Mark Hapka, Dr Nathan Horton, Leaves Days of Our Lives Cast

Soap Opera Digest recently reported that Mark Hapka had been let go from the cast of Days of Our Lives, and the role of Dr Nathan Horton. Mark's final airdate as Nathan Horton is March 28, 2011.

Details surrounding Mark Hapka's departure and the storyline resulting in his exit are as yet unknown. Though it is hinted at that Hapka was let go by the writers of Days of Our Lives, the actors departure may well have been at the actor's request.

Hapka has appeared in the role of Dr. Nathan Horton since June 2009, when the young medico came to Salem to live with his grandmother, Maggie Horton, and take a position as an intern at Salem University Hospital.

Nathan is the son of Maggie and Mickey Horton's adopted daughter, Melissa Horton. Nathan's father was initially stated to be Pete Jannings, but since Melissa and Pete did not have a child during their short marriage and did not leave Salem together, doubt has been cast on that piece of Days of Our Lives back story.

Hapka's departure will no doubt result from the revelations of recent storylines on Days Of Our Lives where a far reaching paternity secret has had ramifications for many of Salem's younger couples.

Since Nathan Horton's arrival in Salem, he has been involved in a love quadrangle with ex-girlfriend Melanie Layton, Melanie's, now husband,Philip Kiriakis, and Stephanie Johnson, Nathan's current girlfriend.

Melanie and Nathan were immediately attracted to each other, and started dating, but Melanie's continued attraction to Philip Kiriakis ended their relationship when Melanie chose and married Philip over staying with Nathan.

When Philip witnessed a goodbye kiss between Melanie and Nathan, Philip assumed the worst and found solace in Chloe's arms, even though she was dating Dr Daniel Jonas.

When Chloe discovered she was pregnant, she had a secret paternity test to determine the child's father, (who turned out to be Philip Kiriakis). Secrets don't stay secrets for long in Salem and a storyline ensued where multiple characters had the means, motive and opportunity to change the paternity results, including Stephanie Johnson, who was now dating Nathan, and desperate not to lose him to Melanie.

Fearing that Melanie would leave Philip if she discovered that Philip had fathered Chloe's baby, leaving Melanie free to pursue Nathan again, Stephanie plotted to change the paternity test results, making it appear that Daniel was indeed the father of Chloe's baby.

Before Stephanie could work up the courage to change the paternity test results however, someone else did. Stephanie kept quiet and let Chloe believe that Daniel, not Philip was the father of her baby, to prevent Melanie leaving an unfaithful Philip.

At the baby's christening however, Caroline Brady revealed not only that Philip was Parker's father, but that it was her that switched the paternity results.

With that secret revealed, what would have happened months ago occured: Nathan dumped Stephanie for her part in the mess, Melanie left Philip, keeping mum that she is now pregnant with his child, and Daniel threw Chloe out.

Nathan has been a somewhat clueless participant in the paternity mystery, but though not a Horton by blood carries the strong Horton righteous gene. Somewhere in the resolution of this storyline will be the cause of Nathan Horton's departure from Salem.

At least until the writer's decide whether the character is to be recast, or rested. The departure sees a further reduction in the Horton family numbers, once the pivotal family in Days of Our Lives story telling, while Brady family numbers are bolstered by the return of Christie Clark to Days of Our Lives as Carrie Brady.

This storyline is ongoing, and can be caught weekdays on Days Of Our Lives. Days of Our Lives screens on NBC at 1pm in most markets.

Sources:
Soap Opera Digest
Horton Family Who's Who -Soap Opera Story

Related Articles:

NEW!! Tamara Braun replaces Natalia Livingston as Taylor Raines on Days Of Our Lives
Jay Kenneth Johnson (Philip Kiriakis) and Shelley Hennig (Stephanie Johnson) Leave Days Of Our Lives
Days Of Our Lives pays Tribute to Alice Horton and Frances Reid - Includes a Horton Family Who's Who
Christie Clark to return to Days Of Our Lives as Carrie Brady