Danny Romalotti is still celebrating having Cricket as his wife again on The Young and the Restless. Now, Danny’s portrayer, Michael Damian, is raising his glass to a special anniversary. He began playing Genoa City’s favorite rock star 45 years ago!
Only Yesterday
“Thank you all for an Amazing Technicolor 45 years @youngandrestlesscbs !! I love you big time 💕🕺🎆🎉,” Damian posted along with an Instagram photo of him from back in the 1980s, taken outside the stage doors to one of the show’s studios.
“45 incredible years!❤️🎤🕺🎉,” cheered Damian’s TV wife, Lauralee Bell (Cricket). Added Beth Maitland (Traci): “Fantastic!!! Glad to have spent so many with you!!”
Damian began playing Danny as a teenager in the early 1980s, who often sang with his sister, Gina Roma (Patty Weaver). In 1984, Danny became pals with Traci Abbott, who ran his fan club. Danny wed Patty after she confided in him that she’d become pregnant after sleeping with her college professor, Tim Sullivan. The duo’s union ended after Traci miscarried.
Danny and Gina’s family expanded in 1987 when they were reunited with their father, Brian, played by Quinn Redeker. Brian had assumed a new handle thanks to Jill Abbott (Jess Walton). She wanted Brian, now called Rex Sterling, to romance Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper). The plan backfired as Kay and Rex fell in love for real. Rex attended Danny and Cricket’s first wedding in Hawaii, and he, Danny, and Gina were close until his untimely death.
Danny’s concerts in the 1980s and into the 1990s were a fixture on Y&R. His and Cricket’s marriage survived murderous David Kimble (Michael Corbett), and also, sexual harasser, Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc). Next, Danny traveled to New York to appear on Broadway in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Enter Phyllis Summers
While in New York, Danny was drugged and duped by Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford), who lied to the rock star and convinced him that he was the father of her son, Daniel (Michael Graziadei).
It came out later that Danny had never betrayed his and Cricket’s marriage vows, but their union dissolved anyway. Phyllis paid for her deception by losing custody of her son to Danny.
The father and son weren’t bonded by blood, but they were by love. They left town and returned years later when Daniel was a teenager. Danny and Cricket reconnected here and there over the years, but she moved on to a life with Paul Williams (Doug Davidson).
After Chris and Paul split, Danny came back to town for a visit. He and Cricket discovered that there was still a lot of love there between them. They reconnected when Cricket went on the road with Danny.
Almost a year ago, he proposed marriage to her in Society. She happily accepted. The couple re-tied the knot in late 2025. After a honeymoon in Paris, they came back to Genoa City.
Since then, Danny has mulled over retiring from going on the road. Meanwhile, Chris has continued to champion for justice as Genoa City’s district attorney. Damian, as Danny, performed his No. 1 hit on Y&R.
