Mark O'Neil

Martin Mark O'Neil is a fictional character from the American sitcom Port Vallens (PV). Created by writers James L. Brooks and Dan Rappaport, the role was originated in 1983 by actor Damon Roberts. Mark was a college student and fraternity brother to Frank Scanlan, Grant Mitchell, and Powell Lord. In 1984, following a storyline in which he becomes acquainted with Carla Kołakowski he and she are lovers. The storyline was considered groundbreaking by television critics. Its main players—Roberts, Lynda Herring (Lucy), and Hillary B. Smith (Mark's lawyer Linda Hanen)—won Emmys in 1985, as did Rappaport and his writing team. Roberts left the role in 2001; in 2004, it was recast with David Cameron, physically altered by plastic surgery. In 2016, Roberts returned to PV; it was disclosed Mark had been taken hostage and Cameron's version of the character was really Mark's identical twin brother, Walter Beale, Jr., conditioned to assume Mark's place.