African American to earn the award.[1] Freeman later earned nominations in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in 1986[2] and 1987.[3] The actor briefly reprised the role in 1988 and 2000.[4]
Storylines
1972–74
Freeman first appears in the role of Lieutenant Hall in January 1972 when Hall begins to lead an investigation into the murder of
Vinny Wolek (Antony Ponzini) hostage. Steve struggles with Marcy for the gun and accidentally, but fatally, wounds her. Though Steve vows he did not murder her, Lt. Hall develops a theory that Steve and Marcy were carrying on an illicit affair without Viki's knowledge, and when Marcy was to tell Viki that Steve killed her. Steve is indicted and charged with first-degree murder. Steve's conviction is only halted for the Only Marcy’s purse, containing an incriminating note saying that Niki Smith planned to kill Vince Wolek, could save him. Steve is later exonerated when a presumed dead Joe Riley (Lee Patterson) reappears possessing Marcy Wade's purse. In his downtime after the investigation, Ed Hall courts Carla Gray (Ellen Holly
).
Supercouple
Ed (Freeman) and Carla (Holly), c. 1976
In 1973, siblings-in-law
Llanfair carriage house. During hostage negotiations with Ed, the burglars demand the Llanview Police Department arrange for a plane to transport them to South America, where they would later release the hostages. One of the criminals shoots the other. Meredith attempts to escape and is fatally injured after falling on her head against the edge of a table. The other robber is killed by the Llanview Police while attempting to escape, and Vince and Daniel escape alive. Lieutenant Hall makes a great impression on Carla, causing her to end her budding romance with politico Bert Skelly. Meanwhile, Ed mentors downtrodden youth Joshua "Josh" West (Laurence Fishburne). Ed would later propose marriage, and although Carla was enamored with Ed's integrity and his devotion toward the mentorship of Josh, Carla fell deeper in love with Ed, but grew troubled with the prospect of being in a relationship with the life-threatening work of law enforcement
. Unable to ignore her feelings, she accepts his proposal in March 1973. Ed and Carla adopt Josh together in April 1974.
When the wedding date approaches, family members of Ed and Carla began receiving anonymous threats. Carla feels her life threatened when her car brakes are cut, and their now-adoptive son Josh is informed he would be retaliated against for the death of the victim of a Llanview murder investigation. Vince discovers the veiled threats are from a recently released
Ed is shot during a police altercation in 1979 by the estranged
governor of Pennsylvania with Captain Hall as his running mate in 1980. In exchange for the manipulation of the election, undiscovered to Ed, Herb and fiancée Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord each obtain illegal campaign contributions from Asa Buchanan (Philip Carey
). In January 1981, Ed uncovers the illegality in the election of Herb, the day he is to serve as a groomsman for Herb at his wedding. Herb and Ed are sworn-in as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, respectively, in February 1981. Soon afterwards, news of the political impropriety of Governor and First Lady Callison is revealed in the news, to the shame of Ed who resigns in the midst of the scandal. Herb soon follows, and with Ed's career ruined, he proceeded to pick up the pieces of his shattered life.
Assuming work as a
con artist, Ted seeks a way to gain the Lord family fortune by getting back into the good graces of Tina, who grew weary of her estranged father's attempts at bonding. Unsuccessful at getting Tina to regard him, Ted dons a wig and follows Tina to an art gallery. Attempting to seriously harm Tina, Ed shoots and kills the disguised Ted after it is uncovered that he killed now-Llanview Police Lieutenant Vince Wolek. Ed is rehired by the Llanview Police Department later that year. In 1982, the rapist of Karen Wolek, deranged Dr. Ivan Kipling, implants brain chips into the heads of Karen's ex-husband Dr. Larry Wolek (Michael Storm
) and later Ed, hoping to manipulate the two men and kidnap to South America. Dr. Kipling's caper was foiled when the chips were removed from Ed and Larry's heads and Karen rescued.
Freeman was fired from the series in 1987 by OLTLexecutive producerPaul Rauch, following in a series of administrative moves by Rauch which ultimately removed regular African American cast members. Leading black cast members would be absent from the series until new executive producer Linda Gottlieb and headwriter Michael Malone introduced Hank Gannon, played by actor Nathan Purdee, in 1992. Freeman briefly reprised in the role in 1988 and 2000.
Reception
In 2020, Candace Young and Charlie Mason from
Soaps She Knows put Ed and Carla on their list of Daytime's Most Important African-American Characters, commenting "A lightning rod of a character, Ellen Holly's alter ego shocked viewers when she started dating a Black man, then shocked them again when it was revealed that she, too, was Black. Eventually, she settled down with the beloved Llanview PD detective who was played by daytime's first Black Outstanding Lead Actor Emmy winner, Al Freeman Jr."[7]
