♥ DAYS' Wildest Stories You Had To See 'Em To Believe 'Em! Look Who's Stalking: A vicious stalker committed back-to-back attacks and brutal murders of nearly half of Salem's residents, many of whom returned in spirit form to warn their loved ones. But it was not until Tony was poisoned that Marlena was revealed as the real culprit. Prior to being killed, Alice managed to alert John that his wife was to blame, prompting Doc to confess! Unfortunately, a subsequent fall from a balcony caused her to have no memory of her misdeeds. Shot dead on live television during a faux prison break, Marlena awoke on Melaswen Island with all of her "victims" and was stunned to learn that Tony had masterminded everything as a hoax! Seeing Double...And Then Some! From 1996 - 1998, Eileen Davidson embarked on the challenge of a life-time, playing four new characters to complicate the life of her original alter ego, Kristen. At Stefano's behest, pregnant buck-toothed Susan agreed to impersonate Kristen and turn over her baby in exchange for cash. However, when things went wrong, Susan wanted son Elvis back and enlisted the help of her sibs, Sister Mary Moira and Thomas, to do so. Another sister, long-lost Penelope, also wanted to help but wound up getting killed in a swimming pool while impersonating Susan. (Got all that?) In the end, karma kicked Kristen's tail, and Susan escaped from the white-slavery ring into which the witch had sold her and left the schemer behind in her place! The Devil Made Her Do It: Thanks to Stefano's mind-altering drugs, Marlena became the Desecrator and began wreaking havoc. She chained Kristen to a church altar, set a Christmas tree ablaze, and even torched the Horton Center children's holiday gifts! (What a Grinch!) And when the devil entered her, Marlena tried to suffocate Father Francis and later transformed into a lethal panther. Fortunately, her true love, occasional priest John, was able to perform an exorcism. Sure, Marlena suffered a stroke during the process and was believed dead, but with God's help, both she and her soul were saved. DAYS OF OUR LIVES FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE, 1/30/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Love Story: John And Marlena Even The Devil Couldn't Separate This Match Made In Heaven! 1986: As all-American as apple pie and baseball, John befriended glamorpuss shrink Marlena, who went from thinking he was her supposedly-dead archenemy, Stefano, to believing him to be her supposedly-dead husband, Roman. 1987: Roman's former ISA partner, Orpheus, gave Stefano a run for his money as a villain by kidnapping Marlena and sticking her on an exploding plane. Bet he lost her luggage, too! 1988: Despite his grief, Roman was instantly attracted to Diana. (Maybe it was the hat.) Wacky chaos ensued as he shot her mom and helped his new squeeze fake her death. 1989: When not having wild adventures, Roman and Diana made plans to wed. Lots of plans, in fact. But though they set three wedding dates, they never made it down the aisle. 1990: Once Diana left Salem, Roman began wining and dining another distressed damsel, Isabella. Of course, it was Roman who became distressed after learning Victor was her father. 1991: Once IzzyB had disowned Daddy, all seemed right for her and Roman...until the real Roman showed up! From then on, Isabella had to call her man John. 1992: As Roman and Marlena reunited, John and Isabella dealt with his faux wife, Danielle, and a wedding temporarily interrupted by the arrival of their son, Brady. 1993: After a farewell tryst with the newly widowed John (which was so good that he decided not to leave!), Marlena found out that she was pregnant. While she pondered who had fathered her child, John dated Stefano's adopted daughter, Kristen. 1994: At baby Belle's baptism, Marlena - pretty much shooting her marriage to hell - admitted that John, not Roman, was the tot's dad. Amen! 1995: Father John blessed Kristen's unholy union to Tony and fought Satan for Marlena's soul. (Luckily, he knew that the devil always picked scissors, never rock or paper.) But even after being released from the priesthood, John found his path to Marlena to be a virtual obstacle course. 1996: No sooner had John managed to avoid being executed for Tony's "murder" than he had to put his neck on the line (quite literally) to rescue Marlena from Stefano's sub-Parisian lair. But even after Roman "died" again, Kristen's trumped-up pregnancy kept John and Marlena apart. 1997: John learned that it was Susan, not look-alike Kristen, who belonged in the maternity ward. But on the day he was to wed Marlena, Kristen crashed the party with the bride's dying-but-not-dead husband, Roman. 1998: How did Roman repay John's efforts to find the cure for what ailed him? By fighting for Marlena! Eventually, however, even he accepted that his true love's future was Black-and-white. 1999: After finally marrying Marlena, John spent part of his Hawaiian honeymoon making love to Hope aboard a submarine. (You'd think a guy couldn't forget something like that, but he did.) Just as bad, Marlena found herself the target of her gal pal's wrath - and pistol! 2000: Ironically, even as Marlena returned to the airwaves to dispense advice, her own marriage was falling apart thanks to stepson Brady's bad 'tude and John's confession that he fathered Hope's baby. 2001: Narrowly avoiding a plot to be replaced by doppelgänger Hattie, Marlena gave Brady a well-deserved slap. Miffed, John threatened to slap her - with divorce papers! 2002: Their marriage having righted itself, John and Marlena renewed their vows and learned that Stefano was really, most sincerely dead. Alas, before they could break out the bubbly, they found out that Tony was John's half-brother. Curses! 2003: John wasn't pleased to learn his wife and Tony were the Gemini Twins' parents. Then again, she wasn't exactly thrilled by Celeste's premonition that John would kill his wife, either! 2004: Even Marlena's confession couldn't convince John that she was a serial killer. But as she spent her island-bound afterlife rebonding with indestructible Roman, John found comfort in Kate's newly-widowed arms. 2005: Trading the island for a castle, Marlena slept with - and got pregnant by - Roman. Once she lost both the child and her memory, John was left to struggle to hold onto his Dr. North-influenced Doc! DAYS OF OUR LIVES FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE, 1/30/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS' Dynamic Duos These Hopeful Romantics Put The Super In Supercouple... Roman And Diana: Though she met Roman after saving his daughter, Carrie, from drowning, Diana soon learned that it was easier to win the heart of a knight in shining armor by playing a damsel in distress. Her proof: No sooner had she agreed to marry scoundrel Victor - just to get the goods on the bad guy, mind you - than her hero kidnapped her. John And Isabella: John and Isabella's romance can be summed up in two words: Accidents happen. These lovers were born disasters, skidding from one calamity (she was accused of murdering half-sis Marina) to another (he was accused of being the jewel thief Romulus). Obviously, their love story had to end in tears, which it did when IzzyB succumbed to pancreatic cancer. DAYS OF OUR LIVES FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE, 1/30/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ The Best Of Enemies No Warring Factions Could Rival DAYS' Sparring Partners Whether going by the name Roman or Forrest or even The Pawn, John has had the same mission: to ensure that The Phoenix goes down in flames! DAYS OF OUR LIVES FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE, 1/30/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Wedding DAYS When Salem's Mixed Doubles Were Going To The Chapel We Ran For The Television John And Marlena: The first time that John and Marlena tied the knot, they both thought he was her long-MIA husband, Roman. More than a decade later, when they aimed to "I do" it again, John's ex-lover, Kristen, interrupted the ceremony with the real Roman, alive and well. (Well, alive, anyway.) Finally, in 1999, the couple got out from under the (basic) black cloud overhead long enough to read each other love poems and make their union official at the Penthouse Grille. John And Susan: John and Susan's 1997 nuptials at the DiMera mansion looked like they were straight out of Vegas! The bride's gigantic, sparkly dress was perfect for John's Elvis-style leather ensemble. The only thing more bizarre was the fact that the would-be Mrs. Black was impersonating John's true love, Kristen! With the real Kristen locked up, Susan thought she'd get away with it, but Laura tried to shake the truth out of her, causing her fake teeth to go flying! John And Isabella: John and Isabella's 1992 wedding day was full of great expectations. Not only did they plan to finally become one, but the Italian bride was in labor! Midway through the ceremony, she delivered their son, Brady, and it was not until afterward that she returned to complete their vows. With the baby cradled between them, John and Isabella were pronounced husband and wife and skipped the reception in favor of heading to the hospital. DAYS OF OUR LIVES FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE, 1/30/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS: Marlena Remembers! After months of shunning John, Marlena finally remembers her beloved husband this week on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. But wait - it gets better! She also invites him into her bed. "Marlena has some sort of a break-through, and the deepest part of her love for John surfaces," affirms Deidre Hall (Marlena). The romantic rendezvous is sparked when John overhears Alex revealing his deadly plans for Marlena, and attacks him. Alex confesses everything, but when Abe arrives to break up the fight, Alex denies it all. Alex returns home to Marlena, who spots bruises on his face and finds out what John did. Later, when Alex takes Marlena out to dinner, John and Abe show up, and Marlena rips into John for beating up Alex. "They're back in the same old place," sighs Hall. "John is always wrong. John always says the wrong thing and makes the wrong move, while Alex manages, through whatever devices, to make John look foolish and incompetent. All it does is strengthen the bond Marlena feels toward Alex and her safety and security with him." Realizing he has to break that bond, John sneaks into the penthouse, determined to find evidence against Alex. When Alex and Marlena return home in the middle of John's search, he hides in Marlena's bedroom. "Marlena gets ready for bed and reaches into the drawer for a sleeping pill, when she finds an old picture of her and John together," previews Hall. "It sets her off. She has a flashback. It's a wholehearted, loving memory. In that moment, she gets that she loves John." As Marlena's old feelings stir, John who hasn't a clue, tries to sneak out of her bedroom. But Marlena spots him and implores him to stay with her. "It's as though Marlena has awakened and realized, 'Oh, my gosh! What have I been thinking?'" relays Hall. "She says, 'Don't go. I need you here. Please, stay with me tonight.' Marlena is in the moment." Which should make John and Marlena fans very happy. "We get to kiss and grope," giggles Hall. "We're even on the bed, and I'm in a nightgown. It's perfect." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 3/7/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES Tragic End! Ka-Boom! Desperate to destroy incriminating evidence against him, Alex blows up Lois' cabin this week on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Too bad he also blows up Marlena. "Marlena gets a phone call from the funeral parlor saying they need clothes for Lois' burial," sets up Deidre Hall (Marlena). "Marlena is unable to get hold of Alex, so she heads to the cabin with the intention of picking them up." Bad idea. "Marlena hears a noise, turns around, and an explosion knocks her out," adds Hall. "She's lying unconscious on the floor. The whole room is on fire." John to the rescue! He races in, picks up Marlena and rushes her to the hospital. Alex follows, and John accuses him of setting the explosion. Of course, Alex denies it, insisting that Lois probably booby-trapped the cabin. John doesn't buy it. "Alex is at Marlena's bedside when she wakes up," previews Hall. "She's groggy and in and out of it, and she thinks Alex is John. She even calls him "John.'" Bad news for Alex, but great news for John and Marlena fans. "What's important about the explosion is that it's the cause of Marlena's memory returning," reveals Hall. "Marlena wakes up deeply in love with John and aware of all that's gone on, including their past. She remembers everything in its entirety - Alex being dangerous and brutal with her and John being loving. It all comes back. There are dozens of fabulous flashbacks of John and Marlena making love and celebrating anniversaries. It's chock-full of memories." Which means Alex's latest stunt blew up in his face. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 3/21/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ The Year's Wildest Storylines You Had To See 'Em To Believe 'Em! DAYS: Sami Masqueraded As A Guy! First: Furious with John for failing to save her mother, Marlena, from the sea and for giving Marlena's pearls to half-sister Belle, Sami allowed herself to be unknowingly enticed into Tony's revenge scheme. Then: Disguising herself as a man named Stan, Sami provided addict John with painkillers, knowing his injuries made him too weak to help Kate find her missing son, Philip. Sami also helped Nicole ruin the operation that would have restored scarred Chloe's beauty. Finally: Even after realizing she was working for Tony, Sami kept up her ruse when he promised to return her parents to the land of the living. She believed herself in the clear until Stan - or at least Kate in the manly disguise - barged in to expose the vixen and prevent her from marrying Lucas. THE YEAR IN SOAPS, UPDATE YEARBOOK, Spring 2006 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Murder On DAYS... The News - A Killer Story For DAYS' John And Marlena: It's all about Eve for John and Marlena this week on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. "Marlena walks in and hears John and Eve talking about a date," sets up Deidre Hall (Marlena). "Marlena immediately gets her nose out of joint. She's jealous." When Eve takes off, Marlena realizes "John must be doing undercover work, but he won't tell her," continues Hall. "He won't give her a straight answer. It's a cute, coy scene. There's a coquettish little thing that happens between them." Finally, John admits Marlena is right - he's on assignment. "Marlena feels much better," smiles Hall. But not for long. When John walks Marlena to her car, they discover Eve's body. "It's a little CSI moment," describes Hall. "They race over to the body and (drop) to their knees. John feels for a pulse, and Marlena asks, 'Is she alive?'" Nope. Which means John's undercover assignment has just ended in murder. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 9/5/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS' EJ: If The Glove Fits... Finally! The Gloved Hand is revealed this week on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. "It's naughty, naughty EJ," chuckles his portrayer, James Scott. "EJ gave Patrick the money he needed to pay off Hope's doctor to lie about her paternity test results. That is how EJ has been able to control Patrick. If Patrick doesn't do what EJ says, EJ will expose him and he'll lose Hope." Patrick is backed into a corner, but vows to turn on EJ if Bo discovers the truth. "EJ says, 'If you do that, it would be a mistake, one that would be your last,'" warns Scott. "There's still a lot of work to be done in Salem." Determined to prove Patrick is a criminal, John sets up a meeting with him. Marlena helps by swiping Patrick's cell phone, and John jots down the numbers in his call log. Later, Patrick recounts the encounter to EJ. "EJ's not concerned," shrugs Scott. "EJ respects John as a force to be reckoned with, but EJ believes he's two steps ahead of him and has the situation under control." Meanwhile, John tells Bo about EJ's number appearing on Patrick's call log, proving the two scoundrels are in cahoots. Again, EJ isn't fazed. "Nobody in town is beyond EJ's reach," snickers Scott. "And if their name is Brady, they'd better watch out." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 10/31/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Huge DAYS News John And Marlena Take Off... DAYS John And Marlena: Watch Out, Stefano! Arrivederci, Salem! John and Marlena head to Italy this week on DAYS OF OUR LIVES to bring down the DiMeras once and for all. With lives hanging in the balance, Abe and Roman persuade a reluctant John to help them nail EJ by dismantling the DiMera chain of command. John agrees, on one condition: Marlena can't know anything about it. "Marlena has always known that this is very dangerous, and the stakes seem to be getting higher," explains her portrayer, Deidre Hall. "She's asked him to leave the dangerous stuff to the Salem Police Department now that they're back together and a family again." Unfortunately, Marlena gets Bo to spill the beans. "It's a little out of character for Marlena," admits Hall. "She goes to Bo and tells him she knows John is continuing to investigate EJ. When he's reluctant to tell her anything, she reminds him that she was one of the people that got in that plane and risked her life to save his sister (Kayla). Although she's rarely in the position where she would ask a favor in return, she's asking it now. She needs his help to save her husband. It's too compelling a reason for Bo to ignore, so he tells her." And she heads straight for the airport to confront John. She finds him on a plane ready to take off for Europe and insists on going with him. "John is her entire life," reminds Hall. "Anything that puts him in harm's way, she wants to be there to protect him. She doesn't want to sit on the sidelines to wait and see if he comes home safely." Even if it means she might not come home safely. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 12/5/06