Soap Opera Career

Cheatham was one of the original cast members of the long-running daytime serial Days of Our Lives, where she portrayed Marie Horton. As the show's first heroine, her character experienced a series of dramatic and often tragic relationships before ultimately joining a convent to become a nun. Cheatham departed the show in 1973 and relocated to New York, where she joined the cast of the soap opera Search for Tomorrow in 1974.

On Search for Tomorrow, Cheatham played the role of the vampy and sarcastic Stephanie Wilkins, the primary rival of character Joanne Gardner. Her character was involved in a controversial affair with Joanne's husband. In 1984, her role was succeeded by Louise Shaffer, an Emmy-winning actress and writer.

General Hospital and Other Soap Roles

In 1987, Cheatham became a regular on General Hospital, where she played Charlene Simpson, the eccentric and fun-loving aunt of Lucy Coe. Charlene's storylines often centered on family dynamics, particularly involving her sons. After departing the main series, she briefly reprised the character on the spin-off Port Charles, returning for a Thanksgiving episode.

Cheatham continued to appear in other soap operas, including a recurring role during the final two seasons of Knots Landing as Mary Robeson, a scheming blackmailer entangled in a murder mystery plotline. She also made several return appearances to Days of Our Lives as Marie Horton. By then, her character had transitioned from being a nun to a doctor, and she was present during pivotal moments, such as the death of Tom Horton, multiple weddings for Hope and Bo, and the tribute episode following the death of Frances Reid, who portrayed Alice Horton.