Maggie Horton Kiriakis is a fictional character from the American Peacock/NBC network soap opera Days of Our Lives played by Suzanne Rogers since 1973, the longest running role on the show, and one of the longest running in American soap operas.
The character was created by scriptwriter William J. Bell and producer Betty Corday as a romantic interest for original character Mickey Horton (John Clarke). For her work as Maggie, Rogers won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1979.
Maggie's storylines often focus on romance and family troubles. She is portrayed as a stoic, opinionated, and family-oriented woman who is generally loving and supportive, but occasionally interferes in her friends' and relatives' lives. A prominent storyline in 1984 included Maggie discovering that she had Myasthenia Gravis, which mirrored Rogers' real-life struggles with the disease. In 2003, Maggie was killed off in a "whodunnit?" murder storyline involving a serial killer. Rogers returned to the show in 2004 after producer James E. Reilly decided to have all the murder victims turn up alive on the island of Melaswen, or "New Salem" spelled backwards.
Maggie's most well-known relationship was her longtime marriage to original series character Mickey Horton. The characters met during Rogers' first episode in 1973, when Maggie cared for him while living on a farm. Following a series of experiences together, the pair grew extremely close, and their bond became central to both characters until Mickey's death in 2010. The character has been described as a "legend" and a television icon.
Creation and casting
Background
Introduced as Maggie Simmons, Maggie is one of the earliest characters created by scriptwriter William J. Bell and executive producer Betty Corday. The character was brought on as a potential love interest for original character Mickey Horton. Shortly after, the two were married, connecting her to the soap's core family. Maggie is the mother of Melissa Horton (whom she adopted), Summer Townsend, Daniel Jonas, Janice Barnes (whom she fostered), and Sarah Horton. She has six grandchildren: Nathan Horton (via Melissa), Mackenzie Horton and Victoria Kiriakis (via Sarah), Melanie Jonas, Holly Jonas, and Parker Jonas (all via Daniel).
Casting Suzanne Rogers auditioned for the role on July 13, 1973, and garnered the attention of Susan Flannery, who then played Dr. Laura Horton. Maggie was introduced as a guest character in August 1973, by scriptwriter William J. Bell and executive producer Betty Corday. From the beginning, Bell considered the role ideal for Rogers, a former Rockette from the Radio City Music Hall and Broadway chorus girl in such musicals as "Coco" and "Follies". Bell approached Rogers about taking the role of Maggie, and she agreed. She was immediately described by critics who gave reviews of the show as being one of the most energetic girls on daytime television. The news of Rogers being cast as Maggie was a different move, taking an actress who loves to dance, to a character of a crippled farm girl. This was her first television assignment, after being the youngest girl to take the stage at Radio City Music Hall.
In 1984, Rogers was diagnosed with a rare muscle disorder called Myasthenia Gravis. This disease affected her facial muscles and the medication she needed made her feel ill, with her face appearing swollen while also suffering hair loss. Rogers temporarily left the show after 11 years when the effects of the disease became increasingly worse. Her entire appearance changed, and she did not return to the show for a year. Rogers, wanting to educate viewers about the disease, approached executive producer Betty Corday about her character being diagnosed with the disease. Corday agreed, and a storyline played out with Maggie learning she has myasthenia gravis. The actress went into remission in 1995, and has remained in remission since. In 2010, Maggie began to notice some symptoms of the disease returning.
While limited attempts to give Maggie and Mickey storylines were made, for over a decade, they were relegated to supporting status, often off the front burner and with relative little airtime. Maggie was made more of a confidant to other major characters and often was written as the town busy-body, although an environmental plot twist had Maggie making her five star restaurant Salem's first "green" establishment. In 2003, a major series of serial killings occurred on the show. Maggie was "killed off" in a "whodunnit?" murder storyline involving a serial killer. Maggie's murder forced Rogers to depart from the series. To help with falling ratings at the time, head writer James E. Reilly decided to bring all the characters back from the dead. They all turned up in the fictional town of Melaswen, or New Salem spelt backwards. This storyline sparked major controversy, and proved to be a daring move.
After several unsuccessful re-casts of the character of Mickey, the decision was made to kill him off and, in January 2010, Maggie was made a widow. Her storyline moved from supporting to front burner status with the decision to pair her with wealthy Victor Kiriakis and giving her a nasty rival with Vivian Alamain who was married to Victor at the time. After this storyline ended, Victor and Maggie were married, although she maintained her role as Horton matriarch. Maggie's life became further complicated by the revelation that Dr. Daniel Jonas was really the product of the eggs she had given in hopes of having a child years ago. Her airtime, relegated to only sporadic appearances for years (unless storyline had dictated her appearing more), became greater, and for the first time since the mid 1980s, she was considered a front burner character. This continued well past the mid 2010s, even after the leading characters of John and Marlena returned to the show, and exploded into leading character status once again in early 2016 after Daniel was suddenly killed off and other characters were introduced to create drama for both Maggie and Victor.
Awards Rogers was the first winner for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1979 for her portrayal of Maggie as an alcoholic.
Character development and impact
Early storylines Maggie Simmons lives on a farm out in the country where she hires hands to take care of her farm. Maggie is crippled as the result of a childhood auto-accident which killed her parents. One day Mickey Horton, suffering from memory problems believing he is a man named "Marty Hanson", stumbles into her farmhouse desperate for food and water, and soon collapses. Maggie, who is lonesome for company, takes Mickey in and cares for him in his weak condition.
Maggie and "Marty" continue to live on the farm, and in 1974 they marry. "Marty" begins reading about a treatment for injuries such as Maggie's being done at Salem University Hospital, and sets up an appointment for Maggie to be checked out. However, when Maggie goes to the hospital she sees on one of the desks a picture of Mickey without a beard, and she hears stories about a patient named Mickey Horton who disappeared around the same time that "Marty" appeared at her farm. Maggie leaves the hospital and does not return or tell "Marty" what she learned. Later the Hortons eventually are led to the farm after seeing Mickey's picture in a newspaper. Determined to stay married to Mickey, Maggie undergoes the operation to regain the use of her legs in hopes it will help her hold onto Mickey.
In 1975 Maggie is operated on by Bill Horton (Mickey's brother), but she still cannot walk. Laura Horton (Bill's wife and Mickey's ex-wife) explains to her that her paralysis is no longer physical, but mental. Maggie is so afraid of losing Mickey that she is causing the paralysis in her mind. After Mickey officially divorces Laura, Mickey and Maggie are married on Jan 25, 1975.The Days of our Lives: The True Story of One Family's Dream and the Untold History of Days of our Lives
Marriage to Mickey Maggie's marriage to Mickey Horton is central to the character, with their relationship being among the most prominent and long-running relationships on the show. Mickey is depicted as a smart, tough lawyer, with Maggie being portrayed as a weak farm girl. Maggie and Mickey were generally depicted as the most stable couple on the show, even after all the torment the two had gone through. During the early years of their marriage, Maggie felt threatened by the presence of his old lover, Linda Patterson, who had pretended to be Maggie's friend but was secretly trying to win Mickey back. Linda had claimed that Mickey was her daughter Melissa's father, but Linda's estranged husband Jim Phillips revealed that Linda had lied. While Linda went on to other relationships (including Mickey's brother Tommy and the wealthy Bob Anderson whom she married), she continued to remain a thorn in Maggie's side. After Bob Anderson's death, Melissa ran away from the neglectful Linda and eventually Mickey and Maggie took her in, sending her to a private school outside of Salem.
In 1978, Janice (Mickey and Maggie's adoptive daughter) is taken away from Mickey and Maggie by her natural mother Joanna Barnes. Janice is eventually found and returned to Mickey and Maggie, but Joanna takes a job in Salem and stays close to her daughter. This relationship takes its toll on Maggie and she begins to drown her sorrows in alcohol. Later that year Maggie's drinking increases and she is arrested when she has an accident with Janice in her car, both are knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital.
Maggie joins Alcoholics Anonymous but falls off the wagon when Janice's custody hearing becomes near. Afraid to lose Janice to her biological mother, Maggie kidnaps Janice and flees town with her. She eventually returns to Salem after her father-in-law, Tom Horton finds her in a nearby town. Later Janice has an accident on the pier while playing with little Melissa. Janice falls into the water, and as a result slipped into a coma. Joanna Barnes and Maggie fought over her at the hospital, but in the end Joanna is given custody of her daughter. In 1979 Maggie unknowingly sells some canes containing cocaine to customers of Julie's (Mickey's niece) shop. Later when a drug dealer comes looking for them the two struggled and Maggie eventually shoots him with his own gun.
In 1981 Maggie agrees to be a surrogate mother for an anonymous donor. Maggie goes to Neil (the donor) and agrees to be inseminated. Neil performs the procedure, and Maggie soon becomes pregnant. Later that year Dr. Evan Whyland comes to Salem, and Neil knows he is the anonymous donor of Maggie's. When Evan learns about this he begins to call on Maggie often.