If it hadn't been for the constant outpouring of viewer support and positive energy, McClain might have extended her self-imposed, 1996-1998 hiatus from AMC indefinitely.
It's not that she'd stopped loving the soap that had been her home since 1989. It's not that she didn't like the role for which she won a Daytime Emmy in 1990. It's just that for a long time, she'd needed a break from the grueling schedule of a daytime show. So, three years ago, she quit.
Fast-forward to 1999. McClain is back full-force. But what made her return?
Here's a hint: It wasn't money, time off or the promise of a giant-sized dressing room. Yep. Chalk up another victory to viewer support.
"Fans were one of the reasons Cady came back," says a friend of the actress. "She became friendly with a group of fans on the Web, and one of those women started a petition to bring back Dixie. McClain was so amazed by the number of people out there who wanted her to return. It made her feel appreciated."
Even before McClain's first airdate last fall, the news of her imminent return spread like wildfire. Relative newcomer Cameron Mathison (Ryan) was amazed by the enthusiasm for this woman he had never met.
"I'd go to autograph sessions, and fans would be asking about Cady McClain's return over there," he relates. "They couldn't wait for her to come back."
And now that she has, fans should definitely stay tuned; AMC has a lot in store for Dixie in the months ahead, and you aren't going to want to miss a minute of it!