Marla Adams, known for playing Dina Abbott Mergeron on The Young and the Restless for 37 collective years, has died. The soap opera veteran was 85.
Adams died on Thursday, April 25 in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter. A cause of death has not been shared. Her death was announced by Matt Kane, director of media and talent for The Young and the Restless.
“On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to Marla’s family,” Josh Griffith, executive producer and head writer of Y&R, said in a statement. “We’re so grateful and in awe of Marla’s incredible performance as Dina Mergeron as both Marla and Dina made an unforgettable mark on [the show].”
Adams first debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1982. Dina had left her husband, Jack Abbott, and their four children — Eric Vanderway, Jack Abbott, Ashley Abbott, and Traci Abbott, behind because she felt there was more to life than marriage and kids. She remarried a cosmetics tycoon named Marcel Mergeron, making her wildly wealthy when she came to Genoa City. She tried to keep her identity concealed but failed.
Adams was on Y&R on-and-off for 37 years. She stayed on from 1982-1985, leaving when her contract was up, but she came back in 1991, 1996, 2008, and 2017. Her 2017 stint became her longest on the series, in which she was referred to as the Grande Dame. Adams won a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance as Dina in 2021, taking home the award for
In total, Adams played Dina in 235 episodes of Y&R, and that’s just one of her soap titles. Adams also had roles in The Bold and the Beautiful (as Beth Logan), Days of our Lives (as Claire McIntyre), Generations (as Helen Mullin), and Capitol (as Myrna Clegg). Outside the world of soaps, Adams was known for starring opposite Natalie Wood in Splendor in the Grass and appeared in a slew of TV guest star roles in shows like Emergency!, The Love Boat, Happy Days, and more.
Adams is survived by her children, Gunnar and Pam; her grandchildren, Gefjon and Stone; and her great-grandson, Remi.
