Marj Dusay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marj Dusay
Dusay in a scene from the TV series Star Trek, 1968
Born	Marjorie Ellen Mahoney (1936-02-20)February 20, 1936
Died	January 28, 2020(2020-01-28) (aged 83) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1965–2009
Spouse(s)	John Murray Dusay ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1961)​ Thomas Perine ​ ​ (m. 1967; his death 1987)​
Children	2

Marjorie Ellen Mahoney Dusay (born February 20, 1936 – died January 28, 2020) was an American actress. She was famous for her roles in many American TV shows, especially soap operas. She played Alexandra Spaulding on the show Guiding Light for many years. She was also known for playing Jean MacArthur Faircloth in the 1977 movie MacArthur.

Marj Dusay's Acting Journey

Marj Dusay began her acting career in the mid-1960s. In 1967, she was part of a comedy group in Los Angeles called the Session. Her first TV acting role was on December 21, 1967, in an episode of Cimarron Strip. She also appeared in the movie Sweet November in 1968.

Early TV and Movie Roles

One of Marj Dusay's first movie roles was a small part as a waitress. This was alongside the famous singer and actor Elvis Presley in the 1967 film Clambake. In 1968, she played a special agent in an episode of Hawaii Five-O. She also appeared three times on Hogan's Heroes. From 1968 to 1969, she played Gloria in the CBS comedy Blondie.

Guest Appearances and Iconic Roles

Marj Dusay made many guest appearances on popular TV shows in the late 1960s and 1970s. She played an alien named Kara in "Spock's Brain". This was the first episode of season three of Star Trek. In this role, she said a very memorable line: "Brain and brain—what is brain?!" She was a popular guest at Star Trek fan events. She often appeared with her friend and fellow Star Trek actor Michael Dante.

In 1969, she appeared on Daniel Boone. She played a beautiful French diamond thief named Eugenie. She also played Jean MacArthur in the 1977 film MacArthur. Later, she guest-starred as Monica Warner, Blair Warner's mother, on The Facts of Life.

Becoming a Soap Opera Star

Marj Dusay was already a well-known actress when she started her long career in daytime TV. In April 1983, she joined the show Capitol. She played Myrna Clegg, a powerful woman from Washington, D.C. She stayed on the show until its final episode in March 1987. She was nominated for two Soap Opera Digest awards for this role.

After Capitol, she joined Santa Barbara from 1987 to 1988 and again in 1991. She played Pamela Capwell Conrad. In 1993, she temporarily filled in for another actress on Days of Our Lives. She played the character "Vivian Alamain".

Her most famous soap opera role began in August 1993. She started playing Alexandra Spaulding on Guiding Light. She stayed on the show until March 1997. She returned for a short time from November 1998 to February 1999.

Later Career and Final Role

In the summer of 1999, Marj Dusay starred in the film A Chronicle of Corpses. She received good reviews and several acting awards for her work in this movie. This included the Silver Unicorn for Best Actor at a film festival in Spain. The film was even named one of the Top Ten Movies of the Year by The New York Times.

Marj Dusay then created her own soap opera role. She played the character Vanessa Bennett on All My Children from 1999 to 2002. She was the mother of Dr. David Hayward and Leo DuPres. She also became the last wife of Palmer Cortlandt. In 2005, her appearances on the show were reduced due to budget cuts. However, she was asked to stay on in a recurring role.

In 2006, she had a big storyline on Guiding Light. Her character, Alexandra, married a younger man. Her appearances became less frequent after this story. But she appeared more often when Grant Aleksander returned to the show in 2009. Guiding Light was cancelled in 2009. Marj Dusay appeared in the very last episode, which aired on September 18, 2009. Her character had a happy ending, going on a cruise with an old friend.

Marj Dusay's Personal Life

In 1955, Marj Dusay married John Dusay, who was a doctor. They had two children, a son and a daughter named Debra. Debra also became an actress. Their marriage ended in 1962. In 1967, Marj married Thomas Perine. He passed away in 1987.

Starting in 1984, Marj Dusay sponsored a special golf tournament. It was called the Marj Dusay Celebrity Golf Tournament. It took place in Russell, Kansas.

Marj Dusay passed away on January 28, 2020. She was 83 years old and died in Manhattan, New York.

Partial TV and Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Marj Dusay was recognized for her acting with several awards and nominations.

Daytime Emmy Awards

• (1995) Nominated for Daytime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Guiding Light
• (2002) Won Special Fan Award America's Favorite Villain for playing Vanessa Cortlandt on All My Children

Soap Opera Digest Awards

• (1986) Nominated for Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role on a Daytime Serial for Capitol
• (1988) Nominated for Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role: Daytime for Capitol
• (1995) Nominated for Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Villainess for Guiding Light