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denzo30

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Posts posted by denzo30

  1. 20 hours ago, Mona Kane Croft said:

    It was temporary.  But Peg Murray was the perfect replacement for Connie Ford.   Murray had earlier played a very similar working-class woman on Love of Live.  

    If i remember she filled in for a few months.  I wonder what was wrong with Ford at the time.  I did not think that Peg Murray was a very believable Ada but I have def. have seen worse.

    21 hours ago, Efulton said:

    I recently watched a few of Sheri Anderson's episodes from 1988.  She wrote great scenes between Nicole and Liz where they bonded.  Liz was lonely but not pathetic and it was the beginning of Liz investing in Nicole's company.  

    Wow, I just looked up the writing credits at this time.  Harding Lemays son Stephen was writing with Anderson during her short stay.  I do recall he wrote with his father when Lemay finally was writing in the fall of 88.  I wonder if this was in preparation for the elder Lemay to step in as head writer?? 

  2. 23 hours ago, Mona Kane Croft said:

    Yes, the house Liz, Alice, etc. lived in in 1984 was Jim and Mary's house.  It was never really explained why Liz moved in there.  But at some point after Jim died and Alice (Linda Borgeson version) had left town, Liz was suddenly living there with Sally.  

    Starting with the AW premiere in 1964, Liz lived in a large fancy house, much nicer than Jim and Mary's.  Although no long-time viewers seem to remember much about Liz's original set, there are several existing photos showing small parts of the interior of that house.  Seen in the photos are a large staircase, a large fireplace, and a grand piano. Liz left town around 1971, and Liz's house was never seen again.  When Liz returned around 1974, played by Irene Daily, Liz lived in two or three different apartments over the years.  Then around 1983, she was suddenly living in Jim and Mary's house, where she lived until Liz was written off again in 1986. Jim and Mary's house was never seen again after that.  When Liz returned at Thanksgiving 1988, I don't remember where she lived, or if they even spoke of her home.  But she definitely didn't move back into Jim and Mary's old house.   

    Yes, they still used much of the set until 1986.  But I don't think they used the entire set by that point.  Mostly just the front door, foyer, stairs, and the part of the living room toward the front windows. The original set was about a third larger, with a hallway to the kitchen and a fireplace to the far left, opposite the front windows.

    Liz was the matriach of the family at this point so its not hard to believe that she would be living there.  The Matthews home and she was part of the legacy to continue it

    23 hours ago, Efulton said:

    Was it ever explained how Liz went from being a wealthy widow to Mac's secretary?  I loved Liz's scenes at the Cory complex but it never made sense from what I read about Audra Lindley's version of Liz for her to be working.

    Audra's Liz was a completely different character.  Lemay wanted Virginia Dywer gone (Mary Matthews) which is how they bought Liz Matthews back as a kinder, nicer person than the previous actresses who portrayed Liz.  Mixing in Irene Daily's version of Liz fit more into the fabric of the show at the time. I will admit though, Irene Daily and Audra Lindley really did express many of the same characteristics. Especially when I watch Threes Company and see Audra's dramatic reactions.

  3. On 3/10/2024 at 2:45 PM, Mona Kane Croft said:

    Jim was said to be on a cruise to Finland or someplace in northern Europe.  The character died there and was brought back to Bay City for burial.  There was no onscreen funeral.  If I am not mistaken, Alice was the only one of his three children to attend the offscreen funeral.  Liz was still in town are well.  I'm not sure if Marianne Randolph Halloway was still on the canvas.  But the Matthews family was extremely small at that point. And not one former character returned for his service.   Sad that Jim and Hugh Marlowe got no real send off.  

    Thanks, Countessa.  It's nice to have an intelligent and civil conversation about an issue we don't agree on.  I appreciate that very much.  Sometimes I feel I have to walk on egg shells in order to avoid offending some of these posters,   But I do it, just to keep the peace.   I'm glad you do not require such tender treatment.   

     

    What former character returned?  Both Pat and Alice and Liz where in BC when Jim died.  I think i saw a picture honoring Jim and Linda Borgoson was playing Alice at this time? I think 

  4. 7 hours ago, j swift said:

    Pat was always my favorite because she came across as the most liberated woman in Bay City.

    She was also the middle child, so it made sense that Mary was not involved in her life as she was with Russ and Alice.

    But, even as a kid, I loved Pat's time at Brava.  I liked her sparring with Cecile.  And, I liked her relationship with Marianne.

    In defense of Lemay, he may not have liked traditional maternal role models, but he established Pat as a contemporary woman.  She wasn't inhibited by her husband's failings.  She went out on her own and helped establish a brand for Mac.  She was an executive, not an assistant.  And she was upwardly mobile without being driven by the need for acquisition or acceptance, like Rachel or Cecile. 

    Pat was not the middle child.  She was the oldest of the Matthews siblings

  5. 4 hours ago, j swift said:

    Was Iris ever actually shown on camera when referenced as being in the South of France, particularly after her divorce from Brian? Or was it just portrayed through Dennis's one-sided phone calls?  For example, did they build a whole set, or was it just Iris in a floppy hat holding a receiver?

    I came across a synopsis last night detailing a story about Iris's hostess being upset over her boyfriend flirting with Iris. Subsequently, Iris was upset about Brian selling the house. It all seemed to unfold in the lead-up to Texas. Hence, I'm curious if these events occurred off-screen.

    It appears that Beverly McKinsey enjoyed significant time off every year in the late 70s, that necessitated scripting Iris's absence into the storyline.  Which also made me question if it was wise to choose her as the linchpin of Texas, given that she might require lengthy periods of time for vacation.

    In real life Beverlee Mckinsley was on sick leave in 1980.  I think that is time you are probablly referencing.  Carol Shelley temporarly  played the role for Iris for about 3 months but had a commitment on Broadway and had to exit so they sent Iris on vacation until Bev was well enough to come back to the show.

  6. 20 hours ago, Efulton said:

    Doesn't Harding Lemay write about Hugh Marlowe's frustration with Virginia Dwyer in Eight Years in Another World? Lemay was fine with Constance Ford changing dialogue to better fit her character but when Virginia Dwyer did it is she was difficult.  

    Ariana Muenker (Marianne Randolph) spoke of Hugh Marlowe struggling to remember his lines.  I think it was in a Locher Room interview.  Once again Lemay showed his bias with the actors he preferred.

    Totally, When I look back at the episodes where I see Connie Ford and most especially Victoria Wyndham constantly looking down at the cues for their lines, I have to wonder why Lemay was so upset with Jackie Courtney doing the same thing?  No disrespect to Hugh Marlow but I am sorry, he fumbled almost all his lines.  The footage I have seen of Virginia Dwyer, she appears to be a fine actress and very much playing mother Mary Matthews.  Lemay just wanted to change the landscape.  He should have really just been honest instead of commenting on their acting abilities considering he excused the actors he praised for the same flaws.  I think George Reinholts acting appealed to Lemay.  He even created the Frame family after him but that was more of Paul Rauch issue where George was difficult on the set.

  7. 2 hours ago, Mona Kane Croft said:

    For any of us old enough to remember -- name 3 or 4 pre-1979 Another World characters you think should have returned to the show anytime after 1985.  Not at the same time, but in separate storylines.  

    I'll go first.  Gerald Davis, Pamela Davis, Sven Petersen, Missy Matthews.  (Pamela Davis would not technically be a return to AW, but she was a regular on Somerset)

    Pam Davis I think was talked about coming back in the 80's.  Someone out here said they read they were looking to cast the role for Pammy to return to Bay City.  Wasn't she in AW for a short time?  Sam Lucas should have at least come back when Ada died.  Not so much Missy Matthews but at least her son to live with Liz Matthews.  Molly Ordway, to stir up trouble with her sister Frankie Frame.  Michael Randolph with the role he was supposed to play in the 70's

  8. On 2/9/2024 at 11:20 PM, Donna L. Bridges said:

    Well, March 1979 the 90 minute show began. I'm pretty sure God could have been writing the 90 minute show & the instant the schedule changed, ratings would shift. 

    I think the ratings declined even before the 90 minute episodes.  I am using AWHP as my evidence.  I could be wrong.  I loved Lemay but I when I think the writing was on the wall and he saw the dip in the audience and yes writing 90 minute episodes is taxing but he was also an alpha and wanted to leave without his part in maybe the show was tanking. 78-79 another world was at #8.  Just one year prior was #1 or about.  So, Lemay can't blame the 90 minute error.  Which made no sense if the show was not at the top anymore (in his defense but he does not state that in his book).

  9. On 12/3/2023 at 4:48 PM, TEdgeofNight said:

    Sally Sussman was a disaster as a soap writer. Her Generations failed big time and her other headwriting stints lowered the ratings (Days, Y&R). Sally should just go away and stop talking about soaps. She failed in the soap world. 

    I always thought I read and heard she was the one who bought Y&R to the number 1 ratings.  It never made sense to me after watching Generations for months and finding it so boring, poorly written and equal to taking a valium.  Somehow, I can't see Y&R and the yawn Generations having the same writer

  10. On 1/29/2024 at 2:20 PM, Donna L. Bridges said:

    Oh, I'm a stickler. The only one thing I disagreed with Pete Lemay about was firing Jacquie Courtney & yes, I am one of those people who never really thought they got a recast to suit me. 

    I only really remember Susan Harney as the real Alice. JC was already gone at that point.  I always thought Wesley Ann Pfenning was such a weird re-cast of Alice and I guess I am not alone as she was let go 5 months later.  i also understand the fans loyalty to JC as she immortalized the role for over 10 years and as one of the original characters/actress on the show.  I think Lemay/Rauch regret firing her but it really did not effect the ratings on the show. Its show business and like any other job, everyone is replacable. Looking back at the actress's who played Alice I have to say Linda was the worst.  I am happy in 1984 AW bought JC back as the "real Alice" . Wasted time on the show as they did nothing with her character and she did not even stay one year but she did come back for the legacy episodes of the anniversary show and Mac's funeral. 

  11. On 2/5/2024 at 7:07 PM, chrisml said:

    Hadn't Swajeski been at NBC for years before she took over at AW? She had to have known some of the history. Swajeski's writing always felt made up on the spot as if she came up with a great scene or plot point and then wrote everything to lead up to that scene/plot point. There was rarely follow through. 

    I agree. in 1989, the 25th anniversary Swajeski's writing was on point with the history of the Frames and Corys. I always remember Alice saying to Rachel in reference to Steve "and you gave him a son".  There is an episode on YT you can find where Rachel says to Alice "I gave him something you never can, a son." i think like 1974. I also thought I read that Swajeski was so fascinated with the Frame family she wanted to create a spin off soap.  The Frames were created by Harding Lemay (except Steve) and odd he wanted to the family as his main focus on the show in 88 working with her and she clashed with him.  

  12. On 2/7/2024 at 10:46 PM, Paul Raven said:

    Quinn was an attractive intelligent woman of color (played by a fine actress)who, through sheer luck I think,became one of the longer term characters at that point.

    She had yet to wed so there was a lot of story possibilities open to her. She had an adopted daughter and grandchild so that story avenue was there along with business and romance potential. And she was a good friend to several characters. So the writers decided to drop her. Makes sense.

    That continual revolving door of characters was one of the fundamental mistakes AW made.

    The 80's had to be the worst AW time era.  I wonder if they really made an effort to get back to the basics would have made a difference.  I really did not watch the show much after 1989 other than a sick day at home maybe.  I entered my adult working years at that time.  Oddly, watching some of the 90's episodes on YT, I found them entertaining. Not the AW I loved as it moved away from characters and more into stories.  A lot of it was surreal but that was the theme of the soaps at that time and there was no choice but to invent the stupidness in stories but back to my comment about characters.  in the 90's there were long running actors who were still on the show portraying their original or recasted characters from much earlier years.  AW's problem was they never held on to actors to sustain character in roles and just recasted one after the other.  The 80's were a prime example and part of the big downfall.  Although, even under Lemay 1979, AW had a severe rating dip.  There are at least 10 actors in 1999 when the show ended that had been with the show for at least 10 years at that time.  Bravo to the TPTB who possibly saw this could be the saving grace and hold on to actors that their fans love and want to see.

  13. On 12/5/2023 at 9:58 AM, j swift said:

    How about this? Amanda slept with Janice Frames' son and Matt slept with Sharlene Frames' daughter, so both siblings were entangled with their half brother's first cousins.

    To be fair, there were a lot of Frame siblings (7?), so in a small town like Bay City, you were bound to sleep with one of them, or their kids.

    So true.  Almost creepy.  Even BC being a small town is no excuse for foes to become lovers but after all it is a soap serial.  7 Frame siblings that actually aired.  Apparently 2 others named Henry and Norman (note, I think Lemay introduced only by mentioning Norman in the early 70's but never mentioned again).  I loved the Frame family as I come from a big family but it got so sloppy over the years.  New characters introduced while past characters almost never mentioned again.

  14. On 12/1/2023 at 11:26 PM, Donna L. Bridges said:

    Beverly Penberthy was a huge loss & a loss that was so unnecessary & they easily could have brought her back but then they didn't capitalize on that either. It was not only a blunder, but a compound blunder!

    I thought the rumor was when Lemay returned in 88, there was talks of bringing Beverly back?  In fact, the 25th annniversary promo showed Pat,John and Sharlene as if she was going to stir up trouble in their relationship.  Made no sense since Lemay had been gone many months before that and not one single bit of interaction with Pat and John and Sharlene during the anniversary episodes.  Such sloppy promos

  15. On 12/2/2023 at 3:39 PM, Mona Kane Croft said:

    Interesting.  I was watching both shows at the time, but had forgotten the chronology.  Funny, but I do recall an interview in which Harding Lemay claimed that both the Ewings of Dallas and the Carringtons of Dynasty had been named because of his characters on AW.  I guess Lemay's ego got in the way yet again.  LOL.   But I still love him anyway.  

    As much as I loved the Lemay Error on AW, he really had an ego that was insulting.  I read the same article where Lemay states that those names were used after his characters.  He really liked flapping gums..

  16. On 9/30/2023 at 3:46 PM, Neil Johnson said:

    I think Swajeski may have known about Emma because Emma was mentioned during the strike of 1988, when Swakeski was a scab writer.  I think they scabs were, to some degree, following Lemay's story projections during the strike. Lemay's notes may have included character names, but still must have been rather vague, because the scabs got many of the historical and character details wrong.  

    I remember Molly's name was even mentioned when Vince & Jason were talking about Emma's children.  That was during the strike as well.  

  17. On 9/29/2023 at 7:38 AM, Neil Johnson said:

    Frankie's early time on AW is a good example of Donna Swajeski's inability to create engaging new characters.  Swajeski did a fairly good job of writing for existing characters, but the new characters she brought to the show were often burdened with cliched (at times cartoonish) characteristics.  For example, Frankie had the ESP nonsense; and Derek Dane had the "beauty and the beast" vibe.  Swajeski often added some characteristic to her creations that she believed, made her characters interesting and quirky.  But to me, those characteristics just made Swajeski's characters unbelievable and irritating. Later, as you mention, Alice Barrett softened Frankie and made her believable and likable.

    And why didn't Swajeski just have Barrett play Molly Ordway?  Because she probably didn't even know Molly existed.  Obviously she knew almost nothing of the extended-Frame family history.  

     

    True but if she knew that Molly never existed, then how would she know about Emma?  They do have records, not that many writers abide to the bible and they reinvent stuff but Swajeski wanted to create her own characters.  I think she did a decent job as kind of keeping the Frame name on the show for a few years with bringing Frankie on and Dean but she used the offspring from non legacy existing family members which made no sense. Seeing how close Dean and Frankie were, he really should have been an Ordway brother.  Wade, Sterling and I believe another.  We heard about them but never saw them.

  18. On 9/29/2023 at 12:45 AM, Soaplovers said:

    So I've watching some early 1989 and I've come to Frankie's early episodes.  What a bitch..so unlikable.  I'm glad the writing and actress softened the character over time.

    It did make me wonder why the show just didn't have her play Molly Ordway instead instead of creating a new character?  She had the same type of relationship with Emma that Molly did..and was kind of a troublemaker as well.  

    100% agree.  They did that with the Frame Family multiple times.  Creating Jason Frame who was never mentioned prior to his appearance.  Although, I did hear that they wanted him to play Willis but Chris Robinson would only agree to playing Jason unless it was a new character.  Why not have Dean Frame play the son of an existing Frame brother instead of creating another sibling Henry who never existed till his name was mentioned?  Possibly Vince or even one of the Ordway brothers we heard about but never saw.    It took me some time when Frankie first showed up to figure which Frame brother was her father because of course her name was Frame and not Ordway (stupid really).  I also think they did a spin on this.  Most people with the name Molly, there real name is Mary.  Frankie's name was Mary Frances.  I agree she should have just been casted as Molly Ordway and true they used the same premise of mother/daughter feuding that Emma had with Molly in the 70's

  19. 17 hours ago, DRW50 said:

    @vetsoapfan tagging you as Janice Lynde is attending this AW 60th event. 

    Such a drab character she had to play, but I'm glad she is still involved. 

    I wish much more of Barbara Rodell's time on the show was available. It's forever a shame what was lost. 

    Susan Keith was so wonderful as Cecile that it's hard at times to even see Nancy's take as the same character, although Nancy was a wonderful comedienne. 

    Nancy really was Cecile.  No offense to Susan.  Its almost like Rachel's Robin vs Victoria.  Same character different producer writer reinventing the same person.  I thought Janice Lynde was great.  Especially in 1980 the ratings and show tanked bad within one year and bringing someone other than acting talent like singing was a desperate and hopeful idea.  She had a great voice and bought much character back to the show. 

  20. 23 hours ago, Efulton said:

    Thanks for posting this Donna.  It would be incredible to be able to attend. I am already fascinated by the list of cast attendees - Barbara Rodell & Susan Keith!  I would love to hear them talk about their time in Bay City.

    Wow, Barbara Rodell and Susan Keith.  Definetely way back actors.  I bet more original and old time actors will be there and less of the cast that was there for the last years.  Wish I lived nearby.  

  21. On 6/23/2023 at 3:52 PM, Neil Johnson said:

    Isn't their scene in which Robert destroys the bust of Mac and then slashes Iris's portrait  available somewhere online?  Or maybe its just the audio.  I can't remember.   

    It is online out there,  but there is no interaction with the two actors together.  As far as I know, the only available footage of Iris and Robert together that is out there is when he returned for the 25th anniversary and that is with Carmen Duncan as Iris. 

  22. On 7/4/2023 at 6:00 PM, chrisml said:

    I don't know how much of the AW audience in 1999 would have even remembered McKinsey. For me, Carmen Duncan was Iris. I would have been highly annoyed if Alexandra Spaulding had showed up as Iris during the show's last months (I was aware of McKinsey through GL and I'm not sure if I knew she had been Iris) rather than Duncan. Even as a child, I missed Duncan's Iris when they wrote her off in that ridiculous way.

    Yes, that was the point I was trying to make that the audience in 99 may not have even know Bev.  She had left the show 20 years earlier.  For us long time fans, that would have been great to see her but ideally Carmen would have been the choice I think the network would have wanted. 

  23. 8 hours ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

    Recently I found out from Scott McKinsey why Beverlee declined to come be in the AW finale. As many people surmised, it was her health. Living in Santa Barbara in 1998 she had a kidney transplant. Her doctors read her the riot act about being careful & changing her life, etc. to try to avoid organ rejection. Reluctantly she even sent her little dog Savannah back east to a dear friend in NY. She didn't fly. She was just very careful in all her every day doings. So then it was April or May 1999 when Chris Goutman called with the invitation. And that would have meant flying as well as a lot of energy expended on doing it. So, it's still our loss but it was definitely for cause. 

    So they really were going to have Bev come back as Iris in 99?  I am surprised they just did not ask Carmen to come back since at this time the newer audience would have been more receving.  I would expect Beverlee to be much older at this time too and would have seemed odd as Iris would look much older the VW and especially her siblings, Amanda and Paulina but that would have been magical.

  24. 5 hours ago, AbcNbc247 said:

    RIP Nicholas Coster

    The first scene in this video is the iconic portrait slashing and bust smashing 😂

     

    Wow, did not know he passed.  If I recall, he and Bev did not get along well due to their acting scenes together.  This is just an amazing scene as it portrays so real life

  25. On 4/2/2023 at 7:30 AM, Neil Johnson said:

    1979 was the final year there were more Matthews on AW than any other family. In this cast photo, there are eight members of the Matthews family plus Dan Shearer, who I don't see in the photo. So that makes nine Matthews (counting in-laws) There are eight member of the Cory family in the photo (counting in-laws, but not counting servants). By March 1979, the Matthews family began to diminish rapidly -- starting with John, Dan, Susan, and a few months later Alice and Michael were written off.

    311348755_1168657650731558_3201913552432632781_n.jpeg

    is the Helen Moore in the back?  I wonder why Rita and Paul Connelly are not in this picture? Eileen's aunt and uncle

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