Frances Reid - Death of a Daytime Legend

Frances Reid, who for 42 years portrayed matriarch Alice Horton on the soap operaDays of Our Lives, died last week. Emmy Award nominee Frances Reid played 'Alice Horton' for the entire time "Days of Our Lives" has been on the air, is daytime television's most beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. As one of only two remaining original cast members, she wa indisputably one of the most revered veterans in soap opera history.




She has won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress/Mature Role in 1985, 1984, 1979 and 1978 and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986/87 and for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a drama series in 1978/79.

It is a surprise to many long-time "Days" viewers who only know her as 'Alice' that Frances had an accomplished acting career prior to her debut on "Days" on November 8, 1965. Her Broadway appearances include "Hamlet" with Maurice Evans, "Cyrano de Bergerac" with Jose Ferrer, "Twelfth Night" and a Theater Hill production of "The Rivals" with Mary Boland.

Her first radio job was at NBC as 'Ann Rutledge' in "Prologue To Glory," which was followed by the role of 'Mrs. Moonlight' in "Mrs. Moonlight" and 'Charlotte Corday' in "Charlotte Corday." Little did she know at that time how the name Corday was to play an important role in her life.

Reid's television credits include the "Eleventh Hour," "Little Mister," "Wagon Train," and the movie-of-the-week "Mercy Or Murder?" Her film debut was in the 1937 feature "Stage Door" with Katherine Hepburn, Lucille Ball and Ginger Rogers. But it was in the 1966 film "Seconds," in which Reid played Rock Hudson's wife, where one scene took days to shoot, that pushed Frances in the direction of television, where things move at a much faster pace.

Reid's initial entrée into TV soap opera was in 1953, when she starred in "Portia Faces Life." The show had just converted from radio to TV and was only 15 minutes per episode. Reid, who felt pressured doing one show per day, left after only six months. In 1965, when Ted Corday offered Frances the role of 'Alice,' Reid was hesitant about signing on with "Days of Our Lives." She was familiar with the pressures of doing a daily show and, at that time, working on a soap opera was not the thing to do. However, roles for women over 30 were not copious and Reid, who always needed to be working, accepted his offer. It was a great run.

And one that Frances takes seriously. To help look out after her fellow actors, she was an active member of the American Federation for Television and Radio Artists, serving as first vice president of the local. Reid was born in Wichita Falls, Texas and raised in Berkeley, California. After graduating from Pasadena Community Playhouse, Reid pursued her acting career immediately, landing a role in the West Coast production of "Tovarich."

Her father had always told the Reid sisters that they must grow up and take responsibility for their lives, which meant supporting themselves. In Frances' generation it was typical for women to get married, raise children and never hold a job outside the home.

But thanks to her father, Reid didn't follow the conventional social wisdom. Although she was married to the late actor Phillip Bourneuf for 43 years, the couple never had children. Most people might find it hard to believe, considering she epitomizes matriarchy on "Days of Our Lives." But Frances made up for it by being a terrific aunt and constantly entertains her nieces and nephews. When not acting, Frances is an inveterate traveler. Her vacations find her in such exotic locales as South Africa, Peru, China and Egypt and the more mundane but no less exciting cities of Europe, most recently those in Italy. Perhaps the words about independence that Reid's father used to preach to her is the reason why she stayed on with DAYS until her death lat week.

According to Frances, age was no reason to retire from the thing she loves to do best - act.

Category:

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• Reid
• DOOL
• Days
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• our
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• alice
• horton
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• mardevil

[baybaygotgroove]

Deidre, this is a touching tribute. I watched it five times and shared it with everyone I know. I hope one day you come back to Days. You are an inspiration to all, Deidre.

[MarlenaVideos]

Thank you baybay. Yes, I will send you the autographed photo if you can email me the mailing address. God bless.

[ebeut]

I love this video!

[MommaBearIMK]

She was as beautiful in the end as she was in the beginning. And Ms. Hall, the same can be said of you. We really do miss you.

[47matazza]

I loved that many characters from long ago came home for the funeral. They don't do that much anymore. On ATWT when Nancy Hughes(Helen Wagner, who holds the Guinness World Record for playing same character for 54 years) there was a handful of people and not even a mention of her daughter and other son. Bravo to Days.

[youngone19881988]

Im only 22 and all tears I miss Her So Much. You was a inspiration to us all. you will be forever missed. love you always gran.

[Sheilla660]

 I started watching Days of Our Lives with my mother when I was eleven years old. I am 52 now. We would cry and laugh together with the acters and actresses. It was a special time with my mom..................thank you all for that.

[Deader87]

Dear Lord Jesus

Bring our dear actress Frances into the eternal-bliss of your kingdom where she can forever pursue the acting talents which you have specially-gifted to her, where she can forever talents of which you gave her. AMEN!!!

[ashnashbffs4eva]

@travis082185 her funeral is going to be friday they just announced that she passed at the end of todays episode :/

[travis082185]

when is her funeral going to be? i thought it was in may but i don't see anything on youtube

[mrwonder2318]

Very nice tribute Deidre. it would be really nice if you could come back for the tribute. Could you send me an autographed photo?

[MrEmfc2]

Thank you very much for posting this. Losing Frances Reid and in turn Alice Horton is sad to so many people. To her friends and family that knew her personally I can't even imagine how hard her death was for them to deal with. And to her devoted fans around the world, it's like losing a member of the family. For years we have watched Days of our Lives and Alice was the one who could always be counted on. We've missed her in recent years. May she Rest in Peace and her memory forever live on.