Days of our Lives explainer: Who is Liz Chandler?

Liz Chandler (Gloria Loring) triumphantly returned to Salem and Days of our Lives on December 2, 2024, to attend the memorial of her dear friend Doug Williams (Bill Hayes). Marlena (Deidre Hall) was immediately excited to see Liz at her door. However, her presence left some fans wondering who Liz was and how she and Marlena became friends.

Liz arrives on the Days of our Lives scene

When Liz first arrived in Salem in 1980, she quickly fell for Don Craig (Jed Allen) and took advantage of the fact that he was having marital problems with Marlena. Don and Marlena's newborn son, DJ, had just died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which caused tension in Don and Marlena's union.

With Marlena depressed and withdrawn, he entered into an affair with Liz for comfort. After Marlena learned of Don's betrayal, she and Don divorced, and Don married Liz. That marriage was later declared invalid when Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) came to town and announced that he and Liz were still married.

By then, Liz had fallen for Neil Curtis (Joe Gallison), but Tony's father, Stefano (Joseph Mascolo), wanted Liz to stay with Tony and threatened Neil's life if she did not obey. When Liz found herself pregnant, she claimed Tony was the father, but Tony knew better. Liz was forced to give birth after Stefano kidnapped her and Marlena. Neil and Marlena delivered the little girl, bonding Liz and Marlena as friends.

Liz tried telling Neil that he was her baby's father before she lost consciousness. Thinking Liz still didn't want him, Neil married Marie Horton (then played by Lanna Saunders). When Liz recovered from the birth, she and Tony officially divorced, and Liz tried to win Neil back. One night, when Marie was out of town, Liz seduced Neil.

After they slept together, Neil was called to the hospital to check on a patient. As Liz prepared to leave, she heard someone at the door and assumed it was an intruder. Liz had recently been mugged and was carrying a gun for protection, so she jumped to conclusions and shot Marie, leaving her temporarily paralyzed. Liz was jailed for the crime but released early several months later.

Liz and Neil's marriage goes bust

After Liz was freed and Neil and Marie divorced, Liz and Neil married and began raising their daughter Noelle together. Marlena was even Liz's matron of honor.

Soon, Liz couldn't resist Carlo Forenza (Don Diamont), a young friend of Neil's who had just moved to Salem. They had an affair that almost ended Liz's marriage, but Neil found it in his heart to forgive her.

Later, Liz's singing career began to take off, which meant she spent less time in Salem and more time on the road. Liz had a hit single with the song "Friends and Lovers," which was also a hit song for Gloria Loring off-screen.

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Liz and Neil couldn't work through their differences and eventually divorced. Liz left town to further her singing career. While Salemites have talked about her and wondered where she was through the years, she didn't step foot in Salem again for more than 30 years.

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