DRW50

That's a great scan. It's so nice to see all the actors like that. I remember Mary Stuart talking about how she and Larry Haines basically went to watch her die for several days. It must have been such agony. And her poor family. Melba had a rough life - about 11 or 12 years before this, she gave birth to twins, and one was stillborn, while the other was in the hospital for months and months, clinging to life. I wish I could see more of Melba. I know all the central heroines of soaps had a best friend, or a stable couple who advised her, but it seems like Stu and Melba were very special to viewers - they lasted for 20 years (then 15 more for Stu), whereas most of the talk-to/best friend characters only lasted a handful. All I could think was, "He wasn't the guy who sang Sentimental Lady, was he."

Sorry for posting all the clips in a row, I just enjoyed this story and wanted to throw it all together while I had a chance. One last scene that shows why I love Megan (good luck seeing this type of character on any soap today...).

This is exquisitely done.

This is around the time that Gabrielle and Tina were living in a halfway house, which led into the Lord Love the Children story. VRC has a playlist of that entire story. http://www.youtube.com/user/VickRobCal#p/c/CA2D8B9677F7346D

Gabrielle is Tina's friend...sometimes.

Gabrielle working at Wanda's (briefly), and Gabrielle speaks out about the baby switch when Michael runs off with the child.

The price Tina asked for her silence.

Austin was pretty scary. I don't care for some of the brutality against women on the show in the late 80's but at least they were honest about these men. Today Austin would be painted as a noble hero.

Yes, Dennis Parlato, a good soapy actor. It's a shame his last soap role was his run as the Roger Thorpe recast. Next is a bit of a side story in this - Austin knew about the baby switch and hit Gabrielle up for big money.

It was a disgrace. Gabrielle, Tina, and Megan, along with Viki, CARRIED OLTL in the late 80's. They were some of the most addictive and complex women ever on soaps. Considering what was done to Gabrielle and Tina, I guess Jessica Tuck was right to ask them to kill off Megan. I think the show made a mistake in having Michael beat Gabrielle after he found out about the baby (as you will see in the next clips). Gabrielle was never the same without JdP's Max and Michael was stuck in that horrible drugging Brenda story and then killed off. I would have had Gabrielle and Michael hook up again after Max "died," and raise hell across Llanview.

The first part isn't around now but this is the second part right after Michael catches Max and Gabrielle kissing...Gabrielle says Max made her, and Michael brutally beats Max. Listen to the superb background music in many of these scenes. This next clip is the start of the Michael/Gabrielle wedding that wasn't.

He probably made the right choice there considering the way Gautier was treated.

Michael and Gabrielle worked together for months in trying to find the gold of Eterna. They were either lovers or very close to it. His wife, Alicia, knew Gabrielle's game, but Gabrielle was never a serious threat because Michael loved Alicia and their unborn child. Gabrielle and Alicia were in a car crash. I think that Gabrielle's motivation was flimsy and part of it may have been out of wanting Michael's money and power, but she did genuinely care about Michael. I think it may have also been wrapped up in her regret over not being with Al in his first months of life. You can see some of them working together in the Halloween 1988 episodes. They start here: This is a VERY meta scene where Michael and Gabrielle watch Fraternity Row's baby switch story.