Where are they now: LOUISE SOREL

- Augusta Lockridge on SANTA BARBARA - 

 

Louise Sorel was born in New York Cityinto a theatrical family: her mother was actress and pianist Jeanne Sorel, and her father was producer Albert J. Cohen. Sorel's early career was on the stage; she spent several years on Broadway. She has made guest appearances on more than 50 prime time programs and television movies, making a notable guest appearance on Star Trek as Rayna Čapek. She made other guest appearances on such television programs as Bonanza,Daniel Boone, The Virginian, Route 66, The Big Valley, Vega$,Medical Center, Charlie's Angels, Hawaii Five-O, Knots Landing, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, among others. Her first daytime dramatic role was as eccentric, meddlesome Augusta Wainwright on the NBC daytime drama Santa Barbara. She appeared on Santa Barbara from 1984 to 1986, from 1988 to 1989, and finally from 1990 to 1991. Nicolas Coster and Louise Sorel were a vital part of the show when it premiered in 1984. Their chemistry together enhanced the characters' appeal. When Louise returned to resume her portrayal of the haughty Augusta in 1988 after departing in 1986, she made it clear that she felt a strong attachment to Augusta. “The reason why I left was because I felt that the character had lost its momentum and I was getting frustrated”, she explained. “I think that she sort of got lost a bit and I think I got anxious.” But in 1991 Sorel left again the show. “Augusta had become an alcoholic woman about who one spoke all the time, but who one never saw ! That was not very sympathetic. My role took again a little of consistency, but it was only temporary. It was wanted that Augusta falls in love with Dash Nichols, the rapist of her sister Julia. It did not have any sense since Augusta was very close to her sister and would not have acted like that.” Louise does not regret having gone away : “I am honest with myself thus with Augusta.”

In between stints, she also spent a year appearing as Judith Sanders on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, in 1987. She played villainess Vivian Alamain on the NBC daytime serial, Days of our Lives from 1992 until 2000. In 2000, shortly after being let go from Days of our Lives, Sorel briefly joined the cast of the Port Charles as fashion maven Donatella Stewart (a play on the names Donatella Versace and Martha Stewart). The role lasted for a month. In 2001, she had a brief role on another ABC soap opera All My Children as Judge Kay Campobello. She made a brief appearance on Passions as cannery worker Dort in 2004. In December 2009, she was invited to reprise her villanous role on Days of our Lives. But in June 2011, Sorel was let go from Days of Our Lives along with many other actors to make room for the return of supercouple John and Marlena and other characters. Her first husband was late comic actor Herb Edelman, who was perhaps best known for his role as Dorothy's husband Stan on The Golden Girls. Edelman and Sorel were married from 1964 to 1970. She met stage, film and television actor Ken Howard in 1972. They married the following year, but divorced in 1976. Neither marriage produced children. Today Louise Sorel is beautifully 72 years old. I hope to see you soon, Ms. Sorel. We all miss your class and irony.