Dorian Cramer Lord

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Robin Strasser, in a still from One Life to Live.

Dorian Cramer Lord is a fictional character on the American ABC soap opera, One Life to Live. She is currently played by Robin Strasser who is best known in the role and has played her since 1979. Others who played her were Nancy Pinkerton who originated her, and Elaine Princi. Actress Dixie Carter also played the part as a temp., while Nancy Pinkerton was on maternity leave in 1974.

Dorian arrived in Llanview in 1973, along with her mentally ill sister, Melinda. She began her career as a doctor in Llanview Hospital, where she quickly started an affair with Dr. Mark Toland. Melinda, her sister, wanted Mark for herself and schemed to make sure Dorian didn't have him.

After attacking Mark, Melinda was sent to a mental institution. Dorian and Mark continued the affair, but after an intense fight, Dorian made the careless mistake on a patient's chart and the patient died as a result. Fearing for her career, Dorian covered up the crime and Dr. Larry Wolek was arrested instead. With the guilt on her shoulders, she accidentally fell down some stairs and went into a coma. Upon waking, Dorian confessed and she was immediately fired by the hospital board blaming Victoria Lord, a prominent member for her termination. (What Dorian didn't know, and to this day is still unaware of, is that Viki cast the lone vote against her termination). This started the rivalry that would last for decades.

Swearing revenge on Viki, Dorian became the private physician to Viki's ailing father, Victor Lord. With dollar signs on her mind, Dorian ended up marrying Victor and became Viki's stepmother (which Viki did not like). Dorian discovered the Victor had a son named Tony, who recently arrived in Llanview. Dorian wanted to inherit Victor's enormous fortune so she kept Victor and Tony at odds. Victor soon learned that Tony was his son and he suffered a massive heart attack after he found out that Dorian knew the truth. Desperate, Dorian isolated Victor from the rest of his family and under mysterious circumstances, Victor died and Dorian gained control of the Lord estate.

With the rivalry still fueled with hate, Dorian decided to try her hands at Viki's husband, Joe Riley. Dorian fueled the fire even more when she told Joe that he was responsible for the hereditary heart condition his daughter, Megan suffered from, a secret Viki was keeping from Joe. That strained Viki and Joe's relationship and that guaranteed a shot for Dorian to become closer to Joe. Dorian soon learned that Joe had a brain tumor, lied to him, and told him that he was experiencing blackouts during which he got violent. She convinced Joe to leave Viki, for Viki's own good. However, Joe got wise to Dorian's schemes and swore he wanted nothing more to do with her.

Despite her conniving and vindictive nature, she does have a tender and sensitive side to those she really does love. She is also very claustrophobic (due to abuse at her parents hands and a trait Strasser also suffers from).

Dorian lives at La Boulaie, the historic Saybrooke estate.

1 Dorian Vs. Viki
2 Family, Relatives, and Romantic Entanglements

[edit] Dorian Vs. Viki

For more than 30 years, Viki and Dorian had been fussing and feuding about almost everything. Mainly from Viki's contention that Dorian had something to do with her father's death. However, it was later proven that Dorian had had nothing to do with Victor Lord's death, but Viki, in one of her alters, (she has Dissociative Identity Disorder) had killed him to prevent him from sexually abusing her again! In fact, it was Dorian herself who had told her that Victor had been sexually abusing her!

Sometimes, however, the feuding rivals often have helped one another in a crisis, such as with Viki's breast cancer, and her heart transplant. (For that, Viki extended to Dorian the job of Chief of Staff at Llanview Hospital.)

One very good example was when the two of them were trapped in an avalanche. Dorian confessed to her arch-rival that she was claustrophobic. And Viki never left her side for a second. However, more often as not, the two women will always be mortal enemies.

Dorian, at some times, often stokes the flames of the feud, to try to get Viki rattled. Examples included Dorian seducing Viki's son, Joey Buchanan; and framing Viki for embezzlement, when Dorian herself had done the dirty deed.

Dorian currently controls one half of Lord Enterprises, including the Banner, the WVLE station, as well as a life interest in the Lord Llanfair.

[edit] Family, Relatives, and Romantic Entanglements

[edit] Family

Lou Cramer (father; deceased)
Sonya Cramer (mother; deceased)
Betsy Xanders (aunt; deceased)
Addie Cramer (sister)
Melinda Cramer (sister)
Cassie Callison (daughter)
Adriana Cramer (nee Santi;aka Adriana Colon) (daughter)
Victoria Lord Davidson (stepdaughter)
Todd Manning (stepson)
Tina Lord (stepdaughter)
Meredith Lord Wolek (stepdaughter; deceased)
Tony Lord (stepson; deceased)
Blair Cramer (niece)
Kelly Cramer (niece)
Starr Manning (great niece)
Jack Manning (great nephew)
Zane Buchanan (great nephew)
William Carpenter II (grandson, deceased)
River Carpenter (adoptive grandson)

[edit] Marriages

Marital Stats :: Widow of Mitch Laurence

Victor Lord (1975-1976; his aparent death;he turned up alive in 2003 and died shortly afterwards)
Herb Callison (1981-1985; divorced)
Manuel Santi (1988, annulled)
David Vickers (1995-1996; divorced)
Mel Hayes (May 1998-January 1999; his death)
Mitch Laurence (2003; his death)