Thaao Penghlis’ Explosive Return to Days of Our Lives – A Look Back at His Iconic Legacy!

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We can’t think of a better time to mark Thaao Penghlis’ Days of Our Lives anniversary than mere weeks after getting the news that he’d be returning to Salem despite our fears that he’d be gone forever. The Aussie actor brought Tony DiMera to Salem 43 years ago today. His legendary father, Stefano, would soon follow, and then, shortly after that, Penghlis added Tony’s lookalike cousin turned brother André to the mix. Whether pulling double duty as both characters or playing each one off and on, it’s been a wild ride ever since.

Of course, there was a time when the audience thought Penghlis was playing Tony, but it turned out, Tony was actually being impersonated by André. If you’ll recall, Tony languished on a deserted island for twenty years while Andre wreaked havoc in his brother’s name. Most notably, by sending half of Salem to Melaswen Island.

His portrayal of Tony, André, and André/Tony has kept Penghlis in and out of Salem romancing Anna and plotting with — and against — the DiMeras over the course of four decades. He even managed to redeem both his alter egos. In case you forgot, Tony was far from an angel when he first arrived in Salem — just ask his first wife Liz — but he did manage to find a soft spot in the hearts of viewers as both DiMera brothers.