COUPLE: Mackenzie 'Mac' Cory & Rachel Davis Matthews Clark FrameSHOW: ANOTHER WORLD
RANK: 9
PLAYED BY:
Mac: Douglass Watson
Rachel: Victoria Wyndham
YEARS: 1974-1989 (Mac and Rachel actually met off-screen in 1973 when Robert Emhardt was playing Mac.)
STORY:
In 1974 Rachel was a single mother who had been divorced three times, always trying to better her life and position in society. Mac was the wealthy owner of Cory Publishing new to Bay City where his daughter, Iris, now lived. Iris threw a party in honor of her "Daddy" and Rachel crashed. Iris was having her thrown out when Mac came to Rachel's rescue. Mac sent her flowers the next day and their romance began. Mac formed a close bond with Rachel's son, Jamie, while Iris fumed over the relationship. Rachel began to find new depths in herself now that she had unconditional love and support. On Valentine's Day in 1975 Rachel and Mac were married. As a wedding present Mac bought Rachel the mansion she used to walk by as a child and dream about living in. They were never happy for long though especially with Iris interfering every chance she could.
Among Iris' many schemes was hiring a man to give Rachel horse-riding lessons who would try to seduce her. That didn't work so Iris hired someone at the mansion to cause trouble. A wedge was being driven between Mac and Rachel but things looked brighter when Rachel became pregnant. In one of her most despicable acts, when Rachel called Iris looking for Mac when she was in terrible pain, Iris just hung up the phone and never told her Daddy. Rachel miscarried. Mac and Rachel began to drift apart. He spent his time on moving his company to Bay City while she focused on her art. Over the next decade, Mac and Rachel would divorce twice and then get married again. They also had other lovers along the way (Janice, Mitch). In 1986 they renewed their vows. In 1989, Mac learned that Iris, who had returned to Bay City after eight years away, was responsible for the hostile takeover attempt on his company. He died shortly after with their relationship unresolved. Rachel was devastated. She eventually fell in love again but Mac would always have her heart.
IMPACT:
The evolution of the character of Rachel through her relationship with Mac was fascinating for viewers. The writing of Haring Lemay was brilliant (he won an Emmy in 1975). Having Iris be the antagonist in a triangle in the early years played out an interesting dynamic which helped keep ANOTHER WORLD near the top of the ratings.
Watson was nominated for three Emmy Awards for playing Mac winning twice as Outstanding Actor in 1980 and 1981 (the same years Judith Light was named Outstanding Actress). Wyndham was nominated two times as well. In 1978 Wyndham was named Outstanding Actress at the Soapy Awards.
From Patrick Erwin (A THOUSAND OTHER WORLDS): A wonderfully complex, complicated romance between two grownups – the debonair Mac and reformed bad girl Rachel. Watching these two struggle to stay together (with Iris spoiling the match) was magnificent theater. Mac Cory and Rachel Davis were as rich as any characters in Dickens or Shakespeare, and played to perfection by Douglass Watson and Victoria Wyndham.
CLASSIC CLIPS:
- Rachel/Mac/Iris (1978)
- Rachel remembers Mac (1997)
- Douglass Watson classic clips
- Victoria Wyndham classic clips
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