Fallon role surprised Emma

Press, 26 February 1986, Page 14

Fallon role surprised Emma

It was not until Emma Samms had signed a fiveyear “Dynasty” contract that she was told the closely-guarded secret—that she was to take over from Pamela Sue Martin as the believed-to-be-dead Fallon.

“It’s certainly a funny feeling, starting a new job by stepping into a dead character’s shoes and bringing her back to life,” says Emma Samms. •

"The moment everything was signed up, I telephoned my mother in London and asked if she ever watched ’Dynasty.’ “She sounded quite surprised, and replied: ‘Of course'not!’ But she’s delighted now and, since she’s my number one fan, I’m sure she’ll become as hooked on the show as everybody else. "Fallon is also regarded as one of the sexiest roles on television, but I’ve never wanted to believe that men are only attracted by my body. I’d much rather that I was admired because people see me as an attractive person.” If Emma Samms’s lucky break reads like overnight success, then nothing could be further from the truth. She came from Britain to work in Hollywood five years ago, and has proved herself one of the top American TV actresses.

She starred five days a week in the top-rated

series “General Hospital,” in which she played one of the leading characters. She also has several films and television specials to her credit, and came third in a coast-to-coast poll to find the United States most popular actress. "I still can’t believe everything that has happened,” she says. “I’ve only recently stopped pinching myself to make sure that I’m awake. For quite a few mornings, in fact, I’d wake up in bed and won-

der whether or not I’d just had some very vivid dream.” Certainly her attitude towards "Dynasty” is rather less cynical than Pamela Sue Martin’s. After she quit "Dynasty,” Pamela Sue Martin said: “I discovered that there are dangers in a long-running series. One danger is that you start to develop a sense of selfloathing. "Dynasty” screens on Two tomorrow evening.