{{Unreferenced, date=December 2009
Iris Donnelly Garrison was a fictional character in the American
soap opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
Leslie Charleson
Leslie Ann Charleson (February 22, 1945 – January 12, 2025) was an American actress, best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine on the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Life and career
Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri ...
and
Bibi Besch
Bibi Besch (born Bibiana Maria Köchert; February 1, 1942 – September 7, 1996) was an Austrian-American film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Dr. Carol Marcus in the science fiction film '' Star Trek II: T ...
. As the first Iris, Leslie Charleson was a member of the original cast of ''Love Is a Many Splendored Thing''.
Older and Loyal
Iris is the daughter of widowed pathologist, Dr. Will Donnelly (
Judson Laire
Judson Laire (August 3, 1902 – July 5, 1979) was an American film, stage, and television actor best known for starring as Lars Hansen in the early CBS television series, ''Mama'' from 1949 to 1957, as well as several daytime soap operas includin ...
), and is the sister of former nun,
Laura Donnelly
Laura Donnelly (born 24 June 1982) is an actress from Northern Ireland. She studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before her early roles on stage and screen. She is known for her collaborations with playwright Jez Butterworth acting i ...
. She is known mostly for her loyalty and unqualified support for her family. She was engaged to Mark Elliott and had known him most of his life. However, his snobbish and overly opportunistic mother, Helen, had no liking for Iris, and pushed him to pursue a relationship with her sister, Laura. Iris stepped back and allowed Laura to marry Mark. Ironically, after Phil Elliott's death, Helen would later marry Iris' older brother, Tom Donnelly (Albert Stratton), a member of the
San Francisco police department
The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is the Municipal police, municipal law enforcement agency of the San Francisco, City and County of San Francisco, as well as San Francisco International Airport in San Mateo County, California, San Ma ...
, after his divorce from his first wife, Martha, alias Julie Richards (
Beverlee McKinsey
Beverlee McKinsey (born Beverlee Magruder; August 9, 1935 – May 2, 2008) was an American actress. She is best known for her roles on daytime serials, including Iris Cory Carrington on '' Another World'' and the spin-off series ''Texas'' from ...
).
Some time later, Iris found love on her own, with a man named Spencer Garrison (Edward Power). His shrewish ex-wife Nancy (
Susan Browning
Susan Browning (born Susan Brown; February 25, 1941 – April 23, 2006) was an American actress and singer, known for performing in the Broadway musicals ''Shelter'', ''Company'', '' Big River'', and ''Goodtime Charley''.
Early years
Browning w ...
), refused to give up her claim on him, as he was a politician, and despite her conniving ways, lost him. During a tryst with Spencer, Iris lost her sight when the plane they were on crashed. Eventually, they had a son named William Alex Garrison, who had been once kidnapped by Laura.
Which really caused a lot of trouble, since Mark, who had mistaken Iris for Laura, had sex with her. The whole situation was ironed out, even though Laura was very angry with her sister for some time. Eventually, Laura realized that Iris wasn't totally to blame, since Iris had been blinded and couldn't see anything, and Mark had mistaken Iris for Laura. Besides, Iris had kept on Mark to make his marriage to her sister work, which helped make Laura feel more secure. Iris and Spencer married after the whole mess was straightened out, and she had regained her sight.
During the mistaken tryst with Mark, Iris discovered she was pregnant. She eventually gave birth to a daughter, Maggie. Laura attempted to steal custody of the girl from her sister, trying to declare her as unfit, but ultimately rescinded the suit, since Iris had been so loyal to her. Laura and Mark remained married, mainly thanks to Iris sticking up for her sister's marriage, and the Elliotts adopted a child, while Maggie remained with Iris and her husband, Spence.
Naturally, Iris, Laura and their brother, Tom, were pleased to no end when their long-widowed father found romance with and then married Lily Chernak (
Diana Douglas
Diana Love Webster (née Dill; formerly Douglas and Darrid; January 22, 1923 – July 3, 2015), known professionally as Diana Douglas, was a Bermudian-American actress who was married to actor Kirk Douglas from 1943 until their divorce in 1951 ...