Odds and Ends 34

While looking for Guiding Light information, I sometimes find things that I think are of interest relating to other soaps. This collection of Odds and Ends related to various soaps that someone may want to know some time. Look for another odds and ends post soon.

The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful are renewed through 2017.
http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/cbs-renews-entire-daytime-lineup-for-2014-2015-season-1201058664/

The Young and the Restless celebrates 25 years as the number 1 soap with a video that does a great job of sharing the crew as well as the cast.
http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/video/vBBe90U_M_ysbGQBOtu8m36tFT5_nZis/the-young-and-the-restless-25-years-as-the-1-daytime-drama/

Photos from The Young and the Restless weddings (mostly recent).
http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/life/people/2013/12/16/25-years-of-epic-young-and-the-restless-weddings/4012899/

The September 23, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth confirms Eric Braeden (Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless) is writing his memoir. Read more in the issue.

According to the September 23, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth if you watch episodes throughout 2013 you might see Doug Davidson’s Outstanding Lead Actor Emmy and Outstanding Supporting Actor Emmy won by Billy Miller in the background of scenes.

Diana Barton (Mary Jo, a crazy ex of Jack’s on The Young and the Restless) now professional does make up for high end photo shoots and other options. See photos and read more in the September 23, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Better address for the Forrester Mansion than listed before 369 Willow Hill Road in the September 23, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Cast holiday photo of The Young and the Restless.
https://twitter.com/DanielGoddard/status/412738782564077569/photo/1

An interview with Kate Linder (Esther Valentine on The Young and the Restless) is worth a read.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/12/16/kate-linder-jeanne-cooper-young-and-restless-interview_n_4454266.html

Me-TV shared this on Facebook: “For all of you Emergency! fans out there, the next time you’re in Los Angeles you can see the original Station 51! Fire Station 51 is in real life it’s Los Angeles County Fire Station 127 located in Carson, CA. The station is still in service with few changes. The second Engine 51 used in the show believe it or not is still in service 40 years later at the Yosemite National Park in California. You can find the engine at the small fire station near the visitors center.”

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Odds and Ends 32

While looking for Guiding Light information, I sometimes find things that I think are of interest relating to other soaps. This collection of Odds and Ends related to various soaps that someone may want to know some time. Look for another odds and ends post soon.

Find a gift guide to the soap opera fan in your life in the Nov. 18, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Port Chuck, the musical group formed by actors from General Hospital,is on what they’re calling a farewell tour. See a small article in the Nov. 18, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful casts volunteered at the Project Angel Food Kitchen continuing their commitment that dates back to the Stephanie Forrester homeless storyline. See a full photo spread in the Nov. 18, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

According to the “Did You Know” in the Nov. 18, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth Ethan Wayne, Storm Logan #1 and John Wayne‘s son used to arrive at the studio in his private plane. Also that Melissa Cordell played both the maternal grandmother of Heather Williams and years later Drucilla’s ballet instructor Madame Chauvin.

Ray Wise (who I adored as the Devil in Reaper) is coming to The Young and the Restless as the cult leader of the famous Paul and Nikki cult back in the late 1970s, early 1980s.  http://cbs.soapsindepth.com/2013/12/yr-gets-wise.html

The Bold and the Beautiful has made a deal to issue Alternative Universe fanfic by professional writers as both paper and digital books. http://tvsourcemagazine.com/2013/12/bold-beautiful-strikes-book-deal-bringing-new-love-stories-print/

Doug Davidson (Paul Williams on The Young and the Restless) says he is often asked about his glasses. He wears them in real life too. They are Ermenegildo Zegna brand. Read more in the Nov. 18, 2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest. The Nov. 18,  2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest has behind the scenes shots of Bill’s almost fall of the mountain on The Bold and the Beautiful.

Jess Walton (Jill Abbott on The Young and the Restless) shares a photo spread of her cabin home in the Nov. 18, 2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest. The Ask Us section of the Nov. 18, 2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest informs us that Taylor Forrester moved to France to spend time with Steffy, although she doesn’t seem around for Steffy to tell her good news.

Odds and Ends 31

While looking for Guiding Light information, I sometimes find things that I think are of interest relating to other soaps. This collection of Odds and Ends related to various soaps that someone may want to know some time. Look for another odds and ends post soon.

There are photos from The Young and the Restless 40th Anniversary party in the Sept. 9, 2013 issue of CBS soaps in Depth.

Dylan Neal (Dylan the doctor who paid his way through medical school by stripping, and was star crossed with Eric’s young niece Jessica on The Bold and the Beautiful)  is a lead in the Hallmark Channel’s new show Cedar Cover based on the Debbie Macomber novels. See a photo in the Sept. 9, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

The Sept. 9, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth explains the book Brooke was reading to Stephanie while she was dying was Felix Holt, The Radical by George Eliot. It features a strong matriarch named Mrs. Transome who ends up developing a bond with her son’s fiancee Esther, a poor girl.
Find the text online for free: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40882
Buy a copy on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Felix-Holt-Radical-George-Eliot/dp/1440429553

Doug Davidson (Paul Williams on The Young and the Restless) is interviewed about his finally winning a Daytime Emmy in the Sept. 9, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Horton) 40th Anniversary on Days of Our Lives is celebrated with a photo filled tribute in the Sept. 9, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

According to the August 26, 2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest, The Young and the Restless gets a lot of questions about Avery’s glasses. They are the real life glasses of her portrayer Jessica Collins. Collins says, “the brand is Dita and the style is Confidante. I wear them in two colors, tortoise and purple. Folks can contact Dita for more info at http://www.dita.com .”

Luke and Laura’s wedding from General Hospital is being featured on the retro 1980s show The Goldbergs on the Oct. 15th episode.
http://www.welovesoaps.net/2013/10/general-hospitals-luke-and-laura.html

A round up of soaps around the web.
http://soapcentral.com/soapcentral/news/2013/1007-websoaps.php

Eric Bradean (Victor Newman of The Young and the Restless) did a guest shot on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
http://wildjackmonroe.tumblr.com/post/63238000935/soap-stars-on-sitcoms-in-no-particular-order

One of the very few well done friendships on The Young and the Restless was Colonel Douglas (played by the late Michael Evans) and Victor Newman. They were the closest of friends although they sometimes reminded you of the big dog and the little dog in the old Warner Brothers cartoons. However, the Colonel was one to help keep Victor Newman on an even keel and help back him up when he got too far, despite his utter devotion. The March 25, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth has a full page about him in InDepth Answers with a photo. “After many plots, a few romances (one with Katherine) and a failed marriage to ex-stripper/port star Boobsie, the Colonel left town. However, fans discovered that the gentleman had passed away during the 2011 Christmas episode when Nikki’s guardian angel told her that she’d been sent from heaven by both Douglas and John Abbott, who were concerned she was going doing the wrong path.”

Carol Channing, a fan of the show, appear as herself on the The Bold and the Beautiful during the 1993 Salute to Hollywood Fashion Show. She played a slightly fictionalized version of herself who was friends with Stephanie and improvised a line about Rosa’s cooking (which was frequently mentioned on the show during that time period).

In honor of the 5,000th episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, October 29, 2002 was declared William J. Bell Day in Los Angeles.

One Life to Live has a new book out Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live.http://www.welovesoaps.net/2013/10/eric-braeden-roundup.html

More location stuff, this time from IMDB on Big Bang Theory. “Sheldon verbally reveals his and Leonard’s Pasadena apartment 4A’s location as being 2311 Los Robles in “The Desperation Emanation.” In the 100th episode, Sheldon also reveals that their apartment building is across the street from the Colorado Avenue Chevron gas station, making their building a corner location, on the corner of Los Robles and Colorado. There are two incidences of this intersection in southern California, both located in Los Angeles County, the first one is E Colorado Blvd & N Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101, and the second one being Colorado Blvd & Los Robles St, Los Angeles, CA 90041. However, 2311 Los Robles is not an address by either one of those intersections. Leonard does reveal however that they live in Pasadena while declaring himself the “Darth Vader of Pasadena”.”

One of the greatest and most successful sitcom romances of all time, Cory and Topanga on Boy Meets World was lately recaptured in a cast reunion and will be in the highly anticipated restart Girl Meets World about their 13 year old daughter.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/boy-meets-world-cast-reunites-thanks-entertainment-weekly-101624111–abc-news-tv.html

Has the meaning behind cancellation changed?

I started following VIP auctions when they sold off some of the props from As the World Turns after the cancellation. They still sometimes sell things from The Bold and the Beautiful and because of that I subscribe to their newsletter, even if I’ve never bought anything from them. I wanted to share with everyone their newsletter issue from April.

Mike Stokes, their newsletter editor, gave an editorial about the change of the meaning of cancellation. He points out the roles of having non-broadcast networks ordering full quality productions of shows, once cancelled shows can easily come back. “With Netflix, Amazon Prime, Redbox – and even Xbox – jumping into the original programming arena, the finality of the concept of cancellation has changed. While cable networks have demonstrated that original programming can be viable without a broadcast signal or subscriptions, this is becoming a watershed year for television as the Internet alters its creative and business landscapes. Not only do these venues provide an additional opportunity to keep series alive, but they can also raise the dead.” Stokes was talking about the return (7 years after its cancellation) of Arrested Development and Heroes.

Stokes doesn’t mention the even more miraculous returns of All My Children and One Life to Live. It was once a rare show that got a miraculous return either as a new series or as a movie (Star Trek, Naked Gun, etc.), but now it seems like there is hope around for everybody’s favorites. That doesn’t mean that everybody is going to get new episodes or some update about your favorites and sometimes you’re better off having your favorite show stay dead rather than let some philistine who doesn’t understand the show make new episodes, but it is hope. So while most of us can’t buy the rights or get a new production off the ground, you can help. Watch the recovered shows and contact the networks, not just the broadcast networks but those bringing them back, The Online Network, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Redbox, and Xbox, and tell them what show you want to see back (Hint: I’m telling them I want my Guiding Light.)

http://www.vippartnership.com/VIPnewsletters/VIP052013_vol_1.html

CBS Daytime on Facebook

Although we can all fervently wish that CBS Daytime was being this proactive in social media before this, they recently have taken a more active role. Better late than never and I hope we can use this new found interest to help us show interest in soaps.  Go LIKE their page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/CBSDaytime/374125219341253

And while you are there be sure to LIKE their milestones for the first episodes of Guiding Light and As the World Turns. You might also suggest other milestones since most of theirs are The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.

Also follow and tag in their Twitter account. @CBSDaytime

Hurricane Sandy Special Roundup

Even though we’re not a part of their life, we feel like our soap family are part of ours after years of them coming into our homes every day. So we really appreciate it that they take time to reassure us that they are OK when a disaster hits. Some of the soap people who let us know they were OK on Twitter. Most of these tweets were sent October 29, 2012.

Paul Anthony Stewart (Danny Santos) although the tweets seem to have been deleted for some reason. Stewart was RTed as saying “My home has flooded but I am safe. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.”

Denise Pence (Katie Parker, Floyd’s sister and Hillary Bauer’s best friend) tweeted: “NY is a ghost town tonight . . . no power in Ridgefield, CT; none on 35th St in NY where my daughter is; we’re fine – so far.”

Ron Raines (Alan Spaulding #3) tweeted: “For those who are interested. We/my family are safe so far because we are on the Upper West Side. The outer areas of NYC are very vunerable.”

Beth Chamberlain (Beth Raines Spaulding #2) tweeted a series of tweets: “Lowes su**s! took our money 4 generator Thurs then called us, said they didn’t have but had coming in we r on wait list. Now they say F u….Thank God 4 my brother in northern VT. He ran 2 Home Depot, got us a generator & had his son meet us halfway. He is 5 hrs. from us…People in Home Depot in Littleton NH actually looked in the back & found a generator 4 us. Some different than Lowes in Clarkstown…Lost power. I was hoping we would have it longer. Damn.”

Ricky Paull Goldin (Gus Aitoro) sent a series of tweets: “Electric fire in my building. Parking under building completely flooded…I’m out of the building. My neighbors there,(a couple with a baby) are still in the building. They never left. The dad is texting me….They are telling me that the Marina (out our windows) is up to our balonies. I can’t go get them because the tunnels are shut.”

Guiding Light writer Jill Lorie Hurst tweeted: “okay except for the challenge of dog walking!”

Tonja Walker (Marie) tweeted: “Power’s back on!The store was open! Got Milk! We were lucky. But many endured tragedy. A fireman w/children we know was killed by a tree. Pray.”

Michael Park (Jack Snyder on As the World Turns, Dirk on Steamboat) tweeted: “Hey all. The fam is safe and my son is taking me to task in cribbage… We’ve counted our blessings.”

Bobbie Eakes(Macy Alexander Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful) tweeted: “I am safe and sound in Upper West Side of Manhattan although the lights are flickering. Looks so bad elsewhere.”

@itsonlythesoaps who often gives us suggestions for this blog tweeted: “came back online to see what is going on with the storm elsewhere. Still bad here,will check in again when I can.”

Tom Casiello former awesome soap writer and current awesome tweeter (plus he does something with running wrestling LOL) tweeted: “All is good with us! 🙂 ”

‏@SoapOpera451 of the soap blog of the same name tweeted “13 year old’s Go Bag includes pocket copy of Constitution. “We may need it in an anarchist society.” Some people pack guns, my son…”

We Love Soaps presented famous soap Sandys: http://www.welovesoaps.net/2012/10/hurricane-sandy-famous-characters-named.html

Odds and Ends 18

While looking for Guiding Light information, I sometimes find things that I think are of interest relating to other soaps. This collection of Odds and Ends related to various soaps that someone may want to know some time. Look for another odds and ends post soon.

Days of Our Lives will air its 12,000th episode on Jan. 11, 2013.
http://www.welovesoaps.net/2012/10/october1.html

Really impressed with this Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing) led Dallas event that supported a youth group, plus got publicity for both the show and the library. Who could resist a bit about someone new “shooting” J.R.?
http://photographyblog.dallasnews.com/2012/10/dallas-star-larry-hagman-lends-support-to-citys-budding-young-photographers.html/

Some scenes for season 2 of Dallas were shot at Highland Park Village in Dallas.
http://www.hpvillage.com/2012/10/tnts-dallas-at-highland-park-village-today

Randolph Mantooth (Johnny Gage in Emergency!, Hal Munson #2 on As the World Turns) is starring in a new play ‘Superior Donuts.’
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/jackson/index.ssf/2012/10/review_superior_donuts_a_celeb.html

A roundup of why soap actors left and returned to their roles appeared in the August 13, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest. It includes Grayson McCouch (Dusty Donovan #2) on As the World Turns and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers of The Young and the Restless).

Ronn Moss sadly just left his iconic role of Ridge Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful after 25 years. Tributes include: a look back at his fashion Sept. 24, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Michael Swain (my beloved Duncan McKendrick of As the World Turns) attended the season 2 wrap part for the web series The Bay. See a photo in the April 10, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard, Anita on The Young and the Restless) catches us up on her life since then. Find it in the April 10, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Jeanne Cooper‘s (Kay Chancellor) real life face lift is recapped in the April 10, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest (including her use of physical lifts prior to the surgery, little hooks that literally pulled her face back as part of her makeup). They report the full story is in the August 14, 1984 issue.

Kelly Monaco on Maria says “”Daytime is Generational TV Programming That Needs to Stay Around For a Really Long Time.” I highly agree.
http://daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/2012/10/08/kelly-monaco-to-marie-daytime-tv-needs-to-say-around

Susan Lucci (Erica Kane on All My Children) was quoted as “I hope the soaps that are still running will thrive. They have millions of loyal viewers.”
http://www.welovesoaps.net/2012/10/susan-lucci-i-hope-soaps-that-are-still.html

Odds and Ends 17

While looking for Guiding Light information, I sometimes find things that I think are of interest relating to other soaps. This collection of Odds and Ends related to various soaps that someone may want to know some time. Look for another odds and ends post soon.

The August 20, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest reminds us that the rights to All My Children and One Life to Live, which were held by Prospect Park for a year, even though they didn’t actually produce any episodes, will soon expire and revert back to ABC.

Jennifer Landon (Gwen Munson on As the World Turns) is interviewed about coming to The Young and the Restless as Heather Stevens in the July 9, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Randolph Mantooth (Johnny Gage on Emergency!, Hal Munson #2 on As the World Turns, and other soap operas) who I adore, was asked about his soap work on the latest We Love Soaps roundup.
http://www.welovesoaps.net/2012/09/12sep12.html

An oral history of the Ewing family through actual dialogue on Dallas:
http://ultimatedallas.com/oralhistory

Show business legend Phyllis Diller‘s final appearance before her death was in her recurring role of Gladys on The Bold and the Beautiful. She last appeared on the show in March 2012 and passed away in August 2012 at age 95. Diller was also a fan of the show, improving a line about the Forrester housekeeper during her first appearance.

The Young and the Restless celebrated its 10,000th episode September 28, 2012.

Ronn Moss is leaving his role of Ridge Forrester (at least for now) on The Bold and the Beautiful after 25 years. Find a retrospective of Moss’ time as Ridge with both photos and memories in the October 8, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

The June 11, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest featured an interview with BB and YR co-creator Lee Phillip Bell about her new book about her husband William J. Bell.

Michael Damian (Danny Romalotti on The Young and the Restless) points out dropped storylines he’d like to finish including paying back the huge amount of money that Kay loaned Danny to make his first music video, which as far as he knows he never paid back, in the June 11, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

An interesting Q and A appeared in the June 11, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest about the classic soap Edge of Night.
Question: I remember that Edge of Night used to air live on CBS but switched to tape when it went over to ABC. How was this accomplished with no break between the final live CBS broadcast and the first ABC taped show? Were cast members working at both studios for a while? Thank you. – Jim, Delaware
Answer: Shortly before the switch from CBS to ABC, Edge of Night transitioned to tape in preparation for the move. So the reports that Edge‘s final CBS telecast was live were erroneous. The cast and crew worked weekends and shot six episodes a week to create a stockpile of episodes for the move to ABC. Complicating matters, Edge launched on ABC with a special 90-minute telecast that included location shots.

Guiding Light Cast Round Up 50

This is the fifyth in an irregular feature where we will report updates on what cast members of Guiding Light are doing now. I’m playing catch up on some soap magazine news. So as a reminder you can buy back issues:
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/faq-back-issues

Jordi Vilasuso (Tony Santos #1) was featured in a Where Are They Now? in the June 4, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Tina Sloan (Lillian Raines) was recently interviewed on Blog Talk Radio. Guiding Light writer Jill Lorie Hurst also chimes in.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chitchatchickslive/2012/08/28/chit-chat-chicks–tina-sloan-

Grant Aleksander (Phillip Spaulding #2, the one there the longest) is quoted in a historic quote from 8/30/1994 in the August 20, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest. “Most people generally dislike when they first meet me because I have a cool and aloof demeanor. But it’s a facade. I think I just do that because I don’t want people to know what a sucker I really am.”

Michael Zaslow (Roger Thorpe) was interviewed in 1971 and just reprinted on We Love Soaps.
http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/05/flashback-michael-zaslow-1971.html

Marcy Rylan (Lizzie Spaulding Lewis #6, part of the wonderful Bizzie pairing) recently tweeted a photo of one of her redecorated rooms.
https://twitter.com/EmmeRylan/status/242409988037939200/photo/1

Hayden Panettiere (Lizzie Spaulding #2, the little girl who returned from Arizona, killed Carl Stevens, and fought cancer) is interviewed about her role on the new show Nashville in the Oct. 8, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Peter Simon (Ed Bauer #4 – Simon played Ed from the early 1980s through most of the rest of the run of the show) and his wife Courtney have a daughter named Kate Hall. Hall is currently a writer on General Hospital and recently share this photo of her parents:
https://twitter.com/Katehallds/status/246792796168679425/photo/1
Thanks to @itsonlythesoaps who gave me the heads up about it.

Amelia Marshall (Gilly Grant, David’s sister the ambitious reporter) is featured in a Nike ad about a teenager who almost smiles.

Marshall Hilliard (Hart Jessup #4) has just gotten a new role on General Hospital.
http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/gh-gets-new-police-officer

Scott Bailey (Sandy Foster, the fake Jonathan Randall) and his new bride Adrienne Frantz (Amber Moore on The Bold and the Beautiful) shared photos of their Hawaiian honeymoon in the July 3o, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Ron Raines (Alan Spaulding #3) sent in a hand written note wishing CBS Soaps in Depth a Happy 15th Anniversary in their July 30, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth. Raines also tweeted about his daughter Charlotte Raines “Charlotte will be doing a production of Rocky Horror…. with The Theater Company at Morton Center in New Jersey. She’s doing Magenta.”

Victoria Platt (Vicky Spaulding) appeared on the September 17, 2012 episode of Switched at Birth.

Robert Newman (Josh Lewis) was interviewed about what he’s doing now (mostly Broadway) in the June 11, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.
Earlier this year, Newman  was in an off-Broadway production of She’s of a Certain Age with Rosemary Prinz (Penny Hughes, Bob’s sister, Ellen Stewart’s best friend on As the World Turns). See a photo in the May 28, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

ABC’s 666 Park Avenue will feature Springfielders in back to back episodes. Aubrey Dollar (Marina Cooper #4- whose spirited portrayal made her Marina realistically one of Michelle Bauer Santos two best female friends along with Marah Lewis) will appear as Annie in the Sunday, October 14, 2012 episode. Wendy Moniz (Dinah Marler #3, the one paired with Hart) will air appear in the following episode  Sunday, October 21, 2012.

Ian Ziering (Cameron, one of the original Dinah, Alan-Michael, and Harley quad) and Paul Wasilewski (Max Nickerson #2, Daisy’s first serious boyfriend) were both featured in the where are they now type round up of teen idols in the July 30, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Judi Evans (Beth Raines Spaulding #1) is returning to Days of Our Lives in her character as Adrienne in time to learn her brother Jack is dead.

Ellen Dolan (Maureen Reardon Bauer #1) and Eileen Fulton (Lisa Miller Hughes – should have stopped right there- on As the World Turns) are starring in a movie filming in Iowa.
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/small-town-actors-meet-big-time-hollywood-stars/article_89d07c3e-ef27-11e1-aaf2-001a4bcf887a.html

Beth Chamberlain (Beth Raines Spaulding #2) has launched a campaign for a new women’s fitness project.
http://www.indiegogo.com/WomensEmpowermentProject

Ricky Paull Goldin (Gus Aitoro) tweeted a photo from his HGTV Home Improvement Flash Mobs in the NE area.
https://twitter.com/stephaycock/status/240644535984738304/photo/1

Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne Lewis) joined the touring company of Wicked as Madame Morrible.
http://broadwayworld.com/article/Patti-Murin-Kim-Zimmer-and-Cliffton-Hall-Join-WICKED-Tour-in-August-20120726

Bonnie Dennison (Daisy Susan LeMay Cooper #3) sang “Only the Good Die Young” with a fan at a charity karaoke night, part of Mingle For a Cause. See a photo in the October 8, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth. Learn more about the event and charity:
http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/mingle-cause-karaoke-event

The June 4, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest included a round up of on set romances that broke up, including:

• Beth Ehlers (Harley Davidson Cooper) and Mark Derwin (A. C. Mallet #1). They got together in 1992 and broke up in 1994.
• Vincent Irizarry (Lujack, Nick McHenry) and Kristi Ferrell (Roxie Shayne). They got together in 1984 and broke up in 1985 or 1986.
• Irizzary also paired with Signy Coleman (Annie Dutton #2/Terri DeMarco). They got together in 1988, married July 23, 1989, and divorced in 1992.
• Irizarry also paired with Kimberly Simms (Mindy Lewis #2). The couple got together in 1991, broke up for awhile, reunited, were engaged in 1994 and then ultimately broke it off.
• Irizzary also paired with Barbara Crampton (Mindy Lewis #3, the one that was way too old). They dated in between stints with Simms.
• I’m starting to think Irizzary has a problem.
• Gina Tognoni (Dinah Marler #4) and her OLTL costar Don Jeffcoat. They were together in 1999 and 2000 before splitting.
• ‘Tognoni also paired with Mark Derwin (A.C. Mallet #1). They were together in 2004 and didn’t share with the press.
• Tognoni also paired with Tom Pelphrey (Jonathan Randall #2). They dated in 2005 and split in 2006.

Click on the Posted in “GL Cast Update” category below for more posts about keeping up with the Springfielders.

Soap Dead

Every Friday night, I try to post another term of Soap Opera Jargon. Find previous entries on the Soap Opera Jargon page on this site.
Soap Dead – Miraculous returns from the dead have been a part of soap operas almost from the beginning, whether it was a carefully laid plot or a “guess who didn’t make it in Hollywood and came crawling back.” However, it didn’t used to be as common as it is today. (See Sudden Doppleganger) Now returning from the dead is so common that people have developed a term, “soap dead” to describe a situation where viewers assume no character is really dead and the actor or at least the character will be back.

There have been a lot of memorable returns over the years. One of the MOST memorable was on As the World Turns when the monk who had been sinisterly lurking around town for weeks pushed back his cowl and said “Hello, Barbara” revealing ubervillian  James Stenbeck in his first of many returns from the dead. This scene made such an impact that if you say “Hello, Barbara” to almost any soap fan and they will know exactly what you mean. ATWT also had one of the best written returns. When Shannon O’Hara McKendrick returned to town it had already been announced by the soap magazines, but it still managed to shock us by setting up a situation where Duncan’s current wife Jessica was assumed to be the source of the phone call that urged Duncan to come because they had his wife in custody, he opened the door and it was Shannon instead. (Sadly they hadn’t planned what should happen nearly as well after week 1 and ultimately Shannon and Duncan were shipped out of town again, ignoring tons of story possibilities.) Once in awhile we can still be surprised. On The Young and the Restless Phillip Chancellor II came back from the dead after being peacefully in his grave for 16 years, when the other end of Cane’s phone calls was revealed at the end of an episode. (I yelled “WHAT!” outloud.) However, it’s such a common occurrence now that they don’t even always bother to come up with a story that makes sense to explain the return like the wax doll replacement that was used for The Bold and the Beautiful‘s Taylor Hayes Forrester or the twin who showed up to take a bullet for Cane/Ethan/Whatever they’re calling him this week on The Young and the Restless. Days of Our Lives has made in an unusually campy joke with pretty much everyone in town back from the dead a couple of times and Tony Demeria is not dead because it was his cousin Andre who was killed, but wait Andre is a live too and Tony was really being held on an island the whole time so both Tony and Andre were the same person, but now Tony is supposedly really dead….I give up.

On Guiding Light, the most memorable come back was Roger Thorpe who came back after a decade (even though his portrayer Michael Zaslow said he held really, really still a long time to assure they couldn’t).  He’d been shot and fell over a cliff, but was found living as a CIA agent on a tropical island. However, Phillip Spaulding, Alan Spaulding, Beth Raines Spaulding, and Reva Shayne Lewis probably get the Phoenix crowns for coming back from the dead, or at least the assumed dead, multiple times.  A fair sprinkling of other people around town, including Danny Santos, came back from the dead at least once.

At this point returns from the dead are so common than many fans and critics worry about what the concept of “Soap Dead” is doing to the genre. If almost everyone comes back from the dead eventually, how upset can you get when they die? How can you get emotionally invested with the fallout when you’re sure the death isn’t permanent and they will be back among the living? Is “Soap Dead” a flexible answer to casting challenges that help chase ratings or part of the reason not as many people feel the emotional connection to soaps they once did? Stay tuned.