‘Guiding Light’: Actor Lisa Brown Dead at the Age of 67
Soap opera fans are mourning the death of Guiding Light and As the World Turns actor Lisa Brown. The beloved actor died on Nov. 24 at the age of 67 after a brief illness. Take a walk down memory lane as we relive Brown’s most iconic daytime TV roles.
Lisa Brown is best known as Nola Reardon on ‘Guiding Light’
Kansas City native Brown rose to fame thanks to her role as Nola Reardon on Guiding Light. Brown debuted in the CBS soap opera in 1980 and appeared on and off until the show’s cancellation in 2009. Nola is first written as a vixen when she breaks up Kelly Nelson (John Wesley Shipp) and Morgan Richards (Kristen Vigard). According to We Love Soaps, the character Nola was so disliked, she received lots of hate mail.
But the viewers’ feelings toward Nola changed when she became romantically involved with Clint (Michael Tylo). Nola and Clint became one of the show’s super-couples. Their love story, along with Nola’s fantasies of them portraying iconic movie couples, made them a hit with fans.
Nola and Clint married and had a son. Yet, with many soap duos, they split up several times. During Nola’s last appearance in 2009, she hinted that she and Clint had reunited again.
Lisa Brown’s other famous role was Iva Snyder on ‘As the World Turns’
Guiding Light isn’t Brown’s only soap opera role. In 1985, she joined the CBS series As the World Turns as Iva Snyder, daughter of Emma Snyder (Kathleen Widdoes). Iva ran away from home as a teenager and didn’t return until 15 years later.
Iva left when she became pregnant after being attacked by her cousin Josh Snyder (William Fichtner). She gave her daughter Lily Walsh (Martha Byrne) up for adoption, and upon her return, discovered that she was being raised by Lucinda Walsh (Elizabeth Hubbard).
Lily forms a bond with Iva when she hangs out at the Snyder farm. Iva tries to keep Lily’s maternity a secret but confesses when she sees Josh with Lily. Brown earned two Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy nominations, which she played until 1994. Afterward, she made several guest appearances, with her final coming in December 2003.
Life away from ‘Guiding Light’ and ‘As the World Turns’
Aside from her onscreen work on both soap operas, Brown worked as an acting coach behind the scenes. In the ’80s, the actor also appeared on Broadway in the musical 42nd Street. As for her personal life, Brown is survived by her husband Brian Neary and her kids Victoria and James from her first marriage to Tom Nielsen.
Upon hearing the news of Brown’s passing, fans and co-stars sent their condolences. In a statement to Soap Opera Digest, former As the World Turns star Bryne called Brown “my mentor, mother, sister, and so much more for my entire life.”
Brown’s former Guiding Light co-star Shipp also expressed his sympathy. In a Twitter post, Shipp said, “Life is made of many memories, and some of my most wonderful include Lisa.”
