Marj Dusay, 'Star Trek' Actress and Veteran Soap Opera Player, Dies at 83
She also appeared on 'The Facts of Life' and 'The Odd Couple' and played the wife of a war hero in 'MacArthur.'
Marj Dusay, who played an alien who stole Spock's brain on Star Trek and worked on five daytime soap operas during her career, has died. She was 83.
Dusay died Tuesday, her stepdaughter Elizabeth Perine reported on Facebook. "She was quite a woman and had quite a grand life," she wrote.
Dusay also portrayed the mother of Lisa Whelchel's Blair Warner on NBC's The Facts of Life and appeared opposite Gregory Peck as the wife of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in MacArthur (1977).
The Kansas native stepped in for the late Carolyn Jones as Myrna Clegg on CBS' Capitol in 1983 and went on to play Pamela Capwell Conrad on NBC's Santa Barbara, Vivian Alamain on NBC's Days of Our Lives, the evil Vanessa Bennett on ABC's All My Children and Alexandra Spaulding on CBS' The Guiding Light.
Born Marjorie Mahoney on Feb. 20, 1936, she was raised in Russell, Kansas, and attended Kansas University. She began a modeling career in New York when she and her husband, John Dusay, moved there for his medical internship.
In Los Angeles, she became a member of The Session, an improvisational comedy troupe formed by Rob Reiner.
Dusay made her big-screen debut in the Elvis Presley movie Clambake (1967) and then appeared with Sandy Dennis in Sweet November (1968).
On the September 1968 Star Trek episode "Spock's Brain," which kicked off the show's third and final season, Dusay's Kara beams aboard the Enterprise, removes Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) brain and takes it with her to her planet.
The actress was memorable on the 1971 Odd Couple episode "What Does a Naked Lady Say to You?" when Oscar (Jack Klugman) discovers that her character, Felix's (Tony Randall) new girlfriend, is performing in a nude play.
Dusay also appeared on dozens of other shows including Hogan's Heroes, Mod Squad, Get Smart, Mannix, Phyllis, Barnaby Jones, Hart to Hart and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Dusay starred in All My Children as Vanessa Bennett for various episodes from 1998 through 2002. However, the actress was best known for her role as Alexandra Spaulding on Guiding Light.In her career, Dusay had been nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards on two occasions — once in 1995 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series honoring her role in Guiding Light. She also received a special fan award nomination at the 2002 ceremony for America's Favorite Villain recognizing her role as Vanessa Cortland in All My Children.
Stars took to social media to remember Marj Dusay (ex-Alexandra, GUIDING LIGHT et al), who passed away at the age of 83. On-screen son, Vincent Irizarry (ex-Lujack/Nick, GL) posted, “Honestly, not enough words for me to share my love and respect for, and sadness in the passing of our now late, great Marj Dusay. She was a force of nature as an actress, courageously pulling out all stops in whatever role she was gracing us with. Not only did she play my mother on two different shows, 2 very different characters, but in one of those shows she was brought in to replace the ever brilliant, incomparable Beverlee McKinsey when she left the role of Alexandra Spaulding on GL; a feat practically no other actress could have been able to accomplish. But Marj was never just any other actress, as she proved by making the role her own; doing so while sharing her dynamic brilliance with us as well… I reached out to her a couple months back, having heard that she was having a difficult time with some physical challenges as of late. I’m grateful to have heard her voice one last time, to have heard her infectious laughter one last time… RIP darling Marj. Your gift was our blessing.” Ron Raines (ex-Alan, GL) tweeted, “Heartbroken by the loss of my dear friend and colleague Marj Dusay. Marj was a dear friend to me and I will miss her greatly. I, with a couple of other GL colleagues, visited her last year here in New York and we all had a wonderful visit. She was, as always, in terrific spirits And made us laugh a lot. We all talked of specific memories we shared with her while on set. Marj lived with much physical pain the last decades of her life however, and this is what’s amazing, she never complained. I will miss her and glad she is pain free now. RIP dear Marj.”
Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) wrote, “HUGELY TALENTED & Stunning looking #MarjDusay When she stepped on a set everything was better because she showed up-Classy & impeccable-never stuck on herself-A wonderful human being RIP.”
Tina Sloan (ex-Lillian, GL) tweeted, “Lost the wonderful Marj Dusay aka Alexandra Spaulding. Great actress. Great woman. She will be very missed. RIP MARJ.” Carrie Genzel (ex-Skye, ALL MY CHILDREN) tweeted, “I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of #MarjDusay. We had mutual friends in NYC and she was always so welcoming and wonderful to me. My heart goes out to her friends and family, and,her many fans who appreciated her on and off camera.”
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