All My Children and Star Trek actress Samantha Eggar has died at 86

Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Eggar, who played General Hospital star Finola Hughes's mother, Charlotte Devane, on All My Children, has died after a long illness. The British-born actress was 86.

General Hospital, Samantha Eggar, All My Children

Eggar was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar on March 3, 1959, in Hampstead, London, England. She passed away on October 15 after a long illness. Eggar's daughter, Jenna Stern, announced her mother's death on Instagram. “My Mama passed Wednesday evening," Stern shared. "Peacefully and quietly surrounded by family. I was there next to her …holding her hand, telling her how much she was loved. It was beautiful. It was a privilege.”

Veteran AMC fans may recall that Charlotte Devane actually turned out to be not the mother of twins Alexandera and Anna, but Anna had believed that Charlotte was her mom.

Along with starring alongside Terence Stamp in The Collector, Eggar appeared with Cary Grant in Walk Don't Run, which turned out to be Grant's last film.

Next, Eggar appeared as Emma Fairfax opposite Rex Harrison, who played the title role, in Doctor Dolittle. The actress later segued into television. In 1972, she played Anna opposite Yul Brynner in the TV series Anna and the King, based on the film Anna and the King of Siam, in which Brynner starred.

The Vintage Years became Falcon Crest

Later, she was cast in a pilot titled The Vintage Years opposite Michael Swan (Duncan, As the World Turns). Eggar played Maggie Gioberti while Swan played Richard Channing. If those names sound familiar, they should. The Vintage Years never made it to the screen, and it was later reworked into the nighttime serial Falcon Crest, which starred Jane Wyman as Angela Channing.

Eggar took another stab at the soap world when she was cast as the mysterious Pamela Capwell Conrad, the mother of Mason Capwell (Lane Davies) on Santa Barbara. Reports indicate that Eggar bowed out of the role before her first episode ever aired. The part was later taken on by Shirley Ann Field and Marj Dusay.

Eggar boldly entered the world of Star Trek when she played Captain Picard's sister-in-law, Marie Picard, on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

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Eggar was married to actor Tom Stern from 1964-71. He passed away last year. Eggar is survived by her daughter, Jenna, and he son, Nicolas Stern, a film producer.

Soap Central sends sincere condolences to Eggar's family at this difficult time.

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