Susan Oliver then portrayed Laura from October 1975 to June 1976, followed by Rosemary Forsyth from August 1976 to March 1980.

The character then took a hiatus until 1993, when the role was recast with Jaime Lyn Bauer, who played Laura from November 1993 to July 1999.

[6] Susan Oliver briefly stepped into the role from October 10, 1975, to June 9, 1976,[7] followed by Rosemary Forsyth from August 24, 1976, to March 25, 1980.

[8] Bauer departed as Laura in the episode originally broadcast on July 7, 1999, but she returned on May 26 and 27, 2003, for her daughter, Jennifer Horton's, wedding to Jack Deveraux and again from June 15 to 28, 2010, and April 10 and 11, 2013.

Bill calls off the wedding when he learns he can't be a surgeon, due to tuberculosis in his hand.

Soon after, Laura learns she is pregnant and, when her father in law, Tom Horton, discovers a paternity test, things become more complicated.

In 1970, Laura and Mickey's marriage begins to fall apart and they separate for a time, but eventually work things out by the end of the year.

Laura and Mickey agree to remain married and try to make things work for Mike's sake.

Laura plans to divorce Mickey and marry Bill but, when the two were overheard talking by Mike, he assumes they were having an affair, running out into the street and being hit by a car.

[14] In 1973, Mickey has a heart attack after Mike lashes out at him for the pain he caused Laura by having an affair with his secretary.

Fate intervenes and, when Mickey is discovered to be alive, he grants Laura a divorce so he can remain with Maggie Simmons.

In 1977, Laura's marriage goes through a rocky period, when her husband Bill has a dalliance with his co-worker, Dr Kate Winograd.

In 1993, when new character Kate Roberts is introduced on Days of Our Lives, the story of Laura's institutionalization is partially retconned.

[15] Laura is very aware of what is going on around her, but remains in an apparent catatonic state because the crooked sanitarium workers are keeping her drugged in order to milk the Horton family of money.

Stefano then performs laser surgery on Laura's brain in order to erase her short-term memory.

The surgery seems to have worked, however, Laura slowly begins to get her memories back and then convinces Marlena that Peter is in fact alive.

After John, Mike, and Abe attempt numerous searches in and around the DiMera house, they are convinced that Laura's schizophrenia is returning.

Susan, who now has seeming fallen madly in love with John as well, decides not to release Marlena from the secret room, but rather to keep her in there with Kristen.

Along with many other family members, she was reunited with her daughter, Jennifer, and reminisced about the wonderful times they shared with Alice.

Laura was not happy when she caught Bill talking to Kate at the Horton house, which showed she was still not over their past together.

In 2020, Charlie Mason from Soaps She Knows placed Laura 13th on their list of the 35 most memorable characters from Days of Our Lives, commenting "Let's sorta blow past the 1990s version of the character that was originated by Susan Flannery and focus instead on her harrowing heyday, during which she was torn between good brother Mickey and bad seed Bill… who, and this can't be overstated, freakin' raped her.