Suzanne Rogers
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

Suzanne Rogers, A Radio City Rockette Turned 'Days of Our Lives' Soap Star

The popular soap opera Days of Our Lives is one of the longest-running TV shows in the entire world. With over 13,000 episodes, the show has been dishing out daily daytime drama since 1965. One of their most beloved characters is Maggie Horton, played by Suzanne Rogers since 1973. A role that earned Roberts an award for Outstanding Supporting Actress at the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Suzanne Rogers was actually born Suzanne Cecelia Crumpler in Midland, Maryland. She created her stage name after Ginger Rogers, who the soap star credits with even getting her interested in working in the entertainment industry. While you might think that she immediately packed her bags for Hollywood, that's actually not the case. Instead of heading out to sunny California, a 17-year-old Rogers moved from her home in Virginia to New York City to pursue a dancing career. 

In New York, Rogers landed a job becoming one of the world-famous dancers of Radio City Music Hall — The Rockettes. She was the youngest to ever take the historic stage. During her time in New York, she also appeared in numerous Broadway musicals including Coco, Hallelujah Boy, and Follies. But after a decade in the city that never sleeps, it was time for the dancer to head to California as it had always been a personal aspiration to pursue acting. Soon after she attended classes with the legendary Stella Adler, Rogers landed the role of Maggie Horton.

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This was Rogers' very first TV appearance which would turn into so much more than she could have ever imagined. After 11 years on the NBC show, Rogers was sadly diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare muscle disorder that swelled her face and caused her to leave the show for a year. After her health improved, executive producer Betty Corday even wrote in the show that Maggie suffered from the disease in an effort to educate viewers. Luckily, the actress has been in remission since the 90s.

Rogers is not only the longest-running cast member on her drama series but of any soap opera. That's quite an impressive feat. Though her storyline ended in 2003 after her character was murdered by a serial killer, writers brought back all of the murdered characters in an effort to boost ratings. Luckily, it worked and Maggie Horton was back in Salem.

Despite having such a lengthy career in entertainment, Rogers really hasn't appeared on much outside of her soap opera. She's appeared in episodes of Quincy, M.E., Little House on the Prairie, Knight Rider, and the TV film Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story. Over the years, Rogers has only been married once, to actor Sam Groom, from 1980-1982. According to Soap Opera Digest, she is also the only current member of the Days cast to have an Emmy.

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