I was very pleased to find this three part history of Guiding Light. I don’t think it’s 100% accurate, but cleary had access to some records we don’t, like the cast lists. Also, they interviewed people that were involved with the soap in the early days. The first part I didn’t bother scanning for photos because of the color of the original, but I think the yellow, while not as good as white, is still OK to see the photos.
Denis, Paul. “The Story of CBS-TV’s The Guiding Light” (Part 2 of 3). Daytime TV. October 1974 Vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 16-22, 50, 52, 54.
The Bill Bauer Role
Bill Bauer, originally played by Lyle Sudrow, was married to Bertha and became the father of Michael and Ed.
Sudrow left in 1956 and moved to Hollywood with his wife, Diana Cheswick, and their daughter, Nicole. Eugene Smith played Bill Bauer, and the character was declared dead in 1965 when a plane he was on was missing. But seven months later, Bill Bauer was brought back into the story and this time Ed Bryce was playing the role.
Married Actors
The only time Guiding Light has had a married acting team on the show at the same time was when Richard Morse (Karl) was playing the sweetheart to his real wife, Judy Robinson, who was portraying Robin Holden, in 1959. In the story, Morse wanted to marry Judy, but instead she married his best friend in 1960. (In their real life, they subsequently were divorced.)
Black Actors
Guiding Light has employed some of the finest actors, James Earl Jones, who went on to stage and movie fame, portrayed Dr. Jim Frazier and Rubby Dee his wife, Nurse Martha Frazier. Later, Cecily Tyson played Nurse Frazier. Olivia Cole portrayed Deborah Mehran, Janet Mason Norris’ best friend and secretary to Dr. Sarah McIntyre, in 1973.
Gil Mehran was first played by David Pendleton and later by James Preston (who subsequently moved over to Another World).
Fran Myers
Fran Myers was 14 1/2 when she became Peggy Scott in 1964. As the daughter of Ben Scott (Bernard Kates), she literally grew up in full view of the TV audience. In 10 years, she has become a beautiful girl and an accomplished actress.
As Peggy, she subsequently married Johnny Fletcher, and is now the mother of Billy on the show.
Ernest Graves
Ernest Graves played Alex Bowden from 1960 through 1966. He says he started as a villain and then became a good guy, and they finally sent him off to Switzerland. In the story, Bowden had a fondness for young girls and, says Graves, “People were always yelling at me, ‘Leave that girl alone!'” Once, when he was particularly nasty in the story, an irate lady recognized him in a supermarket and ran her shopping cart into his leg.
He looks back with admiration at the skill of director Walter Gorman (who died a couple of years ago). “One day, an actress broke her leg, and it was 10:30am and we were worried, but Walter said, “I’m calling Nancy Malone, so don’t worry!’ Nancy arrived, glanced at the script, and did the show perfectly!'”
(Graves is now on One Life to Live, playing Victor Lord.)
The Impact
James Lipton made several brief trips to Hollywood during the time he was portraying Dr. Dick Grant on The Guiding Light.
One day he happened to be having lunch in the Warner Brothers commissary — and a movie commissary is filled with blase people who would not raise an eyebrow if the biggest star walked in.
But when the waitress spotted Lipton, she murmured, “My God!….You’re not Dr. Grant?!’ When Lipton admitted he was Dr. Grant, she dropped her loaded tray and swooned. And then, amidst the noisy confusion, the rest of the waitresses lined up for an autograph of Dr. Grant.
It’s possible that some movie stars are still brooding about the day a New York soap opera actor took the spotlight away from them right in their home grounds. Lipton also recalls that Lena Horne, Cole Porter, and Tallulah Bankhead were among his most loyal fans. They watched The Guiding Light … and loved it!
The late Theo Goetz, to his dying day, could never quite believe how important he had become because of his Papa Bauer portrayal. He used to brood: “Am I Theo Goetz who plays Papa Bauer or am I really Papa Bauer who dreams he’s Theo Goetz?”
Theo loved reading his fan mail and marveled at the marriage proposals he received. When the show decided to reveal his 65th birthday on the air and invite viewers to send in a card, Theo was worried that no one would write. And so he begged his corner groceryman to send in a card. But when 26,000 cards came in almost overnight, Theo was stunned.
Charita Bauer, through the years, has been continually startled at the warm reception she receives no matter where she is. People recognize her, even in Ireland or London or Paris. She was stepping into a gondola in Venice once, when a woman came rushing up, gasping, “Don’t you play Bertha Bauer on The Guiding Light? And wouldn’t you come over to meet my mother?”
Another time, she was visiting backstage at the Metropolitan Opera House when opera star Grace Bumpry recognized her. “This is a thrill for me,” said Charita, and asked Miss Bumpry for HER autograph.
Don Stewart (playing Michael Bauer) has a thriving singing career on the side, yet he hesitates to quit Guiding Light. He is constantly recognized as Michael Bauer everywhere he goes, and he appreciates what Guiding Light has done for him. He’s gained more fame on GL than all his years in Hollywood movies and nighttime TV.
The Cast in the 1960s
In 1960, the cast consisted of Charita Bauer (Bert Bauer), Ellen Demming (Meta Roberts), Theo Goetz (Papa Bauer), Bernard Grant (Dr. Paul Fletcher), Joan Gray (Ann Fletcher), Ed Bryce (Bill Bauer), Judy Robinson (Robin Holden), James Lipton (Dick Grant), Lynne Rogers (Marie Grant), Michael Allen (Michael Bauer), Joe Campanella (Joe Torina), Pat Collins (Billy Bauer), Les Damon (Dr. Bruce Banning), Connie Lembcke (Amy Sinclair), and Carson Woods (Phillip Collins).
By 1962, the cast included: Ellen Demming (Meta Banning), Barnard Hughes (Dr. Bruce Banning), Charita Bauer, Theo Goetz, Bernard Grant, Elizabeth Hubbard (Ann Fletcher), Ed Bryce, Nancy Malone (Robin Holden), James Lipton, Lynne Rogers, Paul Prokop (Michael Bauer), Pat Collins, Carson Woods (Phillip Collins), Ernest Graves (Alex Bowden), Barbara Becker (Doris Crandall), Phil Sterling (George Hayes), John Boruff (Henry Benedict), and Kay Campbell (Helene Benedict).
In 1964, the cast has added Ellen Weston (Robin Bowden), Sandy Smith (Julie Conrad), Chase Crosley (Jane Fletcher), Donald Melvin (Johnny Fletcher).
By 1967, the cast consisted of Ed Bryce, Charita Bauer, Robert Gentry (Ed Bauer), Theo Goetz, Bernard Grant, Gillian Spencer (Robin Fletcher), Bernard Kates (Ben Scott), June Graham (Maggie Scott), Francie Myers [Blog Ed. Note: The original does indeed say Francie even though everywher else it’s Fran, maybe she went by Francie when she first started the show?](Peggy Scott), Phil Sterling, Chase Crosley (Jane Hayes), Stefan Schnabel (Dr. Stephen Jackson), Lynne Adams (Leslie Jackson), Barnard Hughes (Dr. Bruce Banning), Ellen Demming, Billy Dee Williams, and later James Earl Jones (Dr. Jim Frazier), Cecily Tyson (Martha Frazier), Ernest Graves, Ben Hayes (Dr. Joe Werner), and John Boruff.
By the end of 1967, Erik Howell was playing Dr. Paul Fletcher, Ruby Dee was Martha Frazier, Patricia Roe was playing Dr. Sarah McIntyre, Ed Zimmerman had become Dr. Joe Werner, and Victoria Wyndham was Tracy Delmar.
In the fall of 1968, Jill Andre had replaced Patricia Roe as Dr. Sarah McIntyre, Ruby Dee had dropped out as Martha Frazier, Robert Lawson was playing Marty Dillman, and Grace Matthews was Claudia Dillman. Then Christopher Wines became Marty Dillman, Paul McGrath played Dr. Gavin Hamilton, Paul Carpinelli became Flip Malone and Robert Pickering was Michael Bauer, Phil Sterling, Chase Crosley dropped out.
By 1969 Caroline McWillimas was playing Janet Mason, Ray Fulmer was Lee Gentry, Michael Durrell played Peter Wexler, Paul Collins was Tyler Mead, Chris Sarandan played Tom Halverson, Olivia Cole was Deborah Mehran, Jane Sarnol was Kate Pearson, Elissa Leeds was Hope, Vince O’Brien was Grove Mason, Millette Alexander was the new Dr. Sarah McIntyre, Don Stewart took over as Michael Bauer, Mart Hulswit the new Ed Bauer, Marion Lauer was Miss McHenry.
Important Roles
Certain characters are so vital so the storyline that new actors are brought in when an actor leaves.
For instance, Lyle Sudrow and then Eugene Smith and finally, Ed Bryce have played Bill Bauer.
Michael Bauer has been portrayed by Glenn Walken as a child and by Michael Allen, Gary Pillar, Robert Pickering and now by Don Stewart as an adult.
Billy Bauer was played by Pat Collins in 1962, and when the character was brought back as an adult in 1966, it was being played by Robert Gentry as a doctor. When Gentry left in 1969, Mart Hulswit took over.
Robin Holden through the years was played by Judy Robinson, Zina Bethune, Abigail Kellogg, Nancy Malone, Gillian Spencer. The character was Robin Holdin Bowden Fletcher when she was finally written out.
Johnny Fletcher was portrayed by Daniel Fortas, Donnie Melvin, Don Scardino and finally by Erik Howell who left in 1972.
Henry Benedict was played by John Beoruff, who also was a co-writer of the show at one time, Paul McGarth also played the role.
The bitchy character of Charlotte Bauer was first played by Victoria Wyndham and from 1971 to 1973 by Melinda Fee, who was then “killed off.”
Hope Bauer, daughter of Michael Bauer, was created by Paula Schwartz and then taken over by Elissa Leeds, who dropped out last year.
Dr. Sarah McIntyre was created by Patricia Roe in 1967, and was then played by Jill Andre, with Millette Alexander taking over in 1969.
Dr. Joe Werner was created by Ben Hayes. Ed Zimmermann suceeded him in 1967 and after Zimmermann died in 1972, Berkeley Harris was brought in and then Anthony Call.
Stanley Norris was first played by Michael Higgins and then by William Smithers.
Barbara Norris was a role created by Augusta Dabney, and Barbara Berjer took over in 1970 after having played Claire Cassen for six years on As the World Turns.
Adam Thorpe was created by Robert Gerringer and then Robert Milli succeeded him.
Peter Wexler was first played by Leon Russom, and Michael Durrell took over until he left last year.
Billy Dee Williams and then James Earl Jones both played Dr. Jim Frazier.
Cecily Tyson and Ruby Dee played Nurse Martha Frazier.
Lois Holmes and then Kate Harrington portrayed Muriel Conway.
Peter Greene and then Dan Hamiliton played David Vestid.
1966 Cast Review
Fourteen years after Guiding Light had premiered on TV, the characters and their approximate age of their show lives shaped up this way:
Bertha and Bill Bauer (Charita Bauer and Ed Bryce). The Bauer family continues to be the backbone of this serial.
Papa Bauer (Theo Goetz), the patriarch, held in great affection by the audience.
Michael Bauer, the elder Bauer son, very much on stage since 1952 and written out of the story about a year ago for conflict reasons.
Dr. Ed Bauer (Robert Gentry), the younger Bauer son, a resident in surgery at Cedars Hosptial, on stage a year.
Dr. Paul Fletcher (Bernard Grant) has his own clinic adjacent to home. He is also a GP on staff at Cedars Hospital. On show about 10 years.
Robin Fletcher (Gillian Spencer), Paul’s second wife, part of the show over 10 years, from childhood to present. Her mother, Kathy, was one of the original lead characters and died in Robin’s childhood.
Johnny Fletcher (Don Scardino), age 18 and Paul’s son by his first marriage, on show six years.
Jane Hayes (Chase Crosley), Paul’s half-sister and part of the story five years. She and George have a six-month-old daughter.
George Hayes (Philip Sterling), a lawyer and married to Jane. On the show 5 years.
Mrs. Maggie Scott (June Graham) Bill’s former co-worker and mistress. On the show five years.
Peggy Scott (Francie Myers), Maggie’s 17-year-old daughter. On show two years.
Ben Scott (Bernard Kates), Peggy’s father and Maggie’s husband. On the show a year.
Leslie Jackson (Lynne Adams), a volunteer aide at Cedars Hospital. In her early 20s and in love with Ed Bauer. On the show six months.
Dr. Stephen Jackson (Stefan Schnabel), chief of surgery at Cedars Hospital. On the show six months.
Dr. Joe Werner (Ben Hayes), Dr. Jackson’s senior resident. On show six months.
Dr Jim Frazier (James Earl Jones), a senior resident at Cedars. On show six months.
Martha Frazier (Cecily Tyson), Jim’s wife and a nurse.
First Heart Transplant
The Guiding Light is the first daytime serial to dramatize a heart operation.
In 1967 it staged a two-day operation, using real transplant surgical equipment. There was no blood or knife cutting into flesh shown on camera, but everything else was authentic. The cast and crew worked long hours to do the operation correctly, and Ed Bryce (Bill Bauer) played the patient. Paul McGarth portrayed the heart specialist, assisted by Stefan Schnabel (Dr. Stephen Jackson) and Ed Zimmermann (Dr. Joe Werner).
When the heart was at last transplanted and the incision sewn up, the director told Ed Bryce, that he could get up from the operating table. But Bryce didn’t move; he had gone off to sleep.
Mart Hulswit
Mart Hulswit took over as Dr. Ed Bauer on Jan. 1, 1969.
He had worked for three years with the NY Shakespeare Festival and appeared in a few movies and many nighttime TV shows, but it’s been Guiding Light that put him on the map.
He’s been in the Top Ten as Best Actor in our Readers’ Poll once every three or four months, and in Runners Up the rest of the time. He and Don Stewart are easily the most popular actors on The Guiding Light.
When asked if he’s like the character he portrays, he says, “Ed is more aloof in public than I am. He has more scientific intellect than I, and he has conquered many more problems that I hope I’ll ever have. I respect him; he’s quite a guy, and it’s too bad he can’t be happier.”
Teen Fan
Through the years, Guiding Light has built a tremendously loyal audience, of course. And perhaps one of its most remarkable loyal viewers is John Genovese, 17, at 696 River Road, Cos Cob, Conn. 06807.
He has kept records of the storyline, the cast, the music etc. of the show, having watched it since he was a child, and asking his mother for facts about the show that took place before he was born. Despite an inordinate interest in certain daytime serials, he remains a first-rate student in school. Last year, he wrote a history of The Guiding Light as a school project.
First Pregnancy Shown
As with most serials, pregnant actresses were carefully filmed so that their condition was hidden. However in 1966, Guiding Light decided to handle Gillian Spencer‘s real-life pregnancy differently. Since she was happily married in the story, the show let her be pregnant on camera. But in the story she lost her baby. When Chase Crosley was pregnant, the story let her bear the baby, too.
This serial ususally permits its actresses six weeks off to have their baby, but often lets this stretch to eight weeks. But that time, most actresses want to get back into the story.
Fan Clubs Help
There’s been a big increase in fan clubs for daytime actors, and two Guiding Light actors, Don Stewart and Mart Hulswit, undoubtedly have the most dynamic fan clubs on Guiding Light.
Don’s fan club is headed by Ruth Paff of 646 Pontius Road, Cincinati, Ohio 4238, and Sue Steele, 21 Seward St. Apt. #E-5, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
Mart’s fan club is run by Nancy Dingus, RD 3, Box 134, Elizabeth, Penn, 15037.
Tony Call (Dr. Joe Werner) now also has a fan club, and its presdient is Elizabeth Papadinecz, 1424 139th St. Whitstone NY, 11357.
How the Casting is Done
The big detergent company, Proctor and Gamble, owns The Guiding Light, which is produced for it by the Compton ad agency in New York.
The serial is cast by Mrs. Betty Rea, who has an office in Compton. It’s her job to sift through hundrends of aspiring actors and actresses, and to recommend to producer Lucy Rittenberg and Proctor and Gamble her selections. She has “open interviews” on Monday, Thursday, and Friday mornings in her office. Actors wishing to see her may phone and ask for an appointment. She casts the extras or the under-fivers (actors who have less than five lines of dialogue), and speaking parts for brief roles, and those long-running roles that are put under contract.
Mrs. Rea starts with a “character breakdown of the role” from the writers, and then she seeks out actors who fit the qualities required.
When a character is slated to have a relationship with somebody already in the cast, then the actor is asked to do scenes with the person he’ll beworking with. For instance, when Ed Zimmermann (Dr. Joe Werner) died, actors auditioning for the Werner role were asked to play scenes with Millette Alexander, who plays Werner’s wife, Sarah.
Sometimes, an actor is auditioned in another city and brought to New York, Don Stewart, for example, was auditioned in Hollywood and hired. Some are seen on other serials and, when their contracts are up, are sought out. Tony Call and Carol Teitel, for instance, had been working on The Edge of Night. Peter MacLean was remembered from Where the Heart Is. Robert Mili had been seen on Another World. Barabara Berjer came over after had been “killed off” on As the World Turns.
Sometimes a role is changed so that a fine actor can be hired. Lilia Skala, for instance, was auditioned for the role of Mrs. Dunbar, but her European accent ruled her out for that role. So Guiding Light changed the character to Mrs. Hoffman, which permitted an accent… and that’s how Lilia Skala was added to the cast.
Fat Captions
1960: When Theo Goetz was 65, the show suggested the viewers might want to congratulate him personally. And more than 39,000 letters poured in!
1960: Ernest Graves and Abigail Kellogg in a dramatic scene. Graves played Alex Bowden from 1960 through 1966 and is now on One Life to Live. Miss Kellogg, who lives in New York, has been doing TV, stock, etc.
1960: From left, Jeanne Linville, Joe Campanella, Lynne Rogers, and James Lipton were key characters. Lynne and Lipton played the Grants until 1962. Lipton became a writer and is now working for The Doctors. Campanella is in Holllywood.
1960: Richard Morse, as Karl, and his real wife, Judy Robinson, as Robin Holden, played lovers. But she married his best friend, instead. Morse now runs the Mime Theater out of New York.
1960: Bernard Grant, left, who played Paul Benedict from 1956 until 1970, worked well with Lynne Rogers and James Lipton, as Marie and Dr. Grant. Lynne, still a New York actress, now also runs a side business called Command Performance.
1961: Nancy Malone, a dynamic actress, played in many TV dramas out of New York and was known as a “real pro” – always relaiable, quick, talented.
1961: Joan Gray, as Ann Fletcher, had scenes with Bernard Grant, who stayed on GL for 14 years. Miss Gray lives in the New York area with her teen son, and is still an active actress.
1962: Charita Bauer and her TV father, Theo Goetz, sitting, formed the Bauer family with Ed Bryce (as Charita’s TV husband) and Ellen Demming, as Charita’s sister-in-law on the show. The Bauers are the core of the Guiding Light story.
1962: Ernest Graves says Nancy Malone is the “quickest story of any actress I’ve worked with.” She later moved to Hollywood, and is doing well in movies and TV.
1962: Pamela King added much to the story and is remembered kindly. She still lives in New York, but hasn’t been on other serials lately. She appears mostly in stage productions.
1962: This sweet boy played Billy Bauer, but no one at Guiding Light can remember his name or what happened to him. When the characters of Billy grew up, he was given the name of Ed Bauer.
1962: Kay Campbell, as Helene Benedict, worked with John Boruff, as Henry Benedict, Kay, now playing Kate Martin on All My Children, still lives in New York and is a busy actress.
1964: Gary Pillar and Sandra Smith added handsomeness and romance to the plot. He later moved to Another World and then to Hollywood and Bright Promise in 1970. She shifted in Hollywood in 1965 and was on The Interns on TV in 1970.
1965: June Graham and Bernard Kates made a good team. She’s now Mrs. John C. Senholzi and they have two children and live in New York. Kates later went into Where the Heart Is.
1965: Bernard Grant with Chase Crosley, who portrayed Jane Fletcher for five years before moving over to Search for Tomorrow for two years until 1970. She still lives in New York and gets her share of acting roles. Grant lives in the suburbs and does TV, movies, dubbing.
1965: Bernard Kates and June Graham, as Ben and Maggie Scott, added man-and-wife excitement to the story. He’s been busy with movies and stage appearances, working out of New York, and she gets stage and TV roles in addition to sometimes working with Lynne Rogers in Lynne’s tourist tour business in New York.
1965: The lady leaving the courtroom scene (Gary Pillar is at the table) is Lucy Rittenberg who’s been an executive with Guiding Light since it went on TV. She’s been the show’s writer and is now once more its resourceful producer.
1965: Chase Crosley, as Nurse Jane Fletcher, played that role for five years. She still lives in New York, pops up on serials quite often, and teaches drama in a city school. A dynamic actress.
1965: Gillian Spencer, who replaced Ellen Weston as Robin Bowden in 1964, with Fran Myers, who became Peggy Scott that year, too. Gillian is now on As the World Turns as Jennifer.
1965: Theo Goetz and Ellen Demming, as Papa and Meta, solved a lot of family problems while yakking in the kitchen. Ellen commutes to New York from the Westchester suburb.
1966: Lynne Adams won over 900 other young actresses to become Leslie, although she had never worked on TV before. She played opposite Ben Hayes, then Bob Gentry, now Don Stewart.
1966: June Graham, whose Maggie Scott role, 1965 through 1968, had a big impact, is still a New York. She’s raised two fine children, Nancy and Chris, now 26 and 25 respectively.
1966: Ben Hayes, a versatile New York actor, later moved into stage and movies, and was on As the World Turns last year. He still lives in New York and keeps busy in acting.
1967: Ed Bryce, as Bill Bauer, had many domestic scenes with Charita as her husband and the son of Papa Bauer. He was “killed off” and joined As the World Turns.
1967: Fran Myers, here was Grant, was 14 when she became Peggy in 1964. She has grown up in full view of the audience of Guiding Light, becoming a beautiful young blonde lady. A talented pianist, she has many interests and a big current real-life romance. She’s vital to the GI plot.
1968: Chase Crosley, pregnant in the story and real life in 1966, used her real daughter, Amanda (here surprised by a camera) as her TV child.
1968: Robert Gentry, here with Lynne Adams, played Ed Bauer, Subsequently moving to the West Coast, he’s a busy actor.
1968: Robert Gentry and Charita Bauer, with Theo Goetz, portrayed another Bauer family crisis, with Theo (as Papa) providing sage guidance. Charita, in the same role since 1950, is the longest-running leading lady on daytime TV serials.
1969: Don Stewart succeeded Robert Pickering as Michael Bauer on December of 1968 and built himself a great following through night club singing concerts, personal appearances, benefit shows. Persoanable, energetic and relentlessly active, he became the show’s most popular male.
1969: Millette Alexander joined as Dr. Sarah Werner, a key role, after a long run on The Edge of Night.
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