Jack Abbott
Peter Bergman
Smilin' Jack Abbott, the son of John Abbott and Dina Mergeron, has little to smile about when he goes up against longtime nemesis Victor Newman. The two men have squared off in many boardroom power struggles and for the love of many of the same women. Despite countless defeats, Jack manages to rebound each and every time, much to Victor's chagrin.
Jack showed he was a player early on when he seduced young Patty Williams after his father urged him to settle down. Alas, a restless Jack wasn't satisfied with Patty; he slept with model Diane Jenkins on the day of his and Patty's wedding. After Jack split from Patty (after she shot him three times) he had an affair with his stepmother, Jill Abbott. Jack falsely wed blackmailer Lindsey Wells, who had photographs of Jack and Jill's tryst.
Jack and Victor's rivalry kicked into high gear after Victor seized control of Jabot Cosmetics. Jack wed Nikki, planning to use her heart as leverage to regain the family business, knowing that Victor still cared for his former wife. But Jack didn't count on falling for Nikki. Alas, their marriage ended after Nikki lost their son. She delivered prematurely after struggling with Victor; this only intensified Jack and Victor's feud. Years later, Jack was deeply moved when a strange woman showed up at his office with her little boy, who had received the donated heart of Jack and Nikki's late baby.
Next, Jack re-connected with Luan, his wartime love. Jack discovered that Luan had given birth to their son Keemo, now a grown man, living as an outcast in his native Vietnam. After Keemo came to Genoa City, Jack and Luan married, but their happiness was short-lived as Luan suddenly died. Jack suffered another blow when he learned that his lady pal Mari Jo Mason, who shot Victor and kidnapped Christine, was unbalanced. A grieving Jack was distracted by the return of Diane Jenkins to his life. Jack and Diane resumed their romance, but he lost again to Victor when Diane eloped with the mustached mogul. Later, a scheming Diane, who'd been dumped by Victor, unwittingly swiped Jack's specimen and gave birth to his son mistakenly believing that it was Victor's child she had carried.
Jack learning that he was Kyle's dad threw a wrench into his new marriage with Phyllis Summers. Jack was mesmerized by Phyllis, but after Phyllis' miscarriage, a series of clashes over business – and the wily Diane – led to Jack and Phyllis' marriage ending. But Jack found that he could never truly say goodbye to Phyllis. Even after having a brief fling with Jill, Jack continued to support Phyllis.
Jack and Victor squared off again with launches of competing cosmetics lines, Tuvia and Safra. Jack lost this contest when Victor made some unethical – and illegal – business moves.
Fortunately, Jack gained a new power base when Katherine Chancellor hired him to run her company, Chancellor Industries. Jack used his position to save Jabot from Victor's clutches. However, Jack soon began to clash with his stepmother Gloria, who was intent on making Jack and his sister Ashley pay for their disdain for their father's meddlesome wife. Gloria secretly tainted Jabot's new skin cream, leading to a woman's death, but Jack paid the price for her crime when he was ousted from both Jabot and Chancellor.
When Victor was stricken with epilepsy, Jack took advantage of his rival's confused state of mind and more trusting personality by befriending him, then tricking him into selling his shares in N.V.P., the company Victor had formed with Nikki and Phyllis. Jack's controlling interest in N.V.P. has resulted in frequent clashes with both Phyllis and Nikki. Meanwhile, the shocking revelation that Phyllis had an affair with Nick Newman and was pregnant with his baby left Jack heart-broken, since Jack learned the news at a time when he was hoping for a reconciliation with Phyllis.When Nick and Phyllis married, Jack found solace in the arms of Nick's ex, Sharon and later asked her to marry him.
Jack blamed Gloria for his father's incarceration for murder – John shot Gloria's dangerous ex-husband, Tom -- and subsequent death. Jack's grief over his father turned to rage as he sought vengeance against his stepmother, tricking a confused John into writing a will that left her with nothing. Jack was determined to regain control of Jabot, and to keep Gloria and her sons, Michael and Kevin, from getting a piece of his father's beloved company.
After a successful run for political office against his rival's wife, Nikki Newman, Jack settled into married life with Sharon, relishing his new role as stepfather to Noah. When a parking garage in Clear Springs collapsed with Jack, Sharon, Nick and Noah in it, Jack soon discovered just how much his new family meant to him. All survived with Jack's rescuer being none other than bitter rival Victor Newman himself! Jack and Sharon teamed up with Nick and Phyllis to launch a new fashion magazine called Restless Style but Jack's manipulations tore the partnership apart.
While Victor was grieving the loss of his young wife Sabrina and their unborn child, Jack schemed with Adam aka Victor Newman Jr. to forge a journal that they claimed was Victor's which had Victor confessing responsibility for the death of Walter in Mexico, the man who was responsible for Sabrina's demise. Jack pulled the strings behind the scenes but Adam took the fall. Sharon was angry after catching Jack in too many lies and asked for a divorce. Will Jack be held accountable for forging Victor's journal? Will Sharon forgive him?
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