Jennifer Harmon, ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘How to Survive a Marriage’ Actress, Dies at 82

Jennifer Harmon, best known for her role as the lead in NBC's short-lived but socially resonant soap opera "How to Survive a Marriage," died May 9 in New York City at the age of 82. She played the central character in the 1974–1975 series, which followed a divorced woman navigating single parenthood and entering the workforce, a storyline that reflected shifting gender dynamics of the era. The show ran for 335 episodes before its cancellation. Harmon first gained attention on Broadway, making her debut in the 1965 revival of "You Can't Take It With You." She went on to appear in 21 Broadway productions over five decades. From 1976 to 1978, she portrayed Cathy Craig, a troubled and manipulative figure, on ABC's "One Life to Live," earning a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1978 for outstanding lead actress in a drama series. She also had brief roles on other soaps, including "Guiding Light," "Another World," and "Loving." Harmon's extensive stage career included performances in "Blithe Spirit" (1987), "The Sisters Rosensweig" (1993), "The Little Foxes" (1997), and "Amy's View" (1999). She was an understudy for Stockard Channing in the 2011 Broadway play "Other Desert Cities," later stepping into the role. Other notable stage appearances included "The Glass Menagerie" and "Seascape," both in 2005. Harmon frequently served as understudy to major actresses such as Judi Dench and Jessica Lange in productions like "The Dinner Party" (2000) and "Barefoot in the Park" (2006). Born December 3, 1943, in Pasadena, California, she spent much of her life in New York, deeply embedded in its theatre scene.

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