# Anna Stuart
**Anna Stuart** (born 1948 in Bluefield, West Virginia) is an American actress whose career has been spent almost entirely in daytime soap operas, most notably as Donna Love on NBC's *[Another World](https://www.edgepedia.org/another-world-tv-series)* from 1983 to 1999[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/). She is also known for her roles as Toni Ferra Powers on *The Doctors*, Dr. Gina Dante Lansing on *General Hospital*, and Mary Greenlee Smythe on *All My Children*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/). Since January 1, 2014, she has been married to the actor [James Cromwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-cromwell); she was previously married to Roger Serbagi[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948, Bluefield, West Virginia[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/) |
| Signature role | Donna Love on *Another World* (NBC), 1983–1999, credited with 1,278 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/) |
| First soap role | Toni Ferra Powers on *The Doctors* (NBC), 1971–1977[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php) |
| Other soaps | Dr. Gina Dante Lansing on *General Hospital* (1977–1978); Vanessa Chamberlain on *Guiding Light* (1980–81, temporary replacement); Donna Love on *As the World Turns* (1999–2002); Mary Greenlee Smythe on *All My Children* (2002–2005, 2009)[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stuart-anna-1948-anna-stewart) |
| Awards | Soap Opera Digest Award nominations: outstanding supporting actress 1994 and 1995, outstanding female scene stealer 1996, all for *Another World*[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stuart-anna-1948-anna-stewart) |
| Marriage | James Cromwell, since January 1, 2014[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/) |
## Early career
Stuart made her soap debut in 1971 as the young heroine Toni Ferra on *The Doctors*, a role she held for six years; Toni was the principal love interest for the show's young hero, Dr. Mike Powers, played at the time by a young [Armand Assante](https://www.edgepedia.org/armand-assante)[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php). Before acting, she had worked as a horse exerciser at a race track[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stuart-anna-1948-anna-stewart).
After leaving *The Doctors*, she moved to Los Angeles and played the feisty Dr. Gina Dante on *General Hospital* from January 1977 to March 1978[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php). She then returned to New York and temporarily replaced Maeve Kinkead as Vanessa Chamberlain on *Guiding Light* during Kinkead's maternity leave, in 1980–81[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stuart-anna-1948-anna-stewart). In a 2010 interview she described the temporary assignment as terrifying at first, recalling that she did not feel she knew the character until a scene with another of the show's antagonists gave her something to grasp[4](https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/35026-wls-interview-with-anna-stuart/).
Her early film work included *The Angel Levine* (1970) and, credited as Anna Stewart, the role of Sally in *South of Hell Mountain* (1971)[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stuart-anna-1948-anna-stewart).
## Donna Love on Another World
Stuart's defining role came about through an audition she lost. She tried out for the part of Felicia Gallant on NBC's *Another World* but the role went to [Linda Dano](https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-dano); show executives were impressed enough with Stuart that they created a new character for her, Donna Love[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php). Donna began as a spoiled villainess and gradually reformed into one of the show's long-suffering heroines, with occasional lapses into scheming[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php).
She first played the role from January 13, 1983, to November 21, 1986, and returned on February 23, 1989, remaining until the show's cancellation on June 25, 1999[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php). IMDb credits her with 1,278 episodes in the role[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/), while a Yahoo Entertainment retrospective gives a total of 976 episodes[5](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/another-world-see-happened-long-164812087.html). In the early 1990s she played the on-screen mother of the twins Vicky and Marley, portrayed by [Anne Heche](https://www.edgepedia.org/anne-heche), who won an Emmy Award for the part[6](https://www.showbiz411.com/2022/08/18/exclusive-soap-actress-anna-stuart-talks-about-on-screen-daughter-anne-heche-she-is-truly-dancing-with-the-stars). Stuart and Heche remained close after Heche left the show; Stuart described her as "like a daughter to me"[6](https://www.showbiz411.com/2022/08/18/exclusive-soap-actress-anna-stuart-talks-about-on-screen-daughter-anne-heche-she-is-truly-dancing-with-the-stars).
Her performance earned three Soap Opera Digest Award nominations: outstanding supporting actress in 1994 and 1995, and outstanding female scene stealer in 1996, all for *Another World*[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stuart-anna-1948-anna-stewart).
## Later work
When *Another World* was canceled in 1999, Stuart carried Donna Love to its sister soap, *As the World Turns*, making sporadic appearances on the CBS show through 2002[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php). On April 25, 2002, she filled in for Linda Dano's Rae Cummings on *One Life to Live*, and shortly afterward she landed the recurring role of Mary Greenlee Smythe on *All My Children*, playing the part from May 24, 2002, to September 14, 2005, with return appearances in January and March 2009[2](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php). Her last acting credit is listed as the 2009 web series *Gotham the Series*, in which she played Elizabeth Manning[7](https://ultimatesoapfan.fandom.com/wiki/Anna_Stuart) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/).
## References
1. [Anna Stuart, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835646/)
2. [About the Actors: Anna Stuart, Soap Central](https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/stuart_anna.php)
3. [Stuart, Anna 1948- (Anna Stewart), Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stuart-anna-1948-anna-stewart)
4. [WLS interview with Anna Stuart, Soap Opera Network Community](https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/35026-wls-interview-with-anna-stuart/)
5. ['Another World': See What Happened to Long Time Cast Members, Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/another-world-see-happened-long-164812087.html)
6. [Exclusive: Soap Actress Anna Stuart Talks About On Screen Daughter, Anne Heche, Showbiz411](https://www.showbiz411.com/2022/08/18/exclusive-soap-actress-anna-stuart-talks-about-on-screen-daughter-anne-heche-she-is-truly-dancing-with-the-stars)
7. [Anna Stuart, Ultimate Soap Fan Wiki](https://ultimatesoapfan.fandom.com/wiki/Anna_Stuart)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sm to Su*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license