Susan Flannery is a soap opera icon best known for her role as the manipulative and headstrong matriarch Stephanie Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful (B&B). She has won three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on the show. Flannery was part of the main cast for 25 years until the death of her character back in 2012.
She even served as a director on multiple occasions and was nominated twice for a Directors Guild of America Award. So it goes without saying that Flannery’s emotionally charged performances have set a benchmark for actors and actresses in the soap opera community over her decades-old career. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the soap opera legend — Susan Flannery. Let’s get started!
Susan Flannery’s Early Life and Initial Hollywood Career
Flannery was born on July 31, 1939, in Jersey City, New Jersey, and did her schooling in Manhattan, New York. She has a BFA degree in Theater from Stevens College Missouri. She always knew that she had a knack for being an actress — which is what actually led her to find her footing in theater, only to be discovered by the producer Irwin Allen.
Her Hollywood career then kickstarted from television — her humble beginnings on an episode of Burke’s Law in 1963 is worth mentioning here, followed up by a supporting role in the Western film Guns of Diablo. Flannery then went on to make guest appearances on various primetime dramas including Slattery’s People, Death Valley Days, and Ben Casey, to name a few.
A Look at Susan Flannery’s Illustrious Career
After a few stints here and there and a notable performance on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Flannery was offered the role of Dr. Laura Horton on Days of Our Lives. She portrayed her character on the show until 1975, and it won Flannery her first Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series. In 1981, she played Leslie Stewart in the famous TV show Dallas. Flannery won a Golden Globes Award for New Star of the Year – Actress for her performance as Robert Wagner’s secretary and lover in the epic disaster film The Towering Inferno, directed by John Guillermin.
Susan Flannery also served as producer of the cable soap opera New Day in Eden with Michael Jaffe. She also received an Emmy nomination for starring in the NBC mini-series The Moneychangers opposite Kirk Douglas and the television movies Women in White and Anatomy of a Seduction. Flannery appeared in two episodes of ABC’s situation comedy Hope & Faith in 2004 with other well-known actors from rival soaps. She revisited her love for direction in Venice: The Series and directed an episode of The Fosters in 2017. So you see — The Bold and the Beautiful isn’t the only illustrious milestone in her decades-long career.
Susan Flannery Played Stephanie Forrester for 25 Years
After gaining widespread fame as Stephanie Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful, Flannery ended up becoming one of the most recognizable faces on daytime television as one of the “core four” on the show. She was nominated for a whopping total of nine Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, subsequently winning in 2000, 2002, and 2003. Scenes like kneeing her husband Eric after firing him from the company and pushing her rival off the balcony without flinching are what made Flannery’s character delightfully endearing.
In 2012, she made the tough decision of leaving The Bold and The Beautiful, with Stephanie’s stage 4 lung cancer leading to her character’s demise. Fans bid a tearful goodbye to the famous “Queen Stephanie” in a beautiful episode where Brooke sings “When Irish Eyes Are Smilin’” as she dies peacefully on a bench overlooking the lake and the mountains.
Susan Flannery’s Life Outside Cinema
Despite being notoriously private about her personal life, Flannery is said to have been in a secret relationship with her best friend, Fannie Flag — these claims should be taken with a grain of salt but it’s also worth noting that Flannery never actually married. The renowned actress had also adopted a daughter named Blaise in 1987. And apart from being a stellar actress — she is also a dedicated philanthropist and uses her widespread fame to support causes close to her heart.
Flannery is actively involved in several charitable organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the American Red Cross. She has also been a strong advocate for breast cancer awareness and encouraging regular tests for early detection. Not to mention — she has had an active role in the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and was an avid advocate for actors’ rights during her time on B&B. All in all — her contributions have never been in vain and to honor her contributions, Flannery was honored with an induction into the prestigious Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 2007. She also possesses a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame and if you’d like to read more about her, check out this guide on The Bold and Beautiful’s most prolific stars.
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