Hi everyone. Most of you probably know that Bill Bixby was married to Brenda Benet. I know she was on one episode of The Courtship Of Eddie's Father. Does anyone remember ner being on the episode? Can you tell me who she was? Thank you so much.

Hi everyone. Most of you probably know that Bill Bixby was married to Brenda Benet. I know she was on one episode of The Courtship Of Eddie's Father. Does anyone remember ner being on the episode? Can you tell me who she was? Thank you so much.
The episode was called The Lost Weekend and Brenda played a girlfriend of Tom's..also during that time period Benet was Bill's fiancee and they later married and had a son. Brenda Benet was a 1960s starlet; she was briefly married to Paul Petersen (Donna Reed Show) and appeared in a lot of popular television shows of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Courtship of Eddie's Father. Benet and Bixby divorced in 1979, after 8 years of marriage, then Brenda Benet landed a role in Days of our Lives..then tragedy struck as her only child Christopher died of a rare throat infection in 1981 and a year later..Brenda committed suicide..she was only 36 years old.

Brenda Benet was also in Walking Tall ,the first one that came out.

The episode was called The Lost Weekend and Brenda played a girlfriend of Tom's..also during that time period Benet was Bill's fiancee and they later married and had a son. Brenda Benet was a 1960s starlet; she was briefly married to Paul Petersen (Donna Reed Show) and appeared in a lot of popular television shows of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Courtship of Eddie's Father. Benet and Bixby divorced in 1979, after 8 years of marriage, then Brenda Benet landed a role in Days of our Lives..then tragedy struck as her only child Christopher died of a rare throat infection in 1981 and a year later..Brenda committed suicide..she was only 36 years old.
She also guest starred in "The Psychic," a standout episode of THE INCREDIBLE
HULK, in which her character (in a scene that is now strangely ironic) persuades
David Banner that suicide is not the answer to his dilemma. How sad that her
own life ended the way it did.

I think she also guest starred on Bixby's 1973-4 show The Magician. I can't recall the name of the actress who guest starred in the ep where a woman was trying to escape from gangsters, and had to go into the witness protection program. She pretended to be dead, and was lying in her coffin, while his character was sad. :( :crying: I am not sure if that was Benet.
The two appeared on Tattletales together.

Brenda and Bill starred in show called Three is a Crowd where he marries her. But on the honeymoon she ends up lost. So Bill marries another women. Brenda comes back so he juggles two marriges without each wife not finding out. Bill and Brenda also did a episode on the Love Boat

I think she also guest starred on Bixby's 1973-4 show The Magician. I can't recall the name of the actress who guest starred in the ep where a woman was trying to escape from gangsters, and had to go into the witness protection program. She pretended to be dead, and was lying in her coffin, while his character was sad. :( :crying: I am not sure if that was Benet.
The two appeared on Tattletales together.
That was Brenda.

Brenda Benet was also in Walking Tall ,the first one that came out.
So was Elizabeth Hartman, another suicide victim. :( There is more on Brenda Benet's story in the book Soap Opera Babylon (I forget the author's name but it was published in the late 80s), and also Bill and Susan Hayes (her Days co-stars) wrote lovingly about her in their book, Like Sands Through The Hourglass.

The episode was called The Lost Weekend and Brenda played a girlfriend of Tom's..also during that time period Benet was Bill's fiancee and they later married and had a son. Brenda Benet was a 1960s starlet; she was briefly married to Paul Petersen (Donna Reed Show) and appeared in a lot of popular television shows of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Courtship of Eddie's Father. Benet and Bixby divorced in 1979, after 8 years of marriage, then Brenda Benet landed a role in Days of our Lives..then tragedy struck as her only child Christopher died of a rare throat infection in 1981 and a year later..Brenda committed suicide..she was only 36 years old.


I always thought Bill Bixby was an excellent actor, sorely underrated if you ask me. I did not realize until after his death that he had been married at one point to Brenda Benet.

There have been conflicting accounts over the years regarding the deaths of Benet and Christoper.

In a tribute to Mr. Bixby that I saw shortly after is death on some show (perhaps it was "Entertainment Tonight" or a similar show) they stated that Christopher had gotten stung by a bee and that caused an Anaphalactic reaction that caused his throat to swell up. He suffocated shortly thereafter. Neither one of his parents knew he was allergic to bee stings. I suppose that could account for the "rare throat condition" mentioned as his cause of death.

With Ms. Benet, I have read 3 seperate accounts of how she died -- 2 involved suicide (1 via pills; the other via self-inflicted gun shot) and a heart condidtion that caused her to die in her sleep. At least that's what the folks at DOOL said upon her death.

I find it so sad that repeated tradegy struck a seemingly happy family. I remember reading that Bixby and Benet remained on friendly terms after their divorce and that his son's death, followed by hers just a few months later nearly killed Bixby.

Any way you look at it, it's such a sad, sad story...for all involved.

I always thought Bill Bixby was an excellent actor, sorely underrated if you ask me. I did not realize until after his death that he had been married at one point to Brenda Benet.

There have been conflicting accounts over the years regarding the deaths of Benet and Christoper.

In a tribute to Mr. Bixby that I saw shortly after is death on some show (perhaps it was "Entertainment Tonight" or a similar show) they stated that Christopher had gotten stung by a bee and that caused an Anaphalactic reaction that caused his throat to swell up. He suffocated shortly thereafter. Neither one of his parents knew he was allergic to bee stings. I suppose that could account for the "rare throat condition" mentioned as his cause of death.

With Ms. Benet, I have read 3 seperate accounts of how she died -- 2 involved suicide (1 via pills; the other via self-inflicted gun shot) and a heart condidtion that caused her to die in her sleep. At least that's what the folks at DOOL said upon her death.

I find it so sad that repeated tradegy struck a seemingly happy family. I remember reading that Bixby and Benet remained on friendly terms after their divorce and that his son's death, followed by hers just a few months later nearly killed Bixby.


WOW, I have never heard of those other accounts in regards on Benet's death. The story I read, was that, she waited for a friend to leave the premises of her residency; after, she was sure that her friend was gone. Brenda pulled out a gun, and committed suicide. Which is and was a shame, because she was such a stunning woman.

^She was so beautiful, and such a sad story.

^She was so beautiful, and such a sad story.
What I also read, Benet did not really have much of a happy life, to begin with; she was married and divorced a couple of times; and losing her only child, was just the icing on the cake. I always thought that she and Bill Bixby were an amazing couple. And, they looked GREAT together!:)

What I also read, Benet did not really have much of a happy life, to begin with; she was married and divorced a couple of times; and losing her only child, was just the icing on the cake. I always thought that she and Bill Bixby were an amazing couple. And, they looked GREAT together!:)
Yes, they did! The photos of them as a couple are incredible...they looked so much in love. Who would've thought things would turn out the way they did?? :(

Yes, they did! The photos of them as a couple are incredible...they looked so much in love. Who would've thought things would turn out the way they did?? :(
I believe the successs of The Incredible Hulk put a major strain on their marriage. Bill, was rarely home. And, he was super busy (and involved) in a highly successful television show. That is a lot of ways, took him away from his family.

I believe the successs of The Incredible Hulk put a major strain on their marriage. Bill, was rarely home. And, he was super busy (and involved) in a highly successful television show. That is a lot of ways, took him away from his family.
That's a good point. It was all downhill from there for Brenda. :(

This is from the book Soap Opera Babylon (by Jason Bonderoff, published in 1987), in the chapter "Death Wish":


Another daytimer with a death wish, Brenda Benet, wasn't quite so lucky. On April 7, 1982, the Days of Our Lives star was found dead in the guest bathroom of her Los Angeles home. When the police broke down the bathroom door, they found her lying on the rug, clutching a .38 caliber gun. The coroner's report later revealed that she had killed herself by shooting a bullet through her open mouth. The bullet had ricocheted off a tooth and gone right through her head.

The world at large was shocked, but friends and family were hardly surprised. The 37-year-old actress, one of the most tormented souls to ever grace a soap, had been emotionally unstable for some time. Her despondency had grown even worse since the death of her 6-year-old son, Christopher, just thirteen months before. Taking her life was merely the final step of a long, dark journey. By April 1982, when Brenda died, her life had become unbearable. As she saw it, death was the only chance off the merry-go-round.

When Brenda first came to Hollywood, nobody could have predicted such a tragic end for her. Beautiful and talented, she seemed destined for stardom, and Hollywood's most eligible bachelors flocked around her. In short order, she married Paul Peterson, who had starred on The Donna Reed Show, but later divorced him and wed another actor, Bill Bixby. While Bill scored major successes with The Courtship of Eddie's Father and The Incredible Hulk, Brenda seemed content to stay on the sidelines and let her career slide. She was particularly devoted to their young son, Christopher, and wasn't anxious to leave him. But when her 7-year marriage to Bixby fell by the wayside in the summer of 1979, Brenda accepted the role of Lee Carmichael on Days of Our Lives.

Nevertheless, Christopher remained her first priority. "Being a mother is the most challenging thing I've ever done," she said. "Christopher's so bright and sensitive - he's the joy of my life. I've never known anyone like him."

The contrast between Brenda, the off-screen devoted mother and on-screen dragon lady was startling indeed. Sometimes, it seemed, Brenda herself had a hard time deciding who she really was. From the moment she made her first entrance on Days of Our Lives, fans were enthralled with her villainous TV character, who was carnal and conniving, and a little of Lee Carmichael began to rub off on Brenda. Backstage, according to reports, Brenda began to act out a very parallel script. She fought bitterly with one castmate and had an adulterous affair with another. She earned a reputation for being high-strung and temperamental, although no one ever questioned her talent. Brenda dominated every scene she was in.

Meanwhile, her private life was becoming a real soap opera, too. Her bitter divorce from Bill Bixby made banner headlines. Brenda petitioned the court to put out a restraining order on her soon-to-be ex-husband, preventing him from claiming any of their community property. She claimed that he wanted to remove the furniture from their luxurious home in the Mandeville Canyon section of Los Angeles. Since the separation, Bixby divided his time between a plush one-bedroom apartment at Universal Studios, where he filmed The Incredible Hulk, and a fully furnished yacht which he kept anchored at a nearby marina. According to Brenda, he was livinng as well, if not better, than she and Christopher were, and had no need to take any of the furniture in the Mandeville Canyon house. She told the court, "He is an extremely well-paid entertainer who could well afford to rent furniture."

Despite their well-published disputes, both parents were united on one thing - their love for their son. Brenda was granted custody of the boy, but Bill remained close to him, too. Bill was adamant about one thing - that his son not be allowed to watch any episodes of The Incredible Hulk. He worried that if Christopher saw him transform every week from mild-mannered David Bruce Banner into his Hulk persona - a gargantuan, ugly, green monster - it might give him nightmares.

However, a much more devastating scenario lay in store than anyone could have foreseen. The most unexpected nightmare of all occured in March 1981 when Brenda decided to take Christopher on a harmless camping trip in the Sierra Mountains. While on the trip, Christopher, who was suffering from a cold, developed respiratory problems and had to be rushed to a hospital. The nearest one was several miles away. By the time Christopher arrived there, his breathing had become so labored that doctors had to perform an emergency tracheotomy. Often, this is an uncomplicated procedure, but during the operation, Christopher went into cardiac arrest and died.

Afterward, Brenda was numbed. Outwardly, she refused to let herself grieve, but inwardly she was tortured by the loss of the one human being she loved most in the world. She tried to lose herself in work, and later in a passionate love affair, but neither could give her the inner peace she so desperately needed. After Christopher's death, Brenda returned to Days of Our Lives very quickly - too quickly perhaps - and tried to go on as if nothing had happened. On the surface, she seemed so calm and accepting. She stunned everyone by giving interviews to the press, and whenever Brenda met with reporters, she was eager to speak about her son. She'd go on at length about Christopher's passing and about how grateful she was for all the letters of support and encouragement she'd received.

For a time, Brenda seemed almost manic. She embarked on at least one unfortunate romance (with a black soap star) and may have been involved in other casual relationships, too. March 1982 was a particularly horrible time for her - the first anniversary of Christopher's passing. It hit her very hard, and friends later conjectured that this was the turning point for her on the road to self-destruction. She now went into an ever deeper depression that led directly to her suicide a month later. Her behavior near the end was very strange - almost frighteningly calm. The last week of her life Brenda made plans with two castmates to attend a party (which, of course, she never attended) and just a few days before her death, she phoned one of her favorite fan magazine editors to thank her profusely for a recent article. In retrospect, the call was obviously a farewell gesture.

According to the police report, on the day of her death, Brenda had a violent argument with a lover, then began drinking about noon and ultimately decided to kill herself. She carried out her final act, lying down on a soft rug in the bathroom with a lighted candle beside her. The thirty-eight had been in her possession for some time. She had bought it for protection after receiving threatening notes from angry fans who were upset that her TV character, Lee Carmichael, had broken up the marriage of Doug and Julie Williams, the show's #1 couple.

Brenda's death sent shock waves through the Days of Our Lives cast. Lanna Saunders, who played Marie Horton, and her husband, actor Larry Pressman, held a memorial service at their home for the actress' friends and colleagues, who came to share their grief, their disbelief and, most of all, their memories of Brenda. One castmate, who seemed to speak for everyone, noted, "If there really is a hereafter, at least Brenda and Christopher are togehter now - that's all she really wanted."

To make matters worse, one of Brenda's last storylines had to do with her onscreen child being near death or something. Apparently the headwriter of Days at that time, Pat Falken Smith (who was new to the show) was unaware that Brenda had just lost her own child. Brenda did the scenes without a word of complaint. Maybe she should have spoken out...maybe things might have been better if she had. Maybe someone could've gotten her the help and treatment she so desperately needed before it was too late. Alas, we'll never know now. :(

To make matters worse, one of Brenda's last storylines had to do with her onscreen child being near death or something. Apparently the headwriter of Days at that time, Pat Falken Smith (who was new to the show) was unaware that Brenda had just lost her own child. Brenda did the scenes without a word of complaint. Maybe she should have spoken out...maybe things might have been better if she had. Maybe someone could've gotten her the help and treatment she so desperately needed before it was too late. Alas, we'll never know now. :(
Unfortunately, I do not think seeking help would had help in the matters. All the counseling in the world, could never erase the guilt that haunted Brenda. I truly believe, that she felt responsible in her son's death.

^ Well, you do make a good point. Plus they didn't have a lot of the antidepressants and such back in 1982 that they do now. Tara, did you read this thread yet? This one truly FLOORED me:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=262633

^ Well, you do make a good point. Plus they didn't have a lot of the antidepressants and such back in 1982 that they do now. Tara, did you read this thread yet? This one truly FLOORED me:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=262633
Even, IF, and I place an emphasis on the word "IF". I, and this my opinion. Believe, that anti-depressants could not save Brenda. I believe, she was deeply affected by her son's death, that she fell into a very, very deep depression, and nothing, even medicine, could save her. She wanted to die, she wanted to be reunited with her son. And, nothing, could stop her for taking that .38 and pulling the trigger; not, Paxil, Prozac, nothing.

Yes, I read what happened to Gregory Sierra's estranged wife. Very sad.
I could understand, why he did not work as much, afterward

Here are some clips of Brenda Benet on Days of Our Lives as uber villainess Lee Carmichael:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHXL9jKJx40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xetARjHkTI0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOhX96h7ZLk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80C45BAROXY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YQM0bF1GQg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pjc1kIBuGY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx2hoh4H_DM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrFlYkUjwcA&feature=related

Brenda is not seen, her character is only referred to, as she was already dead by the time these last scenes aired. They wrote Brenda out by saying that Lee admitted the truth in a letter and then skipped town, never to return.

Plus, here is an interview with her from The Miami News, published just a week or so before she died:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5q8lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H_QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3724,2061040&dq=brenda+benet&hl=en

I know she was on one episode of The Courtship Of Eddie's Father. Does anyone remember ner being on the episode?

Her role in that episode was not very big. She played Tom Corbett's girlfriend Brenda, spending much of the time on the phone and becoming somewhat frustrated that Tom can't find time to spend with her.

A better look at her acting ability came in Season 10 of My Three Sons, in which she plays an employee who flirts somewhat innocently with both Steve and Rob Douglas -- creating friction between the men and their wives. Brenda is pretty effective in that role, and it's really worth seeing for fans of her work.

Sounds great - would love to see that episode someday. :cool: