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| Katherine Chancellor | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Young and the Restless character | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Jeanne Cooper as Katherine Chancellor | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jeanne Cooper (1974–2013) Beverly Garland (1981) Gisele MacKenzie (1986) Michael Learned (2011) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1974–2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | January 18, 1974 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | May 3, 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | William J. Bell | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover appearances | The Bold and the Beautiful | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Katherine Chancellor is a fictional character from the CBS Daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by Jeanne Cooper. Created and introduced by show creator William J. Bell in January 1974, Cooper's Katherine was introduced in an effort to increase the show's struggling ratings. When Bell's plan proved successful, Cooper was signed to a contract.[3] Cooper went on to become one of the longest-running cast members in the show's history, ending her nearly 40-year run on May 3, 2013, five days before her death.[4][5]
Throughout Katherine's history, a majority of her storylines have focused on her controversial and chaotic relationship with Jill Abbott. The feud is one of the longest-running feuds in the history of American soap operas. The rivalry was ignited by Jill's affair with Katherine's husband, Phillip Chancellor II, and how Katherine's attempt to win back his affections leads to his death. After Phillip's death, the women fight over Jill and Phillip's son, Phillip III, as well as numerous other men including Katherine's husband, Rex Sterling. A 2003 plot twist leads to Katherine and Jill believing they are mother and daughter; however, this plot is undone in 2009 by head writer Maria Arena Bell and Katherine is given another son, Tucker McCall.
Cooper is regarded as an icon of the genre, with some critics believing her character and performance are chiefly responsible for the soap opera's success and longevity. She is also famed for having her own facelift performed onscreen in 1984, as Katherine gets the same procedure within the story. It is referred to as daytime television's first "extreme makeover".[6]
- ^ "The Loss of Katherine Chancellor". The Young and the Restless. Sony Pictures Television. August 20, 2013. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
- ^ "Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search".
- ^ "The Young and the Restless". E! True Hollywood Story. May 20, 2001. E!.
- ^ "About the Actors: Jeanne Cooper". Theyoungandtherestless.com. Sony Pictures Television. Archived from the original on November 27, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ Muraro, Kim (September 27, 2012). "'The Young and the Restless' Airs 10,000th Episode Today". LimeLife. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ Harris, Beth (September 27, 2012). "Jeanne Cooper still thriving on daytime TV". The Washington Times. Sun Myung Moon. Retrieved November 24, 2012.