ActorAnthony Addabbo, who once graced the screens of daytime television, is remembered best for his various dramaticroles on soap operaslikeThe Bold and the BeautifulandGuiding Light. While soap operas may not be renowned as a high form of entertainment, there is a reason they have endured for years, long into the age of the streaming wars. With talented and attractive actors such as Addabbo appearing across multiple popular soap titles, the staying power of the genre continues to draw in audiences across generations.
Before his tragic death in 2016 due to an undisclosed medical illness, Addabbo was more than a familiar face who appeared on TV screens every day. His versatile talent allowed him to take on several roles, and not only in popular soap operas. Whether as a dastardly villain or a loving father, Addabbo’s best roles were made all the more memorable by his genuine approach to the characters he played.
The Bold and the Beautiful(1997-1998)
Tony “Rush” Carerra and Jonny Carerra
Stepping in for series regular Michael Nader,Anthony Addabbo portrayed the mysterious and handsome billionaire Dimitri Marickin the 2001 season ofAll My Children.Addabbo took over for Nader when the latter faced charges for attempting to sell cocaine to an undercover police officer and was fired from the show.
It would also be Addabbo’s final role in a soap opera before his death in 2016.
Unfortunately, longtime fans ofAll My Childrenwere unhappy with Addabbo as Dimitri, and he was removed from the show after only a few months. Nader would later return to reprise his role as Dimitri in 2013 for the online revival ofAll My Children.Although fans weren’t thrilled with Addabbo replacing the beloved series regular, it still took guts for him to step into such big shoes.It would also be Addabbo’s final role in a soap opera before his death in 2016.
Before the days ofSecretaryandBabygirl, there wasRed Shoe Diaries,an erotic anthology series that aired for five seasons on Showtime. The show was a spinoff of the 1991 Zalman King movie of the same name, andstarred David Duchovnyas Jake, a lonely bachelor looking for answers following his fiancé’s death. Each episode featured a new story with a female protagonist recounting a steamy love affair in a letter to Jake.
Although he played a new role every time, Anthony Addabbo appeared in six episodesofRed Shoe Diaries.The first was “Weekend Pass”, where he played Eddie Edwards, a mysterious drifter who shares a night with a soldier on leave named Jane. Addabbo also appeared in the episodes"Love at First Sight", “Billy Bar”, “The Teacher”, “The Picnic”, and “The Forbidden Zone”.The actor delivered the steamiest performances of his careerinRed Shoe Diaries, making it impossible to look away from the screen.
Covering dual roles on the CBS soap opera,The Bold and the Beautiful,Anthony Addabbo played twins Tony “Rush” Carrera and Jonny Carrera in 1997 and 1998. Rush was introduced as a fugitive criminal who held Eric Forrester and Lauren Fenmore hostage, though the two narrowly escaped and left Rush for dead. Later, Lauren was shocked to find that Rush survived, but it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity, as the man was actually Rush’s twin brother, Jonny.
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Jonny and Lauren then strike up a romance, but Rush reappears and takes Jonny hostage, assuming his identity. When the truth is discovered, Eric rescues Jonny and gets into a physical altercation with Rush, resulting in Rush falling off a cliff to his death.In his first major soap opera gig, Addabbo proved his mettleby playing two very different brothers simultaneously.
Following in the footsteps of Davi Farkas and Jerry Curry,Addabbo was the third actor to portray Jim Lemay onGuiding Lightfrom 1999 to 2000. The character disappeared from the series in 1994, although he reappeared in 1999 as played by Addabbo. Following the death of his wife, Connie, Jim accompanied his daughter, Susan, in returning to Springfield to seek out her birth mother, Harley.
Jim became a huge part ofthe long-runningGuiding Light’s various storylines, from the character’s initial return to his tragic death in a house fire. With plots that included his tumultuous romance with Beth Gaines, raising a teenage daughter, and dealing with a gambling addiction,Addabbo showed impressive range through his portrayal of Jim Lemay. The impact he left after only two years on the show made Addabbo’s role as Jim a favorite for fans of the series, and one they haven’t forgotten over 25 years later.
Anthony Addabbo’s Other Roles
Besides his regular work on high-profile soap operas, Anthony Addabbo was also in several other notable movies and TV shows.His first big gig was in the short-lived and oft-forgotten 30-minute soap opera,Generations,playing professional photographer Jason Craig, married to Monique McCallum. Addabbo was a regular on the show’s cast through 1989 to 1991.
Addabbo also had a series of TV guest roles throughout the 1990s, includingLife Goes On, Dallas, Cheers, Wings, Diagnosis Murder,andThe Nanny.Following his short stint onAll My Children,Addabbo made an appearance in an episode of the acclaimed Showtime thriller,Homeland,as a Patrolman. He also had a role on an episode ofOne Tree Hillas an Investor, andAnthony Addabbo’s final acting role was in the TV movieCompany Townas Admiral Laskow.
