She's beautiful. In a medium that relies on harsh lights, stage makeup, and--to the human eye--trickery of the camera, TV does not do the soft beauty of Linda Dano justice. She's lovely as the irrepressible, extravagant Felicia Gallant on ANOTHER WORLD; however, what is seen on-screen is but a partial image of the woman behind Felicia.

In some ways they are as similar as twins. Occupations overlap, the zest for living is the same. Yet this is not Linda being like Felicia, but Linda molding Felicia to her persona, bringing her full circle to what she is most comfortable portraying. It's fitting, then, that if Linda could star in any movie, she'd want to remake "It's A Wonderful Life" from a woman's point of view. Failure is not a word she's comfortable with.

When asked if Felicia was always so parallel, Linda responds, "At first, she was a pushy, nasty twit. As time went on--this is true of any actor who plays a part a long time--I made it happen, I planned it. I wanted her funnier. I'm funnier, I wanted her to be. I wanted her to have a heart, to care, be likeable. She was supposed to be a villain. I've toyed with it over the years but when I have a chance, I don't take it." She smiles, her eyes crinkle, she leans forward. "I like to be liked."

Felicia is imposing, bigger than life, a woman who seems very nice, yet not so easy for the "average" person to get to know. Linda Dano, on the other hand, is open, accessible, affectionate. Her relationship with her longtime husband, Frank Attardi, flows freely; there are no holds barred, even in front of a stranger.

How is their relationship affected by her onscreen marriage? In a low chair in her showcase, 30th floor apartment, Linda tucks her legs under her and laces her fingers together. Her eyes light mischieviously, then widen. "I don't know I'd be so generous if Frank were an actor and kissed and had bed scenes. But he is wonderful. If we're at an ANOTHER WORLD party and Frank and Bill [Espy, her AW co-star, Mitch Blake] are together, Frank says, 'We're Linda's husbands.' It's like we're all a family in a strange way. It doesn't seem a problem.

"With the effervescence both Felicia and Linda exhibit, how is it working with Bill Espy? Is he as quiet with her as he seems on screen? "Once Bill trusts and likes, he's not withdrawn; he's generous in spirit, very helpful, caring. He laughs easily. I don't know that he lets everyone see it all, but he is all those things. We've been together long enough that we worry, 'They won't break us up, will they?'" She laughs and adds, sounding as if she's surprised herself, "We are sort of like a couple and very comfortable with that.

"Now that Felicia and Mitch are comfortably married, what's in store for them with the revelations about her past and long-ago pregnancy? "I don't know. When the writers have ideas I say, 'don't tell me' because it sometimes changes down the road and is never quite how they said. I feel cheated in some way."

She rearranges herself, touches her husband's arm as he passes and speaks with an employee who's moving through the room. "I assume none of it'll affect us, that we'll stay together awhile. The audiences seem to like us together.

"What about the baby? Linda laughs without reservation. "I can tell you the baby's not dead. I don't know how Felicia finds out." Her eyes twinkle and she leans forward on her knees. "Da, da, da, da . . . the old baby trick!" She giggles. "I assume at some point the OLD BABY TRICK will waltz in."

Here we have a newly married woman, happy in career and marriage. Of course, being daytime TV, strife must arise so a shady past and mysterious pregnancy mar the scene. Wtih all this on her plate, has Felicia spread herself too thin? "She tries," Linda answers. "We share this. She can't not have a career and she can't not be married. Somehow, some way, we both balance."

It's a balance that seems to work. Not only is happliy married Linda an actress, owner of her own fashion company STRICTLY PERSONAL, a talk show host on cable TV [show], ATTITUDES, soon to be a columnist, and a romance novelist, she paints, collects antiques, and travels with her husband to such places like Africa.

In this aspect of her life--her travels and specifically her African trip--one sees through the glamour and finds the depth. It's the almost unbelievable reality of Linda asleep in a tent in the African bush as wild animals roam nearby. It's an image of her tears as she sees naked African babies covered with insects. It's the thought of personal reaction when standing amidst a herd of wild animals, afraid to move or speak for fear of stampede.

Felicia is part of Linda Dano, yet don't allow that to fool you. Her strengths are Linda's, not the other way around. There's little room here for active fear. Linda's advice for any woman who wants to continue achieving? "Do it, stop making excuses. You won't fail unless you let yourself."

Yes, it's a wonderful life.