Lucinda Walsh

Lucinda Walsh (née Mary Ellen Walters, previously Guest, Esteban, Dixon,Stenbeck & Wheatley) is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. Played by Elizabeth Hubbard since 1984, no-nonsense businesswoman and megamogul Lucinda transformed into one of Daytime's most memorable and prolific characters. Hubbard left the show briefly in 1999, but returned later that year.

A loving mother and grandmother, while still retaining her edge fiery nature, she has been front and centre in some of the show's biggest stories. In the 1980s, she discovered her daughter Lily Snyder wasn't her daughter. In 2005 the character battled breast cancer, eventually retaining her health and remaining in remission. In 2009, after marrying for the sixth time to Brian Wheatley, she discovered he was, in fact, gay.

Character history

She was born Mary Ellen Walters; her parents broke up not long after her birth. After living with her father for a while, she ran away to Montega, South America. She married Montegan Jacobo Estaban and gave birth to a daughter, Sierra.

After the marriage to Jacobo failed, and she was banished from seeing Sierra again, Mary Ellen changed her name to Lucinda and remarried. Her new husband, Martin Guest, arranged for them to illegally adopt a daughter, whom they named Lily. When the truth came out about the method of Lily's adoption, Guest committed suicide. Lucinda tried marriage again with James Walsh, but he died shortly after their marriage.

Arrival in Oakdale

1980s

Upon arriving in Oakdale, Lucinda attempted to take over Whit McColl's newspaper, The Argus. (Whit and Lucinda's former husband, Martin Guest had been associates, and she blamed him for her husband's suicide.) This began a nearly two-decade long feud between Lucinda and Whit's then wife Lisa Grimaldi. Lucinda first attempted to keep her scandalous past a secret. It was only after a dangerous situation in Montega, involving Sierra and other Oakdale residents, that she revealed the fact that she was Sierra's mother.

Lily had believed that Lucinda was her biological mother for a long time, never knowing of her adoption. After Lily had fallen in love with stable boy Holden Snyder, Lily was shocked to find out that not only was she adopted, but that her mother was Holden's adopted sister, Iva Snyder. Lily and Lucinda remained at odds for years, but eventually repaired their relationship.

She married Dr. John Dixon, but although they had a great deal in common and grew very close, their happiness was short-lived. Lucinda clashed with John's son, Duke, and paid to have someone make him leave town. John found out and divorced her, but they remained close friends.

1990s

Lucinda lost Walsh Enterprises to Connor Jamison, who turned out to be Connor Walsh, the long-lost granddaughter of James Walsh. Connor and her brother Evan orchestrated a takeover of Walsh Enterprises. Lucinda bounced back and created her own company, Worldwide Industries.

Lucinda recalled her childhood and her complicated relationship with her mother, Gloria; she learned of Gloria's other children - her half-siblings: brother Royce Keller and sisters Neal Alcott and Samantha Markham. Royce, who suffered from disassociative identity disorder, killed Neal before Lucinda could tell them the truth. Lucinda did, however, accept Samantha as her sister.

After marrying and divorcing James Stenbeck (and being injured due to a complicated scheme of his), she became a single woman yet again.

2000 to present

When Rose D'Angelo, Lily's twin sister who was also illegally adopted at birth, surfaced in Oakdale (and in Lily's life), Lucinda took her under her wing, as sort of an honorary adopted daughter. Rose was subsequently murdered in 2003.

In 2005, Lucinda was diagnosed with breast cancer. Stubborn, she refused to let Sierra and Lily help and support her. She didn't want to be away from Worldwide for too long, so she began to take trips to Mexico with Keith Morrissey, Lily's boyfriend, for experimental treatments.

Lucinda's cancer soon went into remission and Lily left Keith, returning to her true love, Holden. Soon after, Lucinda was the main voice of reason when young drifter Jade Taylor came to town claiming to be Rose's daughter. Lucinda had a feeling that Jade was a fraud, and later on, that proved to be the truth.

Since then, Lucinda has been involved in the life on Lily's son, Luke. She was concerned about Luke's alcoholism and was willing to support him in his decisions while still offering her own brand of tough love. When Luke told his family that he is gay, Lucinda happily accepted her grandson's confession and promised to completely support him.

Soon after Luke's confession, his biological father, Damian Grimaldi, showed up with hopes of luring his son back to his home in Malta. Lucinda, from the very beginning, pegged Damian's intentions as nothing but detrimental to Luke's happiness and called him on it. Damian eventually left town after his schemes were unsuccessful. Since then, Lucinda has floated around town, currently working with Katie Peretti on the publication of the novel Oakdale Confidential: Secrets Revealed. In mid-2008, Lucinda hired newcomer, Brian Wheatley, to run her grandson's organization, and Brian and Lucinda began dating.

In October 2008, it was revealed that Lucinda was one of the people involved in helping Dusty Donovan fake his own death. Which, lead to Lily saying that she wants nothing more to do with her. She was arrested on 13 October for being an accomplice in Dusty's fake death.

On 28 October 2008, it was revealed that Lucinda's breast cancer had returned and that she needed to start treatment immediately. After learning this news Lucinda chose to break off a date with Brian without telling him of her latest health scare.

On the 18th November 2008, after coming out of surgery Lucinda proposed to Brian Wheatley and he accepted. They were then married on the 19th November 2008, but not without some initial refusal on Lily's behalf. Soon after they married, during Lucinda's recovery, she noticed that Brain would not consummate their marriage. The night before their wedding, Brian kissed Lucinda's grandson Luke while Luke was drunk. Lucinda found out about what had happened and divorced Brian, in early 2009. Brian, then painfully, admitted to Lucinda that he was a man struggling to come out as gay.

Towards the series finale, Lucinda reunites with her ex-husband, John Dixon, realizing they are meant for each other. The character appeared in ATWT's final episode in September 2010, her last scenes, attempting to reconcile with Lily (from whom she'd become estranged), and then making peace with her former rival, Lisa Grimaldi, and celebrating her happiness at reuniting with John Dixon.

Businesses

Current business, WorldWide Industries; Chief Executive Officer (CEO):

• Lucinda Walsh (mid-90's-2006)
• Lily Walsh Snyder (2006-2007)
• Craig Montgomery (2007)
• Meg Snyder Montgomery (2007-2008)
• Paul Ryan (2008)
• Dusty Donovan (2008-present)

Subsidiaries:

• The City Times newspaper
• The Intruder tabloid newspaper
• Walsh Farms (horses ridden in competition)
• Stratford Arms Hotel
• Board Member of Oakdale Memorial Hospital
• Former Owner of Walsh Enterprises

Servants (personal/professional):

• Matthew Habersham (butler)
• Rosa (cook)
• Peggy (maid)
• Eunice (maid)
• Fenwick (chauffer)
• Mr. Sullivan Wooten (business manager)
• Paolo (personal trainer)
• Earl (stablehand)
• Wesley (pilot)