Judith McConnell

Life and career

McConnell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is the former Miss Pennsylvania for the year 1965, and she competed in the 1966 Miss America pageant. She started her acting career in a 1967 episode of Judd, for the Defense. Also, in 1967, she played Yeoman Tankris in Star Trek the Original Series, "A Wolf in the Fold." She later played short-term recurring roles on The Beverly Hillbillies (as a bank secretary) in 1969 and Green Acres (as Eb's girlfriend) in 1970 and 1971. She played Betsy Nicholls in an episode of Dragnet -"A.I.D.: The Weekend " in 1970. Prior to her stints as Valerie Conway on As the World Turns from 1976 to 1979 and as Sophia Capwell on Santa Barbara, Judith played Nurse Augusta McLeod on General Hospital from 1973 - 1975. Her character murdered longtime GH villain Phil Brewer which aired December 6, 1974 after he threatened her in regards to her unborn child fathered by the married Dr. Peter Taylor.

Moving to New York, Judith took on the role of scheming Valarie Conway on As the World Turns, and later played socialite Miranda Bishop on Another World. A brief role as spy Eva Vasquez on One Life to Live came about in 1983, after which she moved back to Los Angeles to replace Rosemary Forsyth on Santa Barbara who had been unbilled while playing the mysterious Dominick, a bearded man who knew information about the Channing Capwell murder. When Dominick finally removed their disguise, it was revealed to be McConnell under the beard, and Sophia was revealed to be alive in early 1985, creating a huge triangle for the older generation of Capwells and Lockridges. Over the years, Sophia developed into a traditional soap heroine as she remarried C.C., but could not escape from her scandalous past. The final weeks of the show provided a happy ending for Sophia and C.C. who reconciled after several years apart. When she returned to the soaps years later, it was in disguise again, playing one of a coven of traditional witches on Passions.

In addition to the series listed above, McConnell has guest-starred on numerous television series throughout the years and some films. She recently appeared in a commercial for IKEA, in The Weather Man in 2005, and played the elderly auctioneer in The Purge: Anarchy, and most recently, appeared in a commercial for Walgreens.