1. Darlene Conley played the role from 1989 until her death eighteen years later.
12 Facts About Darlene Conley
1. 2.
Darlene Conley, an Irish American, was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Melba and Raymond Darlene Conley.
3.
Darlene Conley began her acting career at age 15 when she was cast in the touring production of the Broadway play The Heiress.
4.
In 1963, Darlene Conley landed a bit part in the movie The Birds, which was followed by similar small roles in movies like Valley of the Dolls and Lady Sings the Blues.
5.
On television, Darlene Conley appeared in a number of made-for-television movies and guest-starred on prime time shows including Ironside, The Bill Cosby Show and Gunsmoke.
6.
Darlene Conley appeared in the first episode of the fifth season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as a prison warden.
7.
Darlene Conley was the tough but basically decent prison warden Edith Hopkins on Days of Our Lives in 1983 during Liz Chandler's incarceration for Marie Horton's shooting.
8.
Darlene Conley earned two Outstanding Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy and six Soap Opera Digest Awards nominations for her role.
9.
Darlene Conley was friends with Phyllis Diller, who appeared on the show as Sally's friend, Gladys Pope.
10.
Darlene Conley became ill in 2004 due to a fall that broke several bones.
11.
Darlene Conley recovered from the fall and returned to work.
12.
Reports surfaced in the media in the fall of 2006 that Darlene Conley had surgery and received treatment for stomach cancer.