Jennifer Horton
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Rose Horton (born onscreen September 11, 1976) is a fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...

, a long running dramatic serial about working class life in the fictional town of Salem
Salem (Days of our Lives)
The town of Salem is the setting for the U.S. soap opera Days of our Lives. It is located in the Midwestern United States, though the state is never mentioned. It was built and named in 1802, since Salem celebrated its 200-year birthday in 2002. Originally set in New England, the vague setting was...

. Jennifer was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith
Pat Falken Smith
Patricia Falken Smith was a television writer, most famous for her stints as head writer of several soap operas, including General Hospital and Days of our Lives.-Biography:...

, and executive producer Betty Corday
Betty Corday
Betty Corday was a broadway dramatic actress and long-time American television producer. She co-created and executive produced the long running NBC drama "Days of our Lives from 1966 until her death in 1987.Becoming executive producer after the death of her husband, Ted Corday Betty Corday (née...

. The role was originated on September 11, 1976 by child actress Maren Stephenson. The role is briefly taken over by Jennifer Peterson from 1977–1978, until the character was written out of the show. Former Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara (TV series)
Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolved around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara, California...

 actress Melissa Reeves
Melissa Reeves
Melissa Reeves is a long-time American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing Jennifer Horton, a role she originated in 1985 on the long-running NBC series Days of our Lives -Personal life:She was born in Eatontown, New Jersey.Since March 1990, Reeves has been married to soap opera actor...

 took over the role of Jennifer in 1985. Reeves is the most recognizable actress in the role being with the show from 1985–1995 and 2000-2006. Stephanie Cameron briefly took over the role after Reeves quit in 1995. Reeves returned again in 2000, but departed again in 2006. In 2010, after the passing of Frances Reid
Frances Reid
Frances Reid was an American dramatic actress. Although she starred in many productions, she is best known for her portrayal of Alice Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of our Lives from its debut in November 1965 until her death on February 3, 2010.-Biography:Born in Wichita Falls, Texas,...

 (Alice Horton
Alice Horton
Alice Horton is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, portrayed by Frances Reid from the show's debut on November 8, 1965 until December 26, 2007...

) Reeves returned for her on screen tribute and returned permanently in November of that year.

Jennifer's story lines often focused on young love, and romance. She is a member of the high class- core family, the Horton's, around which the soap was originally structured. She is the daughter of original popular characters, Bill Horton
Bill Horton
Dr. William "Bill" Horton, II is a fictional character on the daytime drama Days of our Lives.Named after his grandfather, Bill Horton was the youngest son of the Horton children; his siblings include Tom Horton Jr., Mickey Horton, Addie Horton, and Marie Horton...

 and Laura Horton. She came on the show as a rebellious teenager, but eventually morphed into one of the show's most historic heroines. Jennifer is known throughout the soap world with her popular pairing with Jack Deveraux
Jack Deveraux
Jack Harcourt Deveraux, Sr. is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. He is the most prominent member of the Johnson family and is most famously played by Matthew Ashford. After a four-year absence, the character has recently returned to "Salem" to reconnect with his estranged...

 played by Matthew Ashford
Matthew Ashford
Matthew Nile Ashford is an American actor best known for the long running role of Jack Deveraux on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives.-Personal life:...

. The couple eventually became so popular that they were named a supercouple
Supercouple
A supercouple or super couple is a popular or financially wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or even obsessive fashion...

.

The character of Jennifer was received quite well by critics, with TV Squad praising Reeves for, "being one of the most beloved actresses to ever star on Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...

". Reeves has also won many awards for her portrayal of Jennifer. In 1995, she received a Soap Opera Digest
Soap Opera Digest
Soap Opera Digest is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional information...

 award for Hottest Female Star. She was nominated for an Emmy award in 1992 for Outstanding Younger Actress in a television drama. The character is a legend, and television icon.

Background

Jennifer Horton is one of the earliest characters to be invented by executive producer Betty Corday
Betty Corday
Betty Corday was a broadway dramatic actress and long-time American television producer. She co-created and executive produced the long running NBC drama "Days of our Lives from 1966 until her death in 1987.Becoming executive producer after the death of her husband, Ted Corday Betty Corday (née...

, and scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith
Pat Falken Smith
Patricia Falken Smith was a television writer, most famous for her stints as head writer of several soap operas, including General Hospital and Days of our Lives.-Biography:...

. The character was brought on as part of the soaps core family, The Hortons. She is the daughter of original characters Bill Horton
Bill Horton
Dr. William "Bill" Horton, II is a fictional character on the daytime drama Days of our Lives.Named after his grandfather, Bill Horton was the youngest son of the Horton children; his siblings include Tom Horton Jr., Mickey Horton, Addie Horton, and Marie Horton...

, and Laura Horton. Jennifer is the mother of Abby Deveraux
Abby Deveraux
Abigail "Abby" Johanna Deveraux is a fictional character on the NBC daytime drama Days of our Lives. Abby was created by scriptwriter Sheri Anderson and executive producer Ken Corday. The role was originated by Meghan and Michael Nelson on October 19, 1992. Paige and Ryanne Kettner took over the...

, and Jack Deveraux, Jr.
Minor characters of Days of our Lives
The following are minor but notable fictional characters on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, whose connections to the major families are either weak or non-existent.- Dr. Richard Baker :...

.

Casting

As Jennifer is introduced in 1976, the role was originated by child actress Maren Stephenson. For storyline purposes, the role is briefly taken over by Jennifer Peterson from 1977–1978, until the character was written out of the show upon completion. A main reason is that her mother, Laura Horton, had been shipped off to a psychiatric facility and would not be able to care for her. Laura's exit was prompted by the fact that her portrayer, Susan Flannery
Susan Flannery
Susan Flannery is an American soap opera actress. She is known for her role Stephanie Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful and for her role as Dr. Laura Spencer Horton on Days of our Lives ....

, wanted to leave the show to pursue other things.

In 1985, the show wanted to bring the character back onto the canvas and cast former Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara (TV series)
Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolved around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara, California...

 actress Melissa Reeves
Melissa Reeves
Melissa Reeves is a long-time American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing Jennifer Horton, a role she originated in 1985 on the long-running NBC series Days of our Lives -Personal life:She was born in Eatontown, New Jersey.Since March 1990, Reeves has been married to soap opera actor...

 in the role. During her time in the role she proved to be a fan favorite, and younger leading heroine. Her relationship with Jack Deveraux
Jack Deveraux
Jack Harcourt Deveraux, Sr. is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. He is the most prominent member of the Johnson family and is most famously played by Matthew Ashford. After a four-year absence, the character has recently returned to "Salem" to reconnect with his estranged...

 prompted the couple to be pronounced a supercouple for the daytime drama. Reeves stayed with the serial until she abruptly quit in 1995, at the insistence of her husband, Scott Reeves
Scott Reeves
Gregory Scott Reeves is an American actor and country music singer. He is known for his role as Ryan McNeil on The Young and the Restless and for his role as Dr...

. Melissa had had an affair with costar Jason Brooks, who played on-screen love interest Peter Blake. To replace Reeves, the show brought on Stephanie Cameron as Jennifer. Cameron was not well received by fans, and the character left the canvas in 1998.

In 2000, rumors started swirling that Melissa Reeves would be returning to the show. Her return was officially announced in 2000. Reeves returned to work that same year and began airing shortly after. After six years on the serial, Reeves departed again in 2006 to spend time with her family. The show's matriarch, Frances Reid
Frances Reid
Frances Reid was an American dramatic actress. Although she starred in many productions, she is best known for her portrayal of Alice Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of our Lives from its debut in November 1965 until her death on February 3, 2010.-Biography:Born in Wichita Falls, Texas,...

 who played Alice Horton
Alice Horton
Alice Horton is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, portrayed by Frances Reid from the show's debut on November 8, 1965 until December 26, 2007...

 died of old age on February 3, 2010. Reeves was invited back for her onscreen tribute in June of that same year. Reeves remained in a recurring guest star role until July. It was announced later that month that Reeves would return permanently in the role beginning in November.

Introduction

Jennifer Rose Horton is born during a snowstorm in 1976. In 1979, her mother's mental state deteriorates and she puts little Jennifer Rose in danger by putting her on a bus alone. In 1985, Jennifer returns to Salem as a teenager in deep trouble. She has become a rebellious runaway, a compulsive liar, and is being stalked by a rapist. Her brother Dr. Mike Horton comes to her rescue. By the following year she gives up on her runaway lifestyle and moves back in with her grandparents, Tom and Alice Horton. During the summer of 1986 she begins a non-intimate romance with a high school classmate Glenn Gallagher. However Jennifer inadvertently exposes Glenn's plan to uncover his coach's drug dealing. Jennifer trails Glenn to the park and finds the coach holding a gun to Glenn's head. Jennifer then enlists the help of classmate Frankie Brady
Frankie Brady
Frankie Brady is a character on the American soap opera Days of our Lives.The role of Frankie was played by veteran Emmy-Award winning actor Billy Warlock from July 1986 to October 1988, from November 1990 to July 1991 and from June 26, 2005 to November 24, 2006...

. Later when on a class trip, Jennifer and Frankie discover they have feelings for one another. Jennifer rejects Glenn's pressure to have sex and turns to Frankie. Together, Jennifer and Frankie foil a robbery attempt and help bust a prostitution ring. In 1987 Jennifer's father Bill returns to Salem and tries running Jennifer's life. Jennifer rebels by becoming engaged to Frankie, however she breaks the engagement when she learns of her mother and grandmothers mental problems. Thinking she'd develop the same problems and pass it on to her own children. They reunite briefly, but Eve who has a crush on Frankie, spills the beans about an affair Frankie had while separated from Jennifer.

Relationship with Jack

In 1989, Jennifer becomes an intern reporter at the Salem Spectator, working under the tutelage of publisher Jack Deveraux
Jack Deveraux
Jack Harcourt Deveraux, Sr. is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. He is the most prominent member of the Johnson family and is most famously played by Matthew Ashford. After a four-year absence, the character has recently returned to "Salem" to reconnect with his estranged...

. She befriends Sally, a pregnant homeless girl who gets herself arrested so she won't have her baby on the streets. But the officials won't let Sally keep her baby once it was born. Jack pretends to be Jennifer's husband and they offer the child Hannah a foster home. Jack soon falls in love with Jennifer but Emilio soon comes to town. Although Emilio pulls away from Jennifer when she is threatened by the gang Emilio once belonged to. Jennifer soon finds herself torn between Emilio and Jack. When Jack hides his feelings for Jennifer, she then becomes engaged to Emilio. Desperate to keep Jennifer from marrying Emilio, Jack kidnaps her on her wedding day. When Jennifer escapes, she fell off a cliff and was knocked unconscious, Jack finally pours his heart out to her. Later, Jack becomes insecure about his feelings for Jennifer so she returns to Emilio. However during the Cruise Of Deception Jack saves Jennifer's life and they make love for the first time.
Later Lawrence Alamain comes to town. Jennifer believes that Lawrence thinks she is Katerina, the heiress to the Von Leuschner fortune, due to a confusion going back to when the real heiress (Carly Manning) and Jennifer were teenagers and they had switched dates. After a hurried wedding, Lawrence rapes Jennifer admitting that he knew her real identity all along. Jack arrives to rescue Jennifer. Jack and Jennifer became engaged but he calls off the wedding because he feels alienated from her. Jennifer is still unable to handle intimacy and is too ashamed to tell Jack that Lawrence raped her. Jack then marries Eve to help her get her hands on her $10 million inheritance. After Jennifer finally tells Jack the truth, she presses rape charges against Lawrence. Kimberly and Jack are able to record him confessing to the rape and Lawrence is then sent to jail. Eve reluctantly grants Jack a divorce and Jack and Jennifer are married. However soon a swindler named Hawk soon cheats them out of their money. He is caught, but the couple remains penniless. Jennifer then learns she is pregnant, however Jack's joy is not great. He thinks he is suffering a relapse of Hodgkin's disease. Though he is not Jennifer goes to New York to do a TV show with Calliope. Jennifer gives birth later that year to a daughter Abigail Johanna.

The following year, Abigail is diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia
Aplastic anemia
Aplastic anemia is a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. The condition, per its name, involves both aplasia and anemia...

. Jennifer teams up with Austin Reed to find the environmental cause of Abigail's illness. It is soon revealed that Jack was the one who had allowed the toxic waste dumping and was responsible for Abigail's illness. Overwhelmed with guilt he leaves Salem, and Jennifer behind. Jennifer begins dating Peter Blake awhile after Jack is gone. Peter is involved with drug trafficking at the time. Jennifer's mother Laura sees Peter with a lowlife by the name of Leo and Peter scheming to make it appear as if Laura is having a mental relapse. Jack returns to Salem and spies on his ex-wife and her current love. Jennifer begins to try to find a man named Clarke who her mom had feelings for. It turns out that Clark is actually Jack. Jennifer is devastated and goes through with her marriage to Peter. Jack tries continuously to prove that Peter is devious but to no avail. A year later, Jennifer and Peter separate when she finds out he lied to her. Jack catches Peter with a syringe meant for Jennifer so that Peter can drug her and then take her and Abigail out of the country. Jack ends up shooting Peter and it looks like Peter has died. (Stefano switches Peter's alive body with the dead body of an old associate wearing a Peter mask.)

Jack is sentenced to serving life in prison for the death of Peter and Jennifer vows her eternal love for Jack every day. Jack breaks out of jail and takes Jen with him to evade police. They all are on the run for a while, until they join up with a circus. Jack becomes a laborer, Jen the assistant, and Abby, their daughter. Abby strikes up a good friend in the ringmaster's son. Eventually, Jack and Jennifer flee for Africa. While in Africa, Jennifer and Jack experience some problems with their relationship, especially when Jennifer falls for a young man named Colin Murphy...whom she does not realize is Shawn Brady
Shawn Brady
Shawn Brady is a fictional character on the American soap opera Days of our Lives and the patriarch of the Brady family. He has been portrayed by Lew Brown , Frank MacLean , and Frank Parker .-Storylines:Shawn was the husband of Caroline Brady, and father of three biological children Roman Brady,...

's nephew! She flees to Ireland with Abby, where she ends up getting herself in trouble, and then has to come back to Salem with Bo. Jack soon follows her, and the two move in together so they can look after Abigail. Jennifer initially pushes Jack away, and concentrates on relationships with first Brandon then Colin, but she and Jack can't resist that certain something that has always been between them. They are remarried, much to the delight of their daughter Abby.

Jack and Jennifer are just beginning to enjoy their married life together again, and to enjoy hosting In the House, a show that was one of Jennifer's father Bill's wedding gifts to her and Jack. Then Jennifer is dealt the harshest blow of her life when Jack is struck down in an alley behind Salem Place by the Salem Stalker, and Jennifer ia forced to make the choice of taking him off life support and donating his organs. Abby is unable to forgive her mother until Jennifer realizes she is pregnant, but tragedy strikes again when Jennifer learns that her baby will have serious mental and physical deformities, and Lexie advises her to terminate.

Desperate to hold on to the last part of Jack she would ever have, Jennifer refuses to terminate her pregnancy. With the help of her new tenant and friend, Patrick Lockhart
Patrick Lockhart
Patrick Brian Lockhart was a fictional character on the television drama Days of our Lives.The character of "Patrick" was played by actor Brody Hutzler from 2004 to 2007.-Character history:...

, Jennifer begins looking forward to a new life with Abby and the baby. When she is nearly full term, Jennifer gets a message on her computer supposedly from Jack, and takes off to find him. She is picked up by a pilot who was to take her to the island of Melaswen. Unfortunately the plane crashes, and Jennifer ends up in the jungle. She is thrilled when she reunited with Jack, and together the two begin planning a future for Jack Patrick Jr. (who is delivered by Patrick), but when they try to return to Salem, Jack is presumed dead on the return voyage. Jennifer tries to move on with her life, but finds it difficult because Abby can't forgive Jennifer for Jack's death. Jennifer is almost preparing to move on when a miracle occurs and Jack is back home for real. Together, Jack and Jennifer work on rebuilding their family, which is complete now that Abby are getting along much better with her mother. The two get a job offer for London, and Jack and Jennifer leave for London with baby Jack.

Triumphant Return

In June 2010, Jennifer returns to Salem after receiving the news that her grandmother, Alice Horton
Alice Horton
Alice Horton is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, portrayed by Frances Reid from the show's debut on November 8, 1965 until December 26, 2007...

, is very ill and does not have much time left. Jennifer gets to say goodbye to her "Gram", but is distraught as one of the closest people to her and the woman that raised her passed away. While in Salem, Jennifer tries to provide guidance to Bo and Hope, inferring that she thinks it is best if they reconcile. She also gets to reunite with her old friend, Carly Manning
Carly Manning
Dr. Carly Manning is a fictional character that appeared on the television soap opera Days of our Lives. Carly has been portrayed by Crystal Chappell from June 12, 1990 to October 18, 1993...

, who she had not seen in years. Jennifer leaves Salem after Alice's funeral and after an altercation with Vivian Alamain
Vivian Alamain
Vivian Alamain is a fictional character on the NBC Soap Opera, Days of our Lives, head of the series' Alamain family. Created by writer Richard J. Allen, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Louise Sorel. In 2000, Sorel departed from the series and the role was not recast with another actress...

, and returned to London to be with her family. She, however, returned to the show permanently in November of that same year to help Hope who was in prison due to confessing to the Salem Muggings.

Hope refused to let Jennifer help her as she was determined to pay for her crimes. The women's prison that Hope was staying at however, was trafficking human organs that came from dead inmates, and the doctor Jennifer had been seeing at the time was helping Warden Jane and the DiMera family. After Bo helped Hope escape for the jail after being discovered and nearly beaten to death, Jennifer used her journalism background to get a job at the prison to try and save Hope and expose the illegal scam at the prison. Warden Jane and Lee, however, discovered Jennifer's true motives, and removed Jennifer's heart from her body, with the intention of giving it to Dr. Walters to save a patient at the hospital. Melanie and Dr. Daniel Jonas were informed of Jennifer's condition and rushed to save her. Daniel ended up putting Jennifer's heart back into her chest and saved her life. This began a flirtatious relationship between the two. Meanwhile, Jennifer's daughter Abigial, returned home to Salem to be with her mother. Without hearing a word from her husband Jack, Jennifer decides it is best if she divorces Jack and moves on with her life. After the divorce is finalized and after flirting for months, Jennifer and Daniel began to date, much to the dismay of Jennifer and Daniel's good friend, Dr. Carly Manning. In July 2011, Jennifer discovered that Carly had been using drugs and had become addicted due to her life falling apart, and due to Jennifer being with Daniel, the man she feels she wants to love.

See also

  • Horton Family
  • Jack Deveraux
    Jack Deveraux
    Jack Harcourt Deveraux, Sr. is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. He is the most prominent member of the Johnson family and is most famously played by Matthew Ashford. After a four-year absence, the character has recently returned to "Salem" to reconnect with his estranged...

  • Abby Deveraux
    Abby Deveraux
    Abigail "Abby" Johanna Deveraux is a fictional character on the NBC daytime drama Days of our Lives. Abby was created by scriptwriter Sheri Anderson and executive producer Ken Corday. The role was originated by Meghan and Michael Nelson on October 19, 1992. Paige and Ryanne Kettner took over the...

  • Jack and Jennifer
  • Supercouple
    Supercouple
    A supercouple or super couple is a popular or financially wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or even obsessive fashion...


External links

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