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Linda Dano (born Linda Rae Wildermuth on May 12, 1943) is a well-known American soap opera actor. She was born in Long Beach, California. A long time performer in soap operas, a bestselling author and businesswoman, Dano was married for over twenty years to the late advertising executive Frank Attardi.
Career Overview
After years of being on contract to 20th Century Fox alongside such actors as Tom Selleck, her first well known role would be on the small screen, on One Life to Live playing the Gretel Rae Cummings . In 1981 and 1982, she played Cynthia Haines on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. She later would play the role of romance novelist Felicia Gallant on Another World from 1982 to 1999, and she returned to One Life to Live as Gretel (Rae) Cummings Faulkner Buchanan on One Life to Live from 1978 to 1980 and from June 28, 1999 to March 12, 2004. She also reprised her role as Gretel concurrently on the other ABC soaps All My Children, General Hospital, and Port Charles.
In a shocking revelation, it was made known that Myrtle Fargate from All My Children (played by Eileen Herlie) was her character's mother, and her character was mother to One Life to Live's Skye Davidson (ironic, since the actress, Robin Christopher, played Dano's daughter on Another World). In 2005, Dano appeared as Lena Kendall, the cellmate of Harley on CBS's Guiding Light.
From 1987 until 1992, she co-hosted the Lifetime talk show Attitudes, which was spoofed on Saturday Night Live.
In 1993, she won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her role as Felicia on Another World. Currently, she writes a very popular style column for Soap Opera Digest.
Dano has even tried her luck on stage. She appeared in Mame in 2005 at Pennsylvania's Bucks County Playhouse as the colorful lead character, which not only required acting, but singing ability as well-Dano had not sung professionally prior to being cast! Alongside Dano was fellow Another World castmate Anna Stuart, who played Vera Charles in the production.
In 2005 she made a guest appearance as the mother of the psychopathic, murderous pharmacist George Williams on the hit prime time show Desperate Housewives. Many other acting and hosting duties have come along for Linda Dano over the years in shows like Martha, Live with Regis and Kelly, The View, What I Like About You, as well as red carpet pre-shows before the Daytime Emmy Awards, plus an Another World reunion special in 2003, hosted by Dano, on SOAPnet.
Dano ended her fashion accessories line at QVC in 2006 and focused on developing a line of home furnishings for the network.
Since the early 1980s, Dano has run Strictly Personal, a wardrobe consulting service. Her client list includes actor Robert S. Woods, who plays Bo on One Life to Live.
Important Causes
For several years, Linda Dano has worked with organizations to tackle medical conditions such as depression and Alzheimer's disease. Her father's life was taken by the effects of Alzheimer's and she would battle depression later after the double loss of her husband as well as her mother, Evelyn, a week and a half afterward. It was revealed that her mother was showing signs of dementia before the news of her death. Dano is active in such groups as HeartShare, the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the National Alzheimer's Association and Support Partners, among others.
She is also strongly gun control, and is listed amongst its opponents on the NRA-ILA website. She is also a patron of the Catholic Guardian Society of New York.
Trivia
Ms. Dano, during her marriage to Mr. Attardi, has been a collector of antiques and has restored many 18th century New England farmhouses. She loves to cook, travel, enjoy her 2 dogs, and spend time with her 2 stepchildren, 3 step-grandchildren and 2 nephews.
Television Filmography
- Guiding Light as Lena Kendall (April 13th 2005-May 25th 2005)
- Lifetime Now! as Host (2001-2003)
- General Hospital as Rae Cummings (2000-2001, & 2003)
- Port Charles as Rae Cummings (2000)
- All My Children as Rae Cummings (1999-2000)
- Attitudes as Host (1987-1992)
- Another World as Felicia Gallant (1982-1999)
- As the World Turns as Cynthia Haines (1981-1982)
- One Life to Live as Rae Cummings (1978-1980, 1999-2004)
- The Montefuscos as Angela Montefusco Cooney (1975)
Awards (Won)
Daytime Emmy Awards
- (1993) Daytime Emmy â?? Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Another World
- (Soap Opera Update Awards) â?? Dano won the MVP Awards 5 times during the history of the awards (If you have more exact data on dano SOU awards please update)
- Accessories Coucil Awards [1]
- (1999) â?? ACE Award for outstanding contributions to consumer awareness
Awards (Nominated)
Daytime Emmy Awards
- (2004) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Special Class Special for the Another World Reunion
- (2003) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for One Life to Live
- (1996) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Another World
- (1994) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Another World
- (1992) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Another World
Soap Opera Digest Awards
- (1999) Soap Opera Digest Award Favorite Veteran for Another World
- (1993) Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Supporting Actress for Another World
- (1989) Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Comic Performance by an Actress: Daytime for Another World
Books
In addition to being an actress, Dano is an accomplished writer and novelist.
Style Books
- Dano, Linda (1998). Living Great: Style Expert and Television Star Linda Dano Shows You How to Bring Style Home With Her Easy, Affordable Decorating Ideas and Techniques. Putnam Pub Group. ISBN 0-399-14392-0. (with Anne Kyle).
- Dano, Linda (1998). Looking Great: Fashion Authority and Television Star Linda Dano Shares Her Style and Beauty Secrets to Help You Look Your Best. Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-52387-1. (with Anne Kyle).
Romance Novels
Linda Danoâ??s Another World character, Felicia Gallant, was a professional romance novelist. While playing the character Dano herself wrote romance novels. These were written under the pen name Felicia Gallant.
External links
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify the biographical information on this page under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.
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