Deidre Hall Went through Four Failed Marriages and Had No One to Call Her Mom until She Was 44 (2024)

In the summer of 2023, "Days of Our Lives" became the longest-running soap opera, and Deidre Hall starred in the record-breaking 5000th episode. Raised in Florida with aspirations of becoming a psychologist, Hall's journey into showbiz took an unexpected turn.

After completing college, she visited friends in Los Angeles and, with the intention of making some extra money through modeling, she found herself drawn into the world of print, television, and commercials. What started as a way to support her studies quickly transformed into a career.

Initially, she viewed acting as a temporary pursuit, a means to an end. However, after years in the industry, Hall realized that her apparent career was not in psychiatry but on the screen. Despite her initial plans, Hall spent four decades portraying a psychiatrist, a twist of fate that proved to be ironic or, as she put it, something that was "meant to be!"

In 1986, Hall shared her views on romance, relationships, and finding the perfect man. She expressed her deep appreciation for men, acknowledging the unique balance they bring to relationships that friendships cannot provide. She believed that certain aspects of a woman come to life when in the company of a man.

As for the quest for the perfect man, Hall offered a mature perspective: "There is no perfect man, and if there was who would want him? I don't have an answer. I don't have any idea. I don't think about it. When he shows up, hey, I'm still here." Regarding romantic relationships, Hall considered herself communicative and straightforward. She asserted that she was easy to be around and didn't hide her feelings.

A Brief Look at Deidre Hall's Relationships

Television's beloved Dr. Marlena has experienced several relationships and has been married four times, yet none of her unions proved enduring. Before becoming a household name, she was married to William Hudson from 1966 to 1970. However, details about their marriage are scarce.

Following her divorce from Hudson, Hall married singer-songwriter and actor Keith Barbour in 1972. The couple stayed together until their divorce in 1978. Barbour is known for his roles in films like "Terror at Alcatraz" (1982) and "Chameleons" (1989).

American actress Deidre Hall stars with Drake Hogestyn in a wedding scene from "Days of Our Lives," circa 2005. | Source: Getty Images

In 1979, Hall was linked to actor and producer Richard Dean Anderson, known for his roles in "General Hospital" and "MacGyver." Not much is known about their relationship. Ned Randolph, an American politician who served as the mayor of Alexandria, Louisiana, reportedly dated Hall from 1982 to 1985, but details about their relationship are also limited.

Actor Drake Hogestyn, best known for portraying John Black on "Days of Our Lives," reportedly dated Hall for a year before his 1985 marriage to Victoria Post.

Deidre Hall and Michael Dubelko on November 18, 1987, in Century City, California. | Source: Getty Images

Hall's third marriage was to film producer Michael Dubelko in 1987, but they divorced in 1989. Their marriage remained largely private, with little information available.

Deidre Hall and Steve Sohmer on May 10, 1993, in Westwood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Her fourth and final marriage was to Shakespearean scholar and author Steve Sohmer in 1991, ending in divorce in 2006. In a statement released during that time, Hall expressed concern for her children's well-being and thanked people for their sensitivity, although she did not provide a reason for the split.

Deidre Hall's Long Journey to becoming a Mother

Hall, a recipient of two Best Actress Soapy Awards, has openly shared her enduring struggle with infertility over the years. Undeterred by these challenges, she ultimately welcomed two children through the unconventional path of surrogacy, a journey that she intimately portrayed in the 1995 film, "Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story."

Initially hesitant to reenact her deeply emotional life moments on screen, Hall was persuaded by her then-husband, Sohmer, and executive producer Stan Margulies. In portraying herself, she found unexpected support from the crew during intense moments, particularly the reenactment of her son's birth. "Those were very difficult, emotional moments, and they're all there on film," she expressed.

Hall's quest to become a mother involved exhaustive attempts at various fertility procedures. Faced with numerous disappointments, she decided on a "less conventional method" in her 40s. Teaming up with her fourth husband, Sohmer, the couple sought the assistance of a surrogate named Robin.

In a groundbreaking decision, Robin was artificially inseminated with Sohmer's sperm. On August 23, 1992, Robin gave birth to David Atticus, and on January 19, 1995, she brought Tully Chapin into the world. Hall was 44 when she welcomed her firstborn.

In 1995, during an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show, Hall candidly discussed the controversial decision to have someone else carry their baby. "I mean, I knew people would notice it, and I knew there would be a certain level of curiosity about it and about us," she admitted.

Yet Hall felt more prepared than ever to give it a try—an experience she talked about in detail in her interview from November 2020. Recalling her struggle with falling pregnant and undergoing endless in-vitro procedures, Hall said she was at her doctor's clinic when she overheard two women talking.

One of them was carrying a baby on her friend's behalf. It was there that she first discovered the concept of surrogacy and immediately asked her doctor if she could go through with it. The same doctor who had told her earlier that she should give up because it was too late assured her she could welcome a baby this way.

In fact, Hall became one of the very first Hollywood stars to announce that she had embraced motherhood via surrogacy publicly. Instead of shying away from the media, she openly shared her experience in numerous interviews.

The 76-year-old star is still close to her children's surrogate mom, Robin, whom she found through a surrogacy center in Beverly Hills. "I'm still in touch with her children that I had met when they were quite small… [who understood] she was 'helping [a] lady with a broken tummy,'" revealed Hall.

Deidre Hall and David Atticus on November 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

"They all thought that was a good idea, and they all wanted to make sure that the baby had a bedroom, so they came over to my house and saw the baby's bedroom. I mean, it was a terribly sweet relationship," she added.

Deidre Hall's Views on Life & Retirement

Hall has built a fulfilling career over the years and is loved even today for her epic performances. In early 2019, the then-71-year-old star was asked if the thought of retirement had ever crossed her mind, to which she replied, "Only when the phone stops ringing! I love what I do...I wouldn't change that for the world. This time in my life is the best time ever — until the next time!"

The "OP Center" alum said she had no regrets about her previous marriages but didn't plan to walk down the aisle again. She also admitted to being very happy and grateful in her life and career, further adding, "I'm so sublimely happy, and my kids are in good shape, my family's in good shape, I'm healthy, I do a job that I love, I have people that I adore. So it doesn't get any better, and I am beyond grateful."