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The Riley family is an original family of fictional characters on the American Broadcasting Company soap opera One Life to Live. An Irish Catholic Irish American clan, the family was created around the relationships and descendants of original male protagonist Joseph "Joe" Riley.

Initially showcased as a working class contrast to the affluent Lords, members of the ensemble appear from the debut episode aired July 15, 1968[1] until August 24, 2011.[2][3] Joe Riley's two sons Kevin Lord Riley and Joe Riley, Jr. represent for their paternal family throughout the series, adopted into the Buchanan family upon remarriage of Joe's widow Victoria Lord Riley to Clint Buchanan.

Generations[]

  • Only current spouses are listed or those who were married when they died
  • Notable children who are stillborn or die before proper character development are italicized

First generation[]

  • Unnamed Riley
  • Unnamed parent

Second generation[]

  • Joseph "Joe" Riley (born 1938; death 1979)
  • Thomas "Tom" Dennison (born 1938)
    • Carol Harper [legally widowed]
  • Eileen Riley (born late 1930s-to-early 1940s)
    • David "Dave" Siegel [widowed]

Third generation[]

Fourth generation[]

Fifth generation[]

Introduction[]

Template:Main article At the inception of One Life to Live appears journalist Joe Riley, managing editor of the Lord family-owned The Banner newspaper of fictional Philadelphia Main Line suburb Llanview, Pennsylvania. A working-class Irish American, early storylines focus on his budding relationship with Banner executive assistant and heiress Victoria "Viki" Lord and her first bout with multiple personalities. Concurrently introduced at the show's origin is the family of Joe's sister, Eileen Riley Siegel.

Joe and Viki marry in June 1969, a marriage ended at Viki's declaration of his legal death in 1970. He reappears in 1972 as Viki marries Steve Burke. Viki continues with the marriage to Steve, but it eventually falls apart with her continued infatuation with Joe. Viki divorces Steve and remarries Joe in 1974. Eileen leaves Llanview for Florida in 1976, and soon thereafter Viki bears Joe his first son, Kevin Lord Riley. Joe dies in 1979, leaving a pregnant Viki widowed with their second child and his namesake son, Joseph Riley, Jr., born in 1980.

Supporting roles[]

Eileen[]

Eileen Riley Siegel
One Life to Live
Portrayed by Patricia Roe (1968–72)
Alice Hirson (1972–76)
Duration 1968–76
First appearance Template:Startdate
Last appearance Template:Enddate
Created by Agnes Nixon
Introduced by Doris Quinlan
Profile
Family Riley
Occupation Housewife
Residence Florida
Relationships
Siblings Template:Ubl
Spouses David Siegel (pre-1968–72)
Children Template:Ubl
Nieces and nephews Template:Ubl

Eileen Riley Siegel is a fictional character on the ABC Daytime soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated by actress Patricia Roe from its debut in July 1968 through March 1972, when Alice Hirson assumed the role. Hirson played Eileen from March 1972 until the character's departure in May 1976.[4] Eileen is the wife of David "Dave" Siegel (Allen Miller) and mother of Tim and Julie Siegel.

Sister of leading protagonist Joe Riley (Lee Patterson), Eileen Riley Siegel is introduced as the Irish American Catholic married to Jewish lawyer David Siegel, among the first interfaith marriages featured on American soap operas.[5] When Joe initially marries media heiress and lead protagonist Victoria Lord (first Gillian Spencer, later Erika Slezak) in June 1969, their identical twin children Julie and Tim premiere on the series. David serves as the primary legal counsel for dynamic characters on the series, and Eileen as the familial confidante of Joe.

In 1972, Dave manages to get Steve Burke acquitted for the accidental death of his secretary Marcy Wade. Unbeknownst to Dave, the crucial evidence comes from Dave's presumed-dead brother-in-law, Joe Riley. Eileen and close friend Vince Wolek (Antony Ponzini) never give up hope on Joe's impending return, and she is overjoyed when he finally reappears. Dave soon dies of a heart attack.

Dave suffers a massive heart attack and dies in 1973; Eileen turns to painkillers to get through the ordeal. Eventually she seeks treatment from Dr. Dorian Cramer (Nancy Pinkerton). Mark has an affair with Dorian unbeknownst to Julie. Eileen briefly romances Ben Farmer, whose wife Rachel Wilson Farmer dies because of a hospital mishap involving Dorian and Mark. Julie strongly objects to Eileen dating anyone and demands she remain utterly devoted to the memory of David. Julie goes so far as trying to seduce Ben in order to break up her mother's relationship with him. Eventually, they leave town together but their relationship does not last long and Julie moves to Florida.

After the death of her deaths of her son and husband and departure of Julie from town, Eileen leaves Llanview in 1976 for Florida to live with her in-laws.[4] Template:-

Julie Siegel[]

Julie Siegel Toland
One Life to Live
Portrayed by Template:Ubl
Duration 1969–76
First appearance Template:Startdate
Last appearance Template:Enddate
Created by Agnes Nixon
Introduced by Doris Quinlan
Profile
Family Riley
Alias(es) Julie Siegel (maiden name)
Residence Florida
Relationships
Parents Template:Ubl
Siblings Tim Siegel
Spouses Mark Toland (1971–75)
Aunts and uncles Template:Ubl
First cousins Template:Ubl

Julie Siegel Toland is a fictional character on the ABC Daytime soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated by actress Lee Warwick from June 1969 until 1974, when she was replaced by Leonie Norton. Norton continued in the role until May 1976, when the character was written off the series as moving to Florida.

Niece of male protagonist Joe Riley, Julie first arrives in fictional Llanview in June 1969 for the wedding of Joe to leading heroine Victoria Lord. In 1970, she becomes close friends to Cathy Craig and falls in love with lothario law school student Jack Lawson (David Snell) and moves in with him without marrying, to the chagrin of her socially conservative parents Eileen Riley and Dave. Julie assumes Jack would marry her upon completion of his law school work, but when she discovers him to be a womanizer and realizes he never intends to tie the knot, she retires to a nervous breakdown. While recovering from this breakdown, Julie meets Dr. Mark Toland, and they fall in love and get married on the May 5, 1971 episode.[6]

Following the death of her father in December 1972, Julie's mother Eileen begins to date again, bothering Julie tremendously. She attempts to seduce her mother's lover, but to no avail. She leaves Llanview months father being widowed by Mark in 1976. Template:-

Tim Siegel[]

Tim Siegel
One Life to Live
Portrayed by Template:Ubl
Duration 1969–71, 1975–76
First appearance Template:Startdate
Last appearance Template:Enddate
Created by Agnes Nixon
Introduced by Doris Quinlan
Profile
Family Riley
Alias(es) Timmy Siegel
Occupation Template:Ubl
Relationships
Parents Template:Ubl
Siblings Julie Siegel
Spouses Jenny Wolek (1976)
Aunts and uncles Template:Ubl
First cousins Template:Ubl

Timothy "Tim" Siegel is fictional character on the ABC Daytime soap opera One Life to Live. The role debuted on the series in June 1969, briefly originated by newcomer Bill Fowler. The role was assumed by William Cox from 1970 until 1971. Actor Tom Berenger stepped in as Tim when the character returns a law school dropout in April 1975. Tim last dies onscreen when Berenger left the series in April 1976.

Law student Tim briefly appears in fictional Llanview in June 1969 with sister Julie (Lee Warwick) for the wedding of his maternal uncle Joe Riley (Lee Patterson) to media heiress and heroine Victoria Lord. He returns in 1970 when Joe is presumed dead, a fate he, his mother Eileen, and family refused to believe. After briefly engaging in a relationship with Cathy Craig, Tim returns to school. Tom Berenger steps into the role as Tim returns in April 1975 as a law school dropout. He becomes a construction worker and falls in love with novitiate nun Jenny Wolek (Katherine Glass). Jenny gives up the cloistured life for Tim, and the two get engaged. Her cousin Vince, outraged that Tim is stealing Jenny from the church, gets into a fight that exacerbates a latent brain aneurysm in Tim. When it becomes apparent that Tim was dying, Jenny arranges for a hasty wedding ceremony in Tim's hospital room, and with Joe, Eileen, and Julie looking on, the two marry on the April 5, 1976 episode. Tim dies shortly after the marriage is officiated on the following April 6 episode. Template:-

Megan[]

Megan Craig Riley
One Life to Live
Duration 1974–75
First appearance Template:Start date
Last appearance Template:Enddate
Created by Gordon Russell
Introduced by Doris Quinlan
Profile
Family Riley
Relationships
Parents Template:Ubl
Siblings Template:Ubl
Grandparents Jim Craig
Aunts and uncles Template:Ubl
Nieces and nephews Duke Buchanan
First cousins Template:Ubl

Megan Craig Riley is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap opera One Life to Live. She was played by unnamed infant actors from December 2, 1974 until October 3, 1975. Megan is the daughter of Joe Riley (Lee Patterson) and Cathy Craig (Dorrie Kavanaugh).

While Joe is presumed dead, wife Victoria Lord Riley (Erika Slezak) marries Steve Burke in 1972; Viki is overjoyed when Joe returns, but chooses to stay loyal to Steve in 1973. Joe begins a relationship with Cathy, but he and Viki soon reunite. Viki's divorce from Steve is finalized, but Cathy is pregnant with Joe's child. He offers to marry her, but she refuses. Joe and Viki remarry in a simple ceremony in New York City. Cathy gives birth to Megan on-screen on the episode first-run December 2, 1974, but the child has a congenital heart defect that assures she will not live past adolescence. On the episode first-run October 3, 1975, Viki babysits baby Megan and, while in Viki's care, Megan stops breathing. Viki frantically puts Megan in her car to take her to the hospital but gets into a car accident as she drives in a storm. The accident seriously injures Viki, and Megan dies. Viki recovers, but Cathy swears revenge. Template:-

Tom Dennison[]

Tom Dennison
One Life to Live
Portrayed by Lee Patterson
Duration 1986–88
First appearance Template:Start date
Last appearance Template:Enddate
Created by Peggy O'Shea
Introduced by Paul Rauch
Profile
Family Riley
Relationships
Siblings Template:Ubl
Spouses Carol Harper (pre-1986–88?)[note 1]
Children Mari Lynn Dennison
Nieces and nephews Template:Ubl


Actor Lee Patterson returned to the ABC Daytime serial One Life to Live and fictional Llanview in the role of widower Thomas "Tom" Dennison with his daughter Mari Lynn in August 1986.[7] Everyone in town — especially Viki Lord Buchanan (Erika Slezak) — are shocked at his near-exact resemblance to to the late Joe Riley (Patterson), Viki's first on-screen husband and father to her first two children. It is ultimately revealed that Tom is Joe's long-lost twin put up for adoption at birth. Tom and Viki engage in a brief affair before he leaves town in 1988.[7] Mari Lynn is seduced into becoming a disciple of cult leader Mitch Laurence, but ultimately breaks free of the cult and marries Wade Coleman. She later becomes a star of the fictional daytime drama Fraternity Row, and leaves town in 1989.[7]

Lee Halpern, a former prostitute for Renée Divine (Patricia Elliott) and now a business partner of Max Holden (James DePaiva), arrives in Llanview in 1987 and turns out to be Carol Harper Dennison, Tom's presumed-dead wife. Her awkward reunion with her daughter is cut short when Lee is accidentally shot to death by Mari Lynn in 1988.[7] Template:-

Family tree[]

References[]

  1. Template:Cite episode
  2. Template:Cite episode
  3. Ep. 11008. TV.com. CBS Interactive (August 24, 2011). Retrieved on 14 January 2013.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Hirsch, Lynda. "Lynda Answers Soap Queries", March 26, 1978. Retrieved on December 27, 2012. 
  5. "'One Life to Live' Reaches Milestone", July 25, 1998. Retrieved on December 27, 2012. 
  6. One Life to Live recap (1971). ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved on January 17, 2013.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 One Life to Live cast and credits - SoapCentral.com

Notes[]

External links[]

Template:OLTL cast
Cite error: <ref> tags exist for a group named "note", but no corresponding <references group="note"/> tag was found

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