Reverend Ruthledge

30s: Ned Holden, Charles Cunningham 40s: Julie Collins, Ted White 50s: Bert Bauer, Laura Grant 60s: Ed Bauer, Ben Scott 70s: Charlotte Waring, Stanley Norris

Well, I wrote synopses for the years 1937-1940 which, if you're interested, are in the radio thread. That would give you a lot of what you'd like to know about the characters I liked. I just liked Ellis because he was cynical and aloof on the outside but, when it came down to it, he would go way out of his way to help people in need. He was enigmatic, which is what I like in characters. I don't like one-dimensional characters. The philosophical debates between Reverend Ruthledge and Ellis were riveting to me. And Rose just had a great redemption arc as she matured. Watching the maturation process with her was fascinating.

I liked Julie mainly because she was a fascinating, unpredictable and sympathetic character. Also, because I'm a psychologist and she was an interesting psychology study. Her story was mainly tragic (GL IS a soap opera, after all. LOL). She had to wear this scarlet A because she got pregnant from Mike Bauer (with Hope) and he had to marry her (this was the mid-60s). She was in love with him but he wasn't in love with her. It was just a sex thing for him. Because he felt trapped in the marriage, he was emotionally neglectful and somewhat abusive to her. She fell out of love with Mike and was the one who eventually felt like the trapped one and wanted to leave the Bauers (she and Mike were living with Bill, Bert and Papa while Mike was going through law school). Just when she was getting ready to leave and live on her own with Hope, Mike raped her and she got pregnant again which made her situation even more unbearable to her. She felt even more trapped which triggered a mental breakdown. She basically went insane. She tried to say the baby was someone else's (someone who she never had sex with). Although this was more of a delusion than an outright lie. She would routinely attack the Bauers. She eventually miscarried and tried to jump out of the hospital room window but was stopped in time. Ironically, at this point, Mike finally saw how badly he had treated her and realized that he did love her but, by then, it was too late. Julie finally got what she wanted, Mike to love her, but by the time he did, she had fallen out of love with him and just wanted away from him. She eventually slipped into psychosis, went catatonic, and Mike had to commit her to a sanitarium. She eventually came out of her catatonic state and seemed to be improving but then had a relapse and committed suicide in the sanitarium. Mike was guilt-ridden for years after.

Yes.

I don't really do couples but my favorite characters were: 30s: Ellis Smith, Reverend Ruthedge 40s: Rose Kransky, Mama Bauer 50s: Bill Bauer, Paul Fletcher 60s: Leslie Bauer, Johnny Fletcher, Julie Bauer 70s: Peggy Fletcher, Bert Bauer

Thanks for posting that. I'd never seen it. Nice to see that Hope got at least a mention towards the end. As brief as it was.

Make me want some Compoz. I guess this is before quaaludes took off.

Thanks for the explanation of how the name came to be. I didn't know she was named by Cassie. It still seems odd to me to name her that of all names.

That's true but, by that time, long-time viewers had been beat to a bloody pulp so a poke in the eye was no big deal.

T To me, the biggest mystery was why they named their daughter Hope. Did Michelle name her after her cousin that she never saw?

One of my biggest pet peeves. I sort of, kind of appreciate a nod to the origins of the show but the very few viewers who would have even gotten the reference would be the people who would know there could be no offspring of Rev. Ruthledge's with the same last name. So, what was the point of using the name Ruthledge? It was kind of a non-event for the viewers who didn't know the original character and an insult to those that did. He could have just said Reverend Ruthledge was his grandfather and leave it at that. But since there was no connection between Five Points or Selby Flats (where Ned and Mary relocated) and Springfield, having an offspring of Reverend Ruthledge show up in Springfield didn't make sense either. It was a huge stretch all the way around and I wonder the point.

Hey there! Actually, she was named Berta Bauer Ramsey, thus B.B. (not Bebe) for short. Thank God this was only for a very short while and the writers realized what a mistake every angle of her name was. Michelle Bauer was MUCH better!

These pics are great. Thanks! I haven't seen most of them and it really helps to put a visual to the characters.

Yes, Dick was an ass. I couldn't stand him. Dick's father was not dead at this point. He was just a much quieter figure than his wife. He was always away on business. I suspect he was hiding from Laura. Yes, Jane in 1959 is the same Jane in the 1966 episodes. I don't mind the articles AT ALL! In fact, they enrich the synopses. So, thank you. Bring them on!

Correct. February 3rd, 1958.