Alexandra Spaulding is a fictional character from Guiding Light, an American soap opera on the CBS network. Beverlee McKinsey was the first actress to play the role, which she did from February 10, 1984, to August 21, 1992. McKinsey made the character one of the most memorable women on daytime television and although she loved her family, "her voice dripped venom when she addressed her enemies." Lydia Bruce (Maggie Powers, "The Doctors") played the role of Alexandra for a couple of days in the fall of 1984 after the death of McKinsey's husband, . After an extensive search for a permanent replacement, Marj Dusay, who had played the ruthless matriarch/businessman Myrna Clegg on Capitol, was hired and portrayed the character from September 24, 1993, to March 11, 1997, from November 20, 1998, to January 21, 1999, and finally from December 26, 2002, until the final episode on September 18, 2009. She received an Emmy Nomination for the role in 1995. Legendary film and television actress Joan Collins, best known for her role as Alexis Colby on the primetime soap Dynasty, guest starred in the role for three months from September 23, 2002, to December 23, 2002, having originally signed for six. Collins' portrayal brought a large amount of press and attention to the show as her incarnation of the character was known as "your typical rich bitch." Collins was even reported to have re-written her lines to accommodate the large amount of dialogue she needed to learn and grueling work schedule.