Dolan earned her B.A. and M.F.A. degrees in theater from the University of Iowa in
Iowa City. While working toward her bachelor's degree, she spent a summer studying dramatic arts at the
Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Dolan is best known for two daytime
soap opera roles. She originated the role of Maureen Reardon Bauer on
Guiding Light, and played the role from 1982 to 1986. She replaced
Hillary Bailey Smith in late 1989 as
Margo Hughes on
As the World Turns. Dolan played Margo until 1993, when she moved to California to pursue nighttime television work. Dolan returned to
As the World Turns in 1994 and played Margo until the show ended in 2010. In 1992, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress. Her additional television credits include the made-for-television movies ''Mother's Day
, Mothers, Daughters and Lovers
with Helen Shaver and Claude Akins, and Dancing with Danger'', with
Cheryl Ladd and
Ed Marinaro. ==Theatre ==