Lauren Fenmore Baldwin

Tracey E. Bregman as Lauren Fenmore Baldwin

**Lauren Fenmore Baldwin** is a fictional character on *The Young and the Restless*, portrayed by Tracey E. Bregman. Bregman also appeared on the CBS Daytime, "sister soap" *The Bold and the Beautiful*. Bregman won a Daytime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Lauren in 1985.

Over the years Lauren has become a thorn in the side of several of her romantic rivals, including cosmetics heiress turned author Traci Abbott Connolly and attorney Christine Blair. However, a significant portion of Lauren's history on both series revolves around her long-running conflict with Sheila Carter, a mentally unbalanced former nurse who has attempted to kill her on multiple occasions.

## Concept and Creation

Bregman originally read for the role of Patty Williams, but instead the producers created the character of Lauren just for her, and she didn't even have to audition for it. Bregman thought the role would be brief, but after six months the producers offered her a contract and she accepted.

On *The Young and the Restless*, Bregman first appeared as Lauren on contract from 1983 to 1995, returning briefly from June 15 to 26, 2000. In 2001, Bregman was said to be guest starring only for a brief period over the summer, but decided to stay on recurring status. She returned on August 24, 2001.

On *The Bold and the Beautiful*, Bregman first made crossover appearances from 1992 to 1994 before joining the show on contract in 1995. Her last airdate as Lauren was on August 16, 1999. She made several guest appearances on the show later: on July 5, 2002, from May 17 to 20, 2004, and on January 19 and 22, 2007.

## Character Background

### The Young and the Restless

Lauren was raised by her father. Her mother was barely in her life at all. When her father died, she inherited his company, Fenmore's Department Stores. Lauren spent her late teen years singing with rock star Danny Romalotti and rival Traci Abbott. It seemed like every guy Lauren fell for, Traci wanted too. Lauren was very good at getting her man, even at the expense of Traci's feelings. She goaded and tricked Traci, who was very sensitive.

Lauren became involved with and married Detective Paul Williams. Paul and Lauren were happy for a while though until a stalker named Sean, came into her life and arranged for Paul to misunderstand their relationship. Paul and Lauren divorced, but Paul ended up rescuing her from Sean who had kidnapped her and left her buried alive. Lauren lost their baby in the ordeal, but they were reunited, however they were never remarried. Lauren then married Dr. Scott Grainger.

A nurse named Sheila Carter arrived to work and fell for Scott. Sheila drugged Scott and slept with him, ending up pregnant. At the same time Lauren also became pregnant by Scott but didn't tell him. When the truth about the father of Sheila's baby came out, Scott divorced Lauren and married Sheila. Sheila miscarried her baby earlier but kept it secret. She bought a baby boy off the blackmarket. She then switched the baby for Lauren's baby in the hospital nursery, passing off Lauren's baby as her.

### Molly, Scott's Diagnosis and Death

Sheila named "her" child Scotty Jr. Lauren named the baby she thought was hers Dylan, but he died of meningitis before he was even a year old. Molly Carter, Sheila's mother, told Lauren everything. Sheila tried to kill Lauren at the cabin but accidentally set fire to it instead. Lauren and Molly escaped but a body was found, leaving all to assume that it was Sheila. Unbeknownst to all, Sheila escaped the fire (a meter reader was the one who died). Sheila fled to Los Angeles.
Scott developed a mysterious disease and knew he was dying, but didn't tell Lauren. Sheila found out, and slipped back to Genoa City to see him. Scott forgave her and promised to keep her secret. Lauren found out that Sheila and her husband, Eric were taking a trip, so Lauren planned one too. She expected if they bumped into each other Sheila would expose herself, but Scott had no reaction. Lauren got Scott to admit he'd been visited by Sheila.

Scott took a turn for the worse and died, and Lauren honored his deathbed wish in giving Sheila another chance.

### =Bold and the Beautiful

Lauren later moved to Los Angeles hoping to promote a line of clothes with Forrester Creations. Eric Forrester wasn't interested, so she went to work for Sally Spectra at Spectra Fashions as a designer instead. Lauren became involved with Eric, but felt guilty because of her friendship with Stephanie who wanted to remarry Eric, Lauren ended it. Sally found out about the affair and slipped a photo of Lauren and Eric in bed into the bible at their wedding in Venice. The wedding was called off, and Eric and Lauren flew back to Los Angeles together. The plane crashed and they were taken in by a maniac, who was killed by Eric. They returend to LA, but their relationship didn't last very long.

### Return to Genoa City

Lauren returned to Genoa City. Paul was so shocked to see her, he broke things off with his girlfriend, Isabella. Isabella realized that she was pregnant, and Lauren encouraged her to tell him. Isabella decided not to, and then had an affair with Michael Baldwin and convinced him he was the father. Paul found out that Isabella's child was his. But Paul understood and tried to make a go of his relationship with Isabella. After their baby, Ricardo Williams, was born, Paul married her.
Lauren accepted to be little Ricky's godmother. Isabella ended up attempting murder of Christine and was committed to a mental institution, leaving Paul free to be with Christine again. But unable to get over their past, they split up. Now that ex-husband Paul was free, Lauren and Paul began seeing each other again. A young man named Kevin Fisher got obsessed with Lauren and was overjoyed when she decided to go to prom with him, only to learn later that Lauren was trying to get him to confess to the crimes he had committed.

Kevin held Lauren captive, but then tried to kill himself only to be talked out of it by his half brother, Michael Baldwin. Lauren felt sorry for Kevin and she bailed him out of jail. Michael and Lauren got close while discussing Kevin and their problems and got married. Lauren accepted Michael's proposal and they started their marriage preparations, while Kevin and Michael worked on getting Lauren's son Scotty to Genoa City. What Lauren had not know was that Sheila was living near Scott, posing as a woman who gave him an idea for his book.

Michael wanted to make sure that Lauren was safe and he took her to the asylum to see Sheila imprisoned, without realizing that it was some other woman that had plastic surgery to look like Sheila. Sheila came to Genoa City and started tormenting Lauren in a disguise. She tried to get Lauren to jump off the roof after drugging her, but was stopped by Michael. Kevin's father Tom Fisher got involved in Sheila's plotting and had to help her out with her next plan.

### The Wedding and Dealing with Sheila Again

Michael and Lauren got married and left for their honeymoon on a beautiful yacht. Lauren discovered, upon reading Scotty's book, that the synopsis was completely the same as what happened to her with Sheila, as Sheila revealed herself to Lauren. Tom blew up the yacht, leaving everyone to believe that Lauren had died, while actually Tom had imprisoned both Lauren and Sheila. Tom's ex-wife Gloria Abbott convinced Tom to let Lauren free, but Tom was killed by Gloria's husband John Abbott before he could say anything.

Sheila and Lauren were left alone to fight for their lives. Lauren was saved by Paul, while Sheila's whereabouts were unknown to them. Lauren got pregnant, but was worried about the child's safety when she was said to have a risky pregnancy. She learned about Michael being involved in his mother's constant plots, but went into labor when confronting him about it. She prematurely delivered a baby boy which the couple later named Fenmore Baldwin.

At the same time, Paul found Sheila in town after having plastic surgery to make her look like Phyllis Summers. He held her captive so she wouldn't hurt anyone, and Lauren eventually found out and confronted Sheila when she saw her in the cage. Sheila managed to escape and kidnap Phyllis, but was murdered by Lauren who had difficulty trying to realize which woman to shoot since they both looked the same. Since then, Lauren had been taking care of Fenmore and her business, while also having to deal with the problems caused by Michael's family, especially after his father River Baldwin had returned into their lives.

### Eden, Ryder and Sara

Lauren, meanwhile, apologized to Traci for all the harm she had done and they finally became friends. While taking care of her family, Lauren started having trouble with Michael's sister Eden Gerick who is now living with Michael and Lauren. A young woman named Daisy Sanders came to town, and Amber Moore talked Lauren into giving her a job at Fenmore's. Daisy started to grow on Lauren, unaware that Daisy was putting rats in the store and drugging her.

Lauren blamed Kevin's brother, Ryder Callahan, who had been involved with blackmailing Amber and framing Daniel Romalotti for murder. Eden become suspicious, so Daisy set a fire that Eden got caught it, and then framed Eden for setting it. Lauren sent Eden to Paris, and let Daisy move in. Daisy drugged Lauren to the point that she was unknowingly making out with Paul. Daisy took pictures and sent them to Michael. Lauren and Michael put the pieces together and set a trap for Daisy and Ryder.

They got arrested, but a woman named Sara Smythe (who had plastic surgery to look like Lauren) paid their bail and then abducted Lauren. They locked Lauren in a cage with Kevin's wife Jana Hawkes at an old zoo/amusement park and Sara took over Lauren's life. But Michael began to suspect something was wrong and he and Fenmore moved out. Meanwhile, Ryder was feeling bad so he let Lauren and Jana out. Sara went after them, so Lauren took off to help Jana, knowing Sara would go after her.

### Sara's Death, Daisy's Baby and Escape

Lauren and Sara Smythe ended up in a house of mirrors and Sara, who was armed, couldn't figure out where to shoot. Lauren got the gun away from her and shot Sara and left her dying in the house of mirrors. Lauren was surprised to see the clearly upset Jill Abbott at her doorstep. Jill explained that her adoptive mother just died, and right after she learned from her brother that Jill and Lauren share the same father. Lauren is upset that Jill is speculating that her father turned his back on his own child. Lauren went to the jail where Heather Stevens gathered Michael, Lauren, Phyllis and Daniel in a meeting room with Daisy.

In December 2010 when Lauren heard Kevin Fisher telling Michael Baldwin that he might be able to adopt Daisy Carter's baby, she insisted that he forget this crazy idea. She became outraged when he argued with her until Michael lashed out at Kevin for bringing this up. Kevin claimed he was just protecting his family but Michael corrected him that Lauren was his family, too. The lawyer told him he could not adopt Daisy's baby.

### The New Years Eve Incident

In January 2011, Lauren and Michael enjoyed a moonlit stroll in the park after spending New Year's Eve dining at a French restaurant. Lauren and Michael's romantic evening was interrupted by a text message from Daisy's monitoring service. Lauren panicked when she read the message warning that Daisy had escaped. Michael phoned Daniel Romalotti who confirmed that Daisy was on the loose after eluding Jana Hawkes on the way to the hospital. Michael suggested that he and Lauren return home. Lauren refused and told Michael that they would wait at the hospital with Phyllis Summers and Daniel until Daisy was captured.

After Daniel left, Lauren and Michael Baldwin arrived. Lauren angrily blamed Phyllis for Daisy being on the lam. Livid, Lauren told Phyllis that she'd unleashed a monster. Jack Abbott defended Phyllis. Phyllis assured Lauren that police would soon capture Daisy. After Jana Hawkes was taken to an exam room, Lauren reminded Phyllis Summers that she had been warned that Daisy Carter was violent. Phyllis claimed she was only trying to protect an innocent baby. Lauren told Phyllis she had allowed a lunatic to move in with Daniel Romalotti because she didn't want her son to give up his child.

Phyllis insisted that Daniel was free to make his own decision. Lauren maintained that Phyllis had committed emotional blackmail against her own son. Phyllis and Lauren raised their voices and argued bitterly after Lauren accused Phyllis of forcing Daniel, through guilt, to take Daisy in so Summer Newman could spend the holidays with her mother. Lauren warned that the nightmare had just begun. Lauren railed at Phyllis and told her that if anyone, including the baby, were hurt, it would be Phyllis' fault. After Michael and Jack separated Phyllis and Lauren, who almost came to blows during their heated exchange, Kevin Fisher went to check on Jana.

In another corner of the waiting room, Michael cautioned Lauren to maintain control of her emotions. Lauren insisted she could handle her emotions when Daisy arrived.

### Trying to Reconnect

At the anniversary of Katherine's death, there was a gathering at Chancellor Park. Everybody had to write on a stationary about their fears and hopes to Katherine to be put in a burner. Lauren wrote that she's insecure about her marriage to Michael because before they never had to make appointments just to do romantic things before. On the other hand, Michael was fully confident about his marriage. After everybody left, Jill heard Michael on his cell phone sounding like he was having an affair. Jill's husband, Colin Atkinson thought it was a bit out of context. Jill warned Lauren about what she had heard. Lauren totally denied this. Michael came in and was informed about Jill's theory. He denied it just as Avery Clark appeared mentioning having an appointment with Michael. Michael thought it was time to confess that he and Avery would be working together as business partners. Jill was embarrassed. Later, Lauren confessed to Michael that something's wrong. She wants sex and romance. Michael promised to talk about it later as he went off to work.

### Michael's Cancer

Michael went to the doctor's to find out why his sex drive was low and the doctor prescribed medication to increase testosterone levels which seemed to do the trick for a while. Michael and Lauren started having sex again due to Fenmore leaving the nest. Michael arrived weeks later at another doctor's check up. The doctor informed Michael that he has elevated PSA levels which Michael realized meant prostrate cancer but the doctor claimed that's not certain. The doctor ran some more testings and found out Michael does indeed have cancer. Michael found out and asked many questions about it. Kevin heard Michael on the phone stating Lauren cannot know and thought Michael might be having an affair. Kevin brought this up to Lauren when she was feeling insecure, Lauren asked Michael about it and Michael denied it. Michael was searching prostate cancer on his computer at work when Kevin arrived in his office and tried to see what he was searching. Michael got nervous and flipped the laptop. Michael left while Kevin snooped through his computer and found out he had cancer. He and Kevin kept this from Lauren for many months.

Michael eventually told Lauren he has cancer which she started cracking up which confused Michael greatly. Michael assured her he's serious and Lauren started to feel sad. Michael assured her he doesn't want her to feel bad for him and Lauren admit she's scared. Lauren asked how long he's known and he stated a couple of months which ticked her off that she is his wife and his brother knew before she did. Michael explained he didn't tell Kevin, he snooped like he always does.

Fenmore returned home for the holidays and Lauren and Michael were happy but provoked him to have fun with his friends and go skiing and have fun. Michael and Lauren really didn't want to worry Fen around the holidays and Lauren didn't want him turning to drugs to relieve stress again. Fenmore realized what was going on and that ever since he got there they kept wanting to push him out of the house. Michael and Lauren decided to inform their son that his father has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fenmore was heartbroken but comforted by both of his parents. Having the Christmas dinner, the 3 Baldwins, decided to stop acting like nothing was wrong and instead embraced it. Michael started singing" Can-cer! Can-cer!..." and Lauren and Fen joined it. Then they all started chanting "Cancer! Cancer! Cancer!" around the house laughing. Jill and Colin arrived. Jill asked if everything was all right, she heard a bang. Michael assured her everything is all right. Fen left after the holidays.

Paul and Christine share their good news about being fore sure pregnant with Michael and Lauren who were overjoyed for the happy couple. Michael and Lauren also had news to share about Michael having prostrate cancer but at the last second Lauren claimed the news is that Fen made the cross country team which Paul and Christine were happy for and not surprised.

## Kissing Cane

Cane Ashby proposed a business proposition to Lauren stating he could help her run Fenmore's, which is smaller and easier to manage than Chancellor. Lauren took him up on his offer, agreeing to be business partners. Michael asked Cane to drive Lauren home and left ended up in the hospital where Lauren and Cane both met up with him. Michael claimed he wasn't feeling well and didn't want to scare anybody. Jill talked to Michael that he's pushing Lauren away to Cane. Michael opened up to Jill about his feeling that he doesn't want to bring her down and Jill stated he should tell that to Lauren which gave him inspiration. Michael stopped by Lauren and Cane having fun with bubble wrap and left. Lily Winters also stopped by stating Cane and her have lunch to attend.

Cane Ashby proposed a business proposition to Lauren stating he could help her run Fenmore's, which is smaller and easier to manage than Chancellor. Lauren took him up on his offer, agreeing to be business partners. Michael asked Cane to drive Lauren home and left ended up in the hospital where Lauren and Cane both met up with him. Michael claimed he wasn't feeling well and didn't want to scare anybody. When Sharon was accused of murdering Austin Travers, Dylan convinced Michael to be Sharon's lawyer. Sharon wasn't sentenced but Michael and Dylan had to watch her overnight, upsetting Lauren. Jill talked to Michael that he's pushing Lauren away to Cane. Michael opened up to Jill about his feeling that he doesn't want to bring her down and Jill stated he should tell that to Lauren which gave him inspiration. Michael stopped by Lauren and Cane having fun with bubble wrap and left. Lily Winters also stopped by stating Cane and her have lunch to attend.

Cane was comforting his friend, Lauren Fenmore, at the Athletic Club when she was upset about Michael demanding a divorce. Lily became jealous and called them out on it stating Lauren has a history of turning to other men...Carmine. Lauren got upset and left the Club while Cane told Lily she's out of line by saying that. Cane met up with Lauren at the park and comforted her, leading up to a passionate kiss between them, with Michael watching in the bushes. Lily called Cane apologizing for feeling paranoid because she's distressed by Devon and Hilary and she knows nothing would happen between him and Lauren. Lily apologized to Cane at the Club and Cane just assured her, he loves her. Lily noticed Cane looked very distant and distraught. Lauren told Michael she hasn't changed her mind about not signing the divorce papers. Michael informed her he knows about her kissing Cane. Lauren made the statement that he drove her to that by discarding her and starving and killing her inside and that she's human. Lily ran into Michael and she told him that even though she doesn't know his and Lauren's problems, she knows Lauren really loves him. Michael brought up her problems with Cane and left.