Stefano DiMera is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, played by Joseph Mascolo. Created by Pat Falken Smith, Stefano was introduced on January 18, 1982 as the father of Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) looking to expand his criminal empire to Salem. Stefano's early storylines included his feud with Roman Brady (Wayne Northrop), playing his children – Tony and Renée DuMonde (Philece Sampler) against one another when he is presumed dead, orchestrating a series of murders with his son (then his nephew) and Tony's deranged look-a-like André, and replacing the presumed dead Roman with the brainwashed John Black (Drake Hogestyn). Stefano returns in 1993 for a longer stint. He becomes obsessed with Roman's ex-wife and John's longtime love Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), and accidentally causes her to be possessed by the devil. Meanwhile, Stefano tries to help his adopted daughter Kristen (Eileen Davidson) steal John from Marlena by fathering a child with her look-a-like Susan Banks (Davidson) and passing it off as John's. Stefano also switches Hope Brady (Kristian Alfonso)'s baby at birth and gives it to his daughter Lexie Carver (Renée Jones) to raise. He leaves town in 2001 when he is exposed. An ailing Stefano returns in 2006 having sent his son EJ (James Scott) to impregnate Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) to harvest the baby's stem cells to save his life. Over the next decade, Stefano's past schemes catch up to him as several of his children meet tragic ends. Mascolo retires in 2016 and the character of Stefano is killed off by Hope Brady. From 2019 to 2020, Stephen Nichols played the role Stefano's essence was transferred into Steve Johnson. During this time, Stefano's obsession with Marlena resurfaces and he also sets out to clone himself. Stefano is one of the most recognizable figures in daytime television and is considered to be one of the greatest villains in television history. Throughout his 34 year run, Stefano becomes a blue print for what villains in daytime can be.