Franko

Carrie and Mike ride off together. According to the uploader, Roark apparently fought for this scene. Whether it was a proposal or having the horseback ride remains uncertain, but anyway ... The Sears Portrait Studio effect at the end really sells it, no?

I remember the show getting some good press (from TV Guide?) about Craig & Nancy, namely that Patrika Darbo wasn't the archetype soap actress. Was Eileen ready to leave? I remember reading about this on the old Bethsdayspage. They worked at a place called Buddy's Burger Barn, I think. Vivian had to promote the "Extra Beefy Buddy Burger," while Ivan talked up "Free French Fries."

Not sure if this one's actually unpopular, but: Screw Greg & Jenny and Angie & Jesse, we should have had Jenny & Jesse.

I somehow forgot or didn't realize that they were trying out John and Hope that early.

Indeed. Indeed. So I guess the 1997-98 season was the turning point.

So when did the bottom drop out for Reilly 1.0? After Aremid? With the introduction of Susan?

Just looked it up: Dee has only been thrice nominated for the Daytime Emmy, in 1980 (supporting), 1984 and 1985. The 1980 nominees: Francesca James, who won, plus Dee, Lois Kibbee and Elaine Lee and Valerie Mahaffey. The 1984 nominees: Erika Slezak (Winning on the strength of the Echo story?), Ann Flood and Sharon Gabet, Dee (marital angst with Roman plus the Salem Slasher stuff) and Susan Lucci (the first go-around with Adam, I guess). 1985: Winner-winner Kim Zimmer (whose reel included the "Slut of Springfield" episode, if I'm not mistaken), plus Dee (Marlena's widowhood), Susan Lucci (more vs. Adam, plus the Mike Roy romance) and Gillian Spencer (for the lead-up and execution of Who Killed Zach Grayson?) and Robin Strasser. And for the record, 1995's nominees were Erika (the big DID story won it for her in '96, right?), followed by Leslie Charleson (who could/should have won for Monica's breast cancer), Marj Dusay and Maeve Kinkead and SuLu.

Speaking of long-lost kids, I'm surprised they never opted for Hope having one between 1990-94.

That actress playing Mary Lou looks so familiar ... It's not Frances Conroy, is it?

Two more: Felicia the Aztec princess, General Hospital Count Antony DiMera, Days of Our Lives

And don't forget, Sky and Raven had Jamey and Charlotte. Jamey (born in December 1978) could have been SORASed alongside Alan-Michael (September 1981). It's smoother with Charlotte (December 1984), who could have been peers with Bill (November 1984) and Michelle (November 1985).

Just over two years (12/31/84-1/23/87), according to Soap Central. If you told me that Larkin was fulfilling the terms of a contract with P&G, I'd believe you. For that matter, Sharon Rose Gabet was on AW for slightly less (3/13/85-1/5/87).

"Sami, did I ever tell you about Johnny Stockton? ... I should have adopted him."

Loosely related, but my uncle was a DOOL fan and named his dog after Sami. Because it was a boy, it was "Samie."

Ron has to use that as the title. He has to.

All day long and I finally remembered what VK was reminding me of: Catherine O'Hara as Marilyn Hack playing a blind hooker in For Your Consideration.

That "One Hallowe'en" clip is half hilarious (the censored lyrics, like "She feels ITCHY!") and half really good. Kathleen's no belter, but she sounds alright.

PASSIONS actually had a Gladys Kravitz type. Ruth Buzzi played "Nurse Kravitz" for a bit after Endora was born. (You could also make an argument for Reese in the early years, but I'm getting off topic.)

If Grayson Hall hadn't died more than a decade earlier, I could see James E. Reilly wanting her as Tabitha on PASSIONS.

December 1994 WINK, Fort Myers, was another CBS station airing Y&R at 4 p.m. Seattle, May 1992 DAYS aired at 9 a.m. on KING, opposite Regis & Kathie Lee on KOMO (ABC) and Geraldo on KIRO (CBS). AW and SANTA BARBARA aired in pattern at 1 and 2 p.m. B&B was not airing at 12:30 p.m. on KIRO, but rather on independent station KTZZ.

Rest in peace. The only man to go toe to toe opposite Joan Collins and Susan Lucci.

Not that the Curlyqgrl recaps are infallible, but I couldn't find any mention of Audrey exhibiting dementia-like behavior in 1995 or 1996. Tony/Bobbie/Alan/Monica lasted from August-October 1995. By the end of November, Bobbie put that storyline to bed. November 28, 1995 - Bobbie comes to Q mansion to visit Monica. Emily asks Bobbie if she and Alan are going to be lovers. She tells her that she and Alan are over and that Alan wants to make things right with his marriage and with Emily. Bobbie and Monica have a talk. She hopes that even if Monica never forgives her, she hopes that she will work things out with Alan.

I know it's part of soap lore that Felicia Gallant was at least partially based on writer Robert Soderberg's friend Jacqueline Susann. But I'm sure Robert didn't figure that Felicia would evolve into more of a warmhearted, loving friend, mother and wife (think the transition from Patrick Dennis' Auntie Mame to Lawrence and Lee's Auntie Mame). Felicia's evolution was carried out by many writers including ... Richard Culliton.

Re-reading the summaries from March 1982 -- https://www.angelfire.com/tv/curlyqgrl/gh/eps/gheps1982.htm -- it seems like GH was treading water. There were five major stories going on. What happened to Laura? Will Alan and Monica divorce? Will Anne and Noah realize Dr. Bradshaw committed malpractice? Will Heather get the upper hand on everyone, particularly Dr. Katz? And trouble involving the waterfront/Sportscenter (i.e. Scotty, Blackie, Rick, etc.). I think things picked up from July onward, when Laura was determined as "really dead," Emma Samms joined as Holly, you had Susan/Scotty/Heather, and such on. Anyway, I'll bet it was a combination of the plodding storyline plus the natural fizzling out of a ratings high that led to GH's dramatic drop in March '82.

Not to mention the fact that AW was at No. 2 until its bottom fell out. I'm just trying to imagine a lineup with so many expanded shows. That said, if there was any soap that maybe could have gotten away with a 90-minute runtime (in terms of keeping its audience) in 1980, it would have been General Hospital.