Robin Mattson Biography

Robin Mattson (born June 1, 1956, in Los Angeles, California) is an American soap opera actor who has appeared in General Hospital, Santa Barbara, and All My Children. She began acting at age seven.

Television

Mattson made her daytime debut as Hope Bauer on Guiding Light (1976"77). She received a Soap Opera Digest Award and an Emmy Nomination for her first major role as Heather Webber on General Hospital (1980"83, 2004, 2012"present). Her character, first appearing as a patient in a mental institution, was a suspect in the murders of Diana Taylor and Susan Moore. Her character also attempted to get her hands on young Jason Quartermaine's trust fund. During Ilene Kristen's absence from Ryan's Hope, she played Delia Reid (1984) who married the older Harve Presnell while having an affair on her wedding night. Replacing Linda Gibboney on Santa Barbara, she received additional Emmy Nominations for her role of Gina Blake Lockridge, a role which lasted from December, 1985 through the final episode in January, 1993. By the end of the series, Mattson was involved with Lionel Lockridge.

Following the end of the series, Mattson moved to New York to take on the role of Janet Green on All My Children (1994"2000). "Janet From Another Planet," as her character was known, turned from psychotic crowbar killer to respectable citizen, but when the character returned (played by Kate Collins, who originated the part), the character's psychosis had returned. Over the next few years, Mattson took on several short term parts on the soaps: Sugar (Sheila Carter's sidekick) on The Bold and the Beautiful in 2003; Madame Cheri Love on As the World Turns (2007); and Lee Michaels (a prison inmate who was part of a body organ theft ring) on Days of our Lives (2010"2011). Mattson has returned to General Hospital on two occasions, first in 2004 for six months, where she was reunited with her former Santa Barbara co-star Jed Allan in a story-line where Heather tried to murder the aging Edward Quartermaine after marrying him for his money, and showing an obsession for Anthony Geary's Luke Spencer. Her most recent return came about in April, 2012, where Heather was again released from a mental institution and set about causing havoc again in Port Charles, revealing that the late Franco was really Jason Quartermaine (now Morgan)'s twin brother.

Other television credits of Mattson's include the NBC's television series Daniel Boone on May 7, 1970. The episode was called "Israel and Love," she played the daughter of Secord (Tim O'Connor). Mattson guest-starred on Barnaby Jones in a 1978 installment entitled "Hitch-Hike to Terror." She also had a significant role in the two-hour Dukes of Hazzard episode, "Carnival of Thrills," which aired at the beginning of season three in 1981. In it she played Bo Duke's love interest "Diane," who was also the head of a traveling stunt-thrill show. Mattson also appeared in The Six Million Dollar Man from the fifth until the 16th episode.

Other television credits include the series "The Incredible Hulk." She played the character of Irene, the mechanic for a race car driver, in the October 6, 1978 episode called "Ricky."

Film

Mattson starred in Namu, the Killer Whale at the age of 9. She costarred in the soft core crime drama Bonnie's Kids in 1973. Mattson was in the 1975 film Return to Macon County. She appeared in the romantic comedy film, The Last Guy on Earth in 2006. She also played Francine Landon, mother of an American Muslim extremist, in "American Jihad", the 13th-season opener of television series Law & Order.

Personal life

Mattson is a gourmet cook. She co-authored the cook book Soap Opera Café : The Skinny on Food from a Daytime Star.

Previously married to film director Ray Manzella, Mattson and former soccer player Werner Roth were engaged in 2005. The couple married in June 2006.