applcin

Meat Loaf did a pretty intense episode of The Haunting of with Kim Russo. He struck me as being both strong and fragile, if that makes sense.

The site for the 4 free Covid test kits has gone live with the order link:

https://www.covidtests.gov/

 

On 1/13/2022 at 3:15 PM, danfling said:

My big question is about Ryan's Hope.   Did Ken George Jones commit suicide?

Yes. He was in the hospital with a terminal illness and could barely move. He had spoken of suicide before. He got a drug dealer to bring him what he needed. Jill discovered the pills and threw them in the trash can in Ken's room. When he died, they thought Jill had mercy-killed him until they discovered a letter written by Ken in Little John's notebook, saying that he had managed to retrieve the pills and had taken them.

Sigh. Not even 2 weeks into 2022 yet.

I just rewatched one of my favorite movies, Lilies of the Field, yesterday and was wondering how he was doing. Then I saw the news this morning. 

She's with her beloved Allen.

Clayton Norcross (B&B) will be recurring starting in January on an Italian game show called Avanti Un Altro (Forward, Another). He'll be part of a rotating group of 6 people who sit at the side of the stage, 2 of whom end up getting chosen by players to ask themed questions.

I've never watched B&B but, since I have 2 Italian cable channels, I sometimes see B&B actors appear on various talk and game shows there. 

Turner Classic Movies 2021 Memorial
 

Eddie Mekka, who played Carmine Ragusa on Laverne & Shirley, has died. It was posted on his FB page. I believe this leaves only Cindy Williams and Michael McKean from the original, pre-California cast.

"It is with deep regret that we share with you the passing of our beloved Eddie Mekka. Eddie passed away peacefully in his Newhall, California home on Saturday, November 27, 2021. He was 69 years old. At this time, we do ask that all media inquiries be withheld during his family's time of grief and mourning. We welcome you to share your memories of Eddie and your condolences to his family on this fan page. Rest In Peace Eddie"
 

My 89 year-old mom and I got our Moderna boosters a couple of days ago. I have similar mild side effects as last time, some arm soreness, slight swelling and warm in the upper arm. My sister in FL (who also got the booster) is trying to decide whether or not to fly here to NYC for Christmas. Even though she bought her ticket, she's kind of playing wait-and-see with the Omicron news the next few weeks.

 

R.I.P. Arlene Dahl. I do somewhat remember her presence on OLTL as Lucinda. Her son, Lorenzo Lamas, posted the news on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialLorenzoLamas/posts/438113054339010



 

Ronn Moss (B&B) recently participated in a new Italian competition show called "Star In The Star." Celebrities imitate a famous singer, the same one week after week, right down to wearing a mask, until they get eliminated/voted out and they have to unmask to reveal their identities. Ronn impersonated Paul McCartney.

 

One of the two men who flew into space with William Shatner last month. He was killed in a small plane crash in New Jersey on Thursday.
 

3 hours ago, carolineg said:

I have to agree with your take on L&L.  Laura having another kid did not seem like the plan for their return.  Luke was still involved in the mob/action adventure stuff with Sonny/Frank Smith and Lucky was old enough to do his own thing, so it does seem to have changed the trajectory of Laura's story.  It did lead to the re-introduction of the Cassadines and Nik, which I did think was great, but GF's extended maternity leave and then 'weight' issues did not help her with TPTB.  I felt like Laura spent long periods of time moodily hang it with Stefan and an inexplicably dark haired young Lulu on Spoon Island after she and Luke broke up.  It's weird because Genie is the same age as MB and a half a dozen years older than Rena Sofer and Vanessa Marcil, but she felt like an entire different generation at the time.

I was never a big fan of the return of the Cassadines but that's another story. 

I think Genie at the time she was becoming hugely popular was essentially the same age as Laura, 17-18-19 and she'd already had some serious adult storylines. Plus she was paired with men who were older than her--Kin Shriner was in his mid-20s and TG was in his early 30s. I think Vanessa was a few years older than Brenda. She was in her 20s playing a high-school student. Between that, some of Brenda's storylines and attributes, and her being on the petite side, she came off younger. I mean, they had her attending high school with Robin and Kimberly McCullough is 10 years younger than VM. 

3 hours ago, Vee said:

I saw some of those Jones episodes of OLTL on YT. How long did she play Viki, how long was the maternity leave?

It was pretty long, about 5-6 months, I think. I remember Viki was still living in the carriage house then and Tina's father at the time, Ted Clayton, was in the picture.

I haven't watched the soaps in a very long time (save for the vintage DS and TD) so I'm not 100% sure on this but the character of Victor Collins (as played by Nicholas Pryor) was so endearing on PC, it was too bad that relationship with his son, Kevin, didn't get carried over to GH.

BTW, speaking of Kevin Collins, has his daughter Livvie (who was a character on Port Charles) been eradicated from existence since he's back on GH? Or did they ever refer to her or recast her? I get the feeling a lot of stuff from PC was wiped off the board, so to speak, when it came to integrating or reintegrating actors/characters to GH.

 

On 11/10/2021 at 5:15 AM, Forever8 said:

Mary Beth Evans pregnancy was written in I believe when Kayla was pregnant with Stephanie on DAYS. 

And her previous pregnancy wasn't. There were a lot of camera tricks, big bags and all, but towards the end, they had Kayla laying in bed due to being poisoned by Harper Deveraux.

Written in:
Kate Mulgrew (RH). But while Mary kept her baby, Kate gave hers up for adoption.
Sharon Gabet (EON) was pregnant when Raven was pregnant with her and Sky's daughter.

Not written in:
Erika Slezak (OLTL) - Christine Jones subbed when ES went out on maternity in the early 80s.

On 11/10/2021 at 10:00 AM, carolineg said:

Genie Francis was pregnant when Laura had Lulu.  I often wonder if the show really wanted to give L&L another kid.  I am pretty sure TG was against it, but then again I think he was against everything Luke/Laura in the 90's lol.

I've always believed it was the intent of TPTB to continue L & L in the action/adventure mode upon their return...heck, there was a lot of action just in their journey back to PC. I think Genie's pregnancy changed plans for Laura and set the character in a different direction, a more domestic one, that she may not have gone quite as soon. 

 

GL's Jordan Clarke and Bryan Buffington come to my mind as being believable as father and son.





On the the other hand, DOOL's Steve Johnson and Jack Deveraux, not much of a resemblance there.

Speaking of GL, didn't Jordan Clarke's personal problems alter course for the character of Billy a couple of times?

Clint Ritchie's tractor accident and his not being replaced on OLTL led to the Sloan/Viki relationship proceeding without her husband Clint's presence.
 

On 11/9/2021 at 3:39 PM, titan1978 said:

It seems like pregnancies have possibly changed many storyline directions over the years.

And actors' old age/illnesses/deaths. 

GH de-aged Edward Quartermaine with John Ingle after David Lewis retired, thus opening up different story possibilities, including the revelation of a past affair with Mary Mae Ward. Her portrayer, Rosalind Cash, was diagnosed with cancer while she was on the show, which I think cemented the growing role of Laura as Earth Mother, which, in turn, I believe started with Genie's pregnancy (scrap the potential action adventure stories).

The losses of Douglass Watson (AW) and Michael Zaslow (GL) impacted their respective shows...and OLTL even wrote the return of David Renaldi to bring Zas back there after he was ill.
 

November 10, 1975.

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. 46 years ago today, the freighter sunk in Lake Superior and all 29 men on board perished.
 

I can't say I do a regular rewatch. I had some that I had saved on tape here and there but some of the ones I particularly enjoyed:

- Paul McCartney interview when she told him she had wanted him to marry her but it was okay that it was Linda
- Celine Dion, I think it was her first time on Oprah, getting surprised by her parents and siblings and also displaying quite a bit of humor; also Celine Dion when a couple where the husband had cancer (as Rene had been through) were thrilled to have her sing for them (I'm not sure if they were the same episode)
- Davy Jones/Peter Noone/Mark Lindsay
- A show about songs that were written for/about real women, featuring Dion, Ronnie Milsap, Casey Kasem, the real Girl From Ipanema and more
- A show about commercials that included Fabio, the Snapple lady, a pre-Buffy Anthony Head (then known for the Taster's Choice ads), Mikey from Life Cereal, etc.

I confess...I used to love the Iyanla and John Gray (Men Are From Mars) episodes. I really enjoyed how the audiences interacted in those.

There was another one with makeovers featuring a couple who hadn't cut their hair in years, Tim and Wendy White. Victoria Principal and Iman were on it. This couple who were obviously crazy about each other couldn't keep their hands off each other. It was just so sweet to see how they were with each other...and then I found out several years ago that Tim had died of a heart attack in his 40s about 5 years after the show and was buried in his makeover suit. Oprah did a follow-up on them. Wendy was heartbroken. I think both segments are on youtube,

OLTL bringing back Michael Zaslow after he had been afflicted with ALS. He was in a wheelchair and could only speak by typing on a computer. The risks: would viewers want to see him, or anyone, in that condition on the show? How would it be perceived, how physically well would MZ handle the work, etc.? I think the rewards were: Michael had one final chance to work at something he loved around people he knew; he had friends there who cared for him; it tugged at the emotions of the viewers, especially those like myself who were viewers of either or both OLTL and GL. Of course, OLTL got some positive press as the show that hired him after GL had fired him. Bottom line, I think the decision to have him there was the right one, even if only for the happiness it must have given Michael.

 

On 11/2/2021 at 6:51 PM, ReddFoxx said:

B&B: Maya being transgender. Now this was probably less of a risk and more of a gimmick to put spotlight on the show, but no matter what it had no payoff long term.

AMC did it with Zarf/Zoe. Again, new character introduced just for the purpose and gone in less than 6 months.

 

This one may be a mix of taking a risk but not going that far out on a limb: Dawn Rollo on AW as the first HIV+/AIDS character. She was a new character, not related to any major characters (her brother had been MJ's pimp but Chad was also pretty disposable), a straight female. Yes, AW addressed AIDS first and showed that even "nice girls"/straight people could get it. But Dawn was a disposable character that viewers were maybe minimally invested in, if at all. This wasn't Kathleen, MJ or Amanda. This was AW deciding to do an AIDS story and bringing in a new character just for that purpose; she was dead within 6 months of her introduction and even that happened off screen. There really was no long-term impact from her having been on the show.