Jenny Wolek

Jenny Wolek is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. The distant cousin of original characters Larry, Anna, and Vince Wolek, Jenny debuted June 1975, appearing continually until May 1986.[1]

Jenny Wolek
One Life to Live character
Brynn Thayer as Jenny Wolek
Portrayed by
Duration1975–1986
First appearanceJune 1975 (June 1975)
Last appearanceMay 1986 (May 1986)
ClassificationFormer, regular
Created by
Introduced byDoris Quinlan
In-universe information
Other namesJenny Wolek (maiden name)
Occupation
  • Physician at Llanview Hospital
  • Secretary
  • Novitiate nun
FamilyWolek
SistersKaren Wolek
Spouse
ChildrenMary Vernon (stillborn)

Casting and character history

Tim
Tim (Berenger) and Jenny (Glass), 1976

Jenny Wolek was originated by actress Katherine Glass in June 1975[2] and introduced as a novitiate nun preparing to take her final vows. Instead, she falls in love with Jewish, blue-collar Tim Siegel (Tom Berenger).[3][4] When Jenny announces she is leaving the Order to marry Tim, her cousin Vince "Vinny" Wolek (Jordan Charney) heatedly objects, complaining of how Tim is "stealing Jenny from the church". A fist fight ensues, leading Vinny to aggravate in Tim a latent brain injury, which results in his being taken to the hospital in critical condition.[5] Jenny marries Tim on his deathbed April 5, 1976,[6] and she remains resentful toward Vinny for the duration of his appearance on the serial.[7]

Brad

No longer planning to become a nun, Jenny takes a secretarial job with Dr. Will Vernon (Farley Granger) in 1976. Jenny grows enamored with Dr. Vernon but begins dating his son Brad (Jameson Parker) in 1977. The two marry on the episode aired January 3, 1978.[8] Soon after marrying, Jenny learns Brad is a philanderer and the two suffer a rocky marriage. Actress Brynn Thayer, a fan of Katherine Glass' Jenny, assumed the role in August 1978 amid a contract dispute between Glass and ABC Daytime.[4] Jenny becomes pregnant into 1979 and looks forward to motherhood. But the stress of a perpetually unfaithful Brad (Steve Fletcher onward) and learning he had raped her sister, Karen (Judith Light), causes Jenny to blackout, go into premature labor, and give birth stillborn daughter Mary Vernon in November.[9] Not told her child was dead in the morgue instead of the maternity ward, misguided sister Karen conspires in a plot with ex-boyfriend-con man Marco Dane (Gerald Anthony) to switch dead Mary with a live newborn.[10]

Mary Vernon and Peter

Jenny rears a child born during Jenny's delivery to Karen's former fellow prostitutes, Katrina Karr (Nancy Snyder). She then divorces Brad, marrying Dr. Peter Janssen (Denny Albee) September 2, 1981.[11] She is soon widowed for a second time when Peter is killed in a car accident in May 1982.[12] Only a short time after losing her husband Peter, Jenny learns the truth about Karen's baby switch and makes the wrenching decision to give the child back to Katrina.[13] Unknown to Jenny and Katrina, both of their children were fathered by Brad.

David Renaldi and death

Jenny next engages in a relationship with David "David Renaldi" Reynolds (Michael Zaslow), the former lover of Dr. Dorian Lord (Robin Strasser) and father to Dorian's daughter, Cassie. Despite being married to Herb Callison (Anthony Call) at the time, Dorian does her best to split up Jenny and David. After finally getting Dorian to relent, Jenny and David wed June 1, 1984.[14][15] She soon becomes worrisome upon learning David to be a secret agent investigating communist espionage activity for the American government. Jenny last appears onscreen making amends with cousin Larry and ex-husband Brad before relocating to Switzerland with David in May 1986.[16]

David Renaldi returns to Llanview in 1997, divulging to Dorian that Jenny was assumed dead in Switzerland from an avalanche.[17]

Reception

Jenny Wolek was a part of a move by new head writer Gordon Russell in 1975 to incorporate younger talent into the cast following the 1973 onscreen death of Meredith Lord, played by Lynn Benesch.[1] Katherine Glass garnered much fanfare and controversy as one-half of soap opera's first teen and interfaith supercouple alongside Tom Berenger (Tim Siegel).[4][18][19][20] Glass' Jenny had particular resonance with younger viewers who identified with the Wolek heroine.[5]

Brynn Thayer's work as a Jenny learning her daughter, Mary Vernon, was stillborn and switched soon after birth with the child she raised for two years, Kristine Karr, is considered one of OLTL's most tragic and riveting performances.[4]

References
  1. Schemering, Christopher (1988). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. New York City: Ballantine Books. p. 370. ISBN 9780345353443.
  2. One Life to Live. Season 7. June 1975. American Broadcasting Company.
  3. "One Life to Live recap (1975)". American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  4. Waggett, Gerry (2008). The One Life to Live 40th Anniversary Trivia Book. New York City: Hyperion Books. p. 248. ISBN 9781401323097.
  5. Soares, Manuela (1978). The Soap Opera Book. New York City: Harmony Books. pp. 182. ISBN 9780517533314.
  6. One Life to Live. Season 7. April 5, 1976. American Broadcasting Company.
  7. "One Life to Live recap (1976)". American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  8. One Life to Live. Season 9. January 3, 1978. American Broadcasting Company.
  9. One Life to Live. Season 12. November 1, 1979. American Broadcasting Company.
  10. "One Life to Live recap (1979, Part 2)". American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  11. One Life to Live. Season 14. September 2, 1981. American Broadcasting Company.
  12. One Life to Live. Season 14. May 20, 1982. American Broadcasting Company.
  13. "One Life to Live recap (1982, Part 3)". American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  14. "One Life to Live recap (1984)". American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  15. One Life to Live. Season 16. June 1, 1984. American Broadcasting Company.
  16. One Life to Live. Season 18. May 1986. American Broadcasting Company.
  17. Maxine Levinson (Executive producer); Claire Labine and Matthew Labine (Head writers) (September 1, 1997). One Live to Live. Season 30. ABC.
  18. Cue New York. 9 (1–7): 41. 1980. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. "Kathy takes a day at a time" by Jon-Michael Reed, The Salina Journal, August 25, 1975, p. 9
  20. "Actress Joins 'Soaper' Cast", Florence Morning News, February 22, 1975, p. 27
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