<P> In early 2017, it was announced that Mascolo had filmed scenes prior to his death . Mascolo last appeared onscreen on February 9, 2017 . However, it was later revealed that Mascolo appeared as Shane Donovan who was posing as Stefano . </P> <P> Stefano first appears on - screen in January 1982 with his son Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) surveying the citizens of Salem . Stefano travels to Salem shortly after being introduced as the friend of Lee DuMonde (Brenda Benet) and it is soon revealed he is the father of Lee's daughter, Renée (Philece Sampler), which adds complications to her relationship with Tony . Stefano attempts to help Tony win back his wife, Liz Chandler while Stuart Whyland begins blackmailing him and Stefano kills him . In 1983, Stefano is sent to prison thanks to Detective Roman Brady (Wayne Northrop). Before his death, Stefano's wife, Daphne (Madlyn Rhue), reveals that Tony isn't his biological son . Stefano returns in 1984 with his nephew, André, who has gotten plastic surgery to look like Tony . Together they plan to frame Roman for a string of murders; meanwhile Stefano discovers another daughter, Megan Hathaway . Her adoptive father, Maxwell, had access to the "Three Prisms" that could cure Stefano's brain tumor . In November 1984, in his quest to obtain one of the prisms, Stefano apparently kills Roman after pushing him off a cliff . In February 1985, Bo Brady's (Peter Reckell) wife Hope (Kristian Alfonso) is framed for Megan's murder and Stefano vows revenge on the entire family . He kidnaps Roman's twins, Sami and Eric, and Roman's widow Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) shoots him, apparently killing him . </P> <P> Stefano resurfaces in 1988 to claim his son Benjy who is about to be adopted by Kayla Brady (Mary Beth Evans) and her husband Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols), as well as to attempt to "reprogram" Roman, whom he had brainwashed in 1984--85, to serve as one of his assassins (Stefano actually got the idea about brainwashing his "agents" from former daughter - in - law Anna DiMera (Leann Hunley), who had hypnotized her own daughter Carrie into acting out against Roman as part of a plot to discredit him in the eyes of polite society). He traps several of Salem's citizens on his island but his plans for revenge are foiled and he escapes . In this iteration, Stefano is presented as more of an assassin and international terrorist than a simple gangster . </P> <P> In December 1991, John Black (Drake Hogestyn) and Roman Brady discover Stefano in a Mayan pyramid in Mexico . The pyramid collapses and Stefano is once again believed to have perished . Though he survives the collapse, his brain tumor is slowly killing him . Stefano returns to Salem in 1993 and he is taken hostage by Curtis Reed (Nick Benedict) in his weakened state; Curtis's attempt to extort money from Stefano's adopted daughter, Kristen Blake (Eileen Davidson), is foiled after Stefano kills him . He then convinces Tony and Kristen to marry but the marriage is ruined when Stefano is revealed as the murderer . In an attempt to avoid capture, Stefano speeds away as John shoots out his tires and Stefano's car explodes . Stefano retreats to his New Orleans estate, Maison Blanche where he kidnaps Marlena and John . After the mansion burns down, Stefano buys a penthouse in Salem, next door to Marlena . Stefano sneaks into her apartment every night and opens her soul, which leads to Marlena becoming possessed by a demon . Under possession, Marlena pushes Stefano out of a window; after the demon is exorcised, a guilt - ridden Marlena helps Stefano recover . In December 1995, Tony fakes his death and frames John . Stefano is later struck by lightning and becomes so obsessed with Marlena that he bribes the judge presiding over John's murder trial to issue the death penalty . In August 1996 Stefano's plans to frame John are soon revealed and he skips town with Marlena to Paris, where he is shot by his former lover Rachel Blake . Later, his longtime confidante, Celeste Perrault (Tanya Boyd) reveals that he fathered her daughter, Dr. Lexie Carver (Renée Jones) the wife of Salem's police commissioner . Stefano brings Kristen's lookalike, Susan Banks (Davidson) to town, impregnates her and plans to pass the baby off as Kristen's baby, which she actually miscarried; Susan gives birth in February 1997 to Elvis and flees after discovering Stefano's plan . After recovering from a heart attack, Stefano marries Vivian Alamain (Louise Sorel) on December 16, 1998, and plots to kill her to get back all of his belongings left to Vivian by her late husband--who was also Stefano's employee--Steven "Jonesy" Jones (Robert Mandan). In 1999, Stefano brainwashes Hope Brady into thinking she is Princess Gina Von Amberg (Alfonso) and Gina, now in love with John, kidnaps him; feeling betrayed, Stefano exiles her to Paris . </P>

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