Marty Saybrooke is a fictional character from One Life to Live, an American soap opera. The role was originated by Susan Haskell, who portrayed Marty from January 15, 1992, through September 16, 1997,Margaret "Marty" Saybrooke Thornhart profile – SoapCentral.com and made brief appearances on February 16, 2004, and February 2005. Christina Chambers portrayed the role from November 17, 2006,One Life to Live recap (November 17, 2006) – ABC.com to December 4, 2007,One Life to Live recap (12/4/07) – ABC.com Marty Saybrooke Thornhart profile – Soaps.com with the character written off for "storyline reasons." Haskell later returned as Marty on June 11, 2008, and left on June 6, 2011.
The character became a show heroine, and her 1993 gang rape led by Todd Manning is considered one of soap opera's "most remembered and impactful" storylines.
Creation and development
Casting and writing Margaret Bedford Saybrooke was created by Michael Malone, named after his daughter, Margaret, and the town in Connecticut in which he lived. Marty was conceived as a short-term role. The series had just scripted the death of character Megan Gordon Harrison (Jessica Tuck) from the life-threatening disease lupus. Not wanting viewers to think that lupus is always fatal, they decided to introduce Marty as a character who survives the disease. "The character was planned to be part of just one story line", said then-executive producer Susan Bedsow Horgan. "But [Haskell] is such a wonderful actress that we wanted to write more for her."
Marty was soon characterized as representing "the destructive, privileged, college girl – sexually promiscuous and with a serious drinking problem". She is at first positioned as causing significant problems for character Reverend Andrew Carpenter (Wortham Krimmer). She develops a crush on him, but he does not respond to her romantic advances. For revenge, she spreads a rumor that he is gay and is having a sexual affair with underage, gay teenage boy Billy Douglas (Ryan Phillippe). Scandal erupts, but Andrew's reputation is eventually restored. Marty's, however, is blackened even further. Although she does later express deep regret for inciting the scandal.
When head writer Michael Malone decided to write a gang rape storyline, he started to transition Marty from being primarily bad to being primarily sympathetic. Through further development, the writers "explained her cynicism and self-destructive behavior as the result of her being orphaned: Her parents had died when she was quite young, leaving her to be raised by a selfish aunt." The series continued Marty's redemption, and she eventually became the show's main heroine through seeking justice for her gang rape.
Portrayals Haskell stated of Marty, "She's strong and tough, and she really doesn't trust anyone. She just wants to love and be loved, but that hasn't worked for her yet." Haskell compared Marty to herself. "I always think if she'd had the life I had, we'd probably be very similar", she said.
In 2006, Chambers stepped into the role (Haskell was unavailable at the time due to her real-life pregnancy). When asked if she thought "fans had a little trouble separating how the character was written this time around from the fact that this is a new face playing the character", she said. "Whenever you do a recast, it's always going to be a little bit of a struggle. It's unfortunate that they picked up with Marty 15 years in soap time down the road." Chambers stated, "I think the fans were ready to pick up 15 years ago with the character with her traits and that's not what was given to them."
Haskell later returned as Marty on June 11, 2008.One Life to Live recap (6/11/08) – ABC.com When asked what was it like to start portraying the character again, she stated, "It's great. I was a little nervous. It's been a long time... But I've gotta say that everyone's made it so easy there. They've been very accommodating." She said, "It's like going home.... And now the role is even more complex. What a gift. It's a great character. She's not your run-of-the-mill character. Her life has been up and down. Now it's even more complicated."
Frank Valentini, the show's executive producer, helped to come up with a schedule for Haskell's return, since she was initially busy taking care of her newborn child. "[He] knew that from the beginning. When he contacted me I was like, 'This is the deal.' He knew this wasn't a full-time thing for me this time", she said. "And the way they shoot the shows now, it's easier. It wasn't like when I was there before and you had all day for one show." Haskell stated they had "a fantastic nanny who's been with me since the baby was born. And Thorsten's mom is also nearby, so when I'm gone for the day, both of them are here."
Haskell said she decided to return to the series for a longer stint because she trusted Valentini and knew Ron Carlivati was back in charge as head writer. "And I knew that he was aware of the character. That was one of the concerns about the previous head writer [Dena Higley]", stated Haskell. "She really didn't seem to. But you know, I feel safe there and it's not my first time around, so if I've got questions or ideas, we'll all just figure them out together." Haskell felt that an amnesia-stricken Marty was a good idea, and was interested in working with Trevor St. John (current Todd) and Michael Easton as John McBain.
Haskell asked Valentini to send her information about what her character had done since she last portrayed the role. "...[H]e said, 'Oh, you don't have to worry about that. She doesn't remember.' Okay! Great! You don't even know how much help that was for me", stated Haskell. She said she did "put a lot of thought into" how her character would be now, but that "it comes back to you, it really does. The most prep I did was learning my stinking lines. That was where I was the most out of practice. Gotta get that muscle going again."
Storylines
1992–97 Marty Saybrooke is the scion of one of Llanview's oldest and most prestigious families. Orphaned at an early age, "poor little rich girl" Marty grows up alone in her family's mansion and is the sole heiress to her parents' fortune. Marty comes to be a troubled young woman who resorts to binge-drinking to garner attention.
On January 24, 1992, Marty is introduced as the roommate of the ailing Megan Gordon Harrison during her stay at Llanview Hospital. Both Megan and Marty are diagnosed with lupus, but Marty has chosen to ignore the consequences of her hard-partying lifestyle, which has exacerbated the symptoms of her dangerous disease. Despite her rough exterior, it is clear that deep down, Marty has a wounded heart. After Megan passes away, Marty becomes close to one of her neighbors, Megan's mother, Viki. She also becomes infatuated with Reverend Andrew Carpenter. When Andrew rebuffs Marty's advances, Marty launches a smear campaign across Llanview, using her knowledge of Billy Douglas' homosexuality against him, claiming that Andrew is gay and has been having illicit relations with young Billy. The rumor is eventually squelched, and Marty's reputation is severely tarnished.
Marty's life is forever changed when she meets cocky Llanview University defensive back Todd Manning and has a one-night stand with him. He rejects her immediately after the encounter, and she becomes bitter. Ladies' man Todd learns he has met his match when the flighty Marty rejects him the next day. Todd still pursues her, but Marty does not give in to his boorish and chauvinistic advances. A bitter resentment and rivalry develops between the two, particularly after Marty agrees to be Todd's tutor. Todd fails a crucial course due to lack of studying, is unable to stay on the football team, and he irrationally blames Marty for his failure, while still stung by her romantic rejection of him. He tells Marty's then-boyfriend that he and Marty slept together the night she was tutoring him, and Suede broke up with Marty, but Todd wasn't done with his revenge. His anger having reached a boiling point, Todd begins to plot the ultimate revenge on Marty. On May 10, 1993, when Marty becomes drunk at the "Spring Fling" party on campus, she is gang raped by Todd and two of his fraternity brothers, Zach Rosen and Powell Lord III. The day after, Marty runs to the aid of Reverend Andrew Carpenter, who takes her to get a rape exam. Marty refuses to press charges. Andrew, at first, accuses Suede of the rape, not knowing that Marty was gang raped. Marty eventually reports the rape after seeing the "four" boys at the country club, and Todd is arrested along with Zach, Powell, and Powell's distant cousin Kevin Buchanan (whom Marty mistakenly believes has also raped her). Marty has her doubts about Kevin's involvement, and he tries at every stop to convince her he is innocent, and that he was just trying to retrieve his keys that night. Placed on trial, the four men are represented by attorney Nora Hanen Gannon, ex-wife of District Attorney Hank Gannon and mother of Kevin's girlfriend Rachel Gannon. Nora believes Todd and the others are innocent and is clearly winning the trial, especially after Marty remembers that Kevin had nothing to do with the attack and exonerates him, which damages her case even further. Kevin, however, is grateful for Marty's confession and decides to help her win her case. He and Jason Webb (Dorian Lord's boyfriend at the time) find another young woman named Carol Swift, who reveals that Todd raped her as well. Disgusted, Nora accidentally causes a mistrial.
A furious Todd declares revenge on Marty. He corners her in an alley and threatens to rape her again, but Luna Moody comes to Marty's rescue and hits Todd across the face with a metal pipe, scarring Todd's face in the process. Powell witnesses the incident and tells the police. In addition, Marty manages to trick Todd into confessing to the rape, which she tape records. Todd is sent to jail, determined to get revenge on Marty, Nora, and Powell (whom Todd will learn years later is his biological cousin). Later Todd briefly escapes from jail, again threatens to rape Marty at gunpoint, resulting in Marty's boyfriend, Suede Pruitt's, attempting to come to her rescue and being killed during his struggle with Todd.
Marty's life remains turbulent even after Todd is convicted of his crimes; after finishing medical school, she revisits the past in a brief, foolhardy flirtation with Andrew Carpenter, who is tempted away from his new wife Cassie. Then, Marty grows close to Luna's brother Dylan. After the fugitive Todd saves Marty, Jessica Buchanan, and C.J. and Sarah Roberts from a car crash, he is pardoned and set free, enraging his former victim. Nonetheless, over time, Todd and Marty forge a strange kind of understanding and attempt to gain some closure. Todd encourages Marty to confront her aunt, Kiki, who is her guardian. Kiki, a society friend of Dorian's, has been raiding Marty's immense trust fund to finance her jet-set lifestyle. Marty travels to Ireland, where her aunt is staying, and succeeds in severing ties with her. While in Ireland, Marty meets and falls in love with poet and former Irish terrorist Patrick Thornhart, who is trying to escape some former criminal "associates". However, back in Llanview, a young AIDS patient whom Marty has cared for is dying. Todd travels to Ireland and lends Marty his private jet to fly back while he helps her newfound love, only to be mistaken for Patrick and allegedly killed by the assassins. Todd's pregnant wife, Blair Cramer, harbors great resentment toward Marty for her part in Todd's "death".