Jacklyn Zeman

Zeman was born in Englewood, New Jersey, to a family of Jewish descent.[1] Her parents are Rita Zeman-Rohlman, a magazine supervisor, and Richard S. Zeman, a systems engineer.[2] She grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey and completed her high school studies at age 15, at Bergenfield High School, after which she studied dance on a scholarship at New York University.[3] She was a Playboy Bunny at the Playboy Club in 1972.[4]

Zeman had several small parts before landing series regular role in the ABC daytime soap opera, One Life to Live playing Lana McClain from 1976 to 1977. Later that year, she was cast as Barbara "Bobbie" Spencer on the sister-soap, General Hospital, a role she played on regular basis until 2010. Zeman received three Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and one Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series nominations for her role.[5] Since 2013, Zeman appeared on General Hospital in a recurring basis.[6]

Outside soap operas, Zeman appeared in the 1982 comedy film National Lampoon's Class Reunion and had a cameo in the sprof comedy film, Young Doctors in Love. She starred in the made-for-television movies Jury Duty: The Comedy (1990) opposite Heather Locklear and Montana Crossroads (1993) opposite Kellie Martin. She performed in off-Broadway and other productions including Come Blow Your Horn, Barefoot in the Park and The Boyfriend.[5] Zeman received another Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her regular role as Sofia Madison in the streaming series, The Bay in 2021.[7]

Zeman has been married three times. Her first marriage, to Murray Kaufman, a popular DJ known as Murray the K, lasted from September 16, 1979 to 1981. Her second marriage, to Steve Gribbin, lasted from 1985 to 1986. Her third marriage, to Glenn Gorden, lasted from February 14, 1988 to June 21, 2007; Zeman and Gorden have two daughters, Cassidy Zee Gorden (born September 16, 1990) and Lacey Rose Gorden (born July 15, 1992).

Zeman was a close friend of her late GH co-star Shell Kepler (Nurse Amy Vining)'s and delivered a eulogy at her funeral.[8]

She was also close to the late GH co-star Anna Lee (wealthy matriarch Lila Quartermaine), to whom Zeman paid tribute in 2004, prior to Lee's death. Zeman recently said in an interview, when asked if Lee had a pretty great memory: "Absolutely, she did! She was so beautiful and funny. Oh, my God, she was funny. She had a bawdy sense of humor. And of how many women, she stayed on that show for so many years, and well, well, well, with an older woman, which she was on, and still, they could shot her so tight with such beautiful close-ups, because, she had such [well, not only], a beautiful face, when she continued to having as she aged, but the beauty and the light within her, in her spirit, it just truly say, 'A Star Shines.' She is the perfect example of that!"[9] She also responded, if Lee had been like a "surrogate grandmother" to Zeman, both on- and off- the camera: "I have great respect and admiration for Anna Lee personally and professionally. She was always a pleasure to spend time with both on and off the set. I still think of her often and I feel blessed to have experienced her friendship and her amazing sense of humor. I miss her beautiful smiling face."[10] The last thing she said about the times that she and Lee spent together, while not doing General Hospital, like fundraisers or primarily eating out was, "Yes, and I enjoyed every minute of the time Anna Lee and I spent together. She was such fun to be around and she had the best sense of humor. Very earthy. I miss her so much but I feel such gratitude to have known her and worked with her and I will always remember her with love and friendship in my heart."[10]

Zeman's home in Malibu, California was reported to be in foreclosure in 2012.[11]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jacklyn Zeman.

• Jacklyn Zeman at IMDb