Marla Adams — the soap opera star who played Dina Abbott Mergeron for nearly 40 years on “The Young and The Restless” — has passed away.
Matt Kane — the director of media and talent for the show — announced the news yesterday … saying Marla passed away in Los Angeles Thursday. He didn’t provide any other information.
Adams was born in Ocean City, New Jersey in 1938. She started on Broadway before moving out to Hollywood and landing a role in “Splendor in the Grass” — starring alongside Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty in his first film role.
Other credits include … “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “The Secret Storm,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Days of Our Lives,” “Baywatch,” “The Golden Girls,” “Generations” among many more.
After bouncing around from guest part to guest part for the better part of the decade, Marla found the role that made her a soap opera star … playing Dina on ‘Y&R’ in over 230 episodes between 1983 and 2021.
Marla played the role for three years in the early ’80s before her contract expired. She returned to the role sporadically over the next few decades … before joining back up full-time in 2017.
She received two Daytime Emmy nominations during the second stint, winning in 2021 for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
She’s survived by her children, Gunnar and Pam; grandchildren Gefjon and Stone; and great-grandson Remi.
Adams was 85.
RIP