Arleen Sorkin portrayed the character of Calliope Jones Bradford on Days of Our Lives between 1984 and 2010 intermittently. Employed as a dress designer, Arleen's Calliope arrived in Salem City and befriended many of the prominent characters from the soap, such as Marlena, Jennifer Horton, and the DiMeras. Loved as an eccentric personality with wild tastes, she was mostly put up in a non-confrontational role.
Famous as the voice for Harley Quinn, Sorkin left Days of Our Lives in May 2010. She passed away in August 2023, at the age of 67, due to health-related complications. Sorkin's Calliope received two Daytime Emmy nominations while winning four Soap Opera Digest Awards in different categories.
Days of Our Lives: Story arc of Arleen Sorkin's Calliope Jones
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Arleen Sorkin's Calliope Jones was introduced on Days of Our Lives in 1984, when the young girl joined Liz Curtis as an employee. Her introductory scene saw her designing a dress for Anna DiMera. She started her journey in Salem as a clothesmaker and moved on to become a talk show host before leaving the regular role. Later, she returned as a wedding planner. Her final stint on the soap was to assist Commissioner Rafe in an investigation.
One of her fascinating plot arcs involved Stefano DiMera. Calliope had Daphne DiMera's diamond necklace in her possession. She claimed it was her putting herself in danger since Stefano was after the necklace, which boasted prism-cut stones. Another arc involved Calliope collaborating with Jennifer Horton-Devereaux to host a daytime talk show. In 1990, she handed over the show to Jennifer and left Salem.
Not to forget her marriage with Eugene Bradford, another eccentric genius in the soap in 1985, right after she landed in Salem. Eugene had built a time machine as per the storyline and disappeared when trying to travel using it. After leaving in 1990, Eugene never returned to Salem. According to Calliope, the couple were staying in New York City and were doing well.
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The 2006 storyline of Days of Our Lives saw Calliope back in Salem as a wedding planner for Marlena and Alex North's marriage. A busy and successful professional with years of advance bookings in her schedule, Calliope set aside time to help Shawn-Douglas Brady and Mimi plan their wedding. She even had a tussle with Mimi's mother, Bonnie Lockhart.
Calliope's last appearance on the soap was in 2010, when Commissioner Rafe Hernandez employed her services. She was hired to gather evidence against EJ and Anna DiMera in the kidnapping of Sydney, EJ and Sami's daughter.
Also Read: Days of Our Lives: Complete list of comings and goings
A brief look at late Arleen Sorkin
Sorkin garnered early fame after playing Calliope on Days of Our Lives. Her character was a fan favorite, a vibrant and quirky personality known for her extraordinary collection of peculiar hats. The character, coupled with her onscreen husband Eugene Bradford, presented outlandish story arcs in the soap, adding comic relief to the plot.
While Sorkin achieved heightened fame as the voice of Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series, her portrayal of Calliope also became the inspiration behind the characterization of Harley. She has many films, television shows, and video games to her credit.
Besides acting and voiceover, Sorkin was also a comedian, a television presenter, and a screenwriter, including the Tiny Toon Adventures. She also wrote the story and screenplay of the 1997 movie Picture Perfect. She is survived by her husband, Christopher Lloyd, and her sons Eli and Owen.
