role in some bad deals. But even her staunchest foes felt sorry for her after Phillip threatened to make sure she’d be lost in the prison system forever. Before he could put that heinous plan into motion, Phillip was “killed.”
Off To See The World
Alex took a liking to younger man Cyrus Foley, a charming con artist. As with Roger, she thought with her heart instead of her head and married him before admitting to herself that he loved Marina Cooper.
Alex was there for Alan after Gus died; alas, Alan died unexpectedly after serving as a life-saving donor for Phillip. The family gathered to spread Alan’s ashes. Fletcher returned to town to ease Alex’s grief and take her on a worldwide cruise as Guiding Light came to an end.
In Memoriam - Soap World Deaths in 2008
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