vetsoapfan

When ATWT released Patricia Bruder from her contract in 1996, Ellen Stewart simply disappeared without explanation. Years later, she returned to Oakdale for Nancy's 80th birthday party, and that is when the show offered viewers the implausible explanation that Ellen had moved to Atlanta to do fundraising. Nancy spoke about wanting to donate, IIRC. It didn't make sense at all. She could fundraise from anywhere, including Oakdale. OMG, I would have been crushed if they had fired Patricia Bruder and then killed off Ellen. I think, to be respectful to such a long-running character, they should have kept her on the show, of course, but failing that, she could have gone to live with/closer to Annie and her grandchildren. That's an explanation which would have made sense to me. BTW, I also loathe when soaps just drop veteran characters without explanation and never mention them again. It is really disrespectful.

Mmm, no I cannot picture Jacqueline Perkel in my mind. Was she the actress who played the role when it was only a minor, recurring part? Maybe Perkel did not grate on my nerves the way Carolyn Ann Clark did, which would account for her fading from my memory banks. LOL! I know Gail Kobe predated Pamela Long on the show. I thought Kobe began at the end of 1982, which is when I believed Allen Potter left. You could be right, however.

A HUGE number of important cast members were axed in 1983 and '84. I realize that sometimes actors have "issues" that make them untenable to keep around, but I cannot believe that scores of actors who had been on the show for years ALL suddenly became impossible to work with, at the same time. Pamela Long even mentioned later on that when they came aboard, she and Gail Kobe wanted to "get rid of the dead wood." Pffft. Yes, Vigard had a very real screen presence, as well as chemistry with everyone. I found Morgan to be petulant and abrasive, but with KV in the role, I still wanted her on the show. When Jennifer Cooke took over, the character became pretty useless. I agree, although Cullen was always good. Compare her nuanced portrayal to that of her replacement. I am one of the "some," here. PFS wrote beautifully for Amanda, Vanessa, Nola, Bert, Mike, and even Sara and Hillary. She offered many memorable character-driven vignettes which proved she had studied the show and characters thoroughly. I was thrilled. I was sure she was going to do the type of stellar work she had done on Where The Heart Is, Days, and GH. Unfortunately, she was terminated very quickly and replaced by a revolving door of writers, the vast majority of whom neither understood TGL nor could write for it effectively. Mark Evans was another one of those characters whom I was not sorry to see go. Watching the Mona Enright mess, I always thought that the story was such a mess because the writers had no idea where they were going with it.

Lesley Ann Monroe was one of those characters whom I loathed to the point of being unable to watch her on screen. I had to FF through all her scenes. I couldn't stand the actress' take on Laura on ATWT, either, but at least I was SUPPOSED to dislike her, LOL. Yes, KV was fired from both TGL and OLTL. The gossip was that she was unprofessional at TGL, didn't always study her lines, showed up late, etc. The problem was, as you say, she had something special. Her replacements on both shows were absolutely dreadful, and it really showed how unique Kristen had been. Yikes. People like that (and they exist in all areas of fandom) strike me as being somewhat limited intellectually, and lacking a firm grip on reality. I try to ignore them as much as possible. If all my favorite actors and characters are written off my shows, I am wont to lose interest and stop watching too, but getting so hysterical is (as you say) weird. I took those remarks to mean that Mulcahey was acknowledging Bert Bauer's shifting place on the canvas. She did go from being a lead in the 1950s and 1960s, to a supporting player in the 1970s and 1980s...but NEVER phoned in her performances or slacked off, no matter what material she was given by TPTB. I agree with you, however, that to longtime viewers, Charita Bauer was always the heart of the show; the hub of the wheel. Once she was gone, TGL did not feel like TGL anymore. Nadine's death was both gratuitous and vile, and I certainly would not have allowed it to happen, but to me, Maureen's death was so much more significant because she had become the new matriarch of the Bauer family. At the time of Mo's death, we had no Meta and no Hope, so Maureen was basically it. I did not believe the show could survive after losing Bert, but then to slaughter the "replacement" matriarch, for no valid reason, was simply one of the worst blunders in soap operas' history. At the time, it was reported that she was let go. If you recall, Gail Kobe and TPTB were firing the vast majority of actors who had predated them. I did not really mind losing Cooke, to be honest, as she was tepid and uninteresting in the role.

Many viewers seem to become ultra-fixated on their favorite performers/characters/romantic pairs; sometimes beyond all reason. I cringe when they wax on poetically and endlessly about how this actor or that character is "my reason to get up in the morning, the center of my entire universe!" We all have our favorites, but really: there's a line between interest (even devout interest) and obsessive fixation. UGH! The "I only tolerate praise and positive comments" people are unbearable, particularly when they are somehow in charge and have the power to censor and delete even the most valid, thoughtful and interesting criticisms. Any show that airs five days a week, 52 weeks a year, for DECADES is going to take missteps and fail occasionally. Ignoring this reality and pasting an artificial, happy smile on your face at all times is just...delusional. I cannot comprehend his attachment to Buzz either, but to each his own. I've never understand some viewers' interest in Sonny and Jason from GH, Roger Howarth (in any role on on any show), Richard, Crassie, the Shayme family and the greasy Santos mob on TGL, etc., etc., etc. In one of his latest tweets, however, PM seemed to imply that he did not see the death of Maureen Bauer as serious as the death of other characters on TGL like Nadine Cooper and Ross Marler, and the elimination of Michael Zaslow from the canvas immediately upon his diagnosis. I was really tempted to sign up to Twitter just to ask about that, but again: to each his own. No one else has to care about Maureen just because *I* did. Besides, if I ever did join Twitter, I'd be sorely tempted to leave withering replies for the MAGA supporters, the enthusiastic cheerleaders of rapist characters on soaps, etc. It's best not to open up THAT can of worms, LOL.

Thanks. I only watched Texas for the last few weeks, and could never (try as I might) get into Loving. But I enjoyed PM's work on TGL and GH, specifically. I had no idea, but that is a good system.

He wrote SFT too? I know he has worked on The Guiding Light, Santa Barbara, The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital. Anything else? I know that at the very least, PM was on the writing staff when Buzz Cooper descended upon Springfield.

Right. His campy mugging might have been appropriate on SB, but the loud-mouthed, bombastic antics on The Guiding Light were abrasive.

I guess because Mulcahey did not have the same investment in the core of the show that veteran, longtime viewers had, it makes sense for him to gravitate towards newer characters whom he created and/or wrote, himself. That's fine, to each his own. At least I believe his attachment to the character is genuine. All the mewling stans who bleat on about Roger Howarth's roles strike me as designing their responses in the thread to fit a transparent agenda. I'm not on Twitter enough to know who this Candace is, but now I want to go investigate her other posts, LOL!

I was bitterly disappointed in Claire Labine's tenure as headwriter on The Guiding Light; I had been expecting great things from her, but alas that was not to be. She did, however, craft some wonderful scenes for Mary Stuart. I enjoyed Aunt Meta's battles with Claire Ramsey, and when Meta recited Rev. Ruthledge's Destiny poem at Christmas, it made me feel like I was actually watching...The Guiding Light. I was pleased. I generally only check out the soap Twitter realm when someone alerts me to a specific thread or content. Twitter is often too bitter for my tastes. The obvious stans and bots are divisive. But it's great to see people like Patrick Mulcahey interacting with fans. His scripts on soaps were a delight. I thought highly of his work on SFT and ATWT too. He was just not well suited for the role of Ed Bauer, IMHO.

I also notice that Twitter sometimes hides supposedly "sensitive content," although I am hard pressed to imagine what could be objectionable in a series of replies about most-missed soap opera stars. Are all replies visible to people who have Twitter accounts? I can't be bothered actually joining Twitter to find out, LOL. Maybe Patrick Mulcahey did not know (or simply forgot) that Mary Stuart was on The Guiding Light for many years. Didn't she joined after he left the show? I guess he preferred Peter Simon over Mart Hulswit, which sort of makes sense since Simon was the actor playing Ed when Mulcahey wrote for TGL. As for other replies in that long thread, I am suspicious of all the votes for Roger Howarth's characters. I think the stan-bots are out in full force, LOL. I thought Deas was great as Bucky Carter on RH and Tom Hughes on ATWT, so I do not despise the actor, himself, but I simply could not tolerate Buzz Cooper. I guess if Peter Simon was the only/principle actor certain viewers saw as Ed Bauer, it makes sense that they would prefer him, but I have yet to encounter a fan who witnessed both Hulswit's and Simon's interpretations of the role express a preference for Simon over Hulswit.

The loud-mouthed irritant of Springfield himself, Buzz Cooper.💩 Other notable mentions: Roger Howarth as Todd Manning on OLTL and Franco on GH, Luke Spencer on GH, and...wait for it, Jean P's writing "talents." Hold back my hair, I'm gonna hurl. LOL! Thank God someone mentioned Roger Thorpe and Holly Norris! I'm almost tempted to open my own Twitter account, to comment, but just reading the flame wars that ignite on that site are more than enough for me.

I'm not sure where this post should go, but I chose the TGL thread because of the first reply. I respect Patrick Mulcahey enormously, but his most-missed soap opera character is 🤮, IMHO.

Right; that's why I wrote, "...or any soap, really." What made the decision to choose AW for expansion to 90 minutes is that it was not even well written anymore, and the ratings were really sinking at the time. If TBTB had tried it with the top-rated General Hospital under Gloria Monty and Douglas Marland or Pat Falken Smith...maybe it would have been slightly more understandable (although still not a good idea, IMHO).

It was such a ludicrous idea to expand AW (or any soap, really) to 90 minutes per day. The ratings were already sinking, and the show's writing was weak. Anyone with sense should have known it would not be sustainable.

I had not known about Eddie's recent uploads. Thank you for letting me (all of us) know. I lost interest in the show in 1975, but looking back on the soap in the rest of the 1970s, it was far superior to anything viewers have had to endure on daytime TV for decades now. I may watch all the 1970s' material on Eddie's channel. Thanks again.

It reaped lasting damage onto ATWT too.

Considering his unfortunate lack of historical knowledge, I figured Alan had no idea whatsoever that Hays had ever been on The Guiding Light. He didn't even know who Stefan Schnabel was; an actor who had been part of the show in the 1960s, 1970s, and into the 1980s. Personally, I preferred both Rodell and Hays over Adams in the role of Leslie. I found them more likeable. (But I preferred Susan Oliver over Rosemary Forsythe as Laura Horton on DAYS, so what do I know? 🤣) Some snippy viewers have lambasted Hulswit for his weight over the years, but he was always engaged and gave solid performances. So did Gentry in the 1960s. Richard Van Fleet was good as Chuck Tyler on AMC, but woefully miscast as Ed Bauer. Still, I preferred RVF's aberrant version over Simon's simply because Van Fleet appeared to be paying attention, LOL. To give Simon credit, however, I definitely wanted Ed Bauer to be present during the show's final days, considering Ed was the longest-running character still (semi) relevant to the program. If TPTB did not want Hulswit or even Gentry to reprise the role when TGL came to a close, I was grateful that SOMEONE did it. (And even Simon was better to have at the bitter end than, say, Pat Collins.)

Unfortunately, Alan's egregious interviewing skills are what we are stuck with. I'm trying to be grateful that we get to see and listen to any of these actors at all, but Alan's interruptions, lack of historical historical knowledge, etc., are grating. Me too! I wouldn't say no to Millette Alexander, either. Gentry's interpretation of Ed was perfect for how the character was being written at the time. As the character softened and evolved, I did grow to adore Hulswit, who could exude warmth, but still had a temper just under the surface. HA! I would love to be the one interviewing veteran actors from many different soaps. I would not interrupt them, I would not suppress or try to censor controversial opinions, AND I could ask questions from a first-hand historical perspective; none of which Alan can do. Of course, you, zanereed, and several other SON posters would be equally capable choices to lead the interviews. This is true, and it was so frustrating to witness. After Simon's listless, lethargic Ed (and Richard Van Fleet's baffling version), I was thrilled that the show rehired Gentry. Unfortunately, he just did not click with anyone on screen. I knew he would not last long.

I enjoyed Peter Simon on SFT and even on ATWT, but to be frank, I found Mart Hulswit to be much more attractive. Reva gaining weight and looking frumpier actually helped make the character more accessible, it's true. Who could relate to a clone, a ghost, a time traveller, etc.? There were so many times throughout the last decades when Mike and Hope could have been used effectively and logically. Exactly. Caricatures are more of a turn-off than anything else. Once I see that some characters will never be more than one-dimensional caricatures, I just want them off the show.

ITA. The complex relationship between Rick and Phillip was one of Long's best creations. While never one of my favorite characters, I was fine with Frank being featured on the show as a supporting player; as you say, a supportive big-brother/friend type. That worked well for the actor's strengths. Rick, on the other hand, should never have turned into the "comedic" schlub next door. He had inherited the mantle of the Bauer family's younger male lead, and should have been an attractive, interesting leading man. He wasn't. It was a waste and a weakness TGL never remedied. The show never figured out what to do with Rick, let alone Mel. I got to the point that I wanted them to write her out if they were never going to use her effectively, and then have Abby return for Rick. Of course, everything is dependent on how characters are presented and storylines played out. A new family being introduced to be in conflict with the Bauers might have worked and provided TGL with years of storyline fodder, but there were not enough "good" Bauers on canvas battling against the bad Santos clan, so the conflict was never really developed. I loathe how soaps have glorified degenerates like mobsters, rapists, murderers, etc., over the last several decades. Turning mobsters into supposed romantic leads never worked for me on TGL, a show that was created and built upon traditional, moral values. Without decent people there battling the Santos mob, I just wanted the mob erased altogether. The bad writing and cartoon presentation became so bad, I doubt Carmen could ever have been made viable again. Agreed. I remember MH's hair starting to thin a bit, but honestly, I think TPTB care more about things like that than the audience does. Regardless of how shallow "the suits" think viewers are, we love our vets even as they age, lose some hair, and get pudgier like the rest of us do! (And Peter Simon's hair was not a lion's mane, either.) So much wasted potential always happens when soaps are headed up by producers and writers who either don't know, or just don't care about, the shows' rich legacies. Things would have been so much different if scribes like Marland, Falken Smith or Curlee had remained, and if a capable, sensitive producer had been in charge. Instead we got Phelps, Rauch and Wheeler. I'm honestly surprised the show survived as long as it did.

@Soapsuds, in the 1980s, Michael O'Leary asked writer Pamela Long if Rick were gay and in love with Phillip. The undertones were obvious to him, too. Unfortunately, Long was the only writer who really understood the complexity of that relationship. Later scribes couldn't (or at least didn't) keep complex nuances and undercurrents going.

MO'L never really had off-the-charts chemistry with any women, IMHO. Frederick's most viable relationship was with Abby. Mel was underdeveloped and unfocused, and she and Rick never clicked in a believable way. I think MO'L best on-screen chemistry was with GA in the early days, when one could read something of a same-sex relationship potential into their dynamic. My thoughts exactly. Hulswit had the warmth, sweetness AND underlying temper, which made him a great choice in the role of Ed. None of the other actors chosen to play Ed were as versatile in what they could project. Aligning the vile Santos clan with the Bauers always repulsed me. The only way to redeem that entire situation would have been for Mike to return and fight to purge the criminals from both his family and Springfield. The shoot-out in the Bauer kitchen remains one of the low points of the entire series for me. And watching Michelle marry Danny 765 times was nauseating, LOL.

I thought Mart Hulswit was cute as a button, regardless of a little added girth.

Actor Jack Betts (in the far left of the top photo) only appeared in 1974, I believe, so the shot must be from that year. Paul Rauch was not one known to care about long-term, beloved actors and characters. A series that spanned 72 years is bound to have a huge number of memorable characters. My top 10 favorites (if I were forced to limit the list to only 10) would probably be (in no specific order): Papa Bauer, Bert Bauer, Meta Bauer, Bill Bauer, Ed Bauer (Hulswit), Mike Bauer, Maureen Bauer (Parker), Roger Thorpe, Holly Norris (Garrett)...hmmm, I'm having trouble selecting ONE more name. There are many possibilities for the last spot: Peggy Scott. Robin Fletcher (Gillian Spencer). Johnny Fletcher (Don Scardino). Hope Bauer (Roussel). Amanda Wexler (Cullen). Ross Marler. Can I have 15?