DanMan869

I thought Steve Shaw had matured into a very handsome young man by 1986/87. Pat Petersen was cute--but more in a Tiger Beat kind of way (so, not really my thing back then as a teenager myself). However, I must admit it was quite a revelation in watching it in 2025 to see Pat bulging and bouncing around in seasons 7 and 8 (so far) in his shorts and sweatpants. Hey--if someone puts themselves out there, it's ok to (tastefully) comment on it, IMO. (And for the record, Pat was over 18 at that time, so I'm hopefully not offending anyone. If it makes a difference, Pat totally wasn't my type anyway. I probably would've been more interested in Steve. LOL) With all that said, up to that point, KL wasn't necessarily casting guys who were super-hot. Attractive and handsome, yes. Super-hot, no. Those were different times, I think, in which as long as you were in good shape (like, say, Hunt Block was in good physical shape at that time), you were considered "hot."

I’ve been rewatching the entire series from the beginning on Plex over the last half-year-plus and have enjoyed the majority of it so far. I originally started watching the show on broadcast TV/CBS around the time of S10 when I was in college. I was well aware of Knots before then from it being “related” to Dallas, it being part of pop culture, and seeing the occasional episode here and there (I remember having watched Ciji washing up on the rocks a few years before, but somehow it didn’t draw me in as a regular viewer of the show—WTH?!), but KL wasn’t part of my regular TV watching. That fall of 1988, I was taking a night class and would get home, still wide awake from school, and would turn on the show. From there, I watched through the end of the series. I already knew its best years were behind it, but rewatching it has shown me how great it generally was. Currently, I’m in the middle of S8 and last night’s viewing was episode 9 (“Brothers and Mothers”) where Eric and Michael had their bar room brawl in Karen’s recently redecorated living room (I bet Steve Shaw and Pat Petersen loved getting to play that with the stuntmen!) the season certainly feels off from the previous 2 or 3 seasons, but there are (and will be) tiny gems in the rest of the season. (Olivia’s drug problems blowing up!) What has really annoyed me the most about S8 so far? Who in the eff approved the music director re-orchestrating and re-recording the theme music on a Casio keyboard??!!? I’m trying to be funny—but I’m also 100% serious. You can tell that it’s all been done on a synthesized keyboard. I might be a little more understanding if they’d rearranged it in the fashion of upcoming seasons, but… it’s the same basic arrangement only done on a synthesizer. Having watched Dallas on Freevee/Prime (and having that yanked away from being FREE to watch right in the first third of Season 14), I’m used to themes being rearranged and tweaked over the years, but… at least Dallas’ theme always sounded as though they used an orchestra along with any synthesizers stuck there to embellish! There’s plenty of missteps in S8 to be irritated by, but this robot theme is currently working one of my last nerves each night and I thought I’d share that with other fans!

It took me a minute to stop thinking, “how nice that Donna took this photo with a fan…!” and realize, “OMG, that’s Tonya Crowe!” Both look terrific!

Will, you’re awesome—thank you! BTW, she unfortunately made a terrible Lorie Brooks. I hope she was much better as Janice Frame on AW!

Forgive me for sincerely asking this without scouring through the 702 pages of this forum, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me the name of the actress who filled in as Lorie Brooks around March 1978 (I believe Jaime-Lyn Bauer was on maternity leave at the time). I could've sworn I read somewhere that the actress who filled in had formerly been part of the cast of "Another World," but I can't recall her name and don't recognize her.

Gosh, I'm sorry that a week or two ago I posted a mis-rememberance of what Nella Franklin's job was back in 1988-89. I never insisted that she was a candy striper and personally never asked for proof. While I respect your wealth of knowledge about ATWT, I'm not sure a "LOL" about my saying she was a candy striper was necessary.

DramatistDreamer, just for the heck of it, I just googled "Michael Swan Finn Carter" and this turned up first on the list. It's from Finn Carter's Instagram account back in December 23, 2015. She commented on the post "Photo by Michael Swan 12. 10. 15" Who really knows what kind of relationship they had (just hot sex--and don't talk politics?!) or for how long, but I feel like this supports what I posted about seeing on Swan's FB a few years ago. https://www.instagram.com/p/_p76MLimn9/?hl=en

Just to be clear--I'm not at all standing firm that Swan and Carter were definitely together. Though I could have sworn that at the time that I was FB "friends" with Swan that it was mentioned on his page that he was involved with Carter, but I could have misunderstood. Maybe they were together and ignored their political differences until one or both couldn't anymore? Stranger couple combinations have happened in the world that eventually imploded. Maybe someone else can chime in with more definitive info one way or another?

DD, I stand corrected. I hadn't heard about her 2019 Las Vegas troubles--and, looking on the web a few minutes ago, they sound pretty sad. I also deleted my Facebook (and, earlier than that, my "FB friendship" with Michael Swan) in Spring 2019, so... somehow I missed reading about her troubles. I'm kind of surprised the current soap websites (I regularly peruse Daytime Confidential) never posted anything about it (as they have about other former soap stars' legal troubles) unless I missed that, too. (YIKES! LOL) Unless Finn or Michael came forward and said they're no longer together, I don't think most people would have any idea whether or not they'd broken up.

Hell, a slug would've written a better show for GL than McTrash--but Horgan would've been a good idea! Swan actually DID go to other soaps. He was on B&B for several years starting in the late '90s as Adam Alexander, Sally Spectra Sr.'s ex and Macy's father. Plus, right around the time of John Conboy's tenure on GL, Swan briefly appeared as businessman Brad Greene. For reasons I don't know, he was quickly recast with his ATWT co-star, Mark Pinter. Swan currently lives in Los Angeles, so (if he was interested) both Y&R and B&B could cast him (as could DOOL or GH). He's still very well-built, so that works in his favor as appearing quite virile for a 73-year old actor. Also related to his ATWT, I believe he's been in a relationship with former co-star Finn Carter ("Sierra Esteban Montgomery") for many years now. On a "personal" level, if this is your interest/concern, he's quite the vocal political conservative. At one time, I was his Facebook friend (what a surprise he accepted that!), but eventually unfriended him because the occasional conservative rhetoric was a turn off. Once again, it proves that sometimes you don't really want to meet your "idols" on a personal level. (And, admittedly, I simply lusted after 1980s/90s Swan--I didn't necessarily idolize him!)

DD, thank you for pointing out that you commented about the "herds of characters/actors" on ATWT. You're right about big events not being exclusive to Marland. As the '70s progressed and shows were fighting to stay relevant and exciting, the big, fancy parties/balls seemed to become more frequent. I believe on one of the Locher Room episodes, one actor (can't remember who or which show) mentioned that being part of those big event stories meant super-long days and were usually pretty boring. I'm sure they were also fun in that you were dressed up (whether in fancy clothes or a costume) and could be silly or whatever, but... I'm sure they were also tiresome in that everyone "there" had to stay to be in the background. Honestly, I'm not sure how Jay Connors survived past the revelation about his mother being a murderer because that kind of thing usually is a perfect opportunity for characters to "leave town," but... he obviously was kept around even though Frannie was off canvas at Yale, Kirk was involved with Marcy, etc. I would've understood the budget eliminating Jay and bringing on Frannie's college boyfriend following her back to Oakdale. I can also see where Kevin was a character that was needed for a specific story and maybe wasn't going to work (or be needed for) long term. Maybe Steven Weber made the decision for Marland and TPTB by saying he wanted to leave? I take this with a grain of salt, but IMDB indicates that Horgan stayed on as a writer on ATWT through March 1987. *shrugs*

Thanks for the clarification on Eddie Earl Hatch. Probably not the first (nor the last) time, but it seemed that if you were not a leading actor on a soap (aka the lead in a featured storyline), TPTB tended to treat you as dispensable. I remember Roy Franklin's family being introduced. Wasn't there a story point about how his mother and father didn't like Heather because of her singing career? (Or am I confusing Heather with Jessica Griffin's law career...? LOL) I was shocked and amused recently when I ran across a clip on YT where Victoria Rowell was playing Roy's sister, Nella! I remember Tiffani Caesar in the role when I believe Nella was being portrayed as a smart-mouthed teen, Kasi Lemmons when Nella started to mature a bit and became a candy striper at Memorial Hospital...but I completely forgot Vicky Rowell's turn as the final Nella! And clearly the character left town/the show without much fanfare because...POOF! Nella who? Thank you, WW! I forgot about the AMC connection! Yeah, apparently Doug and Marsha were already there with who knows what exact intentions when Marland took over. I believe Horgan stayed on at ATWT on the writing staff for years, so maybe she contributed to that free wheeling, energetic, somewhat campy, and core family feeling you liked about ATWT? ATWT became somewhat labyrinthian and heavy under Marland as his characters took root and his stories had lots of Sturm und Drang, but I kind of appreciate that in retrospect. Look at the last year of ATWT and their "6-week Storylines"! Now that was a real nightmare of storytelling! Oh--and yes, I loved Shannon/Margaret Reed when she first arrived, but... the whole Duncan/Scotland/Castle thing just got to be eye-rolling. (Michael Swan was always sexy as hell, but... the Scottish accent after while? Ugh.)

I could be wrong as there were no credits at the end of the episode, but I think this (with the Halloween party) was written under headwriter Susie Bedsow Horgan. Though we know Doug Marland was first credited as headwriter sometime in November 1985, he *might* have been there beforehand (October), tweaking scripts and storyline points though SBH was still being credited as HW. I'd venture to say that the Marie Kovac mystery was possible tied deeper into the Doug Cummings storyline than originally intended. A few observations about this episode: Many viewers/critics like to put the "herding" of actors at the feet of Marland, but... if this WAS SBH's writing, she sure did a good Marland-esque crowd. As someone else pointed out, the Halloween party was a bit frenetic (music, tens of actors, and then add costumes), but...watching it just felt very ATWT to me. Still, you can appreciate why P&G might have said, "trim this cast!" I had forgotten that Jay Connors was still on the canvas by this point. My memory would've said he left around the same time that Kirk McColl and Marcy Thompson did. Let's face it. His long-term story was based around his mother, Dorothy Connors, having had an affair with and killing Whit McColl...and that Kirk was also his half-brother via Dorothy's affair with Whit. With Whit long dead, Dorothy dead (did that pesky brain tumor kill her?), Kirk gone within weeks, and the fact that Jay was not a McColl, what was he still doing on the canvas? Still, every character (such as Kevin) should have friends--and better established other characters than someone appearing out of nowhere. Same thing with Heather Dalton. I guess by this point she was no longer with Tucker? Was he already off the canvas? It was like they had people still on contract and needed to do something with them, so... connect them with others around their character's age! Mady Kaplan was the niece of classic Hollywood-era actor Van Heflin, so that may explain why she was a fairly decent actor in this episode. What I find interesting is that Kaplan was not "pretty"--she had an interesting face, but it wasn't part of the typical soap castings beginning in those days ("pretty, pretty, pretty--who cares whether or not they can act?!"). Nice that TPTB must've cast her on talent rather than primarily looks. I wonder whether or not SBH had planned to write off/kill off Marie from the beginning? She certainly could've caused problems for Kevin and Frannie (had they stayed together) and had tension with Jay and Heather for longer than the time she was on the show. And speaking of a surprise, what was up with Julianne Moore's acting choices during that scene with Eileen Fulton? At one point, she was shrieking and over the top and then she finally reigned things in. It was just a surprise to see. Lucinda, of course, was SO Lucinda...but the last several years, I've gotten to know Elizabeth Hubbard's work as Dr. Althea Davis on "The Doctors" and...wow. You see her as Lucinda and appreciate her talent. Sometimes actors leave one show and go to another (or later get a job on another show) and they're basically playing that same range, the same character. Having watched ATWT over the years, obviously I knew what Lucinda was like with EH, but... man, she was a million miles away from Althea! Just a "hmm!" moment I'm sharing. I wonder whether La Hubbard just decided when she took the role of Lucinda that she, a millionaire, was going to be over the top (in a good way)? Rarely, if ever, was Althea over the top, IMO. Dramatic, yes. OTT, no. Someone else pointed out that it was later revealed that Iva Snyder was behind those disturbing phone calls that Lucinda was receiving (OTT, anyone? LOL) basically threatening to reveal Lily's parentage. I'll bet anything that SBH still hadn't decided who exactly was on the other end of that phone line and MARLAND chose to create Iva (and those numerous Snyders), make her Lily's mother...and put her on the other end of those mysterious, threatening phone calls. Though I did like this episode and it still felt comfortable/familiar, I also liked ATWT during the Marland era--when everything seemed to eventually revolve around the Snyders, the Snyder farm, and Lily-Lily-Lily.

Ahhh... the good ol' days of TV Guide having these full-page soap ads! My family never got TVG (we used what came in the Sunday newspaper), but my best friend's family did and I used to love to read TVG when I would be over at her house. Good question about the location of the times listed because they are definitely not East Coast. I grew up in northern New Jersey and watched soaps on WCBS out of New York City. My first recollection of the soaps schedule was Y&R at 12:30PM, ATWT at 1:30PM, Capitol at 2:30PM, and then GL at 3:00PM. B&B's debut prompted the shift with it following Y&R and ATWT bookended with GL. Honestly, it was probably better to put the Bell soaps together and the P&G soaps together in terms of flow at that point after so many other shows were gone. Perfect example was when Capitol was still on (which I liked up until the last 6-9 months or so) and you'd go from ATWT lit like a typical P&G show to 30 minutes of EP John Conboy's signature moody dark lighting before you continued on to GL which was lit like a nighttime football game. Sometimes it made/makes sense to pair/group by look and feel.