About Me
Children: Nina Cortlandt Warner (with Daisy Cortlandt), Ross Chandler (with Lottie Chandler), Peter Cortlandt (with Opal Cortlandt)
Grandchildren: Bobby Warner (adoptive), Michael Warner, Julie Rand (adoptive)
Great Grandchildren: Sam Grey (adoptive)
Siblings: Bess Cooney (deceased)
Nephews: Will Cortlandt (deceased)
Nieces: Dixie Cooney (deceased), Melanie Cortlandt
Grand Nephew: JR Chandler
Son-in-law: Cliff Warner
Significant Romantic Relationships: Lottie Chandler, Daisy Cortlandt (1st and 3rd wife/divorced), Donna Beck (2nd wife/divorced), Cynthia Preston (4th wife/divorced), Natalie Hunter (5th wife/divorced), Opal Cortlandt (6th wife/divorced), Vanessa Bennett (7th wife/divorced)Palmer Cortlandt, born of humble beginnings as Pete Cooney, was a self-made millionaire. Cortlandt Electronics was an empire that Palmer created himself, and he ruled over it with the same iron control that he did his family. Palmer came to town in 1979 with daughter Nina, whom Palmer was extremely protective of. The budding romance between Nina and Dr. Cliff Warner did not make Palmer happy, so he teamed up with nurse Sybil Thorne (who wanted Cliff) to break the two up. Palmer paid an ex- girlfriend of Cliff's to claim Cliff deserted her when she was pregnant, causing Nina to break up with Cliff. However, this lie was revealed and Nina went back with Cliff, causing Palmer to hatch another scheme.When Nina developed diabetic retinopathy, which causes blindness, Palmer neglected to tell her that there was a cure, knowing that Nina would break things off with Cliff for fear of "burdening" him with her handicap. The scheme worked, but only temporarily, as Nina learned on her own that there was a surgical cure for her condition and sought it. She reunited with Cliff, while Palmer became taken with ex-hooker Donna Beck. Romancing Donna, she moved in with Palmer and married him.Nina and Donna both became disgusted with Palmer when they discovered that he had been lying about Nina's mother, Daisy. Palmer had told Nina that Daisy had died when Daisy was in fact alive and had returned to Pine Valley (years earlier he had caught her having an affair and banished her). Depressed at being outcast, Palmer was mugged and lost his memory. He took a job as a busboy at the Center City bar Foxy's, eventually regaining his memory and returning to Pine Valley.
Palmer and Donna went on a delayed honeymoon to Switzerland, where they ran into Donna's ex-husband, Chuck Tyler. Trapped in a cave by an avalanche and convinced they were going to die, Donna and Chuck made love. When they were rescued, Donna found out she was pregnant and assumed the baby was Palmer's. Knowing that he was sterile from an accident years earlier, Palmer kept quiet that the baby could not be his. Donna's son Palmer John was born, but by this time his marriage to Donna was already strained, and Palmer had begun an affair with Daisy. When Donna found out that Palmer knew the truth about Palmer John's paternity (she didn't), as well as the fact that he was having an affair with Daisy, she divorced him. Palmer was more concerned with the fact that Daisy was having an affair with Lars Bogard. He teamed with Erica Kane to try to get information on Lars, but Daisy wouldn't budge. Drunk and angry, Palmer headed to Lars's with a gun, but ended up shooting himself in the head after tripping. Palmer recovered and eventually won Daisy over, marrying her again.Adam Chandler came to town with a vendetta against Palmer. Years earlier, Palmer had impregnated Adam's sister Lottie and gone off to war. Palmer was never aware that he had a son, Ross Chandler, by Lottie, and was shocked when Ross showed up in Pine Valley. After the IRS froze Cortlandt Electronics's assets, Palmer was forced to take a job working for Adam. Eventually Palmer got his empire back, but it only strengthened the rivalry between these two.Palmer's second attempt with Daisy wasn't successful, and the two divorced. This left Palmer vulnerable to his son Ross's ex-wife, Cynthia Preston. Cynthia charmed Palmer, eventually getting him to marry her. Palmer eventually saw through Cynthia's gold digging ways and divorced her. Once again Palmer realized that Daisy was the only one for him, but Daisy was wise to the possibility of another failed attempt with Palmer.After Palmer was shot (by a thug hired by Adam), the beautiful Natalie Hunter went to work as his private nurse. Unbeknownst to Palmer, Natalie was being paid to spy on him by Adam! Eventually Natalie grew to care for Palmer, and stopped spying, while Palmer began to fall in love with Natalie. However, Natalie was having an affair with Palmer's son Ross. Palmer proposed marriage to Natalie and she accepted, feeling a relationship with the married Ross would never be a reality. Palmer and Natalie were married, but soon after Natalie was raped by Ross.
Natalie and Palmer's marriage never recovered and she began divorce proceedings against him. When Natalie killed Erica's sister Silver after a struggle, Palmer helped her dispose of the body then blackmailed her into stopping the divorce. A tape which exonerated Natalie surfaced, but Palmer withheld it from the authorities. Eventually the truth came out, Natalie divorced Palmer and he was sent to prison for withholding evidence. His substantial influence got him released early.Palmer managed a huge triumph when he took away Chandler Enterprises from Adam in a complicated maneuver. All was not well, however, as Palmer's niece Dixie started dating Tad Martin, a match Palmer did not approve of. He brought Tad's mother Opal to town for assistance in breaking the two up. As well, he paid a woman to claim she slept with Tad, causing the temporary breakup of the couple.Palmer's initial irritation with Opal (he even paid Sean Cudahay to date her to get her out of his hair) soon turned into deep feelings. Palmer found himself jealous of Opal's relationship with his former cellmate Stan. Eventually, Palmer admitted his feelings to Opal and the two married.Someone began poisoning Palmer and he began to wonder if it was Opal. Stan, angry that Palmer had stolen his former fiancée Opal, was the real culprit. Opal was so hurt that Palmer suspected her that she left him. Thanks to a plot by Daisy to make Opal jealous, Opal listened to Palmer's pleas for reconciliation and the two reunited. In 1992, their son Peter was born.A series of financial setbacks caused Palmer to lose Cortlandt Electronics. Opal, with her famous fried chicken recipe as inspiration, convinced Palmer to open the Cluck-Cluck chicken shack. The store was a hit, spawning a franchise that allowed Palmer the financial leverage to get Cortlandt Electronics back. However, during a fight with Opal, Palmer allowed himself to be seduced by Janet Green (then using the alias Jane Cox). Janet blackmailed Palmer, but eventually Opal found out and left her husband. The two eventually reunited.Palmer spent the next few years dealing with his wild grandson Bobby, as well as providing a home for gay teen Kevin Sheffield. Palmer was blinded after an explosion at Holidays, but eventually regained his sight.
In 1998, government agents Mike Roy and Adrian Sword arrived in Pine Valley looking for stolen artwork from World War II. Unbeknownst to everyone, Palmer had the artwork, having stolen it while in the war. Opal discovered Palmer's secret and ordered him to turn it over but Palmer refused. The strain on their marriage hit its zenith when Opal alerted the authorities to Palmer's ownership, causing him to fake his own death and escape with the art. Palmer was caught and devastated when he learned the paintings held information about safe houses for Nazi's post-World War II. Despite his guilt, Palmer managed to worm his way out of charges, but couldn't forgive Opal. The two divorced. With Adrian's help, Opal managed to get 51% of Palmer's assets and almost had him removed from Cortlandt Electronics, but the ploy failed at the last minute.Palmer met social climber Vanessa Bennett and married her. He knew full well she was more interested in his money than him, but he felt that a beautiful wife was not a bad thing. Believing Vanessa to be having an affair with a younger man, Leo, Palmer set up a scheme to make it look as if Leo killed Vanessa in a jealous quarrel. At the last minute Palmer learned that Leo was actually Vanessa's son and took the bullet meant for Vanessa. Learning of Palmer's scheme, Vanessa used this as blackmail leverage for months.When Vanessa accidentally killed a gigolo she was having an affair with, Palmer insured the evidence against Vanessa was "misplaced", the unsaid implication being that Vanessa's blackmail over Palmer's attempted murder of her was now neutralized. After Vanessa was revealed as the drug lord Proteus, Palmer divorced her.After learning Michael Cambias had raped Bianca Montgomery, daughter of his dear friend Erica, Palmer sought revenge. He teamed up with arch-nemesis Adam to murder Michael, but before they could enact their plan, Michael disappeared. Bianca had, in fact, murdered him but blocked the incident out. She was cleared of all charges.Palmer was surprised when Bobby returned to town. Although wary of Bobby's desire for another loan, Palmer welcomed Bobby and his wife Anita back to town. He was not terribly surprised to learn that Bobby's carelessness with money had continued. Bobby divorced Anita and left town after bilking money from Edmund Grey, disappointing Palmer once again.Palmer received a shock when he learned that his beloved Dixie was alive and had returned to Pine Valley posing as the Chandler nanny. When he learned that "Dixie" was actually imposter Di Kirby, he was devastated and had her arrested for impersonating his niece.created by: JAMES
