Who did Lynne Marta play in Days of Our Lives? Character explored as actress dies at 78

Lynne Marta, 78, an actress best remembered as Charlene Higgins in Days of Our Lives, has died. Renowned for her memorable performance in the hit musical Footloose, she has had a spectacular five-decade career. The actress died of cancer on January 11, 2024, as verified by her friend, Chris Saint-Hillaire, to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday.

Marta was born in New Jersey, and in 1966, when she was in her early 20s, she appeared on TV for the first time, costarring with future Oscar winner Sally Field in a small role in an episode of the sitcom about growing up called Gidget and The Monkees.

She had a string of one-off roles in different programs before landing a spot in the comedic anthology series Love, American Style, where she had brief appearances in both the first and second seasons.

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Who was Lynne Marta on Days of Our Lives?

Marta played Charlene Higgins on Days of Our Lives for an entire season in 1983. This scene showcased her acting skills, which made her return to the show for cameos in 1993 and 2003, playing other characters (via IMDb).

With an impressive run spanning from 1965 to 2022, Days of Our Lives is one of history's longest-running scripted television shows. It captivated audiences on the American television network NBC for decades. Days of Our Lives was broadcast nearly every weekday, beginning November 8, 1965.

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Exploring Lynne Marta's impact and legacy in the acting world

Born on Oct. 30, 1945, in Somerville, New Jersey, Lynne started her career in show business as a dancer on The Lloyd Thaxton Show. At 19, she made her on-screen debut in 1966, starring in The Monkees and Gidget. It was the beginning of a fruitful acting career spanning over thirty years.

Marta had several appearances as a guest star on popular television shows in the late 1960s and early 1970s, such as The Man and the City, The F.B.I., and Then Came Bronson. Her talent stood out on big and small displays.

Her acting career spanned roles in films such as Red Sky at Morning (1971) and Joe Kidd (1972). She had many notable television appearances throughout her career, such as those on Charlie's Angels and Starsky and Hutch in the late 1970s.

Marta played Charlene Higgins on Days of Our Lives for an entire season in 1983 and returned to the show in 1993 and 2003, making two more appearances, this time as a new character.

Footloose actress Lynne Marta (Image via tmz_tv@Instagram)

Over ten years later, Marta starred as Lulu Warnicker opposite Kevin Bacon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and John Lithgow in the popular musical drama Footloose in 1984. It was among her most treasured memories.

Marta acted in the 1990 films The First Power and Three Men and a Little Lady after Footloose. She also appeared in several made-for-television films throughout the 1990s and an episode of Law & Order in 1993. Her last on-screen credits appeared in the early 2000s for ER episodes, Crossing Jordan, the 2002 film Time of Fear, and an American Dreams episode from 2004.

Lynne Marta never got married and is survived by her sister, MJ, and her cat, Mr. Peaches.