List of The Young and the Restless characters introduced in the 1970s
A list of notable characters from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless that significantly impacted storylines and debuted between March 1973 and December 1979. All characters introduced during this time were created by series co-creator William J. Bell.
Brad Elliot
Brad Elliot first appeared on March 26, 1973, and was portrayed by Tom Hallick until 1978.The very first episode of The Young and the Restless began with Brad Elliot being mugged, carjacked, and left for dead beside the highway. A semi-truck driver picked him up and dropped him off in Genoa City, Wisconsin. Stuart Brooks, owner of The Genoa City Chronicle watched Brad eat breakfast at Pierre's Restaurant, then admit that he was unable to pay the check, and offer to work it off. Stuart paid the check for him, they spoke for a while, and Stuart gave Brad a job at his newspaper and an advance on his wages, suggesting he rent a room above the restaurant. Brad did just that and became a friend and confidant to Sally McGuire, the waitress. Brad went to work at the newspaper and discovered and destroyed a newswire that declared that Chicago doctor, Brad Eliot, had died in a car crash, his body burned beyond recognition. Stuart's oldest daughter, Leslie Brooks, fell in love with Brad who encouraged her to come out of her shell and enjoy a very successful career as a concert pianist. Leslie's 21-year-old sister, Lorie, who had always been jealous of Leslie because Stuart had spent so much time nurturing Leslie's talent, returned home from college in Paris, where she had led a wild life of sex, alcohol, and drugs. Unable to spark any interest from Brad, Lorie started intercepting their letters and phone calls while Leslie was on tour. Lorie managed to convince Brad that Leslie was no longer interested, and convinced Leslie that she had seduced Brad. As the thought of Brad and Lorie making love haunted Leslie, she had a nervous breakdown, freezing at the piano during a concert in New York City. After being led off stage by her mentor, Maestro Fautsch, Leslie wandered through Central Park, her purse was stolen, and she wound up institutionalized for weeks with no memory in a ward with a few other mentally disturbed women who taunted her mercilessly. Eventually her doctor discovered who she was from a publicity photo and notified Stuart, who flew to New York and rescued Leslie.
Stuart and his wife Jennifer secretly supported Leslie through her recovery in a sanitarium near Genoa City. Meanwhile, Lorie became engaged to Brad. After months of therapy Leslie was released. When Brad found out what Lorie had done, he broke up with Lorie, and he and Leslie got back together. With Brad's encouragement, Leslie bought Pierre's Restaurant and turned it into The Allegro, a nightclub where she could perform without having to travel. Stuart and Jennifer spent many evenings at Allegro, proud of their talented daughter who was also singing there. Lorie had dug up Brad's past, and she exposed it once she was no longer in his life. Brad had been a Chicago neurosurgeon/psychiatrist who had gone against hospital rules to operate on his own son who had died on the table. Brad had been so distressed that he had left Chicago, leaving his practice, his parents, and his girl friend Barbara Anderson behind. His wrecked and burned car had been found later with a body inside which had been burned beyond recognition, and he had been declared dead. Leslie ended up healing Brad by getting him to talk to Barbara and other neurosurgeons who convinced him that he had done all anyone could have for their son, and that their son's death was not Brad's fault. Leslie also arranged a reconciliation between Brad and his parents. Brad and Leslie then married. They honeymooned in Palm Springs where the Mid-America Symphony was performing. Brad had gotten tickets and arranged a meeting with Maestro Fautsch, who talked Leslie into resuming her career as a concert pianist.
While performing in Paris, Leslie ran into old friend Lance Prentiss, wealthy eligible bachelor and co-owner of Prentiss Industries, who lived in an estate not far from Genoa City on Lake Geneva. Leslie would often spot Lance in the audience as she toured the world performing, and he would meet her afterward for dinner. Lance finally revealed to Leslie that he was in love with her. But although their marriage was occasionally rocky, Leslie demurred, saying that her heart belonged to Brad. The kind and forgiving Leslie set Lance up with her younger sister, Lorie. After being lavishly romanced by Lance with intimate dinners all around the country and the world, Lorie gave in to his charms. Lance and Lorie were married on the spur of the moment during a trip to Lake Tahoe. Later that year Brad discovered that he had chronic neuritis and was going blind. Rather than let Leslie give up her career for him, he kept it a secret and made Leslie fall out of love with him, then asked her for a divorce. But when Brad discovered that Leslie was pregnant, he told her the truth, learned to read Braille, and they agreed that Leslie would never give up her career for him. After Brad accidentally hit Leslie in the stomach with a suitcase which caused her to miscarry, Brad filed for divorce and left town. Brock Reynolds helped Leslie get over Brad and proposed with a ruby ring, but she gently told Brock that she wasn't ready. Brad later returned, his eyesight restored by a risky operation, but Leslie rejected him, and he again left town.
Stuart Brooks
An original core character first appearing on March 26, 1973, Stuart Brooks was portrayed by Robert Colbert and is known for his marriages to Jill Foster and her mother, Liz. He made his last appearance in 1983, and was said to have died off-screen in 1984.Stuart ran the city newspaper, the Genoa City Chronicle, and was married to Jennifer Brooks, with whom he had four daughters. The eldest, Leslie, an accomplished pianist, was very introverted and dateless due to music having consumed her entire life. The second, college student Lorie, was studying in Paris, where she led a life of sex, alcohol, and drugs with Brock Reynolds, son of Stuart's old friend, Katherine Chancellor. Third daughter, Chris, was a caring, thoughtful, and idealistic college student also working at the Chronicle with her father. Red-headed Peggy, the youngest, was still in high school. During the very first episode, Stuart helped drifter Brad Elliot, with whom Leslie ended up falling in love, get a job at the newspaper. Upon learning that Snapper Foster was secretly having an affair with waitress Sally McGuire while publicly in a relationship with Chris, Stuart tried to break up them up however, Chris refused to believe her father and moved out. Stuart was also busy helping Leslie through a mental breakdown thanks to Lorie's affair with Brad.
Later, Bruce Henderson, a former lover of Jennifer, came back to town following a divorce hoping to reunite with her. Jennifer hoped to leave Stuart but, his heart attack delayed her decision with them reconciling fully after Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer. Upon Jennifer's passing, Stuart began getting close to Snapper Foster's mother, Liz. She, however, resisted by claiming she was out of his class, leaving Stuart to be seduced by her daughter, Jill. Tricking Stuart into believing he had gotten her pregnant, he and Jill married. However, when the truth of Jill's fake pregnancy came to light, he promptly divorced her and turned back to Liz.
Lorie later released a book, 'In My Sister's Shadow,' all about her relationship with Leslie, causing Leslie another breakdown. Stuart berated Lorie for its release. Around the same time, Liz and Stuart finally got married and Peggy began working with Chronicle reporter Steven Williams to help expose the New World Commune, which had trapped Paul Williams and Nikki Reed. Steven and Peggy were eventually engaged but, due to her being in an affair with Jack Abbott, she left him at the altar.
During a happy marriage to Liz, Stuart was briefly entranced by his new secretary, Eve Howard, but her obsession with Victor Newman took precedence for her, with nothing ever happening between her and Stuart. Stuart and Liz's happiness was not to last, however, as, by late fall, Snapper's ex-lover, Sally Roulland, returned wanting Snapper to perform a much needed operation on their illegitimate son, Chuckie. For the first time in years, Snapper and Chris faced interference from Stuart, causing Liz to leave. After another failed attempt at romance, this time with Gina Roma, Stuart slowly faded from view after Jill tried and failed to help him and Liz reconcile. As editor of the Genoa City Chronicle, Stuart was involved in an attempt to prove that police officer Carl Williams had been framed by the mob. While his four daughters returned for Victor and Nikki's wedding in 1984 and mentioned Stuart still being in town, he was later said to have died.
Chris Brooks Foster
Christine "Chris" Brooks Foster first appeared in March 1973 as one of the daughters of newspaper owner Stuart and Jennifer Brooks. Chris is best remembered for her romance and marriage to Dr. Snapper Foster. She was portrayed by actress Trish Stewart until March 17, 1978, and then Lynn Topping from September 15, 1978, to August 20, 1980, and from March 2, 1981, to September 14, 1982, before Stewart briefly appeared again in April 1984.History
Nineteen-year-old college student Chris Brooks began working at her father's newspaper, The Genoa City Chronicle. She quickly began a romance with Snapper Foster, the son of Liz Foster. Snapper's family was relatively poor in comparison to the Brooks family as Liz Foster was forced to work on the assembly line at Chancellor Industries while Snapper held a part-time job and was attending medical school all to support his family that also includes Greg and Jill Foster. Snapper was against a relationship with Chris because of how busy he was and did not want to upset Chris. Yet, Chris was determined and left home when Stuart tried to prove that Snapper was having an affair. Chris began working alongside Greg Foster as a secretary, yet Greg fell for her. When Chris learned that her father paid her salary, she quit, which also hurt Greg. Afterwards, Chris was raped by George Curtis while job hunting. The memory ended up hurting her romance with Snapper as memories haunted her. Snapper ended up convincing Chris to press charges, which she eventually did, but he was set free. Snapper even ended his affair to Sally McGuire and proposed to Chris, who accepted. However, Sally was pregnant and hoped to convince Snapper to marry her. But Liz talked Sally out of it with Snapper overhearing.
Chris and Snapper ended up marrying and she quickly got pregnant. But she miscarried when she learned about Snapper's child with Sally, and they briefly separated as Chris began working as a social worker with Greg again. Chris was assigned to help Ron and Nancy Becker, and their young daughter Karen. Chris' sister, Peggy, was raped, and Peggy identified her attacker as Ron. Chris urged Peggy to file charges, Ron was arrested, but in a trial was found not guilty. When Nancy discovered evidence that proved Ron was actually guilty, she became catatonic, and was committed to a mental hospital. Since Chris was having trouble getting pregnant, and she wanted to save Karen from living with her rapist father, she and Snapper convinced Ron to give them custody of Karen. But after Nancy recovered, Karen was returned to Nancy's custody. Chris was so devastated that she separated from Snapper again and left town. Months later, Chris returned to find that Snapper was involved with Dr. Casey Reed. Chris forced Snapper to choose between them, and Casey ended up bowing out to save Snapper's marriage. By 1977, Chris's mother Jennifer died and Stuart began seeing Snapper's mother Liz and they eventually married after Stuart ended his marriage to Jill Foster.
By 1981, Chris gave birth to Jennifer Elizabeth Brooks, and soon after, Snapper's former lover, Sally McGuire, re-entered Snapper's life with their son, Chuckie, who was seriously ill. While Chuckie was hospitalized with a kidney problem, Sally realized that she was still attracted to Snapper, but Snapper was adamant that she move on with her life. When Chuckie was cured, Snapper shared an emotional goodbye with both Sally and Chuckie as they returned home with Sally's fiancée, Stan. Snapper ended up accepting a fellowship teaching and research opportunity in London. But Chris, who was now a model at Jabot Cosmetics, was opposed to moving there. Eventually, Chris moved there with Jennifer, later joined by her mother-in-law and stepmother, Liz. During their stay in London, Chris's father Stuart ended up dying. In 1984, Chris briefly returned to Genoa City along with her sisters Peggy, Leslie, and Lorie to attend the wedding of business tycoon Victor Newman and Nikki Reed, the younger sister of Casey Reed.