Vivian Alamain is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera. Created by head writers Richard J. Allen and Beth Milstein, and introduced by executive producers Ken Corday and Al Rabin, the role is most recognized as portrayed by actress Louise Sorel. In addition to Sorel, the role has been portrayed by Marj Dusay, Robin Strasser and Linda Dano.
Casting
Louise Sorel, who was previously best known for playing Augusta Lockridge in NBC soap opera, Santa Barbara, was cast in the role of Vivian in 1992. The Days of Our Lives casting director contacted Sorel's new agent about the role of Vivian and described her. Sorel's agent explained that they managed the actress to the casting director, who was familiar with Sorel's work in Santa Barbara. Other actresses were being considered for the role, but Sorel was eventually cast as Vivian. Sorel signed an initial one-year contract with the show. Sorel was released from her contract after only five months. Marj Dusay was cast in the role, appearing for a total of five episodes. When producers learned that they would have to continue paying Sorel, despite her departure, she was brought back to the role. In 1993, it was announced that Vivian's nephew, Lawrence Alamain (Michael Sabatino), and her nemesis, Carly Manning (Crystal Chappell), were to both leave Days of Our Lives. Sorel's future with the show was subsequently in doubt. However, it was confirmed that Sorel would remain on the show regardless. In December 1993, The Herald Journal reported that Sorel had signed a new multi-year contract. In 1995, Sorel signed a third contract term with the show.
In October 1999, it was announced that Sorel was to leave Days of Our Lives when her contract expired in January of the following year. Of Vivian's departure, executive producers, Ken Corday and Tom Langan, said "We love the character of Vivian, and hopefully she will return sometime in the near future." Producers confirmed that the role would not be recast. Vivian and Sorel were dismissed from the soap, and the actress admitted that it felt "horrible". Vivian departed on February 22, 2000.
In July 2009, it was announced that Sorel would be reprising the role of Vivian. Executive producer, Gary Tomlin, contacted Sorel and invited her to return to the show. Sorel was surprised as Tomlin invited her to return over the telephone without seeing her current appearance. Sorel told TV Guide "[Tomlin] didn’t ask me how I’m looking these days. For all he knew, I’ve gained 250 pounds." The actress commuted from New York to California, where Days of Our Lives is filmed, for the role. Sorel signed an initial one-year contract. Sorel was planning to sign a longer contract, but since relocating to New York, she could not speculate on her long-term future with the show. Sorel returned to filming in September 2009. Vivian's return was broadcast on October 30, 2009. Sorel's return coincided with the return of Chappell as Carly. In June 2011, it was revealed by TV Guide that Sorel had been let go following the departure of head writer Dena Higley; she last appeared on September 22 of the same year.
In August 2017, it was announced that Sorel would reprise the role once more. Originally reported to reappear in January 2018, Sorel made her first appearance on December 29, 2017. Sorel departed on May 23, 2018, when the character was presumed dead. In February 2019, it was reported that Robin Strasser had joined the cast in an unknown role; months later it was revealed that she had been cast as Vivian. She appeared from September 2 to October 7 of the same year.
In December 2019, it was announced that Sorel would once again reprise the role. She returned on June 30, 2020, and wrapped up her stint on July 20 of the same year. On December 11, 2020, it was announced Linda Dano had been cast in the role. She first appeared on February 3, 2021, and departed on April 22 of that year.
In March 2023, Sorel revealed she would once again return as Vivian Alamain; these episodes aired in September of the same year. In October 2024, it was announced she would reprise the role again; with Vivian returning during the October 28 episode.
Storylines 1992–2000 Vivian, the aunt of Lawrence Alamain, arrives in Salem on March 2, 1992. She is determined to take over Alamain corporations, but is foiled when John Black inherits them. Vivian looks to be rich, and powerful, so she pursues wealthy crime lord, Victor Kiriakis. Vivian marries Victor for business purposes, but the marriage is short lived. After Victor leaves her for Kate Roberts, Vivian sets out to destroy Carly Manning. Vivian is taking herbal pills from Dr. Wu, which makes her loopy. She begins to target Carly's patients, by injecting them with cleaning fluids. The police begin to investigate Carly for murder. Carly learns Vivian is the one killing off her patients, and sets out to prove it. A crazed Vivian gives Carly a strong dose of morphine to put her in a very deep sleep. Vivian gives Carly a serum that gives her a deathlike paralysis. Carly is pronounced dead, and Vivian buries Carly alive in a coffin, built with a low oxygen supply, and little water. Vivian stops taking her herbs, and realizes what she is doing is crazy, and with the help of Lawrence she digs Carly up. Vivian is arrested and put in Pine Haven Sanitarium where she meets and befriends Laura Horton. Laura sees Vivian as her ticket out of the Sanitarium, and so Laura continues her friendship with Vivian in order to get out of the Sanitarium and get back to Salem.
Vivian is released, and sets her sights on destroying Kate and her marriage to Victor. She finds out that Kate can't produce a male heir, so she carries Kate & Victor's baby. Vivian is now pregnant with their child, and tries to seduce Victor who doesn't fall for her tricks. Vivian gives birth to Philip Kiriakis, and Kate tries everything to get custody. Vivian also tricks Victor into marrying her by replacing Kate during the wedding rehearsal and made it the real deal. When Kate finds out, Vivian drugs Kate's coffee, but the coffee is given to the pilot of a plane Kate is on. The plane crashes, but Kate lives although they can't find her body. She and Victor make love, after they can't find Kate's body. Kate returns, and wants custody of Philip, and gets it. Vivian takes comfort in Rudolfo (who is actually Stefano DiMera) and unwillingly helps with his plan. She and Ivan are accused of helping Stefano kidnap Marlena Evans, but Stefano signs an affidavit exonerating them. She and Ivan are named accomplices in Kristen DiMera 's scheme trapping Marlena in a secret room and are arrested. In exchange for her freedom, Vivian agrees to divorce Victor and gives up her wealth.
Vivian receives bad news when she learns she is fired from Titan. She and Ivan begin taking odd jobs to make ends meet. She meets Steven "Jonesy" Jones, an elderly man whom she thinks is wealthy, but is merely a caretaker for Stefano DiMera. She marries him after a brief romance, and he dies on their wedding night after making love to her. She inherits his belongings, which makes Stefano romance her in order to get his possessions back. He implants a device in her tooth allowing him to control her moods. After they are married, she discovers what he did and files for divorce. He gives her the townhouse and money in exchange for her silence. She begins to look for alternative methods to cure Victor after he suffers a stroke. Once Victor recovers, he returns to Kate. Vivian leaves Salem with her sidekick Ivan to get a fresh start. They travel around the world, and live off Ivan's lottery winnings.
2009–2011 Vivian returned to Salem in 2009, seeking revenge on Carly for killing Lawrence. She arranges for someone else to take the fall for his killing as she wants to deal with Carly personally. She discovers that Carly had an illegitimate child, the result of an affair, and that Lawrence had forced her to give up the child. Vivian resolves to find and kill the now grown child in order to hurt Carly. A vision of Lawrence encourages her in this scheme. Victor, a fellow adversary of Carly, invites Vivian to live in his mansion and offers to help her in her vengeful scheme. With the help of her new manservant and henchman Gus, Vivian learns that Carly's daughter is Melanie Layton, who is engaged to Phillip. Victor forbids her from killing Melanie, and tells Viv to focus on Carly instead. Vivian ignores him and befriends Melanie. She helps with the wedding and poisons a comb that she gives Melanie to wear on her wedding day. Gus holds Carly hostage in a warehouse where she will watch her daughter's death. Carly attacks Gus and steals his phone. She texts Vivian, calling her to the warehouse. Vivian arrives and is attacked by Carly, but Hope has discovered Vivian's plot also. Hope arrives and stops Carly from killing Vivian by revealing that Melanie is fine – Victor had discovered Vivian's scheme and switched the poisoned comb with a safe one. Hope begins to cuff Vivian and arrest her, but Gus awakens behind a stack of crates and topples them onto Hope and Carly. Vivian returns to the wedding at the Kiriakis mansion and lures Melanie to the rooftop terrace to hurl her off. Carly tries to shoot Vivian but Melanie steps in front of Vivian and is shot and falls into a coma.