The Young and the Restless’ Corbin Bernsen Honors Mom Jeanne Cooper

Corbin Bernsen recurs on The Young and the Restless as Father Todd, Paul Williams’ brother, but fans of the actor also know him as the son of the late Jeanne Cooper (ex-Katherine). The actor has been on a social media hiatus but, on the occasion of his mother’s 92nd birthday, he’s shared a

post on Facebook to reconnect.

Remembering Jeanne Cooper

“Hey Everyone,” Bernsen’s post began. “Yes, me again! Long time and apologies. I’ve missed our conversations here but so much has been happening and in our country and the divineness has cut so deep, I’ve refrained from voicing my thoughts to not poison this space and place and community with words that can only divide us further…

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!” the actor continued, thanking his mother for teaching him “how to share the table where we eat, the roof overhead that protects from the storm, and the kindness in each of our hearts that welcomes the stranger into our home. Happy Birthday sweet, dear woman. Teacher. Protector. Survivor. On one hand, I miss you and wish every second of every day you were here so I can share my most inner thoughts with you…

“On the other hand,” he notes, “I’m so blessed that you aren’t here to witness first hand…[these] dark times and though you would have easily navigated them with direct and clear [expletive] to those worthy of that tongue, I remain happy that you are free of that. That responsibility. That potential to be misunderstood… I love you and miss you… Happy Birthday! You’d be 90 something and I’m sure during the day I’ll figure a TV show that could be called that and reflect on greater minds that steered greater times,” Bernsen adds.

Cooper joined YR in early 1974 as Katherine Chancellor, a woman trapped in an unhappy marriage to Phillip (Donnelly Rhodes). She hired Jill (Jess Walton) to be her companion, but things got worse after Jill and Phillip fell in love. This ignited a feud between the two women. And while they put their past behind them as the decades went on, the two always shared an intense relationship that lasted until Katherine’s passing — and beyond.

Soap Hub joins Bernsen in honoring Cooper on the anniversary of her birth. The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. Check local listings for air times.