Kate Roberts (Days of Our Lives)

Katherine "Kate" Elizabeth Roberts is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. The matriarch of the series' Roberts family, the role is played by and most associated with actress Lauren Koslow, who has held the role since 1996. Kate is the mother of Austin Reed, Billie Reed, Lucas Horton, Philip Kiriakis, and twins Cassie and Rex Brady. Kate is the ex-wife of Curtis Reed, Victor Kiriakis, Roman Brady, and Stefano DiMera. She is known for getting what she wants via scheming. In 2000, Koslow received a Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress, for her portrayal of Kate.^[2]

Character conception

Casting

In 1977, the role of Kate Winograd was introduced with actress Elaine Princi, and left in 1978. Princi briefly returned for guest stints the following year. In 1993, the character was re-introduced by then head writer Sheri Anderson, with veteran actress Deborah Adair originating the role. Adair remained in the role until April 1995, when she decided to retire from acting.^[3] Following Adair's exit from the series, the role was recast to Lauren Koslow, who was previously on The Bold and the Beautiful.^[2]

Characterization

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. Kate'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 and their daughter Cassie were killed off in a "whodunnit?" murder storyline involving a serial killer.^[4][5] Both characters returned to the show in 2004 after James E. Reilly decided to have all the murder victims turn up alive.^[6][7]

Storylines

In 1977, Dr. Kate Winograd (Elaine Princi), an anesthesiologist at Salem University hospital began having an affair with her married co-worker, Dr. Bill Horton.^[8] Bill blames his wife, Laura, claiming that she had been neglecting him and working too much. He then turns to alcohol and his medical career begins to suffer. He eventually walks out on Laura and moves in with Kate, but soon after realizes he still loves his wife and leaves Kate, hoping to repair his marriage. When the town is hit by a flood, Kate and Bill work together again to help restore the town, causing Laura to become suspicious when she notices tension between them. Kate was married, at the time, to the abusive Curtis Reed and they had two children together. Soon, Kate learned she was pregnant and when Curtis learned of her affair he beat her brutally and left her on the side of the road. He then faked their deaths, leaving Kate devastated. Kate gives birth to a son, Lucas, in the late 1970s off-screen. Bill's affair, along with other things, leads to Bill having his wife committed.

Kate's life was turned upside down and she would later become a call girl for crime lord, Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo) after she left. However, the two would develop a personal relationship and Stefano promised her that she would never ever want for money again. Stefano also paid for Lucas to attend West Point Military Academy. She would eventually get off the streets and reinvent herself, changing her last name to Roberts.

In 1993, Kate (now portrayed by Deborah Adair) arrives in Salem to work at Titan Publishing Company for Victor Kiriakis.^[9] 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). She pursues powerful crime lord, Victor Kiriakis, and they decide to marry.^[9] Lucas, much to Kate's dismay, pursues the identity of his father. Lucas Horton (Bryan Dattilo) 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 7, 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.^[9] 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 and 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.^[9] She gives birth to a healthy baby boy, Philip Kiriakis on February 20, 1995. While pregnant with Philip, Vivian drives a wedge between Kate and Victor's relationship. Vivian also tricks Victor into marrying her. On April 23, 1995, Kate is believed to have died in a plane crash after Vivian sabotages the plane.^[9]

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.^[9] Kate is now in charge of Victor's empire. Billie also returns, closely followed by Franco Kelley. Kate hires Franco to break up Bo and Hope, so Billie can be happy with Bo. Sami Brady begins to blackmail her about her past as a prostitute. Kate continues to hold Franco's mob past over his head–until he dies. Franco is murdered by Lucas, but Kate frames Sami.

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 verge 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 delicto 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.^[9] Victor kicks Kate out of the house, but does not tell Philip about his mother's 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.^[9] Kate and Roman work their way back into each other's 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 in to the FTC for their questionable financial records.

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 worries about Lucas and Sami, because Sami begins a relationship with EJ.^[9] 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.^[9] Later Phillip has a one-night stand with Chloe, resulting in grandson Parker being born, one month premature. When the truth comes out, Kate does everything in her power to make sure Chloe doesn't see her son, including driving her to suicide (which failed, thanks to Phillip saving her) and calling Phillip (as Chloe), using a recording of Chloe's voice that she edited to make Chloe sound like an unfit mother; when Phillip subsequently moves to Chicago with Parker, Kate blames Chloe (even though it was Kate's own doing) and later hires a thug named Quinn who forces Chloe to become a prostitute, much like Kate in her own youth.

On August 31, 2011, Kate announces to Victor, Brady, and Maggie plans to resurrect Countess Wilhemina cosmetics with brand expansion and new product ideas, under Titan's rule, with Billie's blessing. However, Victor seems apprehensive about the deal, believing Stefano turned down her deal. She later brings back her daughter, Billie, to help run the company by her side. She also interacts with new arrival, Ian McAllister, with whom she once had a romantic relationship in Paris. The two fall into bed in April 2012, which she later regrets. Upon Stefano's return from Alamania, he holds a romantic dinner for Kate with all of her favorite foods, then reveals that he knows about her affair with Ian McAllister. Kate tries to explain but Stefano ends their marriage and takes control of Countess Wilhelmina Cosmetics and Kate's Hearth and Home, making Kate's longtime enemy, Sami Brady, CEO. Ian then offers Kate a job as co-CEO of MadWorld, to work alongside Madison as competition against Sami. Kate and Ian continue their relationship as Kate begins to get along with Madison. However, during the "DAYSaster" event, Ian reveals that he is behind the death of Stefano and framing of EJ, and that he only loved Madison, merely using Kate to take the DiMera fortune. Kate ends their relationship, and he is sent to jail, but it is revealed that an imposter of Stefano died, and that Stefano was really alive and held captive by Ian. Stefano fails to make amends with his son, EJ, and heads to Europe for business, sending Kristen DiMera, his adopted daughter, to reunite the broken family. Kate tracks down Stefano, insisting he give her another chance, but they finalize the divorce, and Kate realizes that she and Stefano are finished. She makes amends with Daniel Jonas, and updates him on Parker, her grandson. She also supports her gay grandson, Will. Kate is challenged in 2013 when Chloe Lane and her mother, Nancy Wesley, return to Salem. Kate eventually starts a secret relationship with Rafe Hernandez after they have a drunken one-night stand. She worries that Stefano may threaten Rafe because of this. Kate later breaks things off with Rafe.

Kate becomes a great-grandmother when Gabi and Will welcome their daughter, Arianna. Even through she is happy about it, she wants Arianna to her call her Kate instead of great-grandma. Kate offers to have Gabi and Arianna live with her, but Gabi chooses to live with Will and Sonny, thanking Kate for the offer.

References and notes

External links

• Kate at soapcentral.com