Spencer Truman
Encyclopedia
Dr. Spencer Truman was a fictional character
on the soap opera
One Life to Live
. He was played by Paul Satterfield
from May 25, 2005 to January 30, 2007. Satterfield has reprised the role, in the form of Ghost
by characters Miles Laurence
and John McBain
, several times in 2007. Austin Williams
played a young Spencer in a 2008 storyline in which the characters Bo
and Rex
find themselves 1968.
, Pennsylvania
in 2005; his younger brother David Vickers
and ex-wife Dr. Paige Miller are inexplicably furious to have him back in their lives. In some way "wronged" by Spencer in the past, they are determined to find a way to keep him away from those they love and get him out of town. The somewhat sinister Spencer makes it clear he is not going anywhere.
Spencer performs an operation on young Jack Manning
that saves the boy's life; Spencer befriends Jack's mother Blair Cramer
, and the two soon become romantically involved. Blair, however, is still emotionally wrapped up with her bastard ex-husband, Todd Manning
. Obsessed with winning Blair's love for himself, Spencer frames Todd for the murder of Margaret Cochran
. Throughout Todd's grueling murder trial, Spencer is finally able to make Blair question Todd's innocence, and seduces her. Todd is convicted of murder and sent to death row
; he is actually executed
and declared dead when Police Detective John McBain
appears with the very much alive Margaret. Spencer manages to revive Todd. In addition to faking Margaret's death, Spencer had secretly delivered her son, whose biological father is Todd. Spencer blackmails Paige into helping him, and keeping the secret. Spencer had murdered John and Dr. Michael McBain
's father, Thomas McBain, 25 years earlier, and had managed to convince both David and Paige that they had been complicit. Spencer puts Todd and Margaret's baby up for adoption, and the boy ends up with Michael McBain and his wife Marcie Walsh
, who are unaware of his origins.
Spencer's true motivation for returning to Llanview is revealed to be a vendetta
against Asa Buchanan
. David and Spencer's mother Emma Bradley-Truman had been one of Asa's wife Renee Divine's bordello girls, and on her deathbed had told Spencer that Asa is his biological father. Spencer vows destroy Asa's family piece by piece. Eventually, Blair catches on to Spencer's crimes, and after Todd's failed execution becomes determined to redeem herself in Todd's eyes and stop Spencer once and for all. She spies on Spencer, even drugging him and recording their conversations in hopes that he will slip up and incriminate himself. Ultimately, Blair and John McBain succeed in getting Spencer jailed; he confronts Asa about his paternity, but the results of a DNA test
showed that he is not Asa's son after all. Spencer seems to suffer a psychological breakdown. He makes an insanity plea, fooling court-appointed psychiatrist
Marty Saybrooke
into believing he is unfit to stand trial. A vengeful Todd abducts Spencer, determined to torture him to death, but ends up sending Spencer and Blair off a building rooftop by accident. While recuperating in the hospital in early 2007, Spencer descends deeper and deeper into his own private obsession, obsessing over Blair. One night he sneaks into Blair's nearby hospital room, drugging her and preparing to marry her, but is murdered during the attempt on January 26, 2007. The killer is ultimately revealed to be Lindsay Rappaport
, who had killed Spencer to protect Marcie McBain, whom she loved like a daughter, from losing her adopted son Tommy should the truth come out that he is actually Todd's son.
After Spencer's death, Miles Laurence
— younger brother of villain Mitch Laurence
— comes to town in February 2007. Miles had been a longtime patient of Spencer's, whose surgical genius had fixed Miles' grotesquely deformed facial features. The sheltered Miles, having lived his entire life in hospitals and institutions, believed Spencer to be his only friend. He listened to Spencer's posthumous messages, and follow Spencer's instructions to take revenge on all of Spencer's enemies themselves. Miles has Todd assaulted and abducted, and keep the secret of Tommy McBain's paternity. After Miles' scheme to force Marty to become his wife falls apart, a remorseful Miles realizes the extent of Spencer's misdeeds and gives up Spencer's final secret, revealing to Blair that Tommy is Todd and Margaret's missing son.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
. He was played by Paul Satterfield
Paul Satterfield
Paul Satterfield, Jr. is an American actor.Satterfield was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Paul Satterfield a Nashville firefighter who was killed in the line of duty and Singer Songwriter Priscilla Coolidge...
from May 25, 2005 to January 30, 2007. Satterfield has reprised the role, in the form of Ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
by characters Miles Laurence
Miles Laurence
Miles Laurence is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live. He was portrayed by David Chisum from February 12, 2007 to April 22, 2008.-Storylines:...
and John McBain
John McBain (One Life to Live)
John McBain is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by Michael Easton since October 1, 2003.-Natalie and Evangeline:...
, several times in 2007. Austin Williams
Austin Williams
Austin Williams is an American soap opera actor. In 2005, Austin was cast in the film The Good Shepherd, which starred Matt Damon, as the young version of Damon's character Edward Wilson...
played a young Spencer in a 2008 storyline in which the characters Bo
Bo Buchanan
Beaufort Oglethorpe "Bo" Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live.-Casting and awards:The role was originated in 1979 by Robert S. Woods, who briefly left the series in 1986 but returned in 1988, and currently portrays the role...
and Rex
Rex Balsom
Rex Balsom is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by John-Paul Lavoisier since May 9, 2002.With the character initially named "Jamie" prior to production, then-Executive Producer Gary Tomlin "toyed with the idea" of putting Rex in a gay storyline;...
find themselves 1968.
Character history
Brilliant Dr. Spencer Truman comes to LlanviewLlanview, Pennsylvania
Llanview, Pennsylvania is the fictional setting for the long-running American soap opera One Life to Live. The city exists in the same fictional universe as cities from other existing or defunct ABC daytime dramas, including Pine Valley from All My Children, Port Charles from General Hospital, and...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 2005; his younger brother David Vickers
David Vickers
David Vickers Buchanan is a fictional character from the daytime soap opera One Life to Live, portrayed by Tuc Watkins.-Appearances:...
and ex-wife Dr. Paige Miller are inexplicably furious to have him back in their lives. In some way "wronged" by Spencer in the past, they are determined to find a way to keep him away from those they love and get him out of town. The somewhat sinister Spencer makes it clear he is not going anywhere.
Spencer performs an operation on young Jack Manning
Jack Manning (One Life to Live)
John "Jack" Cramer Manning is a fictional character on the American soap opera, One Life to Live. He is the first-born son and second child of Todd Manning and Blair Cramer.-Casting:...
that saves the boy's life; Spencer befriends Jack's mother Blair Cramer
Blair Cramer
Blair Cramer is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live...
, and the two soon become romantically involved. Blair, however, is still emotionally wrapped up with her bastard ex-husband, Todd Manning
Todd Manning
Thomas Todd Manning is a fictional character from the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. Created by writer Michael Malone, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Roger Howarth. In 2003, Howarth departed from the series and the role was recast with actor Trevor St. John as Todd, initially written...
. Obsessed with winning Blair's love for himself, Spencer frames Todd for the murder of Margaret Cochran
Margaret Cochran
Margaret Cochran is a fictional character on the soap opera, One Life to Live. The character was played by Rebecca Mader from March 26 to June 8, 2004...
. Throughout Todd's grueling murder trial, Spencer is finally able to make Blair question Todd's innocence, and seduces her. Todd is convicted of murder and sent to death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
; he is actually executed
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
and declared dead when Police Detective John McBain
John McBain (One Life to Live)
John McBain is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by Michael Easton since October 1, 2003.-Natalie and Evangeline:...
appears with the very much alive Margaret. Spencer manages to revive Todd. In addition to faking Margaret's death, Spencer had secretly delivered her son, whose biological father is Todd. Spencer blackmails Paige into helping him, and keeping the secret. Spencer had murdered John and Dr. Michael McBain
Michael McBain
Dr. Michael McBain is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live.-Casting:The role was originated by R. Brandon Johnson in November 2003, with Nathaniel Marston stepping in on February 16, 2004 and ultimately leaving on November 29, 2007. On January 9, and January 10, 2007, Robert...
's father, Thomas McBain, 25 years earlier, and had managed to convince both David and Paige that they had been complicit. Spencer puts Todd and Margaret's baby up for adoption, and the boy ends up with Michael McBain and his wife Marcie Walsh
Marcie Walsh
Marcie Walsh McBain is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live. The role was played by Kathy Brier from October 18, 2002 to June 17, 2009 and briefly on November 6, 12 and 13, 2009. Marcie and Michael returned on October 25, 27 and November 3, 2011.-Arrival:In 2002, Marcie...
, who are unaware of his origins.
Spencer's true motivation for returning to Llanview is revealed to be a vendetta
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
against Asa Buchanan
Asa Buchanan
Asa Buchanan is a fictional character and patriarch of the Buchanan family on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. The Texan industrialist father of newly-arrived characters Clint and Bo Buchanan, Asa was originated in 1980 by Philip Carey. Carey portrays the nearly continuously for nearly three...
. David and Spencer's mother Emma Bradley-Truman had been one of Asa's wife Renee Divine's bordello girls, and on her deathbed had told Spencer that Asa is his biological father. Spencer vows destroy Asa's family piece by piece. Eventually, Blair catches on to Spencer's crimes, and after Todd's failed execution becomes determined to redeem herself in Todd's eyes and stop Spencer once and for all. She spies on Spencer, even drugging him and recording their conversations in hopes that he will slip up and incriminate himself. Ultimately, Blair and John McBain succeed in getting Spencer jailed; he confronts Asa about his paternity, but the results of a DNA test
Genetic fingerprinting
DNA profiling is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals by their respective DNA profiles. DNA profiles are encrypted sets of numbers that reflect a person's DNA makeup, which can also be used as the person's identifier...
showed that he is not Asa's son after all. Spencer seems to suffer a psychological breakdown. He makes an insanity plea, fooling court-appointed psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Marty Saybrooke
Marty Saybrooke
Dr. Margaret "Marty" Saybrooke is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live. The role was originated by Susan Haskell, who portrayed Marty from January 24, 1992 through September 16, 1997 and made brief appearances on February 16, 2004 and February 2005...
into believing he is unfit to stand trial. A vengeful Todd abducts Spencer, determined to torture him to death, but ends up sending Spencer and Blair off a building rooftop by accident. While recuperating in the hospital in early 2007, Spencer descends deeper and deeper into his own private obsession, obsessing over Blair. One night he sneaks into Blair's nearby hospital room, drugging her and preparing to marry her, but is murdered during the attempt on January 26, 2007. The killer is ultimately revealed to be Lindsay Rappaport
Lindsay Rappaport
Lindsay Rappaport is a fictional character from the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by Catherine Hickland from May 1998 to October 2008. Hickland briefly reprised the role in July 2009. Hickland is set to reprise her role as Lindsay in late 2011...
, who had killed Spencer to protect Marcie McBain, whom she loved like a daughter, from losing her adopted son Tommy should the truth come out that he is actually Todd's son.
After Spencer's death, Miles Laurence
Miles Laurence
Miles Laurence is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live. He was portrayed by David Chisum from February 12, 2007 to April 22, 2008.-Storylines:...
— younger brother of villain Mitch Laurence
Mitch Laurence
Mitchell "Mitch" Laurence is a fictional character, portrayed by Roscoe Born, on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live, from 1985 to 1987 and again from 2002 to 2003...
— comes to town in February 2007. Miles had been a longtime patient of Spencer's, whose surgical genius had fixed Miles' grotesquely deformed facial features. The sheltered Miles, having lived his entire life in hospitals and institutions, believed Spencer to be his only friend. He listened to Spencer's posthumous messages, and follow Spencer's instructions to take revenge on all of Spencer's enemies themselves. Miles has Todd assaulted and abducted, and keep the secret of Tommy McBain's paternity. After Miles' scheme to force Marty to become his wife falls apart, a remorseful Miles realizes the extent of Spencer's misdeeds and gives up Spencer's final secret, revealing to Blair that Tommy is Todd and Margaret's missing son.