Dr. Mark Jarrett, MD
Actor History
Keir Dullea (May 1986 to December 1986)
Occupation
Neurologist
Resides At
Unknown
Marital Status
Single/Divorced (Claire Ramsey)
Past Marriages
Claire Ramsey
Relatives
Unknown
Children
Unknown
Flings & Affairs
Alexandra Spaulding (dated)
India von Halkein (dated)
Crimes Committed
Was briefly involved with Alan Spaulding in trying to take over Cedars administration from both Ed and Maureen Bauer. (May - October 1986)
Brief Character History
Charismatic and controversial neurologist, Mark Jarrett was hired by then Cedars hospital administrator, Maureen Reardon Bauer in May 1986, against the objections of her husband, Cedars chief-of-staff Dr. Ed Bauer. Maureen for awhile didn't understand why Ed objected to the hiring of what she thought was very capable surgeon that seemed to perform miracles for treating and healing his patients. Maureen was about to find out why he was so controversial. Mark Jarrett also was not berefit of female admirers in Springfield, including the very married Maureen.
A year before Ed had gotten into a tryst with then both Maureen and Ed's friend, Dr. Claire Ramsey. Claire had gotten pregnant and given birth to Ed's daughter, Michelle. Earlier before the arrival of Mark Jarrett, Claire had started to become a neglectful parent to Michelle and Ed and Maureen sued for custody. At the same time, Ed's son from his first marriage, Rick was a med student and his teacher was none other than Claire. The vindictive Claire put so much pressure Rick, that Rick got addicted to amphetamines (Rick had also had an one-night stand with Claire back in 1984 and Claire was still unhappy about the fact that Rick had set up a bet with Dr. Louie Darnell that he could loose his virginity to Claire.) Claire then threatened to report Rick to the medical board unless he dissuaded Ed and Maureen from proceeding with their case against her. Ironically, Claire was alternating her teaching duties with a cushy new gig as Springfield Journal owner, Maeve Stoddard's personal physician and thus had no time for little Michelle.
When Maeve's husband, businessman and Sampson Industries owner, Kyle Sampson sympathized with Claire in Michelle's custody situation, the neurotic doctor fantasized that he would leave Maeve for her. But Kyle's help was to no avail, for two events strengthened Ed's resolve to win his daughter away from Claire. Rick overheard Claire threaten Michelle with physical violence, and he relayed this to Ed, along with Claire's blackmail scheme. Rick struggled to conquer his drug addiction and was able to complete his intensive rehab program. The Bauers then received word from Ed's aunt Meta that Ed's beloved mom, Bert had died. Determined to pass Bert's loving legacy on to his daughter, Ed vowed that Michelle would grow up in their home. Claire eventually handed over custody of Michelle to Ed and Maureen but retaliated by giving Rick an undeserved F on his final exam!
Claire then became emeshed in the triangle of Kyle, Maeve and Kyle's former lover Reva Shayne. Reva was reunited with the mystery man hwo had pulled her out of the icy water during her suicide attempt on New Year's Eve, 1985. His name was Cain Harris and he was now tattered and feverish. She let him stay at her house at Reva Bend and pawned her engagement ring to pay his medical bills at Cedars. Reva thought Cain was a decent fellow, but neither Kyle not Springfield Journal reporter (and a former lover of Claire's) Fletcher was convinced. Fletcher investigated and learned that Cain was a former Hollywood stunt director, named Harry Kane, who was implicated in the murder of his starlett wife. After Cain had discovered his wife carrying on with a fellow actor, he orchestrated a stunt that ultimately killed her.
As Kyle agonized over this stranger living in Reva's house, Claire found out Kyle owned Reva Bend and tried to blackmail him into an affair. When he refused, Claire told Maeve that Kyle owned the place -- and that meant he must be having an affair with Reva. Claire then overheard Fletcher warns Reva that Cain was a murderer. Aware that several people in Springfield now had his number, Cain went completely insane and in May 1986 threw Claire off the Springfield bridge. Kyle grappled with Cain, who fell to his death. Claire was rescued by Kyle. After lying in a coma for weeks, on June 3, 1986, Claire regained consciousness and admitted Rick had aced his final exam. She soon collapsed with a brain seizure on June 11, 1986 and would not regain consciousness again until June 25, 1986. Claire's condition still remained critical until her condition then caught the eye of Mark Jarrett. Ed objected when Mark made Claire a test case for an experimental procedure. Mark tried to get Ed to see that Claire's earlier vindictiveness might have been caused by the same illness that had caused her brain seizure. Ed at first still wouldn't listen, so Mark went to Maureen (who was still smarting about what Claire had almost done to Michelle and Rick.) But a sympathetic Maureen listened to Mark about the proposed procedure and talked Ed into letting Mark perform the procedure. Ed came around after Mark cured Claire and Mark became a media celebrity as a result. But Kyle had a hunch about Mark that proved to be correct: Mark was a pawn in businessman Alan Spaulding's attempt to take over Cedars by having both Maureen and Ed fired (Alan and Ed had been at loggerheads for years, with Alan onetime helping Ed's former adversary, Roger Thorpe, Alan having an affair with Ed's third wife, Rita Stapleton, while married to Ed's niece, Hope and Ed's older brother, attorney Mike Bauer had been an adversary of Alan's as well; Maureen had her own issues with Alan -- especially when Alan had attempted to use her brother, Dr. Jim Reardon to manufacture biological weapons at Cedars in 1983-1984!) To beat Alan at his own game, Kyle himself set his sights on the institution. Alan was chagrined to discover Mark's new bond with Ed and yanked his funding! Ironically Alan's older sister, Alexandra "Alex" Spaulding stepped in as Mark's new benefactor, while Alex's stepdaughter (and a formerly cahoots with Alan) India -- when she started working as the Art Gallery Cache's new operator held an art showing to beniefit Mark's research. Both Alex and India were attracted to the doctor and he dated both of them for the research funding, but he grew weary of being in their constant crossfire. He romanced Claire, his miracle patient instead, and they left Springfield together as husband and wife in December of 1986!
Claire returned to Springfield in March of 2000 after Harley Cooper Spaulding Mallett Spaulding found out that Claire had information that might affect Harley's friend, Rick Bauer staying as a doctor at Cedars. Harley went and both stole into Claire's apartment and office in nearby, Chicago and was caught on both occasions by Claire. When Claire returned to Springfield after this to try and get back into her daughter (now Michelle Bauer Santos) good graces because of Michelle being in prison for supposedly killing attorney Ben Warren, apparently Claire and Mark Jarrett had gotten a bitter divorce and Claire barely mentioned the man's name. Apparently Mark's operation (and this would be born out from actions she took after she returned to Springfield) had not really cured Claire of her vindictive nature!
