Those Magic Moments
Marty Is Raped
Soap Opera Digest
There are certain soap soaps in which stellar performances
blend to
produce moments that are simply…well, magical. In this
column, Digest takes a look back at these instant classics.
When It Aired:
May 1993
What Happened: An intoxicated Marty showed up at the Kappa
Alpha Delta Spring Fling and gave the brothers quite a show – dancing
on tables and chugging liquor. A concerned Kevin carried
Marty up to his room to sleep it off, then returned to the
party. Meanwhile, football jock Todd, who was angry with
Marty because, as his tutor, she failed to help him pass his class,
rallied his cronies, Powell and Zack.
The trio then headed to
Kevin’s room. As the party raged on, Marty’s cries were
muffled as the men viciously gang-raped her.
What Made It
Memorable: OLTL was known for its
underground cities and time travel when it tackled this gritty
storyline. The plot, thoroughly researched, painted a vivid
picture of the aftereffects of acquaintance rape. In
addition, Marty’s ordeal and the resulting trial showcased the talents
of Susan Haskell (Marty) and Hillary B. Smith (Nora), who had both
joined the cast a year earlier, and newcomer Roger Howarth (Todd).
Susan Haskell
Recalls: “Those were some of the best scenes I
got to play. The courtroom scene and working with [Robert]
Krimmer [Andrew] and Hillary – those were amazing days.
What You Didn’t See
On-Screen: “For the actual rape, they
brought us in on a Saturday and gave us the day to do all we needed to
do. We got to stay in character and that’s all that was going
on. Taping the courtroom scenes was like any other workday,
but they were good about catering to the people who needed the most
help, knowing it was physically and emotionally [draining].
The Aftermath:
“I remember being absolutely
exhausted. I was getting nosebleeds in the courtroom from
stress. Mentally, you know it has nothing to do with you
personally, but you’re living it as a character, and it absolutely
affects you.”