denzo30

Sounds like Carol was not fond of Connie Ford.

But it made sense because Gwen was the only Frame to return from the past (even though only Frame by marriage). They needed a story on the feud between the Frames and the Corys and revealing Janice Frame was Evan's mother. Also, it could be possible that after many years of Willis & Gwen going broke in Australia, that Gwen got angry and Willis filled her head with stories so she would hate Rachel. This sh*t really does happen in real life.. Haha!!

Lemay wanted JC out and Rauch wanted G Reinholdt out. I bet it was a negotiation. Lemay was infamous when he came in to recreate a character on what he wanted that to be. He is lucky that worked for him. His ego got in the way of many things. Why I think he left in 79 as the shows ratings were already crashing and he was too proud to admit under his writing.

Anna Holbrook stated in an interview that Laurie Heinman was auditioning for the role of Sharlene in 88. Heinman is the original actress. Holbrook pointed out that she did not think she would get the role as the original actress was there for the part but she ended up landing it. Holbrook was much younger than the actual character Sharlene. Maybe why the TPTB decided to go with her. But right, AW did not really do a good job at recasting. It was annoying

I think it is unanimous, that almost everyone agrees that the whole triangle re-invent was sloppy and a big mistake. Interesting point though, as Tribbey only lasted 6 months & Welsley Pfenning only lasted like 4 months. Susan Harney was on the only one who lasted about 4 years as recasted Alice. It seems like they just could never nail it again after Harney was recasted but oddly enough, when Jacq Courtney returned in 1984 as ALICE, she only lasted 11 months too.

But since when has a soap ever been paying attention to details such as dates, births, even names of family members that suddenly change? We see some characters in kindergarten and then two years later they are walking up the isle getting married. Yeah, I thought about it myself that it should have been said the Cory Publishing was an older company but it was clearly to focus on the show's 25th anniversary. We see history lost on these shows all the time and us fans are the ones who notice the mishaps. I don't think the show really pondered on the thought that Cory Publishing should be older than 25 years. They just wanted to focus on the anniversary and recap the past and why focus on a company that is maybe 50 years old if they wanted to emphasize on the 25th anniversary of the show.

I would agree. Does anyone ever notice in Jan 1988/even Dec 1987, the show started to refer to characters from the past and mainly the Frame family? It sounded like Lemay talk. Jason Frame mentioned his sister Sharlene in early 88 but the ending credits still listed MD has head writer and I think Lemay was about to take over at that point. The show hired Lemay back I believe to prepare for the 25th anniversary and try to recapture the audience that was lost by bringing the past back up. Then the writers strike happened and all of a sudden the writing changed except when Sharlene Frame came back and we heard more family chatter again. Maybe at this time they knew the strike was coming near to an end the producer forced the scab writing team to introduce Sharlene. I suspect even though Lemay was not writing at the time, the intent was he is coming back and the show consulted with him on his future storylines.

Cheryl was gone before Lemay came back but I agree with your thinking that he would rather a character from a family he introduced to the show than a family he did not originate. I remember reading somewhere in the early 90's probably after DS left as writer, their was an either a writer or a producer who made a comment that their intent was bring the McKinnon family back to AW. Would have made sense for the newer viewers from the 80's. Much like Lemay's attempt to bring the Frames back from his writing in the 70's in his 1988 return

I agree. Lemay was supposed to start in early 88 and we saw some of the writing on the wall with character reference from the past. Notably, the core families Frames, Cory, Matthews. The stupid Reginald Love was wrapped up. Not even a year later Mary was written out of the show along with Vince and the McKinnons who came and left . The previous writers tried to introduce a new family that never aspired with the viewers. 1988 was focused on the 25th anniversary of show in 1989 and suspect why Lemay was asked to come back in 88. Prior to 1988, the storylines were so DOOL stupid.

I suspect almost no one would have recognized him as being Russ in 1999. Russ at this time meant nothing on the show. I dont know what purpose he would have provided to the ending episode coming on as Russ.

Well, Ricky really wasn't Liz's grandson. I was too young to remember the interaction between Liz & Ricky but then again she wasn't really a Matthews either but seemed to dig deep into her dead husband's nieces, nephews and offsprings lives. The last time I heard Bill Matthew's name mentioned by Liz was in 1988. Sam Fowler was in the hospital and Liz took Loretta Fowler (Sam's mom) out for lunch and she talked about the tragedies in her life and shared that her son Bill was killed in a boating accident (I am right that is how he died or a swimming pool accident?). That was around Feb or March 1988 and the episode is floating out there on YT.

Who talking about it in the Locher Room? Which actors? I haven't seen any Locher Room chats about AW's 25th anniversary. I would love to see it.. The network and P&G probably only saw $$ and what they think the viewers could relate too. Almost like Susan Harney coming back at Alice for the 25th anniversary instead of Jackie Courtney probably would have never been considered.

You mean 18 months of 25th anniversary episodes and storylines? That sounds unusual. The show focused on the past for one week which seems normal and like any other show, it was more complimentary but not to focus on past storylines to continue. There were some intros from the past in the 88-89 season to prep us all for the anniversary but they all went away after the anniversary special. I probably am misunderstanding what you are stating. Sullivan was more known as Lenore at that time.. I think and Barcroft never worked with Nick Costner so I don't see that as something AW would have done. In 1989, viewers saw Sullivan more as Lenore than Barcroft. Kind of like Toni Kalem coming back for anniversary as Angie would not have made sense and Maeve Kinkaid would be more known at that time.

Possibly, Im sure you are right. She went to LA to act in DOOL shortly after AW temporary as Kim Brady. Back to my theory if she was fired, it's the show and writers not dedicated to a character. Howard was the 3rd actress to play Nicole in just a few years. No legacy in their minds sadly..

Truth. I have seen multiple times out here where people get so personal about someone's comments about actors or characters.

I think they wanted Going to be the reinvent of JC's Alice. The weepy weak poor me but it did not work. It was invented Jamie after Steve Frame's legacy and the choice of which woman he loved more

Right about Sampler but that is what writers do, recast and pull a shade down over viewers and recreating a character which is so stupid. At least Sampler was recasted with the same color hair and eyes unlike most recasts from blonde to brunette. I really like Anne Howard and she is a perfect example of who Nicole Love was not. Writers also look at long term things on the show. Howard's contract was probably coming due and she was not a legacy character and it was ample to write her off as Jason Frame's killer.. Maybe Howard didn't want to renew her contract.

So true as far as Ackroyd's time on AW being a 4 year run. We criticize many of the writers on AW over the years but Harding Lemay wrote them and in out probably more than any other writer. I am just amazed the series stayed strong for as long as it did under him with the killing off or recasting roles. just my thought..

Wouldn't that be great to see Bev as Emma? A complete 360 of Iris. I wish there was footage of Nancy Wickwire as Liz Matthews, Victoria Thompson as Janice Frame. Tons of characters with no footage. Keep this going all. What actor/actress would you love to see show up from past AW? I agree about Louise. I don't know how the show never bought her back for the 25th anniversary as one of the longest actors and not recasted. I think the actress played the role at least a good 8 or 9 years. Lemay also did create Louise & Vivian. I would have thought if the show was searching for history, she would have been a character to come back to celebrate the show but she never really was a major player I guess.

Makes sense. I think they wanted Swajeski as she would possibly attract a different vision. Younger people. AW at that time was so low in the ratings but I thought or remembered even reading when Michael Liasbon (spelling) was hired as EP, his premise was to bring the show back to its roots and even stating back to the basics and referring the Frames and the Corys which would have made sense bringing Lemay into the scope. It was nearing the 25th anniversary and they were digging back into the past. Of course the EP words can only go so much as what the network and NBC really wanted. I do also suspect the Lemay may have been a bit difficult to work with. He's a talented great writer but also seems to have a bit of an ego

I don't recall any Frames living on a farm in BC. The historical Frame home in BC is the house Steve built for Alice. There was talk when Jason came back that Emma owned the Frame farm and Jamie talked to Lisa about all his relatives being there but it was just poor writing history. Suddenly Chadwell was BC

I often wondered that too. VW probably thought, hey this is not my job to work as a consultant to ensure the history is written. Who knows, maybe she does not even remember some of the history. She may not be a die hard fan history person like we are. She is there just to portray her role. I have seen interviews on some podcasts with multiple actors from tv shows when they talk about the history of episodes they can't recall facts such as characters or sometimes who the actor even was. Fans know though. He was in foster care and then eventually went to go live with Gwen & Willis in Australia.

What I don't recall though is Lemay being listed as headwriter in early 1988 before the writers strike. I only see the credits from episodes and the stats from Sept till Oct or Nov with him being headwaiter, unless he is messing up the timeline. The Jan 88 episodes though sound like Lemay's writing especially with reference to the family history but I think Margaret DePriest was writing then. Who's arguing? Just writing what I thought I recall reading in other discussions about his leaving in 1988.

I don't think that Lemay was fired in 88. He clashed with DS on writing storylines. I thought it was stated that he quit. I am sure Lemay wanted to focus on the past of the Frame's & Cory's. DS was probably more interested in writing new ideas and for younger characters. I think he was also bought in 1988 to prepare for the 1989 anniversary of the show and the idea was to focus on the original families. I recall EP even stating back to the basics meaning the Frames and the Corys. After the anniversary, I am sure Lemay's family focus's would have faded. DS used some of Lemay's ideas as it was fit for the time for the 25th anniversary and we saw Iris and some other older characters reintroduced but I don't think Lemay's bible was so far written in advance that DS copied from. The ideas where thrown on a wall but how much of his ideas and writing stuck, who knows?