Marla Adams’ first acting role was in “Splendor in the Grass” in 1961 with Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood. She found a long and lucrative career in television, appearing on tons of nighttime shows and on soap operas.
Adams is 82 years young. She started playing Dina Abbott Mergeron on “The Young and the Restless” in 1983, coming in and out over the years as the disgraced matriarch of the show’s main family. She returned in 2017 and it was slowly revealed that Dina had Alzheimer’s. She earned an Emmy nomination for her fine work.
But Alzheimer’s is what you don’t want on a soap. A few weeks ago, Max Gail’s character on “General Hospital” finally passed away after a two and a half year run. This week, Marla Adams will say goodbye to Dina after 37 years. She will be much missed by fans.
Meanwhile, “The Young and the Restless” is struggling in the ratings since returning from a pandemic break this summer. They’re down by 800,000 viewers year to year, and more than a million over two years. Whatever they’re doing, it’s not working.
