Y&R Star Marla Adams Dead at 85

Veteran actress Marla Adams, best known to soap fans for her role of Dina Abbott Mergeron on The Young & the Restless died on April 25 in Los Angeles at the age of 85. 

Born in Ocean City, NJ, Adams found a love for show business after winning the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May pageants and coming in as a runner-up in the Miss New Jersey pageant. In 1958, she appeared in the Broadway production of The Visit with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne and starred in the 1961 film Splendor in the Grass. 

After a 1968-74 run as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm, Adams took over the role of Myrna Clegg on Capitol. She then joined the cast of Y&R in 1982 as the estranged Abbott matriarch, Dina. After her exit in 1986, she returned in 1991 and 1996 to continue to stir up drama in the Abbott family with John and her children. After another brief visit in 2008, Adams returned full-time in 2017 where she earned a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2021 for her work in the emotional Alzheimers storyline. 

In addition to Y&R, Adams also appeared as Helen Mullin on Generations, Beth Logan on The Bold & The Beautiful, and Claire McIntyre on Days of Our Lives. In primetime, the actress could be seen in shows like The Golden Girls, Hart to Hart, The Love Boat, and Walker, Texas Ranger.

Adams is survived by her daughter, Pam Oates, son Gunnar Garat, grandchildren Gefjon and Stone, and her great-grandson, Remi. Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this difficult time.