Friday, November 5, 2010 at 10:30 PM ET by Scotty Gore

Photo: Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Four years after contract negotiations between Hillary B. Smtih and “One Life to Live” nearly resulted in her departure from the show, the actress and the ABC sudser discreetly come to terms on a new deal to keep her in Llanview.

In early 2006, ABC shocked both fans and Smith herself when they offered her a new one-year contract just when it all soap seemed lost for the long-time vet and her comatose character Nora Buchanan. Later that same year, she was offered a four-year contract extension.

This time around, however, talks between Smith (who joined “OLTL” in 1992) and the network went much more smoothly. Although the specifics of the new contract have not been revealed, Smith’s fan club president states that it is a two-year deal.

In other news…

In case you missed it, that was former WQFM Radio (Nanticoke, Pennsylvania) morning DJ Chris Barnes playing a “criminal” recently in a few episodes of “OLTL.” Barnes also starred as Marv the cue card guy on the 2002-2004 ABC comedy series “Life with Bonnie.” He has also appeared on “According to Jim,” “Law & Order,” “Seinfield,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” “Who’s the Boss?,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Anytime on ABC.com.