I still remember the day Liz Keifer debuted as a recast for the character of Christina Blake Thorpe. Blake had left Springfield a few weeks before to deal with her new feelings for the man she stole from her mother. Since the first scene when the announcer introduced her in the role and she turned around to peer into her mother Holly’s window, Liz has been Blake. Over the years, Liz has seen Blake through a lot. From having an affair with her brother-in-law to almost fathering twins by two different men to being caged up by her husband’s mistress, Liz has made Blake a fan favorite.

The popular actress has been playing Blake since 1992, replacing Sherry Stringfield in the role at a pivotal point in the character’s life. Blake had just stolen her mother’s boyfriend right from under her mother’s nose, and in the process, Blake was falling in love with the guy.

“I went into the audition with a real strong hold on the history of the character, even more so than Sherry, because I was already a fan of the show,” Liz said. “I felt that I was meant to play Blake, that I was meant to play on Guiding Light.” 

Liz won the role of Blake and the show held back from using her at first. “I was cast a few months before I started working” Liz recalled.“The show asked Sherry to stay awhile longer to play out the story. They wanted the change (in actresses) to come along when the character was beginning to change.”

Lately, we haven’t seen much of Blake Marler since she fell into a coma after downing a glass of poisoned champagne while celebrating her mayoral race victory in Springfield. Blake has been sidelined while Guiding Light wrapped up the story of Tammy and Jonathan. “They just didn’t have room on the story boards to tell Blake’s story” Liz said.

All will change in April when Blake and Liz get back to work. Blake will come out of her coma to reveal some information about Dinah. “It will be edgy and funny” shares Kiefer. Considering that Blake has been in a coma longer than most soap characters stay on the show, it may take some time for the character to return to top form. “I’m sure there will be some wheelchair action for Blake” says Liz.

As for Blake making atonement for her past indiscretions as the Springfield Burns blogger, Liz has high hopes that the audience will enjoy the story direction. “I think the audience deserves to see Blake make it up to everyone she hurt” admits her portrayer.

Liz in fact was surprised to learn that Blake was the blogger. “They didn’t tell me that Blake was the culprit up until a few weeks before we taped”, said Kiefer, adding “I had my suspicions”, though. Certain direction she received got her wondering. “I remember being in a group scene and the direction was for Blake to be very interested in what was going on” says Liz.  From then on Liz “knew something was up” and that Blake “might be the blogger.”

Liz justified Blake’s motives as the blogger because of Ross’ death. “Suddenly Ross is gone and she lost her identity. Blake is a strong lady, but has such an insecure core. She was always somebody” explains the actress.  “First she was Roger Thorpe’s daughter, then Ross Marler’s wife”.  So when Ross died “she just became Blake.”  “She needed to find something to get her identity back” says Liz.  “Plus, Blake being Blake, she liked the attention.”

Liz’s continues to enjoy Guiding Light from both sides of the screen. “I’m still a fan of GL,” she says. “I’m very thrilled that the show has gotten back to its roots.”  The longtime vet also is enjoying the year long celebration of Guiding Light’s 70th Anniversary. She took part in the week long event in the gulf coast. “We all got together and worked as a team, it was a great moment,” stated Liz, clearly proud and honored.

Liz feels that Blake and her family are an important part of the fabric of the show.

When asked what she would like to see happen to Blake, Liz thought that it might be time for the Marler children to be aged. “The twins could have a Cane and Abel type relationship” she said, “with one brother acting like Ross and the other like Roger.”  Liz also thinks that Clarissa could take after her mother and grandmother and have a very unstable psyche. “It would be great to have Blake repeat all of Holly’s mistakes with her own children,” she said.

When asked if there was any man in Springfield that might catch Blake’s eye, Liz responded that any guy on the show would be fun to interact with. “Maybe Alan” she said. “Or there is always Frank” she laughed. Frank is such a “good guy” that maybe he would be “good for Blake.”

Of course Liz would “love” to have her old co-star back. Jerry verDorn left GL when his contract wasn’t renewed and he was dropped to recurring status. “It was all about the chemistry with Jerry and me,” Liz said. “We spent a great deal of time, early in our story, really trying to define these two as a couple. That is why Blake and Ross worked so well.”  Also, the onscreen coupling led to a great friendship between the two actors off screen.  “He is a doll,” Liz says of her former acting partner.

These days, Liz doesn’t get to see much of Jerry since he left the show, but they still keep in touch. “Jerry isn’t much of a talker on the phone” laughed Liz, “but I call and talk to his wife and he sometimes gets on the line.”

The pairing of Ross and Blake was a defining moment for Guiding Light. The two characters were instantly accepted as lovers and developed a huge fan base for the show. “It was a great bond we shared” Liz reminisced. 

Liz and Jerry will be reunited this October for Daytime Stars and Strikes, the fundraiser they started 15 years ago. “It started as an event at the Guiding Light fan club weekend to benefit Robert Lupone’s (ex-Leo Flynn) theatre company,” Liz said. It was an instant success, so successful in fact that after a few years the theatre company was no longer in need of financial assistance.  When Jerry was diagnosed with cancer, the event benefited cancer research, with numerous GL cast members attending. “When Jerry left the show we decided to make it all about the NYC soaps” Liz said.  Once again Daytime Stars and Strikes profits will be benefiting American Cancer Society Research Funding Department. For more on how you can participate go to:

It will be great to have Blake and Liz back in action very soon on Guiding Light. Springfield just hasn’t been the same without its resident trouble maker. 

Thanks to Liz for taking the time out of her busy schedule to chat with Soaptown. And to Wendy Madore for making this interview happen.