Beverlee McKinsey: Salute to One of Soaps' Greatest Divas

amp160amp160When she came onto Another World in 1972 as Iris Cory Carrington Bancroft she was all icyblond upperclass matronly bitchiness But in frequent vicious argument scenes with Iris39 remarried father Mac Cory the volcanic Douglass Watson we could see that Iris was really begging for love whenever the actress would utter just oneamp160wordamp160quotDaddyquot Here she is in a scene from AW in 1978amp160amp160The exquisite vulnerability of McKinsey39s soap characters Iris Cory on Another World and its spinoff Texas Alexandra Spaulding on Guiding Lightwas always right there clawing at your heart while the character tussled with everyone in Bay City and Springfield The heartbreaking fragility of her characters was very Blanche DuBoisamp160That39s because McKinsey started as the best soap actors of her era did amp160on the stage including the original production of Barefoot in the Park and Who39s Afraid of Virginia Woolf in London Projecting several levels at once in a performance was what was expected of them unlike the low expectations placed on today39s modelactors It was this depth of great natural talent and incredible range that McKinsey brought to soapsamp160What a treat it was to see her in scenes with other actors of her caliber especially the brilliant Watson and the astoundingly intelligent Victoria Wyndham who played Irisamp8217 muchhated and muchyounger stepmother Rachel On Guiding Light she had scenes and storylines to die for with such great actors as the late always masterful Chris Bernau who originated the role of Alan Spaulding and the late great Michael Zaslow he played Roger Thorpeamp160A few of you might remember the days McKinsey39s Iris was the wife of Daniel Davis later seen in a comic roleamp160on The Nanny whose Elliot Carrington on Texas was pure madness and genius For a while Davis and McKinsey brought down the house daily on a soap few people today rememberamp160But whatever show McKinsey was on she was unforgettable She left Guiding Light suddenly in 1992 and did a very brief appearance on GH in 1994 as a character named Myrna Slaughter She told everyone she took the part so she could get her actors39 unionamp160insurance I interviewed her via phone at her California home at the time and asked her the same question everyone was wondering quotAre you ever coming back to daytimequotamp160And the actress who tore down the house on three soaps quietly said something I39ve never forgotten and repeated often quotOh no All I want now is my doggy and the seaquotamp160Rest in peace Msamp160McKinseyamp160Read more Marlena and friends at www marlenadelacroixcomamp160

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Beverlee McKinsey: Salute to One of Soaps' Greatest Divas

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Elaine Liner

"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 6) - By Carl Mayer

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Click to Make Your 2025 Contribution to Support the MediaVillage Education Foundation

Beverlee McKinsey: Salute to One of Soaps' Greatest Divas

Elaine Liner

"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 6) - By Carl Mayer

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