Mike Horton
Encyclopedia
Dr. Michael "Mike" William Horton II is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives
. He was named after Mickey Horton
, who was thought to be his father, and Bill Horton
, his father. Mickey and Bill were brothers. Michael's mother was Mickey's wife Dr. Laura Spencer Horton.
Mike has the honor of being the most recast character in Days of our Lives history, having been played by sixteen different actors since his character's birth in 1968. He's also been the most constantly aged
and deaged, with his age now somewhere in his mid-40s. His most well known (and longest lasting) portrayers were Wesley Eure
from 1974 to 1981, Michael T. Weiss
from 1985 to 1990, and Roark Critchlow
from April 1994 to November 1999 and in June 2010.
and was as shocked as Mickey was to learn that his true father is the man he thought was his uncle Bill Horton
, who drunkenly raped his mother, Dr. Laura Spencer, while she was married to Mickey. Although Mike has become a bit closer to Bill through the years, he still considers Mickey to be his father.
Mike was married for the first time very young to Margo Anderman and his wife died in the summer of 1980 of leukemia. He left town not long after that happened, but later returned and began a residency at Salem University, while looking after his teenage sister, Jennifer
. During this time, he began a relationship with Dr. Robin Jacobs, which was made difficult by their different religions, Robin was devoutly Jewish and Mike was Christian
and she wouldn't allow herself to marry inter-faith. Although Mike wanted to convert in order to make the relationship work, he eventually realized that wouldn't be fair to either of them and Robin left town to live in Israel
. Sometime later Mike learned that Robin had given birth to his son, Jeremy. Mike left Salem in 1990 to join Robin and Jeremy and try to make a family.
In 1994, Mike returned to Salem, it having not worked out between him and Robin. He was soon made Chief of Staff at Salem University Hospital. While there he began an affair with Carrie Brady Reed
, who worked in Public Relations at the hospital. Eventually Carrie's husband Austin Reed
found out, and the two divorced. Mike and Carrie got together officially and left Salem together to return to Israel, as Mike wanted to continue to have a relationship with his son. While off-screen, Mike and Carrie split up and his son Jeremy returned to Salem for a brief period.
Mike returned to Salem in June 2010 when he received news that his grandmother, Alice Horton was extremely ill. Mike returned along with many other family members. While on his way to Alice's, he was involved in a car accident and was injured. He was brought to University Hospital where he was treated. His goal was to get better quickly so he could visit his grandmother one last time. Severall days later, he received news from Bill and Jennifer Horton that Alice had died. He reminisced about the wonderful times he shared with Alice. Before leaving Salem, he hung up a plaque in the hospital in honor of his late grandmother.
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...
. He was named after Mickey Horton
Mickey Horton
Michael "Mickey" Horton I was a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. Mickey was played from November 1965 to January 2004 by actor John Clarke, briefly in 2004 by Richard Voigts, and was played by actor John Ingle from 2004 to 2006...
, who was thought to be his father, and 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...
, his father. Mickey and Bill were brothers. Michael's mother was Mickey's wife Dr. Laura Spencer Horton.
Mike has the honor of being the most recast character in Days of our Lives history, having been played by sixteen different actors since his character's birth in 1968. He's also been the most constantly aged
Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome
Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome is a term used to describe the practice of accelerating the age of a television character in conflict with the timeline of a series and/or the real-world progression of time. Characters unseen on screen for a time might reappear portrayed by an actor several years...
and deaged, with his age now somewhere in his mid-40s. His most well known (and longest lasting) portrayers were Wesley Eure
Wesley Eure
Wesley Eure is an American actor.Eure came to prominence when he appeared in two long running television series in the 1970s, Days of our Lives and Land of the Lost. For several years, he appeared in both shows simultaneously...
from 1974 to 1981, Michael T. Weiss
Michael T. Weiss
Michael Terry Weiss is an American actor best known for playing the title role in The Pretender.-Early life:Weiss was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a steel-industry executive and his mother was a homemaker. He has a sister, Jamie Sue Weiss, who became a make-up artist for television...
from 1985 to 1990, and Roark Critchlow
Roark Critchlow
Roark Grant Critchlow is a Canadian actor, best known for appearing on the daytime US soap opera Days of our Lives from 1994 to 1999 as Dr. Mike Horton. He also had a recurring role on the soap Passions. More recently he was in the TV movie The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story as well as...
from April 1994 to November 1999 and in June 2010.
Character history
Mike grew up knowing his father as town lawyer Mickey HortonMickey Horton
Michael "Mickey" Horton I was a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. Mickey was played from November 1965 to January 2004 by actor John Clarke, briefly in 2004 by Richard Voigts, and was played by actor John Ingle from 2004 to 2006...
and was as shocked as Mickey was to learn that his true father is the man he thought was his uncle 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...
, who drunkenly raped his mother, Dr. Laura Spencer, while she was married to Mickey. Although Mike has become a bit closer to Bill through the years, he still considers Mickey to be his father.
Mike was married for the first time very young to Margo Anderman and his wife died in the summer of 1980 of leukemia. He left town not long after that happened, but later returned and began a residency at Salem University, while looking after his teenage sister, Jennifer
Jennifer Horton
Jennifer Rose Horton is a fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, Days of our Lives, a long running dramatic serial about working class life in the fictional town of Salem. Jennifer was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith, and executive producer Betty Corday...
. During this time, he began a relationship with Dr. Robin Jacobs, which was made difficult by their different religions, Robin was devoutly Jewish and Mike was Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and she wouldn't allow herself to marry inter-faith. Although Mike wanted to convert in order to make the relationship work, he eventually realized that wouldn't be fair to either of them and Robin left town to live in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Sometime later Mike learned that Robin had given birth to his son, Jeremy. Mike left Salem in 1990 to join Robin and Jeremy and try to make a family.
In 1994, Mike returned to Salem, it having not worked out between him and Robin. He was soon made Chief of Staff at Salem University Hospital. While there he began an affair with Carrie Brady Reed
Carrie Brady
Caroline Anna "Carrie" Reed is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera, Days of our Lives, a long-running serial about working class life in the fictional town of Salem. Created by head writer Margaret DePriest, the role of Carrie was originated by child actress Andrea Barber, known for her...
, who worked in Public Relations at the hospital. Eventually Carrie's husband Austin Reed
Austin Reed (fiction)
Austin Reed is a fictional character in the soap opera Days of our Lives portrayed by Patrick Muldoon from July 7, 1992 to April 4, 1995 and September 26, 2011 to present. The role was also portrayed by Austin Peck from April 7, 1995 to May 31, 2002, June 29, 2005 to November 3, 2006...
found out, and the two divorced. Mike and Carrie got together officially and left Salem together to return to Israel, as Mike wanted to continue to have a relationship with his son. While off-screen, Mike and Carrie split up and his son Jeremy returned to Salem for a brief period.
Mike returned to Salem in June 2010 when he received news that his grandmother, Alice Horton was extremely ill. Mike returned along with many other family members. While on his way to Alice's, he was involved in a car accident and was injured. He was brought to University Hospital where he was treated. His goal was to get better quickly so he could visit his grandmother one last time. Severall days later, he received news from Bill and Jennifer Horton that Alice had died. He reminisced about the wonderful times he shared with Alice. Before leaving Salem, he hung up a plaque in the hospital in honor of his late grandmother.