Written by: Katrina Rasbold
Meredith had a serious blood disorder and learned that she was not expected to live. Larry had known about this and, not wanting to upset her (women were very delicate back then) hid the information from her. She was distraught over this and distanced herself from him. Meanwhile, she met amnesia victim Tom Edwards who worked at the Banner for Victor. There was a long lost Lord son back then (there have been two recovered over time, both Tony Lord and Todd Manning are sons of Victor and heirs to the fortune but alas! Tony died.) and Tom claimed to be the one. In the original version of this story (as was replayed by David Vickers and Tina Roberts much later), while pretending to be the Lord heir, Tom fell in love with Meredith and things got rather complicated.
A young nurse, Karen Martin, set her sights on him in Meredith's absence and they became briefly involved. Karen became pregnant with his child and eventually saved Larry when he was caught in a terrible fire at the hospital. When the bandages were removed from his face, he looked a lot like he does now, only younger. (This was a common ploy when actors were changing back in the day...now Larry was played by Michael Storm, the current Larry) He and Karen married when she threatened to have an illegal abortion, but Larry knew he was still deeply in love with Meredith. Karen ended up losing the baby and Larry divorce her, now free to be with his true love.
Merry and Larry did find their way back to one another, finally with Victor's reluctant blessing. They moved into a garage apartment at Llanfair and set up a domestic life. When they decided to start a family, Meredith's doctors warned her that with her blood disorder, it would not be safe, but she immediate set about conceiving twins. Sadly, one of the twins was stillborn and the other, Danny, grew up to be a doctor just like his dear old dad.
After the death of her baby, Meredith fell into a deep depression. Finally, with the help of none other than Dr Joyce Brother, she emerged from the darkness and the three settled down to a happy life. Sadly, tragedy struck when burglars broke into Llanfair to steal Victor's rare art collection. Larry's brother, Vince and Meredith were held captive by the burglars and in the process, Meredith fell and hit her head, causing a cranial hemorrhage that led to her death, devastating poor Larry.
CARLA AND ED
Carla Benari was the beautiful secretary to Dr Jim Craig, with whom she was having a gentle and romantic relationship. Carla became confused when she found it difficult to commit into a more serious relationship with Jim, knowing that she really did love him. She hesitantly accepted his marriage proposal, but suffered from terrible anxiety attacks. She found herself drawn to a handsome black intern at the hospital named Price Trainor. (Remember this was the 60s and cutting edge). Even more cutting edge was when Carla came face to face with one of the housekeeping staff named Sadie Gray, who was not only black but stunned viewers by recognizing Carla as her daughter, Clara. A budding actress, Clara had changed her name and, being light skinned, passed herself as white to get better work. Her mother had voiced such disappointment in her choice to deny her heritage, that Clara had disowned her, choosing to have no contact with her family.
Eventually, Carla took the name of Carla Gray and she and her mother reunited as a family. Carla told everyone she was really black, Jim broke it off with her for lying to him and she began to fall in love with a politician named Bert Skelly. Her heart was not ready when she met a handsome detective by the name of Ed Hall (Al Freeman, the first black man to win a Daytime Emmy Award). Carla was a bit haughty around him at first, but Ed was captivated by Carla and got her attention by telling her she was too stuffy and planting a big kiss on her. They fell in love and married shortly thereafter, with everyone in tears of joy. They had one of the few happy marriages on the show, eventually adopting a young troubled street kid by the name of Josh (played as a teen by Lawrence Fishburn). Eventually, as will happen on soaps, Carla was attracted to a neurosurgeon by the name of Jack Scott and she and Ed ended up divorcing.
Jared Hall, the new ADA in town, is the grandson of Carla and Ed, so my guess is that this would be Josh's son.
TIM AND JENNY
Tim was a law student and the son of Dave and Eileen Siegel, who was sister to Joe Riley, Viki's first love, first husband and father of Joey and Kevin. Jenny was Larry's cousin and a novice nun. Just before taking her final vows, Jenny fell in love with Timmy. Jenny's family hit the roof when she balked at taking her vows, feeling she had betrayed both the family and God. The Siegels blamed Jenny when Tim dropped out of law school. The pressure was too much for Jenny, who decided to stay with her commitment to the church. She went to help earthquake victims in the third-world country of San Carlos, hoping that some distance between her and Tim would let their families find some normalcy again. When she returned the next year, she was suffering from malaria. After her recovery, she and Tim renewed their love and planned at last to marry. Larry's brother Vince was particularly furious with Jenny for leaving the sisterhood and while he was arguing with Tim in yet another evil stairwell, Tim lost his balance and fell. Tim was admitted to the hospital, but was fatally injured. He managed to stay alive just long enough for him and his beloved Jenny to exchange their marriage vows.
RICHARD AND BECKY LEE
Becky Lee Hunt blew into Llanview like a hurricane, slight of body and big in voice. Back in those days, everyone who didn't live at Llanfair lived in a boarding house (ala the Brownstone, if you are a GH viewer) run by Ina Mae Hopkins. Becky Lee was from the south and had aspirations to be the greatest country and western singer in the nation. Armed with a bevy of huge platinum wigs and sequined outfits, this little spitfire was determined to make it big. Becky Lee was not afraid to speak her mind and tell it like it was. She was what in the south we call "a scrapper."
Richard Abbott was Viki's cousin and was a go-getter reporter for the Banner. He was quite taken with Becky Lee and pursued her relentlessly. Unaccustomed to such aggressive courtship, Becky Lee put him in his place more than once, but finally relented to her love for him.
Edwina Lewis, also a reporter for the Banner, was stylish, classy and everything Becky Lee was not...and she had the hots for Richard. Determined to get rid of "that little country girl" once and for all, Edwina dug up the information that Becky Lee was, in actuality, still married to her abusive hillbilly husband, Luther. After learning from Edwina of Becky's whereabouts, Luther came to town armed for bear. He assaulted Richard, resulting Richard having serious brain surgery. Luther was jailed, but escaped and managed to follow Richard and Becky to a mountain cabin. The Llanview PD, headed by Lt Ed Hall, rescued the two and Richard and Becky Lee were married.
Becky Lee and Richard's marriage ended due to the strain of a miscarriage. Richard left town and Becky Lee was seduced by none other than Bo Buchanan. Not knowing about the pregnancy, Bo ended up marrying Delila Ralston, much to Becky's dismay. Becky prepared to marry Drew Ralston, who dearly loved her, but he was gunned down in a robbery on his wedding day. Asa learned that the baby Becky Lee was carrying was his grandchild and convinced her to marry him. Bo eventually found out that Becky's child was his and left Delila, who had faked a pregnancy in order to keep him.
Becky Lee named her baby Drew after the dear man who loved her so much and that baby, of course, is the same Drew Buchanan who graduated from the police academy with honors and was killed by nutty Barbara Graham in her psychotic pursuit or Kevin Buchanan.
And that, my friends, is history. Happy Valentine's Day.
