Photo Courtesy ABC
It is needless to say that fans and friends of actress Robin Strasser and her character, Dorian, were recently alarmed when news broke that her contract negotiations with One Life to Live were effectively over and the decision to stay or go had been placed on her shoulders. For long-time fans, it was a reminder of a situation that occurred in 1999.
"When Robin Strasser left in 2000, [members of our email list for Robin Strasser and Dorian fans] went their separate ways. Some left One Life To Live entirely, never to return," says a past member of a group that referred to themselves as the "Adorians."
Co-stars were equally downcast. "It takes the wind out of my sails," said Robert S. Woods (Bo) in an article by Sophfronia Scott Gregory for the December 20, 1999 issue of People Magazine ("Bon Voyage!").
In a Soaps In-Depth interview dated March 21, 2001, other co-stars offered their thoughts.
Kassie DePaiva (Blair) expressed, "Robin's impacted my life in so many ways. She's generous, loving, smart."
Again, Robert S. Woods spoke up for his fellow veteran actor, "Robin is great at what she does. When she's all suited up and ready to go, no one can touch her."
"I will miss Robin more than anyone who has ever left the show,” said Erika Slezak (Viki). “This is the biggest loss that the show could sustain.”
In the August 2001 issue of Soap Opera Digest, more than a year after Dorian's last appearance on the show, the magazine reported that fans of One Life to Live had voted for Dorian as their first choice of past characters that they would like to see return.
She was finally able to offer her response to the results in the May 20, 2003 issue, after she was asked to return to the show.
"When I heard it, I was moved to tears," she said in the article. "I'm not kidding. I want to take the opportunity to say, 'Thank you,' on the record, to all of the fans who wrote to me, communicated on the Internet or wrote to magazines; it never quieted down." (Source: As Seen in Digest, May 20, 2003)
Fans continue to rally behind Strasser today, and she continues to draw in new fans - particularly because One Life to Live's Dorian has been so relatable in her struggle to achieve, and the actress herself is such a good role model, full of fresh ideas and spunk.
In the 60s, when Robin Strasser first appeared to daytime viewers, they were drawn to her dark features. She was not the typical pale and gentle blonde beauty seen so often in many of the shows that audiences watched at the time.
Viewers knew what producers eventually caught on to -- that those dark features were more relatable for women who shared those traits. But through characters like Rachel Davis and Dorian Cramer Lord, viewers caught on to something entirely different and more identifiable than dark features - strength of character in women who weren't afraid to stand up for themselves or proclaim what they wanted.
For many women, Robin Strasser delivered more than day-to-day entertainment - she delivered a message that resonated through the 60s and 70s and into today - that women can make their own stand, and loudly.
In a feature called "Robin's Q & A" at Robin Strasser's official website, Cheryl asks, "For years I have marveled at Dorian NOT becoming a victim. It is truly remarkable in a medium where women are often victimized. I think it's paramount to Dorian keeping her edge. That said, what do you think has contributed to the character's ability to not fall ‘victim’ to this way of writing women?"
To which Robin Strasser answers,
"Every emotional choice I make as an actress is to avoid the trap of victim-hood or the deadly self-pity. I am always grateful for strong story choices made by the writing, but you will never catch Dorian behaving like a victim while I'm playing the part. That's who I am as a person as well as an ‘artist.’
“I'm also vigilant about sexism, ageism and a lack of connection between people. I wish I was as steady in my resolve personally, but I constantly work in life and in my profession to make strong choices. Beyond that, I have to preserve the ‘recipe’ or they'll replace me with some other actress someday...and I would not like that."
Dorian's strength has continuously struck fans who have followed her on One Life to Live, particularly with story lines that involved her great vulnerabilities -- a childhood in which she and her sisters were abused, her deep devotion to her family, a long-term feud with Viki that can be set aside in times of crisis, the (assumed) death of a husband that she truly loved, and an ongoing battle with claustrophobia.Fans of Dorian do not defend her for her schemes or her small battles. They don't want to see a "petty" Dorian chasing a man around, trying to drive Viki insane, or causing drunken chaos. While that behavior might be entertaining, it is Dorian's consistent struggle to rise above and help her family do the same, the "strength even when Dorian is doing the wrong things for what she thinks are the right reasons," as Robin Strasser says, that they advocate. If Dorian is going to scheme to get her way, fans like it to be for a greater cause.
It isn't just Dorian that fans have grown attached to over the years. Robin Strasser - the actress and the person - has provided great inspiration, having overcome many struggles as well. As a child, long before she became the daytime diva she is now, Robin Strasser had already survived being the focus of a very public custody battle, racism, and the Peekskill Riots. She has openly discussed her own claustrophobia with her fans.
Despite her day-to-day struggles, Robin Strasser has championed many causes very personally. She spent several years and her own money to produce a menopause awareness and support video, and later organized the production of a CD, One Life, Many Voices, featuring art and performances from her fellow ABC cast members, with proceeds benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina. There is no question in the minds of her fans that she is a role model.
Robin Strasser's strength carries through in her performances, and is channeled into Dorian. Fans of One Life to Live's long time "bad girl" have an arguably good example to look up to. In Dorian, they see a survivor who doesn't lie down and take the blows life deals her, but rises to the challenge; and a deeply vulnerable person who is able to armor herself with bravura each day. This gives many people the courage to do the same.
Photo Courtesy ABC
She doesn't just dish to reporters. Robin maintains a hotline which she updates each week (sometimes more than once) to keep fans informed about what is important to her at the moment.
"I think the Hotline plays an enormous role in fans feeling a closeness with the performer," says fan Cheryl, who maintains a website and fan support message board. "She's had it for something like 15 years. So in addition to watching Dorian, we got to listen to Robin talk about everything from the mundane such as what she was cooking that morning for breakfast to the more profound, such as her childhood. She chats with her fans about almost everything."
This standard of openness has lead to great camaraderie among certain circles of her fans, who aren’t just waiting with bated breath to find out what decisions will be made concerning Strasser’s place on the show in the next month or two, but are continuing to pen letters of support; and who genuinely want to see her continue to act and share the zeal for life and passion for her work that they’ve come to expect through the years.
If you enjoyed this article, you can find more information here:
- For Robin Strasser, the Baby MTV Movie Stirs Memories of Another Bitter Custody Battle---her Own
- "Bargain Basement Diva" : A Closer Look: Robin Strasser By Gabrielle Winkel
- One Life to Live: Defending Dorian - Marlena De Lacroix
- Robin Strasser Filmography at Fandango
- One Life, Many Voices at Barnes & Noble
Please leave comments on the original article at Examiner.com.
