Meg Bennett, star of stage and screen, who frequently pulled double duty as both actress and writer on daytime dramas, has died. She was 75. Per her obituary, she lost her valiant battle with cancer on April 11.
Meg Bennett, Rest In Peace
Already lauded for her two-year stint as Mary Maraschino in Grease (during the show’s original Broadway run), Bennett landed the plum part of young heroine Liza Walton on Search for Tomorrow in 1975. Three years and a bout of hepatitis later, she segued into playing poor, put-upon Julia Newman, wife of new man-about-time Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless.
That job lasted for six years, during which time her skills as an amateur on-set script doctor earned her seat at the writers’ table.
Subsequently, Bennett appeared on Santa Barbara as biographer Megan Richardson, then boarded its team of scribes as a breakdown writer.
Bennett would go on to serve as both a performer and writer on General Hospital (where she played the villainous Allegra and racked up five Daytime Emmy Award nominations including one win), pen scripts for Generations and General Hospital: Night Shift, and serve as both associate head writer and co-head writer at Sunset Beach. The uber-talented multi-hyphen was also game to reprise Julia when called upon, which occurred in 2002, 2018, and 2020.
Bennett is survived by her husband of 19 years, Sunset Beach co-creator and nine-time Daytime Emmy winner Robert Guza Jr. — whom she met while both were toiling at GH — two step-daughters and “four adored grandchildren,” in addition to a brother, a sister, and several nieces and nephews.
Meg Bennett’s Industry Family Mourn Her Passing
Sending our condolences to Meg Bennett’s family and loved ones. Y&R was lucky enough to have Meg share her talent both on camera as “Julia Newman” and off camera as member of the Writing staff under Bill Bell. pic.twitter.com/pUdmQbBB7Y
— Young & The Restless (@YRInsider) April 22, 2024
My first “wife” Julia, played by my friend MEG BENNETT, has passed away! She succumbed to the ravages of cancer! I had not seen much of MEG in the last years, except at my 40th anniversary!
She was such a bright and gentle lady! I remember she taught me about the history of…— Eric Braeden (@EBraeden) April 22, 2024
Meg was in my life for a long time. May she rest in peace. https://t.co/Ek55XmfGOj
— Michele Val Jean (@MicheleValJean) April 21, 2024
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