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DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Mike Horton on DAYS OF OUR LIVES — Everything You Need To Know

Mike Horton hasn’t been seen on DAYS OF OUR LIVES for quite some time but he has quite a history in Salem, so let us fill you in if you need a refresher on the highlights! Since the character’s introduction in 1968, numerous actors have played him. The best known (and longest-lasting portrayers) have been Wesley Eure (1974-81) and Michael T. Weiss (1985-1990) as well as Roark Critchlow, who played Mike from 1994-1999, returning for an appearance in June 2010, and another in October 2022.

Mike Horton was named after Mickey Horton, who was thought to be his father, although his real dad turned out to be Bill Horton, who had drunkenly raped Laura Horton. When he was a teen, Mike overheard his mother and “Uncle” Bill professing their love and Laura’s plans to divorce Mickey. Upset, he ran into traffic and was hit by a car. Although he recovered, he hated and resented both Bill and his mother. At least until he found out his father was having an affair and he unloaded his anger on him! Unfortunately, their argument led to Mickey suffering a heart attack and Mike was overwhelmed with guilt.

Years later, Mike was nearly crushed while trying to repair a tractor and when he needed a blood transfusion to save his life, that’s when the truth came out that Bill was his real father. Although he initially struggled to accept the truth, Mike eventually came to accept Laura and Bill together. When he was unable to consummate his relationship with Trish Clayton, Mike worried he might be gay, but he had no problem performing when Linda Patterson seduced him! He fell for the older woman and was heartbroken to learn she had just been using him to get to Mickey.

Days Cast 1978
That’s Wesley Eure as Mike Horton in the second row standing to the right of Deidre Hall (Marlena) in this cast photo.NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

In 1977, Mike tried to protect Trish by confessing to the murder of Jack Clayton, who she had killed in self-defense. This brought them closer together, but Mike was once again left heartbroken because she’d fallen for his cousin, David Banning, and had become pregnant. Working as a mechanic, Mike began dating Margo Anderman and a year later, they got married. She was diagnosed with leukemia, and although it went into remission, the couple found themselves swimming in debt from the medical costs. After borrowing money from his family, Mike turned to a loan shark and then ended up having to work for him to help pay off his debts.

Mikey helped Mike and Margo by setting them up on the farm where he’d lived with Maggie, and eventually the loan shark left town, allowing them to come home. Tragically, Margo’s leukemia returned and she passed away. Mike left town in 1982 to pursue a career in medicine and returned to Salem in 1985 a doctor. While working at University Hospital, Mike got involved with Robin Jacobs, and although he ultimately agreed to convert to Judaism for her, their relationship didn’t work out in the end.

Mike moved on and later found love with April Ramirez, though things got sticky when Robin came back and revealed that her son, Jeremy, was really Mike’s. Robin broke off their relationship so they could be a family, but since his heart wasn’t in it, Robin took Jeremy to move to Israel. But then Mike was left out in the cold because April had moved on with another guy. Her husband agreed to an annulment, but soon after he and April were engaged, Mike moved to Israel to work as a medical volunteer… and also to be closer to his son. He planned to return to Salem but after he continued to put it off, April broke off the engagement, and he decided to stay with his son.

DAYS Carrie Mike
Mike and Carrie went through a lot of ups and downs but ultimately couldn’t make it work.Aaron Montgomery/JPI

Mike returned to Salem in 1994 after a woman in Israel had tricked him into smuggling weapons (actually part of a plot cooked up by Stefano DiMera!). Mike soon found himself falling for his friend, Carrie Brady, and was unsuccessful in convincing her not to marry Austin Reed. He finally confessed his feelings and she returned them, but wanted to give her marriage a chance. With Carrie working PR at the hospital, Mike recruited her help in running for chief of staff against Craig Wesley. And despite all the dirty tricks that Craig and his wife, Nancy Wesley, tried, Mike got the job. However, the devious duo tried to get Mike accused of sexually harassing a nurse, and Carrie was by his side as he cleared his name.

In Las Vegas, Mike and Carrie finally gave in to their feelings and made love. Austin caught them together, punched Mike, and dumped Carrie. Free of the sexual harassment allegations and also Austin, Mike and Carrie finally became engaged and move to Israel so that he could once again be near his son.

In 2005, Carrie revealed that although they’d lived together for a few years, the relationship didn’t work out and Mike had remained in Israel while she returned to the states. But in 2010, Mike did come home to Salem to see his gravely ill grandmother, Alice Horton. Unfortunately, he was in a car accident and wasn’t able to get out of the hospital to visit her before she passed away.

Stay tuned to DAYS to see what happens next!

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