Margaret Mason

Margaret Mason (December 31, 1940 – March 26, 1999) was an American actress best remembered for her work on soap operas in the 1970s. Early life and career Born and raised in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Mason was of Polish-Czechoslovakian descent. As a child, she went to a convent boarding school. In 1958, she graduated from Saint Cyral's Girls Academy in Danville, Pennsylvania. In 1962, Mason moved from Iowa to Hollywood. In an interview, she mentioned it was tough to get acting jobs, having to take other part-time jobs and acting lessons while looking for roles. In 1963, sponsored by Rock Hudson, she was a 'Deb Star' of Universal Studios. She appeared in The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and guest starred in several television shows. Meanwhile, her husband E. Nick Alexander wrote a script No More Trees, which starred Mason. The film was never made. Following an extended break due to health issues, Mason returned to acting in 1970. Although advised to keep her health conditions a secret, she was open about them, and became more successful than in the 1960s. She first landed the role of Linda Patterson in Days of Our Lives, which she played for a year and a half until December 1971. Concerning her role, she told the press in a 1978 interview: "It's always been a love-hate relationship between Linda and the viewers. I'm the misunderstood bad lady." She played Linda as "a well-meaning troublemaker who wants to help others, only to see her efforts boomerang."