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ATWT Keep You Informed
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JAMES STENBECK
Dead Man Walking
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James Stenbeck is alive, and has a secret that will rock Lucinda and shock Oakdale
The fact that James Stenbeck is alive and well and hiding out in Oakdale isn't enough to knock your socks off. Most infamous villain reveals a secret from Lucinda's past that changes her life forever. To add insult to injury, James is secretly buying up the major businesses in Oakdale and announces his plans to control the town. Viewer gets their first glimpse of James when his henchman announces that James now owns the Falcon Club. Always a master stragegist, James has hired Jack Snyder as his front man. That puts James at an advantage and allows him access to the town without showing his hand. By secretly buying everything any major CEO doesn't do, but James' ethics are different, for sure. A man who faked his death and let his son stand trial for murder definitely has questionable ethics. Like a good chess player, he had a contingency plan. Later this week James tells Lucinda that he planted a gun with blanks, knowing that Paul would shoot him with it. He had also paid off the medical examiner in advance and fled to Europe. The government is after him for a variety of bad deeds. They've just become aware that he's alive, so he has a finite amount of time to get into the country, set up his operation and get out.
James is also in town to see what his enemies and former lovers are up to. He has TV monitors set up that allow him to spy on the Falcon Club patrons. You never prepared for the emotions you will feel when you see an old enemy. He is of course, referring to John whom James sees kissing Barbara. These two man tries to kill each other several times over. Dixon once held a gun to James' head and cursed at him for hours and now he's with James ex wife. How about that! So nothing is simple in this situation.
James also has a past with Samantha. They crossed paths at a gambling game. What they have is a mutual respect rather than a romance. He took her World Wide stocks (at the table in Monte Carlo). Sam doesn't ever want to be under anyones control , so I have a feeling she is going to try to get back what is hers. James is certainly interested in Sam, because she is the ultimate con and she is Lucinda's sister. He needs Lucinda for something.
Lucinda wakes up from a restful night's sleep, removes her eye mask and finds James, very much alive, in her bed.
Her first reaction is delight, because it's the first time anyone's chatted with her in a long time. Lucinda is horrified by James' presence but the characters hands are tied. What's she's going to do, call the police and report a deadman in her bedroom. She doesn't want to look like an idiot. So, Lucinda listens intently as James says he has an offer of a lifetime for her. Lucinda and James' relationship takes on many forms. They have always been passionate in everything they do, including business, which is what this proposition is all about. The proposition includes reminding Lucinda of a hideous moment in her life 30 years ago. These scenes are real showstoppers. What he tells her is shocking and devastating, but the way Liz plays those scenes is absolutely fascinating. Lucinda's friends and family, especially Lily will certainly have a lot to deal when they are told about the secret. As for James' future in Oakdale,he will be around for a while. This is a big big character.
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He got a cheap flight, "Anthony Herrera quips when asked why James is returning to Oakdale"
According to the actor, airline fares were pretty much the only thing preventing the character from returning to ATWT. James has been killed and come back to life before, so this isn't the first time this has happened. And when I came back last year in the dream sequences, I got a lot of e-mail saying "What's the big deal". The fans didn't seems to care that he was dead, he says. Herrera and Felecia Behr's major concern was making sure the story and timing were right. I spoke to Anthony a long time ago and we just kept checking back with each other, she explains. Once we realized we could make this storyline in his return. He has several things on his agenda and there is a lot of history and mystery to clear up, Herrera hints. One bit of history that will not be resolved, however, is his relationship with his son, Paul. Right now Paul is weak. He's a failure. James' return has nothing to do with him. Herrera adds that "death" apparently has mellowed James. There's a difference in the way he operates now. He's learned from his mistakes. He used to strong-arm people, but now he is determined to play by the rules. Let's see how long that lasts.
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Death becomes him, Herrera on his ATWT return
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The Lives and Loves of James Stenbeck
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James Stenbeck has lived, loved,lied and died more than anyone else in Oakdale. Here is an abridged account of his life in Oakdale.
BARBARA: While studying in New York barbara had an affair with James, heir to the Swedish throne. He didn't reciprocate her love, so when she got pregnant with Paul she gave the boy to a friend. This part of the story was told in flashbacks. James' family tried to force Barbara into an abortion because they did not want the royal blood leaving the line. In 1980, James came to Oakdale. He learned that Paul is his son, interrupted Barbara's wedding to Tom and convinced her to marry him. Barabara was shot to the heart during a ball in their honor. This was another instance of James' family trying to interfere. James was still a good guy at this point. It was his family who was evil. James and Barbara got married on Barbara's deathbed, to give Paul a name, but she pulled through.
MARGO: James hired Margo as Barbara's nurse and was immediately attrackted to her. Around this time James started forging valuable artworks and passing them off as originals. James bought Margo a cottage, but was not pleased when John, who was pretending to be blind, moved in. James confessed to running down John in a hit and run accident and then try to kill him again with a knife. John countered by pulling a gun on James. Margo and James continued their affair, but James still needed Barbara because he was smuggling stolen goods and drugs through Fashions. That was the first inkling Barbara had that there was something rotten in Sweden.
Back to Barbara: She called a psychic to their house, hoping to spice up their marriage. Barbara began having visions of her 18th-century self, Bianca. Bianca was torn between Jason (James) and Geoffrey (Gunnar Stenbeck, James' cousin and the true Stenbeck heir). We didn't see Gunnar for real until James' father's funeral in Sweden. We played the classic baby switch storyline, James isn't the real Stenbeck, Gunnar is!! James accused Barbara and Gunnar of having an affair, but she denied it.
A change in the heir: James planned to drive Barbara crazy in order to get custody of Paul; he drugged her so she couldn't seperate her 18th-century visions from reality. He had her committed, and began flirting with Arial Aldrin. Gunnar sprung Barbara, and they sought custody of Paul. James took Barbara to Spain and trapped her in a bullring. Gunnar saved her and they married. James died for the first time when Gunnar pushed him out of a plane.
Back to Life: James returned in 1986 when he saved Margo from a thug chasing her in Duncan McKechnie's Castle. Lucinda fawned over him and ran positive articles on his return in the City Times. James revealed that he had an affair with Emily while he was "dead". Later, James tried to take over Walsh Enterprices. Lucinda let him seduce her, but came to her senses and ousted him. He disappeared. Paul contacted James, and they bonded. Meanwhile, James was blackmailing Lucinda, Emily and Meg Snyder. Emily, Lucinda and Barbara all threatened to shoot James, but he died in a fire. Barbara thought that Paul killed James, so she took the rap and went to jail. That's when Hal and Barbara got together.
1989 - A very bad year: Surprise! he's alive! In New York, James killed Glen Harrington and wounded Hank Elliot. The police chased him, but his helicopter crashed in the East River and he was presumed dead (again!). James returned to Oakdale, masquerading as Lucinda's gardener, Chavez. He blackmailed Lucinda and Tonio Reyes, discovered Adam's true parentage and stalked Emily. Paul shot and killed him (the police even made a chalk outline!) as he was strangling Emily. Paul was tried for the murder, but was eventually cleared. Good thing too, because the dead man isn't dead anymore!
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