Mary Williams (Y&R)

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Mary Williams is a fictional character on The Young And The Restless played by Carolyn Conwell since 1980.

[edit] Character

Mary is the mother of Paul (Doug Davidson), Steve and Patti Williams (Andrea Evans). Mary's job had always been that of mother, and she was constantly fretting over her family. She was proud of Steve as she and Carl approved when he fell in love with fellow reporter, Peggy Brooks, daughter of wealthy owner of the Genoa City Chronicle, Stuart Brooks. So when they left together for Washington DC, she was at least secure in the knowledge that he would be fine. Her daughter Patty, and son Paul were another story however.

Patty became involved with wealthy playboy Jack Abbott when still in her teens. As Mary predicted, he gave her nothing but grief and heartache. They were married, she became pregnant, was caused to lose the baby due to Jack's infidelities, and shot him for it, all in the same year. Patty was cleared, and left Genoa City in disgrace, heading for Steve's in Washington DC.

Mary was left with son Paul who was rebellious, promiscuous, and didn't want to go to college. He went from getting it on with Nikki Reed and giving her a venereal disease to having a fling with April Stevens who got pregnant, and Paul turned his back on her until the baby was in danger of dying. They married, the baby survived, but parental responsibility proved too much for Paul and they divorced. Much to Mary's horror, Paul then joined the New World Commune with Nikki.

In an effort to help him mature, Paul's police detective father, Carl, got Paul on the police force assisting with his cases. When Nikki was abducted by Rick Daros, Victor Newman came to Paul and Carl, who rescued her. Paul and fellow Officer Andy Richards left the force to become Private Detectives. Once Paul began working for and getting referrals from Victor, he became more successful, moved into a posh office in Newman Towers and branched out into security systems with his loyal secretary Lynne Bassett. Mary was please that at least Paul had become stable jobwise. His personal life was another matter though.

Mary was constantly setting Paul up with good wholesome girls who would give her the grand children she so desperately wanted. This included Lynne and daughters of ladies of her church. But Paul married the fun and fiery Lauren Fenmore whom he ended up rescuing from a stalker named Sean who had kidnapped her and left her buried alive. Lauren lost their baby (which Paul didn't even know about) in the ordeal, but they were reunited. Lauren's next trick was to enter a nude photo of Paul in a contest which ended up a magazine centerfold, which made its way into the hands of one of Mary's friends, and Paul decided they would not remarry, but remain friends instead.

Then Paul met Cassandra Rawlins, fell in love, and Paul proposed. Of course, Mary didn't approve of Cassandra either, but she was right this time as Cassandra turned out to be married and ended up dead after getting Paul in a ton of trouble being accused of her murder.

Paul began working on cases with lawyer Christine Blair. They fell in love and eventually married. Mary disapproved of Christine as well, knowing her career meant more to her than having children. Mary's nagging came to a new high as she'd show up at his office continually haranguing him about Christine.

Paul's former wife, April Stevens, returned to town the battered wife of Dentist Robert Lynch and brought Paul's now teenaged daughter Heather to visit Mary and Paul. After they returned home to New York City, Robert was found dead and April was accused of his murder for which she was acquitted as self-defense. April moved back to New York with Heather, much to Paul and Mary's disappointment.

Somewhere along the way, Carl Williams disappeared and had been gone 8 years before Mary finally accepted the attentions of Charlie Ottwell. They were getting along well, and Charlie asked her to marry him. Wouldn't you know, about that time, Christine happened upon Carl working at the Norfolk airport under the name Jim Bradley. Turned out he had been captured by the bad guys while working a police case, and was beaten to unconsciousness and left on the highway to die. He was found by a woman named Ruth who nursed him back to health, but he had amnesia. Christine convinced him to return to Genoa City and visit the family he didn't even remember. Jim returned, but never could remember or connect with his former family, much as he tried. During this time, Mary pretty much ignored Charlie, and even after Carl/Jim left for good to return to his life with Ruth, Charlie apparently never forgave her. Mary was again left with her only pastime - Paul.

Paul and Chris agreed they both wanted children but had trouble conceiving once they finally put her career aside long enough to try. Then Mary nearly died when Chris started a Law practice with Michael Baldwin, a man who had kidnapped her years ago and Paul ended up shooting. The practice is so successful that Chris again put having a family on hold, causing a great rift in her marriage. In a desperate attempt to escape their marriage and further her career, Chris took a case in Hong Kong, then another offer in Australia. When she returned to reconsider she found Paul in the arms of his new client Isabella. Without a word to Paul, she accepted the case in Australia and filed for divorce. Right again, Mary!

Mary, went to great lengths to try to convince Paul that the now pregnant Isabella was all wrong for him and would ruin his life, and to convince Isabella to go away to a home for unwed mothers. All despite the fact that Isabella was providing Mary with the grandchild, and Paul with the child they both have always wanted. Paul and Isabella's baby boy, Ricardo Carl Williams, was born, and they were married. Mary even begged for help from unlikely sources in Lauren, Christine, and even Michael - all of whom she disapproved as well. But having no luck with them, she and Lynne broke into Michael Baldwin's office in search of Isabella's past to expose her. They were caught by Michael, but he graciously dropped the charges. But Isabella's lies and deceptions did catch up with her, so she faked her own death and framed Christine for it. She ended up totally flipping out, tried to murder Christine, and was committed to a mental hospital. Right again, Mary. Paul and Isabella's young son Ricky now lives with Isabella's parents in California. Hard to believe, considering how much Mary wanted a grandchild!