| Kate DiMera | |||||||||||
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| Lauren Koslow as Kate DiMera | |||||||||||
| Days of our Lives | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Lauren Koslow (1996-present) (and others) |
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| Duration | 1977-1979, 1992, 1993-1995, 1996-present | ||||||||||
| First appearance | July 26, 1977[1] | ||||||||||
| Created by | Ann Marcus Sheri Anderson |
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| Profile | |||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Kate Katherina (by Stefano) Katie (by Roman) |
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| Aliases | Kate Winograd[2] | ||||||||||
| Gender | Female | ||||||||||
| Occupation | Current
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| Title | Mrs. DiMera | ||||||||||
| Residence | DiMera Mansion 430 Lakeview Drive Salem, USA. |
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Katherine Elizabeth "Kate" DiMera (née Roberts; formerly Brown, Kiriakis and Brady) is a fictional character on the NBC Soap Opera Days of our Lives, matriarch of the series' DiMera family and is currently portrayed by Lauren Koslow, who has held the role in 1996. Kate is the mother of Lucas Horton, Philip Kiriakis, Austin Reed, Billie Reed, Cassie Brady, and Rex Brady. She is known for being a primary villain. In 2000, Koslow received a Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress, for her portrayal of Kate.[4]
Her primary role within the narrative is that of a femme-fatale and villainess. She is portrayed as a stoic, aggressive and family-oriented woman who is generally loving and supportive, but often interferes in her friends' and relatives' lives through any means necessary. Kates's marriage to Curtis Reed produced two of her children, Billie Reed and Austin Reed. A prominent storyline in 2008 included Kate discovering that she had lung cancer. In 2003, Kate's husband Roman was "killed off" in a "whodunnit?" murder storyline involving a serial killer.[5][6] Roman returned to the show in 2004 after James E. Reilly decided to have all the murder victim turn up alive on the island of Melaswen, or "New Salem" spelled backwards, which causes problems for her marriage to Roman Brady.[7][8]
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The character of Kate Roberts was originally introduced as Kate Winograd[2] on July 26, 1977 being portrayed by soap opera veteran, Elaine Princi.[1] Princi vacates the role on February 15, 1978.[1] She returned briefly from January 4 to May 8, 1979.[1] In 1992, the character was re-introduced by then head writer Sheri Anderson, with veteran actress Deborah Adair debuting in the role. She first appeared on a recurring basis from August to November 1992, until returning as a contract series regular on February 24, 1993. She would remain in the role until May 1995, when she decided to retire from acting.[9] Following Adair's exit from the series, the role was recast to Lauren Koslow, who was previously on The Bold and the Beautiful.[4] Though she's claimed the role since 1996, Koslow did vacate for a short-term return to The Bold and the Beautiful in the first ever soap borrow. In return for letting Koslow to return to B&B for November sweeps as Margo in 2002, B&B allowed Joseph Mascolo to return to DAYS as Stefano DiMera for a temporary amount of time.[10]
Katherine Elizabeth Winograd marries her first husband, Curtis Brown in 1969 in Chicago. Together they have two children, a son and a daughter. Curtis a Jazz musician had made several records when his career was cut short when he got involved in the mob and had part of his finger cut off. To cope with losing his career, Curtis turned to drugs and became very abusive to his wife and children. At some point in the 1970s, the family relocated to Salem.
Dr. Kate Winograd first appears in 1977 as the head of anesthesiology at Salem University Hospital. She begins having an affair with her colleague, Dr. Bill Horton who feels he is being neglected by is wife, Laura. Bill eventually walks out on Laura and moves in with Kate at the house she rents on Copperlantern Drive. However, Bill soon realizes that he still loves his wife and abandons Kate hoping to repair his marriage. As of 1979, Kate is said to have left town.
Off-screen when her husband Curtis learned of her affair, he beat her and left her on the side of the road. He then skipped town with their children and changed his name so Kate couldn't find him. Later Kate would give birth to Bill's son, Lucas who is delivered by Kate's former co-worker, Dr. Marlena Evans. Kate then goes looking for her husband and children until Curtis stages a car crash and tells her their children are dead. Off-screen, Kate also meets international crime lord, Stefano DiMera when she is working as a prostitute. The two develop a personal relationship and Stefano promises her that she will never want for money again. He also pays for Lucas to attend West Point Military Academy. For years she would keep the secret of Lucas's paternity leading him to believe that his dad was a graduate of West Point who had died. While reinventing herself, Kate changes her name to Roberts and becomes a business woman.
Kate returns to Salem in August 1992 after reinventing herself. Kate comes to town to work at Titan Publishing Company for Victor Kiriakis. Kate and Victor begin to form a close friendship, while Kate also begins a rivalry with Vivian Alamain and Lisannie Gardner. Kate also gained a friend in Lawrence Alamain and Marlena Evans. While Kate is in Salem, she feels a connection with the troubled Billie Reed (Lisa Rinna) and her brother, Austin (Patrick Muldoon). Kate decides to take a job out of the country, courtesy of Lawrence and leaves Salem in November 1992. Kate would not be seen again until several months later. Kate is reintroduced back to the show when she returns to Salem on February 24, 1993, when she is brought back in as the "wiz kid" for Titan Publishing, by international crime lord Victor.[11] She pursues powerful crime lord, Victor Kiriakis, and they decide to marry.[11] Lucas much to Kate's dismay pursues the identity of his father. Laura Horton confronts Kate on several occasions about her affair with her husband. Meanwhile, Curtis Reed tries to blackmail her about her past. She and Victor marry on September 8, or so they think. When Curtis is mysteriously murdered in November 1993, his daughter, Billie is the prime suspect. During the trial Kate learns Billie and Austin are her long lost children with Curtis, and that her marriage to Victor is invalid because Curtis was still alive at the time she married Victor.[11] Billie points out on several occasions that she hates her mother for taking her cosmetics company, Countess Wilhemina away from her. Austin however is more open to the idea of a new mother. Vivian Alamain also convinces Laura Horton to reveal that Lucas was the product of Bill & Kate's affair years ago at a party.
Kate wants to get married legally but Victor promises to do so only if she gives him an heir, Kate decides to use in vitro fertilization. Some embryos begin to form, but after the usual daytime tricks, Vivian Alamain has Victor and Kate's embryos implanted in her.[11] She gives birth to a healthy baby boy, Philip Kiriakis on February 21, 1995. While pregnant with Philip, Vivian drives a wedge between Kate & Victor's relationship. Vivian also tricks Victor into marrying her. In May 1995, Kate is believed to have died in a plane crash after Vivian sabotages the plane.[11]
After the accident, Kate returns to Salem determined to win custody of her son Philip, the child Vivian carried as a surrogate against Kate and Victor's wishes. Learning Vivian and Victor are together, Kate seeks revenge. Kate vows to take Victor's Titan Corporation and his son Philip (still an infant at the time) away from them. Victor suffers a stroke, and Vivian is arrested for her schemes.[11] Kate is now in charge of Victor's empire. Billie also returns, closely followed by Franco Kelley. Kate hires Franco to break up Bo & Hope, so Billie can be happy with Bo. Sami Brady begins to blackmail her about her past as a prostitute. Franco is murdered by Lucas, but Kate frames Sami. Kate continued to hold Franco's mob past over his head—until he dies.
At the trial for Franco's death, Sami is convicted and is sentenced to death for a crime Lucas committed. But, at the last moment, Sami is freed. Meanwhile, Kate is still battling with Vivian for control over Titan. Kate is also on the bridge of an affair with Vivian's nephew, Nicholas Alamain.
Kate begins a relationship with Vivian's nephew, Nicholas Alamain, but he leaves town. She then attempts to sly her way back into Victor's good graces. She blows her chances however when she is caught in flagrante delecto with mob boss Vincent Moroni. She conspires with him to kill Victor at the coronation. The plan accidentally kills Vincent's only child, Angela, and causes Vincent to commit suicide. Victor realizing Kate's plan flees for his life, and fakes his death. He reveals himself to her the night she sets the Kiriakis mansion on fire, and attempts to kill him with a poker. Victor escapes, but Lucas is severely burned.[11] Victor kicks Kate out of the house, but does not tell Philip about his mothers murder attempts on him. Philip's plea causes Victor to provide Kate with a small allowance. She gets a job at Basic Black, and begins dating Roman Brady. Kate becomes a strong suspect in Abe Carver's murder because he knew of her past. Kate breaks down, and confesses to Roman which ends their relationship. Lucas disowns Kate after hearing Sami and Kate talking about Kate's past and the fact that Lucas's identity is unknown.[11] Kate and Roman work their way back into each others arms. Roman asks Kate to marry him, and she agrees. They have a beautiful wedding, but the reception is shattered when Kate finds Roman's dead body. She mourns him deeply, but it doesn't stop her from destroying his daughter Sami's relationship with her son Lucas. Kate encourages Philip to spend more time with Belle Black. During the Salem Stalker storyline Kate and Roman find out that they are the biological parents of twins Rex Brady and Cassie Brady.
Kate begins a relationship with John Black, after helping him deal with a drug addiction. However, as soon as the two plan to marry both their spouses return to Salem alive. Roman ends things with Kate for good, and Kate reveals Sami as Stan. She invites John Black to live with her after Marlena kicks him out of the penthouse. Kate comforts Philip when the truth of Claire Brady's paternity comes out, and Philip leaves town. She is terrified when he goes missing, but comes back after receiving extensive amounts of surgery. He is granted temporary custody of Claire, but is devastated when Shawn and Belle kidnap her.
Kate shifting her attention away from Philip enlists the help of EJ DiMera, who was using the alias EJ Wells, to seduce Sami away from Lucas. Her efforts fail when EJ is revealed to be the son of Stefano DiMera. Desperate to destroy Lucas and Sami she slips a photo of Sami and EJ to Lucas. The photo doesn't stop Lucas who continues to marry Sami. Sami and Lucas start their life together despite Kate's interference. In retaliation, Lucas turns Kate and EJ into the FTC for their questionable financial records. Kate is broke.
Kate turns to Stefano DiMera after learning she is broke. Stefano provides her with enough money to start her own business called Kate's Hearth, and Home. She hires his son Tony DiMera to do the advertising. Kate no longer worry's about Lucas and Sami, because Sami begins a relationship with EJ.[11] Kate turns her attention back to Philip, who is in trouble with John Black, and Chelsea Brady who is recovering from surgery. Chelsea's surgery is successful, and soon starts dating her surgeon Daniel Jonas. In November 2008, Kate is diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and receives bone marrow from Chloe Lane. Lucas is released from Prison, and begins a relationship with Chloe Lane. Kate learns that Chloe cheated on Lucas with Daniel Jonas, and is set on revenge. She poisons her, and Chloe is put in a coma. Kate becomes the only suspect, and to avoid jail time she marries Stefano DiMera who destroys the evidence against her.[11] Later Phillip has a one-stand with Chloe resulting in a grandson Parker being born 8 months later (premature baby) and when the truth gets out. Kate does all in her power to make sure Chloe doesn't see her son that included driving her to suicide (which failed thanks to Phillip saving her) and send Phillip a phone call she edit to make Chloe sound she was unstable person to be a mother, but when Phillip moves to Chicago with Parker Kate blames Chloe (even though Kate's call as Chloe was the final straw for him) and later hired a thug named Quinn who forced Chloe to become a prostitute much like Kate herself in her youth.
On August 31, 2011 Kate announced to Victor, Brady and Maggie plans to resurrect Countess Wilhemina cosmetics with brand expansion and new product ideas, under the Titan rule, with the blessing from Billie. However, Victor seems apprehensive about the deal, believing Stefano turned down her deal.