antmunoz

It's amazing what one can learn with Google and a copy of THE SOAP OPERA ENCYCLOPEDIA, no?

At the time, that disco theme was the best thing to ever happen to soap themes. After years of that snoozefest, suddenly Springfield seemed like a happening place! I LOVED that theme, and the graphics on the first version were VERY carefully chosen and placed, even if they featured 1/3 of the cast. If that theme had been "undiscoed," it could've run for years. And actually the closing was better than the opening.

SFT loved a TEXAS refugee. Tina Johnson. David Forsyth. Damion Scheller. I'm surprised they didn't cast more. I would've loved Carla Borelli as Liza, Donald May as Lloyd, and Elizabeth Berridge as Suzi.

Charlotte Wheaton and Alicia Rhomer. If there was ever a reason to channel-surf to SANTA BARBARA...

**sigh** Any thought of Stephanie's secretary makes me wistful for Rhonda Sue. Tina Johnson was a comedic gem.

She was a day player in December 1984, as "Gwen."

Loved the recap! I just watched all of 1983 of SFT. Thars about a month's worth of story recounted there, and obviously much is left out. The pictures were great though!

Linda played Estelle. No British accent. Estelle had been referred to by name previously, but she originated as "Aileen." Lloyd is inconsistent though. Upon introduction, he's been married and divorced several times. He's later in the process of divorcing Estelle and tells Stephanie that he's only been down the aisle once, unlike her. John Aniston was Martin. He looked the same, 30 years earlier! LOL Nelson's first scene was with Jennifer Gatti's Angela but he doesn't recur much.

Wow, Maylo McCaslin. I'm awestruck

Ed liked spoiled little rich girls. Holly was the Vanessa of her day!

John Bobbitt could've been a big draw for AW at that time, especially if he'd been a victim of the Bay City Bobber! Ripped from the headlines, just like LAW & ORDER!

WOW! Watching an October 1983 episode of SEARCH that I'd missed and THERE'S ESTELLE! In a 1953 flashback with Martin! PLAYED BY LINDA COOK! Laurie Karr herself! I don't recall if anyone has ever noted that Linda was on SEARCH, and this is a year before she'd return for EDGE OF NIGHT's final episodes, and years before she went back to daytime full time as Egypt on LOVING. With all the talk that Estelle gets in 1983 (she's divorcing Lloyd, she's too busy with business to attend either of her sons' weddings, she has a past connection to Martin), it boggles me that she doesn't show up for two years, after the majority of her family has left Henderson.

Steve took Bert home, rocked her world, and never called her again. Typical man.

Have we ever discussed the foolishness that was the casting of Susan Scannell as both Gabrielle Dubujak and Chessy Blake? Scannell was all of 4 years older than onscreen daughter Gerit Quely (Jacqueline) and certainly didn't look it.

QUOTE: I wonder what the average fan at the time felt about Anna Stuart's Vanessa. Maybe they just said, "Oh that stupid Vanessa," as most of the characters did. Personally, I have a blast watching her, especially since she isn't just imitating Maeve (Maeve veered between fragile and I'll-cut-you-bitch). Springfield at this time was so uber-sincere it needs all the flies in the ointment possible. I LOVED her. Still think it was one of the best recasts EVER. Wouldn't have been disappointed if she'd stayed forever. And I loved Maeve. But this is the epitome of an Anna Stuart character. Donna Love was this character GLORIOUSLY for years until Michael Hudson felt the need to "tame" her. And honestly, Donna and Matt were a better Vanessa and Matt. I hated all that Contessa crap.

Just saw Carl Lowe as Dr. Bob Rogers on a May 1983 episode with Liza and Travis. I'd forgotten he'd appeared after, say, 1981. And was disappointed that Mary Stuart was included in this episode as Jo. Hopefully there's more to come. Liza and Michael sing THERE IS LOVE by The Captain and Tennille in this episode and it is GORGEOUS. I am amused how everyone in Henderson is getting a new job this week that they're suddenly qualified for. First, Keith went from bartender to television camera operator. Kristin took his bartending job; now she has camera-savvy too. Jenny, a former hooker, has home from waitress to Tom's assistant on the Henderson Crime Commission, which just employed newbie cop Brian. Every time Tom and Brian meet at the docks to have an "undercover" conversation, I fall out. Steve and Warren aren't wearing shirts. Often. For no reason. SFT was pandering. I think Jo shows up in a tankini next week.

Waitress to hooker? She's a reverse Maisie!

The Sentells were swapped for the Kendalls...who were swapped for the McClearys. I was good with the Kendalls, but Jo was at least tied to the McClearys through Suzi (later Jonah) and Patti. Still, it was one family of brothers after another. I wonder if Adair would've returned if the show hadn't been cancelled? All this chemistry testing between Tom and Sunny apparently goes nowhere. In May 1983, lots of singles are being "tested"--Tom and Jenny, Jenny and Keith, Warren and Wendy. Only the latter duo really takes off. And Warren wasn't really single. LOL Wasn't Bruce offscreen, saddled with a kid with Amy? (Ugh, senior moment.) Too bad he couldn't have filled the Brian role on the show. I don't think Stephanie needed a long lost son with a NY accent. If Bruce had married Kristin, the conflict with Jo would've given her something to do. But, quite frankly, everybody on the show at this time gets along VERY well.

Sarah Whiting was Jo's adopted grandchild of just a few years. I don't believe they'd even met before Sarah came to Henderson. So, I'm not sure if she qualifies as any sort of legacy character on SFT. But...killing off Eunice and Suzi? And "forgetting" Jo's established grandchildren, Chris and Stacey? Yeah, not good.

Watching SFT from May 1983 and going crazy knowing I've seen Helena St. Clair, Steve Kendall's agent, before. BOOM! It's Lezlie Dalton, Elizabeth Spaulding herself, now a brunette and wearing an ENORMOUS hat while doing verbal battle with Stephanie. This is the beginning of the 6-month period of new characters (Steve, Michael, Rhonda Sue, Barbara, Josh, Angela, Danny) who don't survive the end of the year (except Steve). Interesting how Steve mentions his father, brothers and SISTER, yet Rebecca (TR) has been missing for over a decade. SFT never could get the entire Kendall family on the show at the same time. Josh #1 is much better than Josh #2, who annoyed the hell out of most of us as Jonathan on GL. But SFT was on a TEXAS hiring spree, and Damian Scheller was an alumni. Stephanie is dressed very matronly. It's funny considering she's about to go all cougar on Steve. SO MUCH of the show at this time happens off-screen. Characters tell things that happened...that we never saw! It's disjointed. For example, Jenny relates that Brian proved to Andie that Andie was Jenny's daughter by showing her a birth certificate...we never saw it. Robert LuPone is better than I remember as Tom Bergman, seemingly being set up to be a young hero again. Hogan McCleary will soon pop up and unseat him in that role and Tom will disappear forever. Jo is pretty absent. Unlike the final year, Mary Stuart is not terribly involved in any storyline, until she's kidnapped (again). Jo and Suzi don't interact enough as ain't and niece. Sherry Mathis' beautiful laugh brightens any scene, even when Liza is otherwise heartsick. Her interaction with fellow musician Michael Kendall is delightful.

Shocker!!!

Technically, that was Ed's house, the one he bought so Rita could keep up with the Jonses. Bert DID hang out by the pool in a muumuu ALOT, though. I think she was eyeing the garage apartment. I disliked but tolerated the Santoses until they involved Bert's house in a thuggy mob shootout. After then, I wanted them all gone and would have considered Bauer-no-longer Michelle a necessary loss if it got rid of her in-laws (except Father Ray).

Anna Stuart as Vanessa Chamberlain was one of the best recasts EVER. Having loved her on THE DOCTORS as Toni, I wasn't sure I needed Maeve Kinkead to return! LOL

God, I LOVED Jackie Schultz. I don't care if she would've looked too young; I used to dream about her being cast as Hope on GL. I think she could've really stood up to Alan while still having that Bauer feel. She was very effective as Patti on SFT and fit perfectly as Mary Stuart's daughter.

I'm fairly certain that soap mags at the time hinted to her allegedly being fired. Another poster who claimed to know Geraldine Court personally stated that Geraldine was concerned with Kristen's lack of professionalism or something like that. And I think the same problem followed her to OLTL. I really like her and her music, but I wouldn't say that she's really had any success as a performer since she voiced Ileana Douglas' singing in GRACE OF MY HEART.