Q: I loved Jeanne Cooper's acceptance speech when she won for best actress at the Daytime Emmys: her announcing, "You thought I was dead," and then thanking all the "lousy" writers, directors and producers. What's the deal on the actress? — Robin, Ithaca, N.Y.

A: The deal with Cooper, who has played Kay Chancellor on "Young and Restless" since 1973, is that she is the real deal. Interview Cooper and there is no pretense. She talks about her face-lifts. Heck, she even had a video made of one of her procedures and had it used on Y&R. Last time we talked to her, she was in Las Vegas. A woman of the evening walked up to her. Cooper was thrilled that high-class call girl loved her. "I think it is great that Kay has fans everywhere," she said.

Look on any repeat cable channel and you will see Cooper, from "Wagon Train" to "The Twilight Zone." A guest appearance on the medico show "Ben Casey" earned the actress her first Emmy nomination. For the 79-year-old Cooper, her ninth Emmy nomination was a charm.

In real life, she was married to producer/director Harry Bernsen. They had three children: Corbin, Caren and Colin. Cooper appeared with Corbin when he played Arnie on "L.A. Law."

Kate Linder, who has played Kay's loyal maid, Esther, for over 20 years, said of Cooper, "She is the most full-of-life person I have ever met. If you are in a down mood, Jeanne knows just what to do to lift your spirits."

As the head of a national volunteer support network called the Katherine Chancellor Society, Cooper lifts lots of spirits. She is also involved with the Humane Society of Hawaii, Greenpeace, the National Wildlife Association and the Children's Hospital of Toronto. Children's Cancer Research, House of Hope and Drive By Agony also benefit from her time and energy.

Cooper is also proud to have the saltiest mouth this side of the Dead Sea. "Being the grandmother of eight (she lives with two of her grandsons), I have learned to tone it down a little, but just a little bit," she says, laughing in her great throaty voice.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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