DRW50

Thanks. Nice interview.

From the little that's available of that time, I don't think Hank was ever "edgy," in the way they made him out to be. There was little involvement with Alex (they actually had more with Alex and Herb), and the Troy triangle barely seemed to be oncamera. I do think he was a fantastic contrast to Nora, and he and Ellen Bethea had great father/daughter chemistry, especially during the rape trial. And while I never felt a big connection with Purdee and Valerie Pettiford, the relationship at least had potential. Pettiford always seemed to make Sheila more than what she was on paper. I think her best work was during the rape storyline.

There is an 11 part 1995 ATWT Christmas on absolutfushia's channel, if anyone wants to see more. For me the last vestiges of my ATWT were wiped out around this time so it's kind of tough to watch, although I did enjoy Carly.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/12/overlooked-trends-of-2013-101491.html?hp=t1 http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/12/politico-obituaries-2013-why-they-mattered-101460.html?ml=m_a1_1?ml=m_mm

I think the Andy/Courtney wedding episode was supposed to be the happier Christmas moment. ATWT was very dark in 1992 (although for the most part the writing seemed to pull it off, minus the meandering Gavin stuff, and dreary Rosanna). I do wonder if he would have made a happier 1993 if he'd lived. Did you get to see the Eileen Fulton circus article? I have a recap from that same issue. I'll try to find it later.

Did you read her Facebook post where she basically claimed Joyce is out to get her?

Her work in those last shows was incredibly powerful. I'm glad people have been able to see this again in the last few years.

I miss it more than I can say.

Thank you. This is great.

http://www.soapoperaworld.com/soap-opera-digest-denise-alexander-chris-robinson.html

That's a classy thing they did. Most soaps don't care about sets, other than burning them down.

I guess it's OK to post this, since the DVDs likely won't be released again and aren't available for purchase that I know of. A while back someone uploaded the full September 1979 episode that was on the first ATWT DVD release. It takes place right after Ian's collapse.

She seemed like someone who knew what worked for her and didn't compromise herself.

Very true. JvD had a classic handsome appeal about him, like old Hollywood. Nothing overly waxed, plucked, roided. He was one of my first soap crushes.

This is a pretty interesting, lengthy article, about the life and times of the "welfare queen" Ronald Reagan railed against in his 1976 and 1980 campaigns. She had a long and complicated history of crime, most of it reading like one of those Lifetime TV-movies. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2013/12/linda_taylor_welfare_queen_ronald_reagan_made_her_a_notorious_american_villain.html

I remember wondering if they were scared to give anything to someone playing an openly gay character. Eden didn't win until after Bianca had been raped, which to some sick people out there, means punishment for sins.

The story was one of the gutsiest stories ever on daytime. It's easy to forget that now.

They did this for various restaurants on all the soaps. I barely remember Taxi - just Cafe Rousse and Bikini Bar. I do wonder when we last saw it.

I thought the show was OK in that last year, not great, not terrible. I guess it depends on your taste in writers. Some loved Pratt. I didn't.