| Matthew Blaisdel | |
|---|---|
 Bo Hopkins (photo shoot for season 1) | |
| Series information | |
| Series | Dynasty |
| First appearance | "Oil" (1981) |
| Last appearance | "The Siege Part II" (1987) |
| Portrayed by | Bo Hopkins |
| Relationships | |
|
Married to |
Claudia Blaisdel (1965-1982) |
|
Romanced with |
Krystle Carrington (1979) |
| Family links | |
|
Child |
|
|
Parents |
Arthur Blaisdel |
| Occupation | |
|
Present |
N/A (†) |
|
Past |
• Co-Manager of Blaisdel-Lankershim's rig (1981) |
Matthew Blaisdel was a modern-day cowboy, ruggedly handsome, sincere, and polite. At 19, he drove to school from a ranch in a pickup truck, and met 16-year-old Claudia Barrows. He was her knight in shinning armor, her "Lancelot". The passion they shared resulted in pregnancy and eventually marriage. Their daughter Lindsay was born in 1966. Matthew worked hard over the years to support both his family and his education. He graduated from the Colorado School of Mines, and made a career for himself in the oil fields of Denver-Carrington.
After Claudia's breakdown in 1979, Matthew tried to care for Lindsay on his own, but soon had to leave her in the care of his Mother. Lonely, Matthew found solace in the arms of Krystle Jennings, a secretary at Denver Carrington. While Claudia recouped in High Meadow Sanitarium, Matthew and Krystle embarked on a passionate, but brief affair. Claudia's hospital expenses were becoming more expensive, so when a more high paying overseas assignment opened in the Middle East, the geologist took it. Matthew returned in 1981 to find Claudia had been released as an outpatient, and Krystle marrying Blake Carrington. Matthew said good-bye to Krystle, found Claudia, and reunited his family.
Matthew never told emotionally unstable Claudia about his affair with Krystle, even though Claudia suspected it. He quit Denver Carrington and struck out on his own as a wildcatter with old friend Walter Lankershim. He had to face several obstacles: Angry workers, possible takeovers, and possible foreclosures.
Through all this, Matthew also had to mask his longing for Krystle, while Steven and Claudia could no longer hide their attraction, and they had an affair. When this relationship was exposed during the Ted Dinard murder trial, Matthew held Blake responsible for the humiliation he had to endure. He had had enough of the Carringtons, Claudia, and Denver, so he took Lindsay and the two fled to South America. Shortly after, news about their disappearance came out, and they were both assumed dead.
Life went on for everybody, but in 1987, Matthew resurfaced in Denver. He was now rich, powerful, and like so many before him, he had plans for revenge against Blake. Armed with a group of South American thugs, he took the Carringtons and their household hostage. Lindsay, Walter and Claudia were now dead, presumably so was his mother, and clearly the losses had made Matthew mentally unstable. At the end of the hostage drama, it was up to Steven, to save his family. To stop the sick mind who had now taken over the body of his once very good friend, he killed Matthew Blaisdel. Hopefully, after this, Matthew's tortured soul could find rest.
Photo Gallery[]
