I checked this season against the restored official B&B episode archive, especially because its metadata contains another inconsistency. The chronology below uses the actual episode entries and global episode numbers, rather than simply trusting the season-page header.
Season overview
Original U.S. run: September 15, 1998 – September 15, 1999
Global episodes: #2878–#3134
Actual total: 257 episodes
TO WATCH SEASON 12 ON YOUTUBE
The official B&B page says “253 Episodes,” but the catalogue itself continues through S12E257 / Episode #3134 on September 15, 1999. Season 13 begins with #3135 on September 20, 1999. Therefore, 257 episodes is the internally consistent figure for our chronology. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Official B&B Season 12 archive
Complete principal and recurring cast
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Eric Forrester | John McCook |
| Stephanie Forrester | Susan Flannery |
| Ridge Forrester | Ronn Moss |
| Thorne Forrester | Winsor Harmon |
| Brooke Logan | Katherine Kelly Lang |
| Taylor Hayes Forrester | Hunter Tylo |
| Rick Forrester | Jacob Young |
| Bridget Forrester | Agnes Bruckner |
| Thomas Forrester | infant/child performers |
| Macy Alexander Chambers | Bobbie Eakes |
| Sally Spectra | Darlene Conley |
| Darla Einstein | Schae Harrison |
| Clarke Garrison | Daniel McVicar |
| C.J. Garrison | Mick Cain |
| Grant Chambers | Charles Grant — until October 1998 |
| Amber Moore | Adrienne Frantz |
| Lauren Fenmore | Tracey E. Bregman |
| James Warwick | Ian Buchanan |
| Mary Warwick | child performers |
| Sheila Carter | Kimberlin Brown — early season |
| Pierce Peterson | Paul Satterfield — until April 1999 |
| Kimberly Fairchild | Ashley Tesoro |
| Adam Alexander / “Myles Fairchild” | Michael Swan |
| Raymond | Usher Raymond |
| Tawny Moore | Andrea Evans |
| Becky Moore | Marissa Tait |
| Lt. Bradley Baker | Dan Martin |
| Gladys Pope | Phyllis Diller |
| Victor Newman | Eric Braeden — crossover |
| Jack Abbott | Peter Bergman — crossover |
Michael Swan joined B&B in 1998 as Adam Alexander, initially presenting himself as Myles Fairchild; he is revealed as Sally’s former lover and the father of Macy and Kimberly. (Soap Opera Digest)
Major plots
Rick and Amber: teenage marriage
Season 12 opens exactly where Season 11 left off.
September 15, 1998 — #2878: Rick proposes to Amber.
Amber is pregnant, and Rick believes the baby is his. Eric and Brooke vehemently oppose their teenage son’s plans and want the child placed for adoption. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
But Amber has a major problem:
Raymond may be the father
Amber had slept with Raymond, and she cannot be certain whether Rick or Raymond fathered her child.
C.J. knows enough about Amber’s past to become suspicious and repeatedly pressures her to tell Rick the truth.
Rick and Amber marry
The conflict culminates in their wedding in February 1999.
The official archive documents the build-up day by day:
February 15 — #2984: C.J. confronts Raymond about the baby’s paternity.
February 16 — #2985: Raymond arrives and raises doubts.
February 17 — #2986: Raymond admits that he could be the father.
February 18 — #2987: Rick and Amber’s wedding day begins. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Rick nevertheless marries Amber.
Rick Forrester & Amber Moore
Wedding: February 1999
Their marriage becomes one of B&B’s defining late-1990s relationships.
Amber’s baby dies
Amber eventually retreats to her mother Tawny Moore’s trailer in Furnace Creek as her due date approaches.
Raymond follows because the baby’s paternity remains uncertain.
The official episode archive gives us an unusually precise chronology:
April 16, 1999 — #3026: Amber goes into labor.
April 19–22 — #3027–3030: labor continues while Rick remains unaware of what is really happening.
April 23 — #3031: Amber gives birth.
April 26 — #3032: the baby is confirmed stillborn. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Eric Forrester III
Born: April 23, 1999
Confirmed stillborn: April 26, 1999
The storyline ultimately establishes that Rick was indeed the baby’s biological father. (The Bold and The Beautiful)
This makes the tragedy even more devastating: Amber’s fear that Raymond might be the father had been unnecessary.
The baby switch
Tawny immediately proposes an extraordinary solution.
Amber’s cousin Becky Moore has also recently given birth to a baby boy and intends to give him up for adoption.
Tawny convinces Amber to take Becky’s baby and pass him off as her own surviving child.
The official archive shows Tawny first suggesting this on:
April 28, 1999 — #3034. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Amber reluctantly agrees.
On May 3, 1999 — #3037, Amber returns to Los Angeles carrying Becky’s child and presents him to Rick as their son. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Rick believes the baby is:
Eric Forrester III.
In reality, he is Becky Moore’s biological son.
This becomes the central secret driving the next phase of the series.
Becky arrives in Los Angeles
Becky Moore — Marissa Tait
Becky becomes increasingly desperate to see her son.
June 29, 1999 — #3078: Becky arrives unexpectedly in Los Angeles. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Amber and Tawny desperately try to prevent her from discovering—or exposing—the truth.
Becky becomes suspicious when she sees the baby and notices identifying details.
By September, she knows what happened.
September 1–8, 1999 — #3124–3129: Becky takes the baby and confronts Amber over stealing him. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Amber eventually persuades Becky to let the child remain with Rick and Amber while Becky prepares to leave for Paris.
The secret remains intact at the end of Season 12.
Tawny Moore arrives
Tawny Moore — Andrea Evans
First appearance: March 29, 1999
Amber’s manipulative mother becomes a major character.
Tawny is instrumental in the baby switch and repeatedly pressures Amber to preserve the deception regardless of the consequences. Her documented first appearance is March 29, 1999. (Wikiland)
Kimberly Fairchild
Kimberly Fairchild — Ashley Tesoro
Kimberly becomes the wholesome alternative to Amber.
She develops strong feelings for Rick, creating:
Rick → Amber ← C.J.
and
Kimberly → Rick
Rick is attracted to Kimberly as well, complicating his commitment to Amber.
The rivalry between Amber and Kimberly becomes one of the principal teen stories of the season.
Macy discovers Kimberly is her sister
Kimberly believes Myles Fairchild is her father.
The truth is that “Myles” is actually:
Adam Alexander
Adam is Sally Spectra’s former lover and Macy’s biological father.
Therefore:
Macy Alexander and Kimberly Fairchild are half-sisters.
The truth comes out in early 1999, devastating Kimberly. Contemporary March 1999 recaps document Kimberly learning that Macy is her sister and reacting by disappearing. (Soap Opera Digest)
Grant Chambers dies
The cancer storyline that began in Season 11 reaches its tragic conclusion almost immediately.
Grant knows he is dying and encourages Macy to move on with Thorne.
Grant Chambers
Death: October 9, 1998
Cause: testicular cancer
Soap Central gives both his final appearance and death as October 9, 1998. (Soap Central)
Macy is devastated and struggles again with alcoholism after Grant’s death.
Thorne and Macy reunite
Grant spends his final weeks encouraging Macy to return to Thorne.
After Grant’s death, Thorne becomes Macy’s major emotional support.
Eventually they reunite and become engaged.
By June 9, 1999 — #3064, Macy and Thorne announce their engagement to both families. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
But another woman is about to complicate everything:
Brooke.
Brooke falls for Thorne
This is one of the most important shifts in B&B history.
For years Brooke’s great obsession had been Ridge.
During Season 12, that finally begins to change.
Brooke develops romantic feelings for Thorne.
On June 28, 1999 — #3077, Brooke explicitly confesses her feelings for him. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Thorne is still engaged to Macy, setting up the explosive:
Brooke / Thorne / Macy
triangle that will dominate Season 13.
Ridge, Taylor and Pierce
Pierce Peterson becomes increasingly obsessed with Taylor.
His use of hypnosis creates problems in Ridge and Taylor’s marriage.
Ridge demands that Taylor stop working with Pierce, but Taylor refuses—the conflict is already active in Season 12 Episode 1 (#2878). (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Pierce’s storyline ends on:
Pierce Peterson — Paul Satterfield
Final appearance: April 7, 1999 — #3019. (Wikiland)
Ridge and Taylor survive the threat to their marriage.
Taylor becomes pregnant again
Later in the season, Taylor becomes pregnant.
On June 21, 1999 — #3072, Ridge and Taylor discover they are expecting:
twins. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
The pregnancy becomes dangerous when Taylor contracts tuberculosis.
Taylor refuses treatment that she fears could harm her unborn daughters.
By September 1999 her condition is critical.
The Season 12 finale on September 15 — #3134 has Taylor preparing to deliver her twin daughters while seriously ill. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Sheila’s revenge and departure
Sheila Carter begins the season as an escaped convict.
She disguises herself and infiltrates Forrester Creations to see Mary.
Then she confronts Stephanie.
October 5–6, 1998 — #2892–2893: Sheila holds Stephanie at gunpoint. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Amber intervenes to save Stephanie and is injured.
Sheila’s storyline then reaches the end of her original long B&B run.
This is an important historical transition: after having dominated B&B since 1992, Kimberlin Brown exits the regular canvas in 1998.
Brooke’s Bedroom
Brooke launches one of the most famous—and controversial—business ventures in B&B history:
Brooke’s Bedroom
The lingerie line causes enormous tension within the conservative Forrester family, especially with Stephanie.
The official archive places Brooke’s provocative press conference launching/promoting the line on:
December 15, 1998 — #2942. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
The line becomes a major commercial success and strengthens Brooke’s position at Forrester Creations.
Recasts & SORAS
Season 12 is much quieter for SORAS than Season 11.
Rick Forrester — Jacob Young remains in the role throughout the entire Season 12 run covered here. Young does not leave until September 15, 1999, meaning his final episode falls at the very end of this season’s period; Justin Torkildsen succeeds him afterward. (Kiwix)
Bridget Forrester — Agnes Bruckner remains Bridget throughout the season.
C.J. Garrison — Mick Cain remains C.J.
Thomas Forrester remains a baby/toddler and is not SORASed.
So:
Major SORAS during Season 12: none.
Rick recast transition
Jacob Young — final appearance: September 15, 1999
Justin Torkildsen — takes over in fall 1999
Because September 15 is the final Season 12 episode in the official archive chronology, I would place the actual Jacob Young → Justin Torkildsen recast in Season 13, not Season 12. (Kiwix)
Births
Eric Forrester III — Amber’s biological son
Born: April 23, 1999 — #3031
Stillborn/death confirmed: April 26 — #3032
Parents: Rick Forrester & Amber Moore. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Becky’s son — later known as Little Eric
Born in 1999, shortly before Amber’s delivery.
Biological mother: Becky Moore.
Amber and Tawny take the newborn and pass him off as Rick and Amber’s surviving son. (The Bold and The Beautiful)
Steffy and Phoebe Forrester
Not Season 12 births. Taylor is pregnant with them during Season 12, but their birth begins in Season 13, September 1999. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
New characters
| Character | Actor | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| Raymond | Usher Raymond | 1998 |
| Kimberly Fairchild | Ashley Tesoro | 1998 |
| Adam Alexander / Myles Fairchild | Michael Swan | 1998 |
| Tawny Moore | Andrea Evans | March 29, 1999 |
| Becky Moore | Marissa Tait | 1999 |
| Becky’s son / “Little Eric” | infant performers | 1999 |
Soap Opera Digest confirms that Usher debuted as Raymond in 1998, while Michael Swan likewise joined B&B as Adam Alexander in 1998. (Soap Opera Digest)
Character departures
Grant Chambers — Charles Grant
October 9, 1998 — death. (Soap Central)
Sheila Carter — Kimberlin Brown
1998 — end of original 1992–98 B&B run.
Pierce Peterson — Paul Satterfield
April 7, 1999 — #3019. (Wikiland)
Jacob Young as Rick Forrester
September 15, 1999 — actor departure/recast, not a character departure. (Kiwix)
Lauren Fenmore — Tracey E. Bregman
Lauren’s 1995–99 period as a full-time B&B character comes to an end around this era; she subsequently returns to Genoa City/Y&R. Her B&B regular tenure is documented as 1995–1999. (Soap Central)
Returning characters
There are fewer major long-term returns than introductions.
Adam Alexander is technically a character from Sally’s past rather than an on-screen return—1998 is his first actual appearance, so he belongs under New Characters, not Returns. (Soap Opera Digest)
Likewise, Tawny and Becky are newcomers rather than returning characters.
Therefore I would record:
Major established-character returns: none requiring separate classification.
Marriages
Rick Forrester & Amber Moore
February 1999
The wedding sequence begins on February 18, 1999 (#2987) after C.J. and Raymond raise doubts about the baby’s paternity. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
This marriage continues despite the enormous secret Amber is keeping from Rick.
Thorne & Macy
They do not marry during Season 12. They become engaged, with the engagement publicly announced on June 9, 1999 (#3064). (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Deaths
Grant Chambers
October 9, 1998
Cause: testicular cancer.
Grant dies while married to Macy. (Soap Central)
Amber and Rick’s biological son — Eric Forrester III
April 1999
Born on April 23 (#3031) and revealed as stillborn on April 26 (#3032). (The Bold and the Beautiful)
So for our database:
Major adult-character deaths: 1 — Grant Chambers.
Infant deaths/stillbirths: 1 — Eric Forrester III.
Y&R / B&B Crossovers
Season 12 is very important for the shared Y&R/B&B universe because two of Genoa City’s biggest characters actually appear.
Y&R → B&B
Jack Abbott — Peter Bergman
Jack Abbott appears on B&B in connection with the fashion-business storyline.
The official B&B archive explicitly places Jack in:
December 29, 1998 — Episode #2951
Ridge is delayed at a business meeting with Jack Abbott while Taylor waits for him at Pierce’s gala. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
This is a genuine Y&R → B&B crossover appearance.
Victor Newman — Eric Braeden
Even more significantly, Victor Newman crosses over to B&B.
The official archive records:
January 28, 1999 — Episode #2972
Ridge confronts Victor Newman over Victor having dinner with Brooke. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
So we have two confirmed Genoa City visitors:
Jack Abbott → B&B — December 29, 1998
Victor Newman → B&B — January 28, 1999
Lauren Fenmore — Tracey E. Bregman
Lauren remains a B&B regular for part of this period, although she originated on Y&R.
Her case differs from Jack and Victor: she is not simply making a guest crossover. She has been a B&B cast member since her 1995 migration from Y&R and is approaching the end of that regular run. (Soap Central)
Sheila Carter — Kimberlin Brown
Likewise, Sheila originated on Y&R but is still functioning as a B&B character at the beginning of Season 12.
Her departure in 1998 closes the original 1992–98 Sheila-on-B&B era.
B&B → Y&R
I have not found a comparably significant B&B-origin character appearing on Y&R during this exact Season 12 window.
Lauren’s eventual movement back toward Genoa City is best understood as the return of a Y&R-origin character, rather than a B&B → Y&R crossover.
Therefore:
Y&R → B&B: Jack Abbott, Victor Newman; plus continuing Y&R-origin characters Lauren Fenmore and Sheila Carter.
B&B → Y&R: No major B&B-origin crossover confirmed for this season.
Season 12 at a glance
| THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL — SEASON 12 | |
|---|---|
| Dates | September 15, 1998 – September 15, 1999 |
| Episodes | 257 — #2878–#3134 |
| Major newcomers | Kimberly, Raymond, Adam, Tawny, Becky |
| Major SORAS | None |
| Major departure | Sheila Carter |
| Major actor departure | Jacob Young as Rick — Sept. 15, 1999 |
| Major death | Grant Chambers — Oct. 9, 1998 |
| Major infant death | Amber & Rick’s son — April 1999 |
| Major marriage | Rick & Amber — February 1999 |
| Major pregnancy | Taylor — twins Phoebe & Steffy |
| Major baby storyline | Amber’s stillbirth and the Becky baby switch |
| Major romance shift | Brooke falls for Thorne |
| Y&R guest characters | Jack Abbott, Victor Newman |
| Season-ending cliffhanger | Taylor critically ill and preparing to deliver her twins |
One point I would now lock firmly into our chronology is the boundary between Seasons 12 and 13: Steffy and Phoebe should not be listed as Season 12 births. Season 12 ends with Taylor preparing to deliver; Season 13 opens on September 20, 1999 with the delivery of the twins. (The Bold and the Beautiful)
Jackson Dynasty 