Natalie Marlowe (Kate Collins, l.) and Donna Beck (Candice Early, r.) were more similar than anyone thought. Both survived, as Donna put it in 1995, "the Palmer Cortlandt experience." Both were single mothers. Their similar circumstances lead to something very rare between women in Pine Valley, a friendship. When Natalie was down and out after accusing son-in-law Ross Chandler of raping her, she became the pariah of Pine Valley. Donna stood by her, remembering how only a decade earlier she was made to be an outsider because of Phoebe Tyler's disapproval of her unfortunate life circumstances (Donna was a prostitute and in love with her grandson. Who can blame Phoebe for "overreacting?").
Natalie and Donna's friendship looked like it was going to last the test of time. Even after moving from Pine Valley in 1992, Donna would return to act as maid of honour for Natalie's impromptu wedding to her one true love, Trevor Dillon.
In 1993, Donna would return to town one more time... for Natalie's funeral.
Palmer Cortlandt (the late James Mitchell) was not the most honorable man in the planet. The best example of his skewed sense of morals was his twisted marriage to Donna Beck (Candice Early). The whole time Palmer was married to Donna, he was seeing Daisy on the side. Then, he had the audacity to try and kill Donna for sleeping with Chuck Tyler (then- Richard Van Vleet). I guess he was upset that their son, Palmer John, was actually Chuck's.
Yesterday, I listed a few of Palmer's loved ones who I think should come to pay last respects to their patriarch. But really, how fun would it be to see Donna sing at the funeral in memory of her ex-husband, and then spit on his grave.
Some of my favourite moments from All My Children's past was when a storyline called for Donna Beck Tyler etc. etc. etc. (Candice Early, l.) to serenade the crowd. Early's voice could only be described in one word, "amazing."
In the early '90s, producers hired model/singer Liz Vassey as Donna's naive daughter Emily Ann Sago. Emily and Donna got the chance to break out in song frequently. Though not the best quality, here is the mother/daughter pair performing at Tad and Dixie Martin's first wedding:
How sweet would it be to see Donna back on canvas for Palmer Cortlandt's upcoming funeral (she was after all Mrs. Cortlandt #2)?
Also, Vassey has sure come a long way from her time in Pine Valley. She is now a regular on CBS Primetime hit CSI.
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When Natalie was down and out after accusing son-in-law Ross Chandler of raping her, she became the pariah of Pine Valley. Donna stood by her, remembering how only a decade earlier she was made to be an outsider because of Phoebe Tyler's disapproval of her unfortunate life circumstances (Donna was a prostitute and in love with her grandson. Who can blame Phoebe for "overreacting?"). 
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