Cord Roberts

Cord Roberts
John Loprieno as Cord Roberts
One Life to Live
Portrayed by	John Loprieno
Duration	1986–1997, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011–present
First appearance	1986
Created by	Peggy O'Shea
Profile
Aliases	Cord Buchanan
Gender	Male
Occupation	Owner of Norscott Drilling Company Executive and Board Member of Buchanan Enterprises
Residence	Llanfair, 1177 Regency Drive, Llanview, Pennsylvania
Relationships Parents Clint Buchanan Maria Vasquez Roberts (deceased) Al Roberts (step-father; deceased) Sibling(s) Kevin Buchanan (adoptive) Joey Buchanan (adoptive) Jessica Buchanan (adoptive) Natalie Buchanan Rex Balsom Spouse(s) Tina Lord (1986-1987, 1988-1990, 1991-1993; divorced) Kate Sanders (1987; invalid) Tina Lord (2011-Present)) Romances Sarah Gordon [1988] Debra Medina [1990] Blair Cramer [1994-1995] Cameron Wallace [1996] Children C.J. Roberts Sarah Roberts Grandparents Asa Buchanan (deceased) Olympia Buchanan (deceased) Rosa Vasquez (deceased) Aunts and uncles Bo Buchanan Ben Davidson (deceased) George Vasquez Nieces and nephews Duke Buchanan (adoptive; deceased) Kevin Buchanan Jr. (adoptive; deceased) Megan Buchanan (adoptive; deceased) Bree Brennan (adoptive) Chloe Brennan (adoptive; deceased) Shane Morasco Liam McBain Ryder Ford (adoptive) First cousins Drew Buchanan (deceased) Matthew Buchanan David Vickers

Cordero "Cord" Roberts is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated in 1986 by John Loprieno, who left the series in 1992 and then returned from 1993 through 1997. The character made brief appearances in 2004, 2007,^[1][2] and 2008.^[3][4]On July 21, 2011, it was announced that Loprieno will return as Cord in September, alongside former costar Andrea Evans.^[5][6] His return came in effect on September 27, 2011.

Storylines

Cord and Tina

Cord and Tina (Andrea Evans) marry, 1986

In 1986, social climber Tina Lord intercepts a letter to her brother-in-law Clint Buchanan from a woman named Maria Roberts; in the letter, Maria asks Clint for a photography job for her son at Clint and Viki's newspaper, The Banner. Having recently failed in her attempt to gain control of half-sister Viki Buchanan's estate, Tina is looking for any leverage she can use to further her plans. She travels to El Paso, Texas to investigate Maria's connection to Clint.

Maria is Clint's former flame; their relationship had been quashed by Clint's father Asa, who had not wanted his son to marry the Mexican Maria Vasquez. Tina meets Cord, Maria's son with her rancher husband Al Roberts, and Tina and Cord immediately fall in love.^[7] Engaged to wealthy Richard Abbott, Tina is torn between her passion for Cord and her desire for money and status. She chooses Richard.^[8]

Al Roberts dies suddenly of a heart attack; in a deathbed letter to Cord, he reveals that Cord is actually Clint Buchanan's son. Asa intercepts the letter but Tina's ex, con man and murderer Mitch Laurence, already knows the secret; he tells Tina, who breaks her engagement with Richard and, without telling Cord about his true parentage, elopes with the new Buchanan heir. Tina blackmails Asa into giving Cord a million dollars, purportedly an inheritance from Al.^[8][9] Cord is less than thrilled to find out that Clint is his father, and when he discovers that his "inheritance" is from Asa, he insists on returning it. Horrified, Tina pretends to go along with Cord's wishes, but secretly uses the money to buy an island in the Caribbean. When Cord finds out about Tina's duplicity, he leaves her.^[9]

Fearing that her son will reconcile with Tina, whom she despises, Maria makes a bargain with old friend Max Holden in 1987 to romance Tina and get her out of town. Tina discovers she is pregnant with Cord's child, but Maria manipulates events so that Cord does not find out; thinking Cord does not care about her or their baby, Tina leaves with Max for Buenos Aires, Argentina. Learning Tina is pregnant, Cord follows her to Argentina, with archaeologist Kate Sanders in tow. In the meantime, Max and Tina have gotten mixed up in a drug ring. Tina is kidnapped by Kate's brother, Jamie Sanders; escaping by boat with a captive Tina, Jamie is shot and falls over the side. Tina plummets over the Iguazu Falls, and she and her unborn baby are presumed dead.^[10][11]

Tina's return

Tina (Andrea Evans) returns with baby Al, 1987

Cord and Kate, already attracted to each other, get closer as she consoles him over the death of Tina and their child. They ultimately become engaged. Meanwhile, Tina turns up alive in the jungle, feverish and apparently having miscarried her baby. Found by Max's ex-girlfriend Gabrielle Medina, who is pregnant with Max's child, Tina recovers and helps deliver Gabrielle's baby boy. Thinking Max and Tina were headed for marriage, Gabrielle had not told him she was pregnant; with a plan in mind, Tina convinces Gabrielle that Max and Tina are man and wife and can give the baby a good life. Gabrielle hands her son over to Tina, who names him Al after Cord's deceased stepfather, and returns to Llanview. Tina appears at Cord and Kate's wedding with the baby, presenting Cord with "his son" and collapsing.

“	Stop! Am I too late? Cord, I've come so far … this is your son.	”
	— Tina Lord Roberts, One Life to Live, 1987

His marriage to Kate invalid, Cord is happy that Tina and the baby are alive but still intends to divorce Tina and wed Kate. Maria discovers that the baby is really Max and Gabrielle's child, and blackmails Tina into divorcing Cord. Obsessed with Clint, Maria decides to kill Viki and frame Tina for the crime. After failing to run down Viki with her car, Maria applies a contact poison to a pair of earrings Tina intends to give her sister as a gift. Gabrielle touches the earrings and collapses, but survives; the vial of poison spills on Maria during a struggle with Tina, and Maria dies.

Tina is arrested for murder, and the secret of baby Al's parentage comes out during the trial. Tina is convicted, but later exonerated; she and Cord fall into bed, but he still loves Kate. Though still attracted to Cord, Tina gives in to Max's persistent advances and accepts his wedding proposal. They soon hear that Tina's baby, delivered by the Argentine natives while Tina was consumed by fever, is alive and being cared for in the jungle. As Max and Tina search for the child, Kate breaks it off with Cord and leaves town.

A second chance

Double wedding of Cord (Loprieno) to Tina (Evans) and his grandfather Asa to Renée (Patricia Elliott), 1988

After much adventure, Max and Tina bring baby "Milagro" (miracle) back to Llanview in 1988. Cord and Tina name their son Clinton James Roberts, or "CJ" for short. When Tina says "I take thee, Cord" during her wedding to Max, he calls it off. Tina resumes her pursuit of Cord, who is now involved with Sarah Gordon. Tina and Cord reconcile for time, but Tina is soon pursued by Cord's uncle, Bo Buchanan, who is newly-returned to Llanview. It is soon revealed that Tina's suitor is actually a "faux Bo": Kate Sanders' ex Dr. Patrick London, hired by Asa's enemies to get facial reconstruction and infiltrate the family. Patrick, as Bo, hopes to marry Tina and gain control of her money. He is later found out, and killed by his captive, the real Bo.

Cord and Tina remarry in November 1988 in a double ceremony with Cord's grandfather Asa Buchanan and Renee Divine. Tina's enemy Ursula Blackwell rigs the wedding cake to explode, but the blast kills Max's brother Steve Holden instead. Cord and Tina's marriage ultimately collapses again in 1990 over Tina's lies. ^[12] The final nail in the coffin comes when Tina accuses Cord of having an affair with Gabrielle's sister Debra; Cord asks for a divorce, and Tina leaves town for San Diego with baby C.J. ^[12]

Further appearances

Cord returns briefly in 2004 to escort daughter Sarah Roberts to London and off the series, and again on August 16 and August 17, 2007 to attend the funeral of his grandfather Asa Buchanan.^[1][2] Cord again reappears on July 22, 2008 during a telephone conversation with Clint.^[13] and once more on August 11 and August 12, 2008.^[14][15] Visiting Llanview briefly on August 11 and August 12, 2008, Cord is reunited with Tina, who has reappeared in town after an 11-year absence and already managed to endanger their daughter Sarah's life in one of her schemes.^[14] Tina is devastated when Cord tells her that she has not changed, and they can never be together.^[15] Cord also returns to Llanview on September 29, 2011 to talk to Clint at Llanfair about his newly discovered half-brother Rex Balsom (Clint's son with his former mistress Echo DiSavoy) running Buchanan Enterprises after Rex extorted the family business along with the entire Buchanan fortune from Clint in exchange for Clint getting the heart of Rex's dead fiance Gigi Morasco after Clint had a heart attack. Cord said that B.E. was in serious trouble because Rex refused to seek out help from him and his brother Kevin Buchanan on how to run the business. Clint tries to reassure Cord that B.E. will be just fine in Rex's hands because he is his son and he trusts him to run the business under his watch. Clint also told Cord that Rex blackmailed him for his money because he was still grieving over Gigi's death. Cord said that he already accepted Rex as his brother, and that he could sympathize with Rex over losing somebody that he loved. Cord is soon reunited with Tina again after she comes to Llanfair to spend the night at her sister's house after she returns to town for her brother Victor Lord Jr.'s will reading after he is murdered by an unknown assailant. Cord then confronts Tina about all the crazy schemes that she caused a few years ago with her family. Tina tries to apologize to Cord, but to no avail. Tina then discovers that her dog David Vickers is missing and enlists Cord's help to find her dog. When their search comes up empty, Cord comforts a distraught Tina by giving her a hug. On October 6, 2011, Tina came back to Llanfair after asking her former sister-in-law Tea Delgado about her missing dog. Tina asked Cord if he found the dog yet, but Cord said David Vickers hasn't turned up yet. Tina then exclaimed that her dog going missing was the worst thing that happpened in her life. Cord then chided Tina saying that her missing dog was considered more worst then what happpened to her daughter Sarah at Mendorra a few years ago. Tina apologized and said that she was just exaggerating because she was very upset about her missing dog. Cord and Tina then reminicsed with each other about their past together. Cord and Tina then nearly kissed each other until they were both interrupted by Clint. Tina then left Llanfair to meet up with Viki at her office at the Bannner, where she eventually reconciled with her sister and was reunited with her missing dog. Clint then confronted Cord about his feelings for his ex-wife. Cord admitted he still had feelings for Tina because they both still share a bond with each other because of their past together and that they share kids with each other, and Cord also said that Clint also shared that same type of bond with his own ex-wife Viki for the same reasons. On October 18, Cord and Tina babysit Cord's sister Jessica Buchanan and Robert Ford's son Ryder Ford while they go out on a date, and Cord and Tina are reminded of raising their own children. Cord and Tina nearly get intimate with each other again before they were both interrupted by Cord's other sister (and Jessica's twin sister) Natalie Buchanan. On October 28, Cord is surprised to see that Tina dressed up in Viki's old wedding dress, and that she wants him to dress up in Clint's old wedding suit for police officer Brody Lovett and Natalie's costumed theme engagement party on Halloween at the Buchanan Mansion. Viki then convinces Tina that she's trying to hard to try to rekindle things with Cord by both of them wearing her and Clint's old wedding clothes. Tina then decides for her and Cord to dress up as a cowboy and cowgirl instead. After they both arrive at the Buchanan Mansion to attend the engagement party, Cord and Tina then went to the stables to hash out their problems together, but ended up making love to each other instead! Cord and Tina are later discovered by Rex when he thought con artist Cutter Wentworth was hiding out in the stables. Cord then tells Tina he isn't sure if he could trust her again yet, but Tina said that she would prove to him that he could regain her trust again. On November 2, Cord learned from Tina that she was rewarded with her late brother's Victor Lord Jr.'s fortune after the validity of his will was contested in court, and that she handed back the fortune to Victor Jr.'s twin brother Todd Manning (Victor Jr. was unkowningly posing as Todd after his mother Irene Manning switched him with his brother after having plastic surgery to look like Walker Laurence!). Cord and Tina then embraced each other with a kiss after Cord learns of Tina's unselfish act towards her brother.

On November 15, 2011 Cord and Tina remarry for the fourth time after Tina interrupts the wedding with the missing paternity test results saying that police detective John McBain, not Brody, is the father of Natalie's baby Liam McBain, which causes the wedding to be called off immediately.

Gallery

• 

  Cord's parents, Clint (Clint Ritchie) and Maria (BarBara Luna), 1987

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "One Life to Live recap (8/16/07)". ABC.com (Internet Archive). August 16, 2007. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080423053654/http://abc.go.com/daytime/onelifetolive/episodes/2007/20070816.html. Retrieved April 23, 2008. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "One Life to Live recap (8/17/07)". ABC.com (Internet Archive). August 17, 2007. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080423053649/http://abc.go.com/daytime/onelifetolive/episodes/2007/20070817.html. Retrieved April 23, 2008. 
3. ^ "One Life to Live: Big Returns and Plots For 40th Anniversary!". Soaps.com. June 10, 2008. http://www.soaps.com/onelifetolive/news/2004/One_Life_to_Live_Big_Returns_and_Plots_For_40th_An. Retrieved January 29, 2009. 
4. ^ One Life to Live recap (7/22/08) - ABC.com
5. ^ "Evans Is Returning To OLTL!". CBS.SoapsinDepth.com. July 21, 2011. http://cbs.soapsindepth.com/2011/07/evans-is-returning-to-oltl.html. Retrieved July 26, 2011. 
6. ^ Kroll, Dan J. (July 21, 2011). "Andrea Evans, John Loprieno headed back to Llanview". SoapCentral.com. http://soapcentral.com/oltl/news/2011/0721-evans_loprieno.php. Retrieved July 26, 2011. 
7. ^ One Life to Live recaps (1986, Part 2) - ABC.com
8. ^ ^{a b} One Life to Live recaps (1986, Part 3) - ABC.com
9. ^ ^{a b} Flynn, Lauren. "One Life to Live: Putting on Heirs." SoapOperaDigest.com (2007) Retrieved 4 August 2008.
10. ^ One Life to Live recaps (1987, part 1) - ABC.com
11. ^ Rabinowitz, Naomi. "One Life to Live Timeline: The Fall Guys (And Gals) of Llanview." SoapOperaDigest.com Retrieved 4 August 2008.
12. ^ ^{a b} One Life to Live recap (1990, Part 3) - ABC.com
13. ^ One Life to Live recap (7/22/08, 40th Anniversary) - Soaps.com
14. ^ ^{a b} One Life to Live recap (8/11/08) - Soaps.com
15. ^ ^{a b} One Life to Live recap (8/12/08) - Soaps.com