Karen Spencer

Karen Spencer
The Bold and the Beautiful character
File:Karenb&b.JPG Joanna Johnson as Karen Spencer (2009)
Portrayed by	Joanna Johnson
Duration	1991-1994, 2009, 2011
First appearance	December 11, 1991
Last appearance	July 2011
Created by	William J. Bell
In-universe information Other names Faith Roberts Occupation Co-Owner & Co-CEO of Spencer Publications Formerly at Spectra Fashions Parents Bill Spencer (father; deceased) Marion Spencer (mother; deceased) Bonnie Roberts (adoptive mother) Siblings Caroline Spencer (twin sister; deceased) Bill Spencer Jr. (paternal half-brother) Spouse Connor Davis (1994; invalid) Children Unknown sex (miscarriage, with Conner Davis) Caroline Spencer

Karen Spencer is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. After Joanna Johnson's character Caroline Spencer was killed off the show, Karen was created to bring back Johnson to the Soap Opera. She first appeared In 1991 and remained until 1994. Johnson returned to the role on a contract basis starting with the April 28, 2009 episode, but less than six months later, she was released from her contract and Karen was again off screen. She returned in July 2011 for a several week brief story-arc..

Storyline

Background

In one of the show's earliest retcons, the late publishing heiress, Caroline Spencer, proves to have an identical twin sister named Karen. In the revised history, she is kidnapped as an infant and taken away to Texas, where she lives as Faith Roberts. She was raised by waitress Bonnie Roberts.

Storylines

Karen was discovered by Bill Spencer (her father)'s ex girlfriend Margo. Margo told Blake Hayes (who was in L.A obsessed over his ex-wife Dr Taylor Forrester who had left him after he was abusive towards her) that Caroline had a twin sister who was called Faith, living in Texas. He was trying to split up the couple, and used Karen to pose as Caroline Spencer "Back from the dead", however she refused. At one point, he locked her up and threatened her to pretend to be her late sister.

Thorne fell in love with Karen Spencer because of her looks - just like Caroline, his ex wife. The two fell in love however the couple were at odds due to Thorne's othe ex wife, Macy Alexander, who still loved Thorne and developed jealousy for Karen. Karen and Thorne had an affair while Macy was trying to save her marriage with Thorne. Karen would rub it in Macy's face about her affair and stealing Thorne away. The two had a memorable food fight over Thorne one day during Thanksgiving, while preparing the meal in a kitchen. Thorne would up falling in love with Karen, and while his marriage to Macy was in shatters, he took up with Caroline's twin. Karen's relationship with Thorne was short-lived, and she soon ended up falling for attorney Connor Davis (Scott Thompson Baker), leaving Thorne and Macy to reunite.

Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) determined to replace Connor as Brooke Logan's (Katherine Kelly Lang) confidant, began to investigate Connor's affair with Karen. When Sheila intercepted a love letter that Karen had written to Connor, she seized the opportunity to lure Brooke to Connor's apartment, where the two witnessed Connor and Karen kissing. A devastated Brooke called off her wedding to Connor, and a rift was created in her friendship with Karen. Karen became pregnant with Connor's baby, but lost the baby not long after. However Karen did not tell anyone and wanted to lie about the pregnancy.

Karen did not marry Thorne, but rather became engaged to Connor Davis. They were married in a house wedding but to make it official they have to sign the papers, Karen did not sign it until she revealed that she had lied to Connor about her alleged pregnancy. Connor could not believe it and so he called off the marriage, and the papers did not officially make them man and wife. In 1994 Karen had returned Spectra Fashions back to Sally after Karen took over, soon after Karen called her mom Bonnie Roberts and she told her to come home for a while. Karen took a vacation there but stayed in Texas, where she has presumably resided since.

2009

Karen returned to Los Angeles in April 2009. It was revealed that Karen had been working at Spencer Publications, the company in which her brother Bill Spencer, Jr. was working in. Stephanie called her to offer her condolonces about the death of her father Bill Spencer. She was present for the reading of her father's will where in it; he bequeathed 50% of the Spencer Empire (all of his assetts and his company Spencer Publications) to her and the other 50% to her half-brother Bill Spencer Jr. She and Bill Jr. were also named the successor Co-CEOs of Spencer Publications. Although Karen was hesitant to assume the role, Stephanie assured her she would do a fine job. Karen then decided to stay around town and be-friended, Nick Marone. Karen attended her half-brother's wedding to Katie Logan in November 2009. She left town again shortly after and currently runs the East Coast division of Spencer Publications in New York City.

2011

In 2011, she came to town briefly for the renewal of the vows between Katie and Bill. Karen decided to stay in town and work at Spencer Publications in L.A. But however, decided that her life was in New York and returned there.

2012

Fan fave Joanna Johnson is returning to the role of Karen Spencer on CBS' The Bold and the Beautiful in March — and she's not coming alone! TV Guide Magazine has learned that Karen will be bringing along a daughter the audience never knew existed. The kid is named Caroline, after Karen's late sister (also played by Johnson), and she's a twentysomething design student who is hoping to land a job at Forrester Creations. Karen brings her to L.A. for the interview.

Caroline will be played by relative newbie Linsey Godfrey, whose credits include Wizards of Waverly Place and CSI: Miami. Johnson, one of B&B's original cast members, only acts these days when paged by the soap. Now her claim to fame is behind the scenes, as co-executive producer and writer of the hit ABC Family series Make It or Break It. Prior to that she created the Kelly Ripa-Faith Ford sitcom Hope & Faith.

So who's the baby daddy? Before you jump to any trashy, B&B-style conclusions, a publicist for the soap tells us Caroline's father is definitely not Ridge Forrester (Ronn Moss), even though he had a thing with Karen back in the day. The rep further reveals that Caroline — who uses the last name of Spencer — is not related by blood to anyone on B&B which makes her available to all the show's young men.

And get this: Even though Caroline's existence will come as quite a surprise to viewers, the B&B characters will act as if they already know her. Naturally, she'll get the job at Forrester — no suspense there — and control freak Stephanie (Susan Flannery) will invite the girl to live in her guest house. For many of these sequences, B&B will shoot on location at the posh Beverly Hills home of the show's cocreator Lee Bell.

Look for Karen and Caroline to hit the air March 27 — just four days after B&B celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Notes

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Exclusive-Joanna-Johnson-1042837.aspx?rss=keywords