Christine Williams may not be seen often on The Young and the Restless, but it is a treat to see her in scenes with her ex-husband Danny Romalotti once again. And, actress Lauralee Bell has just as much reason to celebrate.
That’s because she was born on December 22, 1968, in Chicago, Illinois, which means that this talented performer is turning 55 years old today. In 1983, Bell, a nascent actress, was offered a bit part on Y&R — the powerhouse daytime dynamo that had been created by her parents, William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell.
The role of Cricket was eventually bolstered to the extent that Bell was offered a starring player’s contract in 1986. In the ensuing years, Cricket pursued a romance with a man named Scott Grainger (Peter Barton), whom she learned was her half-brother, fell in love with rock ‘n roll superstar Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian), and later found lasting happiness with Paul Williams (Doug Davidson).
Bell’s tenure at Y&R was also characterized by the maturation of the role she played. After being raped by a man named Derek Stuart (Ken Olandt), Cricket took to using her given name of Christine, and the former model enrolled in and graduated from law school, eventually setting up a legal aid practice.
On October 4, 1997, Bell wed longtime boyfriend Scott Martin, and the couple eventually welcomed two children; a son (Christian James) and a daughter (Samantha Lee). After the birth of her second child, Bell asked Y&R producers to bump her down to recurring status, a position which she has maintained — on and off — ever since.
More recently, Bell has been appearing more often as Christine, who is now split from Paul and is rediscovering her relationship with Danny — much to Phyllis’s (Michelle Stafford) dissatisfaction.
Aside from her work in the daytime arena, Bell has appeared in a number of other projects, including episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger, Pacific Blue, and CSI: Miami, as well as films such as Carpool Guy, Past Sins, Mistress Hunter, and Nightmare Tenant. In 1995, she played an exaggerated version of herself on Diagnosis: Murder.
Soap Hub would like to wish Lauralee Bell a very happy birthday, and you can too by clicking on the X (formerly Twitter) link below. Also, share your favorite memory of her work or if you’ve met her personally in the comments section.
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