Danny Romalotti

Danny Romalotti
Michael Damian as Danny Romalotti
The Young and the Restless
Portrayed by	Michael Damian
First appearance	June 1981
Last appearance	November 20, 2008
Cause/reason	Returned to Malibu
Created by	William J. Bell
Profile
Nickname(s)	Dan
Gender	Male
Occupation	Former rock star, occasionally touring Did some modeling for Jabot Cosmetics's Men Line Former waiter at Jonas's Restaurant
Relationships Parents Rex Sterling (deceased) Sibling(s) Gina Romalotti Spouse(s) Traci Abbott Connolly [1984–1985] (divorced) Christine Blair [1990–1994] (divorced) Phyllis Summers [1994–1996] (divorced) Phyllis Summers [1997–1998] (divorced) Romances Patty Williams Lauren Fenmore Baldwin Children Daniel Romalotti, Jr. (legal son) Grandchildren Lucy Abbott (By Daisy Carter, via Daniel)

Daniel "Danny" Romalotti, Sr. is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. He was played by Michael Damian from June 1981 to October 1993, and again from August 1994 to June 1998, returning briefly in December 11, 2002 and on recurring status from November 14, 2003 to July 27, 2004 before returning briefly again from March 18, 2008 to March 27, 2008 and from May 22, 2008 to May 27, 2008 and from November 14, 2008 to November 20, 2008.

Brief Character History

Danny began his career as a teenage rock star doing concerts in Genoa City. He was often joined by sister Gina Roma, and friends Traci Abbott, Lauren Fenmore, and Amy Lewis, who sang with him when he performed on stage. Lauren also joined him on the road for a time. (Members of Danny's band included Michael Damien's real life brother and sister.)

Danny married friend and fan club president, Traci Abbott, when she became pregnant by her college professor Tim Sullivan. Danny had been seeing Patty Williams who left town devastated. Danny and Traci's marriage was later annulled after she miscarried. Danny became a rock star, toured worldwide and recorded many albums, but home was always Genoa City, where he returned nearly ever summer to do a big concert. He once lost his voice after being slowly poisoned by Shawn Garrett who was jealous of his relationship with Lauren, and was told he'd never sing again, but had a miracle recovery during a Christmas Eve church service.

In 1987, Danny and Gina's father turned up in Genoa City, a homeless drifter just out of prison. He was molded and renamed by Jill Foster Abbott as "Rex Sterling" to con Kay Chancellor. But Rex and Kay fell in love, and he became a "good guy" after all. Danny, Gina and Rex ended up becoming very close until Rex's untimely death by gunshot as he surprised a burglar.

Though the much younger Cricket Blair (now using her given name Christine) had previously been just a kid in Danny's eyes, the two began to date and fell in love. Cricket's recently widowed best friend Nina Webster was being pursued by David Kimble. Danny and Christine were convinced he was a gold digger after her inheritance, and tried to interfere with their getting married, so David set Danny up to be arrested on cocaine possession. The setup was exposed at the trial, and Danny got off, but David was never implicated. Danny and Christine were wed with a lavish Hawaiian wedding and honeymoon, and Nina Webster and David Kimble stood up for them. Kimble went so far as to attempt murder of Christine and Nina at a masquerade ball while wearing the same costume as Danny to inherit Nina's wealth. But Paul Williams foiled the plot, and David ended up being crushed to death in a trash compactor.

Christine became a lawyer, and she and Danny were happily married, even though he spent a lot of time on the road. Then Chris's boss Michael Baldwin became totally obsessed with having her, to the point of sexual harassment. Chris filed charges, and Michael was fired. Michael quickly married Hillary Lancaster and brilliant lawyer that he is, got another law firm to give him a job. In retaliation against Christine, Michael arranged for a woman named Rebecca to pose for photos with the drugged Danny, which he used in his trial to insinuate that Christine made the advances since Danny was cheating on her. Christine got Michael's new wife to testify, and Michael was found guilty and censured by the State Supreme Court.

Danny temporarily left town to appear on Broadway in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (as did Michael Damian in real life). The show was renewed, Danny stayed away much too long causing their marriage to suffer, and Christine began spending a lot of time with Detective Paul Williams. While in New York, Danny was stalked by Phyllis Summers, an obsessed fan. She drugged his drink, got him into her bed, then claimed to be pregnant by him. Danny divorced Christine and joined Phyllis in a "trial marriage" to "do the right thing" for the child. Once Danny realized how manipulative his new wife was, he divorced her.

Then after seeing Phyllis "in a new light" during their baby son Daniel's life-threatening illness with bacterial meningitis, Danny remarried her. Christine and Paul Williams stood up for them. Chris and Paul were able to plant enough doubt in Danny's mind that he got a blood test done on Daniel. Danny was devastated to discover that their son was really the child of a man in Phyllis' past named Brian Hamilton, and that she had set him up all along. However, because Danny was the legal father on the birth certificate and had always acted as such, he still had rights. A vicious divorce and custody battle ensued, with Christine as Danny's lawyer, and the recently paroled Michael Baldwin providing Phyllis' legal counsel. Phyllis and Michael began a wild affair. With the help of Brian Hamilton, all of Phyllis's lies and manipulations were brought out in court - including the fact that Danny had been drugged that first time and never even made love with Phyllis as she claimed. The court found her to be unstable and an unfit mother. Danny won custody of Daniel, whom he still considered his son, although Phyllis was allowed visitation.

Just as Paul and Christine were about to be married, Danny decided he wanted her back. He and Christine got to talking about the past, one thing led to another, and Paul ended up walking in on the two of them making love. Paul forgave Chris, and he and Danny began a contest for Christine's love, pressuring her for a decision. Before she could make up her mind, Danny was attacked by a mugger and received major kidney damage. He needed a transplant to survive. Gina, Paul, Phyllis and Christine were all ruled out as possible donors, and things were looking bleak. In a last ditch effort to prove to Christine that he was a changed man and worthy of being reinstated as a lawyer after his prison term was served, Michael Baldwin came to the rescue and donated the needed kidney. After Danny's recovery, Chris made her decision and chose Paul. Danny left with toddler Daniel for a European tour as a rock star. Danny coerced Phyllis into agreeing that it was not in Daniel's best interest for Phyllis to stay in contact with them.

In the fall of 2003, Danny returned to Genoa City to lend moral support to help Gina get her life back together after the devastating loss of her restaurant by arson. Apparently a washed up has been, Danny stayed on. Of course the first person he visited was Christine, once again split from Paul, physically though not emotionally. After reuniting with Gina, he ran into Phyllis. Although pleasant, he refused to give her any information on her son Daniel who was still in boarding school. It turned out that while Phyllis spent years pining for the child who was taken from her, Daniel grew up in a Swiss boarding school. Danny seldom saw Daniel, and never told him he was not his real father. Whenever Phyllis inquired about Daniel of Danny's sister Gina, she was given the cold shoulder, and not even given photos of her own son. Left to believe his mother abandoned him, and his father didn't have time for him, Daniel developed resentment for both parents.

Several months later, son Daniel returned to Genoa City, a 16 year old with raging hormones, to visit his father for spring break. Phyllis heard he was coming, and was desperate to get to know her son again. But Danny and Christine thought it better to wait until they could break it to Daniel. Meanwhile, Daniel was befriended by Colleen Carlton, Sierra and Lily Winters. When Daniel fount out that Colleen's boyfriend JT had gotten a recording contract and was off to LA to be a star, Daniel told her she best cut if off now before he abandoned her too. Colleen began to see signs that Daniel was right, so she broke it off with JT and returned to New York City to live with her mother Tracy. JT, who had left his chance at stardom behind to return for Colleen, was furious with Daniel for influencing her. Daniel began accompanying the girls to the Rec Center where they were volunteering for the summer, and met and fell for 20 year old Mackenzie Browning - neglecting to tell her his age. With a similar parent-less background, Mac and Daniel began to get close. JT was only too glad to spill Daniel's secret to his close friend Mac.

Phyllis ran into Daniel at Crimson Lights, realized who he was, and began making contact. She told Daniel she was his mother, and eventually he asked her to tell him the truth about his family. Once Daniel heard Phyllis's side and discovered that Danny was not his real father, he took off to confront Danny and Christine, who had resumed their romance. Daniel decided he and Phyllis should move in together so they could bond. Unable to find a suitable apartment, Phyllis and Daniel moved into Victoria Newman's house on the Newman Ranch. After being exposed as a neglectful parent who dumped the kid in boarding school his entire life, Danny went back on tour.

Through a tragic turn of events, [see Cassie Newman profile] his son Daniel was charged with vehicular manslaughter in the death of Cassie Newman, and Christine was his attorney. Both Christine and Phyllis contacted Danny about it. But when Daniel and Lily Winters ran away together and were fugitives from the law, Danny stayed put in case they fled to his place. The kids turned up in Los Angeles, were camping on the beach and enjoying themselves, awaiting the return of Brendan, a musician friend of Danny's. Daniel began having dreams with flashes of the accident, finally realizing that it was not him, but Cassie driving the car. Meanwhile Brendan returned home to find Phyllis, Nick and Neil Winters waiting for him. Nick brought in the police, and all went searching for the kids nearby. Phyllis discovered them working on the beach dressed in fruit costumes promoting a beachfront cafe, but didn't realize it was them until they disappeared. Daniel talked Lily into going to the cafe where the 3 awaited them to claim their paychecks, and Neil was reunited with Lily. Nick spotted Daniel watching, and chased and caught Daniel. Phyllis managed to stop Nick from beating up the kid. They turned the kids over to the police, and both were returned to Genoa City. Lily was out on bail, and Daniel went on trial for vehicular manslaughter where Christine and Paul failed to prove that Cassie was driving the car. Daniel was in contact with Danny by phone and begged him to stay away. But in a last minute save, Nick Newman turned over the evidence he'd been withholding - the clothes Cassie was wearing that fateful night. The boot she was wearing matched a piece of a heel found under the accelerator, so the judge let Daniel go free. Lily's parents made a deal to send her away to boarding school in New Hampshire to get the DA to drop the charges against her. Lily and Daniel vowed their undying love and were torn apart at the airport.

In March 2008, Danny returned to Genoa City to appear at the opening party for Restless Style Internet & Print Magazine as a favor to Phyllis and to make up with his son Daniel who still resents him for lying to him about his real paternity all those years. He left for the road again, then in May 2008, Just as Daniel and Amber declared their love, and he appeared to be discovering a hidden talent for drawing and caricature, possibly leading to a new career, Danny made a surprise visit and asked him to go on the road as tour photographer for 6 months, which he did.

In November 2008, Danny returned to Genoa City from his home in Malibu to attend the funeral of his step-mother Katherine Chancellor (who was not really dead, it was her doppelganger, Marge). He mentioned that it was like a reunion tour to be there with Gina, Paul, Nina, and his son Daniel. Paul said that Christine was in Europe and could not attend. Among the bequests in Kay's will, Danny and Gina received one-half of one percent of the huge estate in cash.