Palmer Cortlandt (born Pete Cooney) is a
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
on the long-running
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
All My ChildrenAll My Children is an American soap opera that has been broadcast Monday through Friday on the ABC TV network since January 5, 1970; repeat episodes air weeknights on SOAPnet. Created by Agnes Nixon, the show is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia...
, and has been played by
James MitchellJames Mitchell is an American actor and dancer. Although he is best-known to television audiences as Palmer Cortlandt on the soap opera All My Children , theatre and dance historians remember him as one of Agnes de Mille's leading dancers...
since 1979. He was forced to step down as a major character in 2002, but has made a few appearances since then such as when his grandson Little A was kidnapped in 2004, and he attended the Mardi Gras ball in 2006 and was nearly killed in the explosion. He also appeared at JR Chandlers wedding in March 2006 and when his presumed dead niece Dixie was found alive in May 2006, and he attended her funeral when she was murdered in January 2007.
Palmer Cortlandt (born Pete Cooney) is a
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
on the long-running
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
All My ChildrenAll My Children is an American soap opera that has been broadcast Monday through Friday on the ABC TV network since January 5, 1970; repeat episodes air weeknights on SOAPnet. Created by Agnes Nixon, the show is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia...
, and has been played by
James MitchellJames Mitchell is an American actor and dancer. Although he is best-known to television audiences as Palmer Cortlandt on the soap opera All My Children , theatre and dance historians remember him as one of Agnes de Mille's leading dancers...
since 1979. He was forced to step down as a major character in 2002, but has made a few appearances since then such as when his grandson Little A was kidnapped in 2004, and he attended the Mardi Gras ball in 2006 and was nearly killed in the explosion. He also appeared at JR Chandlers wedding in March 2006 and when his presumed dead niece Dixie was found alive in May 2006, and he attended her funeral when she was murdered in January 2007. Palmer also appeared at the grand opening of the Comeback bar in May 2007. Due to health reasons, Palmer was not shown between May 31, 2007 and January 27, 2008. He was forced to exit the show in October 2008, due to contined health problems.
Mitchell has earned seven
Daytime EmmyThe Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming....
nominations for his portrayal of Palmer Cortlandt, all for Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Despite not being a main character, his image still appears in the
AMCAll My Children is an American soap opera that has been broadcast Monday through Friday on the ABC TV network since January 5, 1970; repeat episodes air weeknights on SOAPnet. Created by Agnes Nixon, the show is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia...
opening sequence. This stems from the fact that even though he retired in 2008, he is still a contracted cast member.
Brief Character History
Palmer first appeared in 1979 as a powerful businessman who always made sure he had control of everything in his life, including his daughter Nina. When Nina went blind and fell for her doctor, Cliff Warner, Palmer convinced Nina that she wasn't right for Cliff. Palmer has always been a major rival in the life and dealings of Adam Chandler. Among Palmer's former wives, was Nina's mother, Daisy, whom he still thinks of fondly; and notably, Opal Gardner, whom he has a son, named Petey. Palmer left town in 2009.