DRW50

https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/jun/06/jeannette-charles-actor-queen-elizabeth-ii-dies-aged-96

Thanks!

This was uploaded a few months ago. They weren't sure of the exact date.

@Vee Thanks. I see that WSJ has circled the wagons again with another vague hit piece on Biden speaking too softly and misspeaking, with breathless quotes from unbiased Kevin McCarthy and Mike Johnson. Apparently, Biden's people are upset because they trusted WSJ reporters. Always a mistake.

Another reminder of just how low Republicans go, and just how desperate the media is to enable them.

I was looking on IMDB and see that Lionel Johnston (the last Michael Randolph) has no credits since 1984. I wish someone had asked him over the years of any memories he had of the aborted gay storyline for Michael. I'm sorry nothing of that period is around to where we could see the setup.

He officially came out to the public in 2012 and his marriage was announced in 2014 (during the show's final season I believe), although they'd gotten married a few years earlier. So he was out to the industry when he got White Collar, but if he had been out to the public, I'm not as sure whether he would have gotten that show. I'd like to think he would have. I don't really follow who is out in daytime now and that wasn't part of the original post I was replying to but I'm certainly happy for any soap actors who are out and get work.

White Collar started several years before Bomer came out, although I guess we could praise USA for not canceling it after he did.

Thanks again @slick jones

I don't doubt Bomer had opportunities, which is why I said big potential leading man. With that said, he himself has mentioned he lost roles due to coming out. Given how many gay men in the industry push gay actors to stay closeted, I'm not surprised. Everett always seemed somewhat erratic, but I think most of their relationship was before he had another big chance in the late '90s. I think at the time one of the main roles he ended up getting was that big flop he did with Madonna, which kind of says it all.

It will be interesting if there's ever much of a test with American actors. British actors seem to have more leeway these days (Jonathan Bailey is playing a lot of straight parts, while Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor are playing a lot of gay or bi parts). I do agree with Rupert that his career was hurt by his coming out, although I don't think he likely would have had a major movie career in the US anyway. Hugh Grant and Clive Owen already filled various niches he could have filled, but his leading man looks meant he couldn't fill the spot Alan Cumming has had. I agree Bomer could have easily made Superman believable along with many other parts - that he never got the chance tells you of the limitations of the industry, unless you want to force yourself into a beard marriage and family (and even then, it often doesn't work).

I think it depends on the type of actor. I'd say the days of someone like Sean Hayes or Nathan Lane, who were seen by many as gay but took a while to publicly come out because even saying the words might hurt their careers, may still be over. Any big potential leading man is another story. They will still likely stay in the closet until they either age out or accept that they won't find the fame they were looking for or end up getting involved with very rich, powerful men. Matt Bomer is an example of this. He was closeted to the public and still lost out on Superman Returns, directed by a gay man, no less. Why bother after that? He has said it still cost him work, but I'd say in the long run he probably was right to just go ahead and take the risk. There are actors who are rumored to be gay or bi and who are or were seen all over the place with their toyboys but still stay in the closet, even as their careers steadily decline from big screen to forgettable Amazon fare. And once they turn 45 or 50 they might come out, and do pap strolls with their surrogate twins as we praise them for their bravery. That will always be the norm for a gay or bi actor in Hollywood who isn't along the lines of Leslie Jordan (RIP to a sweet man).

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/jun/04/william-russell-obituary The first Doctor Who lineup set the template for much of the best of later years. William was such an integral part of that. I loved his relationship with Barbara, which had a great deal of depth even while remaining understated. He could do anything - comedy, high drama, action. Ian will always be one of my favorite companions. I'm glad he had such a long, rewarding career, and that he managed to return for the 60th anniversary.

Patricia Heaton Joins 'Frasier', Reuniting With Kelsey Grammer (deadline.com) I wasn't watching this anyway so I can't act like it affects my decision, but I am now happier I never watched.

Thanks so much @slick jones I had never heard of that pilot channel.

I think Vanessa's hair went gray as soon as Maeve was no longer on contract. I respected that she just said [!@#$%^&*] it as soon as they had no real hold on her. I think Ron was a likeable presence but just not believable as a villain, or as a ladies' man.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jac-venza-dead-pbs-great-performances-1235913497/ As Jac was a big reason why many of the shows we were talking about got on the air I thought this was a good place to put his obit.

They should have sent in sheets like the Jarlena fans at DAYS... That story with Beth scheming and Vanessa freezing Matt out could have been worthwhile if pushed further, instead of just Beth saying how old Vanessa looked (which felt like Rauch working out grudges against Maeve Kinkead). I wonder if any of that story was originally meant to go to Dinah as they were always hinting in Wendy Moniz's run of going for Dinah/Matt. By the time they did it wasn't with a regime that had contempt for Vanessa (even if she was not a central character by that point) so it didn't bother me the way it would have in the mid/late '90s. We got to see a lot of believable anger from her instead of just "oh she's so boring and old, who can blame him."

I mainly know her from her guest spot on the Mary Tyler Moore Show - that or the glimpses I saw of her as Minx Lockridge on Santa Barbara (certainly one of the more...unique recasting choices in soap history).

That's a good point. Not to say ABC soaps were not for thinking people, as I know that isn't true, but I do think those fanbase tactics were closer to what you got on ABC soaps (or from some of the crazier DAYS fans). Another example of P&G causing their soaps to lose all identity in their last 10-15 years.

Having such entitled fan bases rarely worked out in the long run for GL "supercouples" (Gus/Harley and Michelle/Danny being others). Oddly I don't remember a lot of Reva and Josh fans behaving that way - maybe because toxic breakups were a part of their DNA.

Around 2000 he was answering questions from SOD and responded to complaints from "Mattessa" fans by essentially saying nothing was ever good enough for them, and when the show had done a big story for them (maybe it was her return, or pregnancy, I don't know) their fans had just complained about them not being in tons of scenes and not being on every day of the week.

@Vee Help us all. These are also many of the voices that elevated loathsome Boris Johnson, presumably. As if Washington Post and their cliquey, bitter hordes weren't bad enough. I've been trying to cut back on my news reading for a while because it's just so numbing and depressing, but I do appreciate your updates. I also saw that Maureen Dowd breathlessly announced that her sister believes Trump is a victim and is voting for him. Shocking.

Thanks. I was wondering about 95-96, although I don't want anyone to watch that period if they don't have to... I know they interact around 89 or 90 when he takes compromising photos of her.

Is this something you are anticipating on here or on social media in general? As said above, this place likely doesn't have enough people now for such heavy reactions. This isn't 2010.