GL Oldtimer

What an interesting read @Paul Raven. Thank you so much for posting it. Annette

alwaysAMC, I really hope you have a chance to watch Guiding Light from the early 90s. It was truly firing on all cylinders. If you're a fan of Roger now, you're going to absolutely love him from that time period. He was involved in causing trouble for nearly the whole town of Springfield. Annette

Thank you to all of those that shared Fan Fiction links with me. I truly appreciate it. I used to read a lot of One Life to Live Fan Fiction and I was always impressed at some of the storylines fans came up with. Truly some remarkable writing. Annette

I have a comment and a question :). First, I love reading all of the comments on this board. Guiding Light was the first soap that I watched and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Reading some of the comments on this board about particular storylines or characters really brings back some great memories. As for my question, there has been some mentions here and there about Guiding Light Fan Fiction. Does anyone have links they can share where I might be able to find that. Thank you. Annette

THIS! I remember being a teenager and wanting to look just like her! I finished reading Megan McTavish's book and I was surprised she talked about the mental health and addiction struggles some of the actors she worked with faced. And if Maureen Garrett was considered "old" in her late 40s, then sign me up. I wish I looked half as good as she did in her late 40s when I was in my 20s. Being one of only three actors at that time that had roots dating back to the 70s, a time that some fans consider one of Guiding Light's best eras, the actress brought a lot of value to the show, as did the character. I'll never understand why so many soap operas find it challenging to write for "older" characters. I'm convinced that audiences will watch good content, even younger viewers will watch stories about older characters if the stories are compelling and written well. Guiding Light had some of the best actors in the business in the mid-90s; actors capable of delivering the goods. The show was firing on all cylinders when Roger and Holly made their return in the late 1980s. Personally, I was challenged by the storylines during McTavish's tenure at Guiding Light. While I did understand her wanting to end Roger and Holly's romance, I did struggle when the two stopped being in each other's orbit. There was so much history between the two characters, not to mention Garrett and Michael Zaslow were just magic on screen together. I was just mesmerized by them, but all of that came to a halt when Holly was paired with Fletcher and Roger with Dinah. And there's no doubt that Holly's pairing with Fletcher stifled the character. All of the sudden she was wearing flannels and hair scrunchies and acting as a shoulder to cry on for all of Springfield's characters. This was certainly not MG's doing though. I imagine she must have found the lack of storyline for Holly as frustrating as I did. The creative team really pigeonholed a character that was at one point one of the most interesting on the show.

I realize this was discussed nearly two weeks ago, but I'm just catching up! Holly is indeed a queen! It pained me to see what became of the character after 1995. One of the reasons why I stopped watching Guiding Light was because I grew so tired of the lack of storylines for some of the veteran characters at a time when the show was introducing new character after new character. There was plenty that could have been written for the vets, but the show lacked imagination and inspiration. I love some of the ideas posted on here as to what the writers could have done with Holly and others. Annette

PREACH!!! These three actors were my absolute favorites on the show when I watched. I'll also throw Rick Hearst into the mix. The country club scenes when Alexandra shames Roger in front of the movers and shakers of Springfield was simply epic. Same can be said for when she confronts Roger about his affair with Mindy. These scenes are simply a masterclass all around. I was never one to root for the villain, and that was what was so brilliant about Michael Zaslow's portrayal of Roger — I found myself wanting him to win more times than not. It's one of the reasons why I loved him with Holly. As wrong as the two of them were together because of their past, there was also just something so right in having them together. I loved the vulnerability the character showed when he was with Holly. And I could go on for hours about Maureen Garrett. What a gifted performer. I loved her portrayal of Holly. I don't think I've ever seen another actor communicate so much emotion without saying a word. She should have won an Emmy 10 times over. Annette

The number one factor that attracted me to Guiding Light was the acting. Guiding Light was certainly one of the least glamorous soaps on at the time when I was watching, but the top-notch acting is what kept me coming back day after day. I think Guiding Light employed some of the best actors in the business. Annette

I just wanted to say that I'm really glad I found this discussion board. The conversations about Guiding Light are informative and fascinating. From the sets, to the storylines, to the characters - I really enjoy reading everyone's thoughts on things. I wish that when I was watching the show in realtime the 90s, I had a place like this to go. I started watching Guiding Light when I was in middle school, but the friends of mine that watched soaps were all ABC fans. I had no one to talk to about Guiding Light! It sucked! Thank you all for welcoming me. Annette

I really liked Reva and Josh. In fact, it was their wedding at Cross Creek in 1989 that got me hooked on Guiding Light. I thought they shared a wonderful chemistry together and I was definitely invested in their love story. I remember being pretty devastated when Reva's car plunged into the water. I do think the pairing lost a bit of that spark through when Reva came back after being presumed dead. For me, there were too many convoluted obstacles written to keep them apart, and then when they finally did get back together the payoff just wasn't there because their happiness was so fleeting. As a viewer, I got exhausted by their love story. Of course, I realize that a happy couple makes for a boring soap, but their constant together/apart routine just made me disinterested. Annette

The summer of 1992 was a tough year for Guiding Light with so many incredible actresses leaving the show. For me, the one that hit the hardest was Beverlee McKinsey. What a powerhouse. She was very much missed! I agree that the Ross/Blake/Roger/Holly storyline lost a bit of steam when Sherry Stringfield left. I also think the character of Blake changed a lot once Stringfield left. However, I think Jerry verDorn and Elizabeth Keifer shared a nice chemistry together. Also, I loved the mother/daughter chemistry between Maureen Garrett and Keifer. I thought it worked very nicely, especially once the two characters patched their relationship up. Recasts are tough. I certainly can't imagine the challenge an actor must face when coming into a role that the audience identifies with another actor. I think recast parts almost always seem to also change the character too. I guess that's to be expected as the new actor puts his or her spin on things. Annette

I recall reading an interview with Maureen Garrett in which I believe she said TPTB wanted her to dye her hair blonde to match the hair color of Lynn Deerfield's hair. I can't imagine Holly without red hair! Annette

In regards to some of your previous comments regarding Maureen Garrett and Maeve Kinkead being underrated and overshadowed, I concur. Like Beverlee McKinsey, Garrett and Kinkead portrayed their characters with such believability. There was never a false note in either of their performances. One of the things I admired about all three actresses is that they didn't always go for the big moment, even though they could have. They did it when it made sense, and to me, it was so much more impactful. It meant something to me when any of these three characters shed a tear or yelled because they didn't do it regularly. I'm not suggesting that one style of acting is right or wrong, but for me, their style of acting was more aligned with what I wanted as a viewer. I truly wish Garrett and Kinkead received more accolades during their time on the show. I stopped watching Guiding Light in 2000 when Holly got swept to the sidelines. Without Michael Zaslow there either, I just couldn't hang on. Annette

I've been enjoying reading about some of your thoughts about the storylines and characters from the 1970s. I wasn't watching the show at that time due to my age, but I have tried to see what I can via YouTube. As someone who didn't start watching Guiding Light until 1989, I have a question about Holly and Roger's relationship in the 1970s. Was it a love story? When the characters returned in the late 1980s, my impression was that they had this once in a lifetime love affair, which then went terribly wrong. I'm just curious as to how their relationship was portrayed in the 1970s. Annette

The conversation regarding the lack of Emmy wins for Guiding Light has been interesting to read. I'm shocked the show didn't win Best Drama Series at all between 1990 to 1993. For me, that was the show's last great era. It's also maddening that Michael Zaslow only won once and Maureen Garrett never won at all. These actors, as well as others, are the reason I watched the show. Their performances were always so grounded and measured. There was so much truth in their work. Annette

In regards to Marcy Walker, it's interesting rewatching her time on Guiding Light as I have been thanks to YouTube. The writers threw Tangie with nearly every character and in nearly every storyline, and nothing seemed to work. It certainly wasn't for a lack of trying on Walker's part though. Annette

@Contessa Donatella, thank you for explaining to me what block voting is and how it works as it pertains to soap operas. Annette

I have what is probably a rather stupid question, but what exactly is block voting? I don't understand the definition of it as it pertains to the Daytime TV Emmy Awards. Thank you in advance to anyone that can provide an explanation. Annette

Did Beverlee McKinsey ever discuss publicly why she didn't submit her work during her run on Guiding Light? Annette

Beverlee McKinsey was just an absolute powerhouse! I loved watching her scenes. She was very measured and realistic in her approach, which I appreciated as a viewer. In those moments when Alex showed anger or shed tears, I really felt it. The country club scenes when Alex takes down Roger are simply epic. Same for the scenes when she confronts him about his infidelity. Talk about a masterclass in acting. Annette

I started watching Guiding Light in the summer of 1989. It was Reva and Josh's wedding at Cross Creek that intrigued me as I was flipping channels. Up until that point, I had just watched nighttime soaps. I remember being so mesmerized by all of the location scenes. I stuck with the show for several years after that. My favorite years of the show were between 1990 to 1994 as I felt like it was very much an ensemble at that point. It seemed to me that most characters had a least some sort of storyline, and I thought the writers did a nice job of having multiple characters interact with each other. Springfield felt like an actual community to me. I watched religiously for a nearly 12-year span, and the early 90s were just awesome. Like most of you on this board, I didn't just watch one soap opera. I was also a fan of As the World Turns and One Life to Life. While I certainly had my favorite characters on each, I do think soap operas were a better viewing experience when they focused on multiple storylines involving multiple characters. I realize that there are going to be ebbs and flows with storylines and characters, but it's never good when one or two characters monopolize a show. I think Guiding Light was one of the worst examples of allowing that to happen. Annette

Thank you so much @DRW50 for tagging me. What a gem of a find! It's so exciting to watch episodes from so many decades ago. Thank you. Annette

I had no idea that Michael Zaslow wrote for Another World! That's very cool. Annette

I started watching the show in 1989 and thought it remained very strong until about 1995. I know a lot of people feel the show started to shift downward in 1993, but I didn't feel that way until 1995. That's mostly thanks to the fact I was intrigued by the Roger and Holly pairing. Once things ended between them, my interest started to wane. It's very disappointing when quality doesn't translate into ratings. Annette

@Khan, you mentioned in your post above that it's pretty much show up, stand on your mark, and go. This must be why when I catch some episodes of soaps airing now, there's not as much blocking or movement as I remember when I watched in real-time during the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. Annette