COUPLE: Travis Sentell & Liza KasloSHOW: SEARCH FOR TOMORROW
RANK: 23
PLAYED BY:
Travis: Rod Arrants
Liza: Sherry Mathis
YEARS: 1978-1984
STORY:
Liza was in mourning after her husband, Steve, lost his battle with leukemia. Travis arrived bringing his family's company, Tourneur Instruments, to Henderson. He became smitten with Liza and when Liza's mother, Janet (Millee Taggart), refused to help fund the rock opera movie Steve had written, "You Can Love Again," Travis started anonymously pouring money into it. When Liza found out, she was upset but eventually realized Travis only had good intentions. The two of them fell in love but the road to happiness was filled with complications, family drama and international intrigue.
Travis and Liza eventually married but she was unable to have a baby. So they adopted Roger Lee, but lost him to his biological mother, Cissy (Patsy Pease), in a bitter custody battle. Liza finally had a baby of their own, Tourner, but Travis was killed in 1984, another tragic heartbreak for Liza.
IMPACT:
SEARCH FOR TOMORROW revolved around Liza and Travis for several years. They were the show's supercouple and the show pulled out all the stops including a remote in Hong Kong, which played out in the Fall of 1981, and taping aboard a real cruise of the Queen Elizabeth II.
When SEARCH moved to NBC from CBS in March 1982 the show used the explosion of Travis and Liza's boat to keep viewers tuned in.
Arrants won a 1979 Soapy Award as Most Exciting New Actor. He went on to roles in DAYS OF OUR LIVES, DALLAS, FALCON CREST and, most notably, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS.
Mathis left the show in 1985 to spend more time with husband at the time, Jerry Lanning, saying she was "physically exhausted" from the role. Lanning played Nick D'Antoni on SEARCH in the late 1970s. Mathis passed away 1994 at age 44.
CLASSIC CLIPS:
- Travis and Liza falling in love (1979); Plus, Liza sings!
- Liza in Rome (1980)
- Liza, Travis and Cissy (1981)
- Liza shoots Rusty (1983)
Share your thoughts on Travis and Liza in our Comments section below or on our message board.
RELATED:
- 50 Greatest Soap Opera Actors: The Complete List
- 50 Greatest Soap Opera Actresses: The Complete List
- THE COMPLETE LIST: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History
DAYTIME SOAP OPERAS
