Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Douglas Marland (born Marland Messner, May 5, 1934 - March 6, 1993) was an American actor and writer of soap operas. He began his soap opera career as an actor, appearing on the Irna Phillips series The Brighter Day and As the World Turns. He also did odd jobs on the side as a director for small theatre groups. On one such job, staging the DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson musical "Good News!", he worked with Broadway dancer Edie Cowan and pianist Ethan Mordden, both of whom went on to professional careers as, respectively, choreographer and writer.