TheyStartedOnSoaps

Actress Holly Cate who played the scheming Janice Maxwell has uploaded the best "Janice Moments" on her YouTube channel

Sydney Penny (Julia) Announces Husband Robert Powers's Death on December 31, 2024 at the age of 59, one day shy of his 60th birthday. https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/soap-alum-sydney-penny-announces-husband-robert-powerss-death/ In her poignant post on Facebook, Penny wrote, “I’m heartbroken to have to share the news that my husband of 29 years, Robert L Powers, passed away early in the morning on New Year’s Eve. He hadn’t widely shared that he had been fighting cancer for several months, so I know this will be a surprise to many. He loved seeing all of your activities here on FB and I know he would want you to speed through your sadness and shock and continue to celebrate life as he always did.” I'm sure we all send our deepest condolences to Penny, and all who loved Powers.

Erica Kane - Supermodel - Happy Erica Kane Week!

It was great seeing Brenda Brock back as she had returned from medical leave. During her absence Paul Rauch left and Linda Gottlieb returned. She recently signed a new two year contract, which the network insisted on. But it was shortsighted of Gottlieb and Michael Malone to get rid of the character, as they didn't know how she fit in. Brock says she was let go after her first cycle on her new two year contract.

All this talk about Geri Betzler who played the infamous Lacey Bauer - I googled her to see what she did after Guiding Light Apparently she died on Sept 2023 at age 57 Geralyn Betzler | Obituary | Minnesota Star Tribune

I stumbled on to this a few months ago. Former head writer of One Life To Live - Sam Hall - had once sued ABC for not getting royalties - when the show moved online. Sam Hall was to receive $1,000 a week for life, as long as OLTL remained on the air - link Former ‘One Life to Live’ Writer Sues ABC Over Royalties I know we have talked about Head Writers receiving royalties for characters they create (though there has been disagreement if that is true or not) - so in terms of writers wanting to make their own mark - it is possible money is the reason. They were "distant" cousins - and "distant" cousins have hooked up on other shows - like OLTL (Larry & Karen) - and we had Tammy & Jonathan on GL!

When Sheri Anderson was writing the show her plan was to expand the Bauer family. She introduced Johnny Bauer, then Lacey Bauer - with the plans of reviving the "Four Musketeers" with Lacey, Alan-Michael, Dinah & Cameron. Also on the drawing board was adding Todd Bauer with Frank Dicopoulos in that role. However before any of that could be done Sheri Anderson was out and Pam Long was back in. She immediately dropped the Lacey Bauer character, and kept the reivived "Four Musketeers" storyline, but inserted her own creation - Harley Cooper. Needing a foil for that character, she changed Todd Bauer into Frank Cooperm still played by Frank Dicopoulos.

Fun Fact - Cady McClain actually auditioned for the role of Harley back in 1987 - she said her nerves caused her to screw up the audition. This was her first audition for a soap, so she took the lessons she learned with her "Harley" screentest and applied them for her next soap audition - Dixie in All My Children. She made it to the screen test stage - but dropped out of the running when she landed a Prime Time Pilot. The pilot didn't sell and someone else was cast as Dixie. But TPTB at AMC were unsatisfied with the actress playing Dixie, and months later called up Cady and offered her the part of Dixie without even a screentest!

This was 1983 - and at the time I would say Agnes Nixon was the second most powerful woman at ABC Daytime (after Gloria Monty). Nixon sold All My Children to ABC by that time, so she couldn't take AMC elsewhere. But the story goes (as recounted in the Ryan's Hope book) Nixon was threatening to bolt to another network (NBC) and work her magic on their soaps, unless she got Ryan's Hope timeslot. That is something ABC didn't want to happen, so it was easier to switch shows, instead of losing Nixon.

Newly posted Guiding Light episode from 1981 - Last 15 minutes are missing

When Laura was raped - both Scotty & Bobbie didn't believe a word Laura said Scotty Baldwin DOES NOT Believe All Survivors - Doesn't Believe Laura Was Raped Bobbie Spencer DOES NOT Believe All Survivors - Doesn't Believe Laura Was Raped

And no Joe and Siobhan??? - speaking of about them - over 25 promos featuring Roscoe Born & Marg Helgenberger chronicling the Joe & Siobhan romance

Erika Slezak 1986 Daytime Emmy Reel Reel #1: Viki has a therapy session with Dr. Polk and reveals her fears of Niki growing stronger. Reel #2: Niki flees to Clover Wilde’s bar after overhearing Clint arrange for her to be committed. Reel #3: Clint stages a setup of Niki catching him in bed with Tina to bring out Viki.

Sonni/Solita storyline in 7 minutes - as this reel I put together features over 15 Guiding Light promos featuring Michelle Forbes in order

Love Story of Joe & Siobhan in 8 Mins | Over 25 Marg Helgenberger Ryan's Hope Promos

behind the scenes at As The World Turns & Guiding Light in 1981

behind the scenes at Guiding Light & As The World Turns in 1981

In other news - few weeks ago Last night Martha Byrne (Lily ATWT) had a social melt-down (on a Saturday Night no less) where she wrote post after post on "X" (formerly Twitter) about how terrible Kamala Harris/Tim Waltz is, how the GOP has been there for her, asking "What LGTBQ rights did Trump take away?", and telling people how Tulsi Gabbard was thrown under the bus by Kamala Harris She lost a few fans last night after her "X" rant - on a Saturday Night of all nights!

Tonja Walker (Alex OLTL) did a livestream on YouTube the other day inviting people to ask her whatever they want. Politics did come up and Tonja confirmed she is a Trump Supporter

Tonja Walker (Alex) recently did a livestream on YouTube inviting fans to ask whatever they want - no topic was offlimits. Politics did come up and Tonja confirmed she is a Trump supporter - was originally going to back RFK Jr. but since he has dropped out, she has gone back to Trump

Apologizes if this has already been posted - Oscar Winner Gwyneth Paltrow all-time favorite show was Santa Barbara - she never missed an episode. Still years later she is such a fan of the show - she invited Robin Wright on her podcast to talk all things Santa Barbara

In other news - Last night Martha Byrne (Lily) had a social melt-down (on a Saturday Night no less) where she wrote post after post on "X" (formerly Twitter) about how terrible Kamala Harris/Tim Waltz is, how the GOP has been there for her, asking "What LGTBQ rights did Trump take away?", and telling people how Tulsi Gabbard was thrown under the bus by Kamala Harris She lost a few fans last night after her "X" rant - on a Saturday Night of all nights!

Dr. Heather Donnelly & Dr. Scott Clark back together again Vincent Irizarry and Frank Runyeon Repost from Soap Opera Times Row 1 - A. Martinez (Cruz), Marcy Walker (Eden Capwell), Carrington Garland (Kelly Capwell), Judith McConnell (Sophia) Nancy Lee Grahn (Julia) Row 2 - John Allen Nelson (Warren Lockridge), Gina Gallego (Santana Andrade), Ava Lazar (Santana), Gordon Thomson (Mason Capwell), Lane Davies (Mason) Row 3 - Harley Jane Kozak (Mary), Michael Brainard (Ted Capwell), Peter Love (Ric Castillo), Kristen Meadows (Tori Lane), Richard Eden (Brick Wallace) Row 4 - Vincent Irizarry (Dr. Scott Clark), Jane Rogers (Heather Donelly), Frank Runyeon (Michael), Kathy Shower (Janice), Terri Garber Suzanne Collier), Sherilyn Wolter (Elena Nikolas), Row 5 - Ria Pavia (Elaine), Louise Sorel (Augusta), Robert Newman (Kirk Cranston), Valorie Armstrong (Marisa Perkins), Steve Meadows (Peter Flint), Miranda Wilson (Sandra Mills)

First picture from the Santa Barbara reunion - nice to see Marcy Walker back