Jaime Lyn Bauer
Jaime Lyn Bauer (born Norma Marvhne Bauer; March 9, 1949) is an American actress renowned for her extensive career in television, particularly in daytime soap operas, where she portrayed iconic characters over decades.[1][2] Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bauer began her path to stardom through pageantry and modeling.[2] She transitioned to acting in Los Angeles, debuting on screen with guest appearances on series such as The F.B.I., Hotel, The Love Boat, and Mike Hammer.[2] Her breakthrough came in daytime television, where she starred as Lauralee Brooks on The Young and the Restless for nine years, earning multiple Best Actress awards from Daytime TV magazine.[2] Bauer further solidified her legacy with the role of Dr. Laura Horton on Days of Our Lives, which she portrayed from 1993 to 1999, with returns in 2003, 2010, and 2021. Her film credits include comedic roles in Young Doctors in Love (1982) and Pray TV (1980), as well as guest spots on primetime shows like Knots Landing, The Young Riders, and Judith Krantz's Secrets.[3] Beyond acting, she co-starred in a Movie of the Week with Delta Burke and Willie Nelson, served as a celebrity spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation for nearly a decade—writing the foreword for The Brainstorms Family—and founded Envision Entertainment, where she co-authored screenplays and developed a sitcom.[2] Married to producer Jeremy Swan, Bauer resides in Studio City, California, with their three children.[2]Early life
Birth and family background
Jaime Lyn Bauer was born Norma Marvhne Bauer on March 9, 1949, in Phoenix, Arizona.[3][4] She is the daughter of an airline executive father and a blues singer mother.[5] Bauer grew up in Phoenix, where her family's artistic inclinations, particularly her mother's career in music, provided early exposure to performance and the arts.[2][5] This environment in the vibrant Southwest city shaped her initial interests before she pursued formal opportunities in modeling and pageants.Education and beauty pageants
Bauer graduated from Phoenix Junior College in Arizona, where she honed her interests in performance and public presentation.[2] Her involvement in beauty pageants began during her youth in Phoenix, where she participated in the Junior Miss competition and achieved runner-up status in the Miss Arizona Pageant, before being crowned Miss Phoenix, an achievement that highlighted her poise and stage presence.[6][2] Following her college graduation, Bauer relocated to Chicago to launch a modeling career, which led to her participation in local pageants.[2] There, under her birth name Norma Marvhne Bauer, she won the Miss Chicago title in 1968, qualifying her to represent the city in the Miss America competition.[2][7] As Miss Chicago, Bauer advanced to the Miss Illinois 1968 pageant, where she earned the swimsuit award and placed as a semi-finalist, though she did not claim the overall crown.[1][7] These pageant successes provided a platform for her modeling work in Chicago, including commercial assignments and publicity opportunities tied to the Miss America organization.[2]Acting career
Soap opera roles
Jaime Lyn Bauer first gained prominence in daytime television with her portrayal of Lauralee "Lorie" Brooks on The Young and the Restless, debuting in December 1973 and remaining a central figure until 1982.[8] Portrayed as a jealous and ambitious young woman overshadowed by her successful sister Leslie, Lorie evolved into a scheming author whose plots often drove major family drama.[8] Her character arc highlighted intense rivalry dynamics, including attempts to steal Leslie's fiancé Brad Elliot, which contributed to Leslie's emotional breakdown, and later custody battles over her nephew Brooks amid escalating sibling tensions.[8] Lorie's schemes extended to her marriages, such as wedding Lance Prentiss despite opposition from his mother Vanessa, who shot her in a fit of rage, and authoring a tell-all book about her life in Leslie's shadow that further fractured family bonds.[8] Bauer reprised the role in 1984 for additional storylines involving Lorie's flirtations with Victor Newman and reconciliation with Lance, as well as brief returns in 2002 to disrupt Victor and Nikki's wedding and in 2018 for the show's 45th anniversary celebration.[8] Following her extended tenure on The Young and the Restless, Bauer transitioned to another iconic soap opera, joining Days of Our Lives in November 1993 as Dr. Laura Horton, a role that solidified her status as a daytime veteran with over four decades of serialized storytelling experience.[9] The character, a psychiatrist and longtime member of the Horton family, had established backstory including marriages to Mickey Horton (strained by his affair and her feelings for Bill Horton) and later to Bill Horton, with whom she had daughter Jennifer—events from the 1960s and 1970s prior to Bauer's portrayal.[9] Bauer's tenure emphasized Laura's professional role alongside ongoing familial entanglements. Key storylines during her initial run through July 1999 included her institutionalization at Bayview Sanitarium after being drugged in a scam, which she uncovered with help from Vivian Alamain; exposing Kristen DiMera's deceptions involving Susan Banks at a 1997 wedding; and facing false accusations of murdering Kristen in 1998, later cleared when the victim was revealed to be Penelope Kent.[9] Bauer made recurring appearances as Laura in 2003, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2018, often aiding in plots like treating granddaughter Abigail's psychological issues and exonerating Jack from past crimes.[9] During her 2020-2021 return, storylines centered on family conflicts, including revelations of her secret payments to Gwen Rizczech's mother to cover up Jack Deveraux's affair with Gwen, leading to confrontations with her grandchildren and Laura's death on February 9, 2021, during a physical clash with Gwen at the Salem Inn.[9] These dual long-term roles on competing networks showcased Bauer's versatility in embodying complex, enduring characters, cementing her legacy as a soap opera mainstay through intricate arcs of romance, betrayal, and redemption.[8][9]Film roles
Bauer's film career was limited, consisting primarily of supporting roles and cameos in low-budget comedies and exploitation films during the 1970s and 1980s, which contrasted with the serialized narratives of her television work by offering self-contained stories often centered on satire or sensationalism.[3] She debuted on screen in the 1972 sex comedy The Sexpert, directed by Alan Roberts, playing the credited but minor role of Farmer's Daughter in this lighthearted exploration of sexual education.[10] Her visibility from early soap opera appearances helped secure such initial opportunities in independent cinema.[11] In 1974, Bauer took on a supporting part as Jackie in the anthology-style exploitation thriller The Centerfold Girls, directed by John Peyser, where she appeared in the segment "The First Story" amid a narrative about a killer targeting Playboy models. This role marked her most substantial film contribution to date, highlighting her ability to handle genre-specific tension in a finite plot structure. Bauer continued with supporting work in the 1980 satirical comedy Pray TV, directed by Rick Friedberg, portraying Mary of Nazareth in a story lampooning evangelical television programming and its excesses. The film, released theatrically, allowed her to engage in comedic ensemble dynamics distinct from ongoing character arcs. Her final notable film appearance was a cameo as one of the Soap Cameos in the 1982 parody Young Doctors in Love, directed by Garry Marshall, which humorously spoofed hospital soaps and medical dramas through exaggerated tropes. This brief role underscored her soap opera background while fitting the film's meta-commentary on the genre.Television guest appearances
Bauer's television guest appearances spanned primetime dramas, adventure series, and variety specials, demonstrating her range beyond serialized formats. Early in her career, she secured episodic roles on popular 1970s police and crime shows, often portraying characters entangled in suspenseful or personal dilemmas. Her visibility from soap operas facilitated invitations to these one-off spots, allowing her to collaborate with established ensembles. Notable guest roles include:| Show | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rookies | 1972 | Susan | Episode: "S.W.A.T." (pilot for S.W.A.T. spin-off)[12] |
| Baretta | 1975 | Miss Dalton | Episode appearance[13] |
| Bronk | 1975 | Unspecified | Guest star[14] |
| CHiPs | 1977 | Carey | Episode: "Name Your Price" |
| Fantasy Island | 1977–1984 | Margot (multiple) | At least three episodes, including "Lost and Found/Dick Turpin's Last Ride" (1984)[15][13] |
| The Love Boat | 1977–1984 | Eleanor Springer / Jaime Sloane (multiple) | At least two episodes, including "Paying the Piper/Baby Sister/Help Wanted" (1984)[16][13] |