▁on ▁December ▁ 2 2 ▁and ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁from ▁May ▁ 9 ▁through ▁October ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁Che ath am ▁re app eared ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 8 ▁and ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁November ▁ 1 ▁to ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁briefly ▁from ▁June ▁ 1 1 ▁to ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁In ▁Che ath am ' s ▁absence , ▁actress ▁Kate ▁Wood ville ▁played ▁Marie ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁till ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁and ▁actress ▁L anna ▁Sau nd ers ▁played ▁the ▁role ▁on - cont ract ▁from ▁April ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁through ▁April ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁Character ▁history ▁Marie ▁H orton ▁is ▁the ▁young est ▁child ▁of ▁Tom ▁H orton ▁Sr . ▁and ▁Alice ▁H orton . ▁When ▁the ▁show ▁begins ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁Marie ▁is ▁a ▁bio chem istry ▁gradu ate ▁student ▁at ▁S alem ▁University . ▁She ▁has ▁recently ▁broken ▁her ▁eng agement ▁to ▁a ▁wealth y ▁man ▁named ▁Rick ▁Butler ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁engaged ▁to ▁Tony ▁Mer ritt , ▁her ▁neighbor . ▁Marie ' s ▁sister ▁Add ie ▁disapp ro ves ▁of ▁Marie ' s ▁eng agement ▁to ▁Tony , ▁as