Pine Charles

I prefer Janet’s smile (if we’re talking funny facial expressions.... of course, Janet’s was intentionally funny). Anyhow, I came across this Laura Allen KTLA interview from way back in 2007 (5 years after her AMC departure) in which she is promoting the short-lived FX series d!rt; she portrayed a pill junkie on the show.

YES!! That’s it!! I forgot what it was until your mention. I miss Media Domain.

More memories are coming to me after some of your responses. I remember adopted Laura #2 being pretty unpopular from the get-go; I remember people commenting what a lousy, laughable actress Allen was (as compared to Lauren Roman, whom many people seemed to have found superior in the acting department) and how the character seemed to have a completely different personality. I now remember her “scheming bitch” phase, and her scheming with Vanessa (“Proteus”). The whole “teen drug” story (which morphed into “Proteus”) from that time was laughable. I believe the drugs were supposed to be Ecstasy or something.... but the writing & acting were not very good. I remember 1994, with Louie Greco and Julia and Noah, and the writing/production/acting had a gritty realness then (as much as you could get on a Daytime soap) that was so much better in comparison. I guess it’s unfair to compare an “adult” heroin plot point to “teen Ectasy,” but....

Well, while the idea of having the daughter of Brooke English and the daughter of Erica Kane involved in a same-sex tryst IS quite intriguing - and Lucci and Barr had some dynamite scenes at the suggestion - I remember fans (at least on the message boards) LOATHING Laura Allen SO MUCH at the time. This increased DRAMATICALLY after she was given Gillian’s heart. Retrospectively watching some of Laura Allen’s scenes, she wasn’t as bad as I remember on original viewing.... the day-to-day writing was still lacking, though. In SOD’s ‘Best & Worst’ - of either ‘97 or ‘98 - I believe Gillian was named ‘Worst New Character’ (female) or some such. I don’t remember the specific write-up, but the character was called something to the effect of being “obnoxious.” I don’t believe they “got” her.... and I remember fans warming up to her fairly quickly.

Gillian is unique in that she was trashed in the soap mags when she debuted, but quickly became a fan favorite, during a time when new characters rarely caught on with the audience. Esta’s quirks (which became part of her character) were endearing, and it’s such a shame she was killed off - especially in the manner in which she was. It seemed personal.... Shot in the head, with her heart being put into the body of an unpopular recast. A fan poll would’ve definitely favored saving Gillian - as opposed to the Laura Kirk English recast, who was hugely UNpopular. The fans on Media Domain had a funny nickname for the Laura Kirk English recast, but I can’t remember what it was.

Francesca James directed episodes for All My Children. I thought she had started directing in the ‘90s, but I was watching the 1987 episode where Erica famously drives a race car, and Francesca was the director of that particular show.

Poor Estelle. Was this after Billy Clyde raped Estelle and started burying her alive in a graveyard - before she was rescued (by either Chuck or Benny Sago)?? Emily Ann was the product of the rape, not discovering the truth until 1990.

She may have been icy towards SMG (who, by some accounts, is difficult herself), but discussing Lucci’s age and face seems trite.

🤣!! How old was the Snake Charmer, I wonder, when Langley Wallingford (real name: Lenny Wlasuk) got her pregnant in the traveling carnival?? If Verla Grubbs is the same age as her portrayer, Carol Burnett, that would put her in her late 80s, so her mother would be up there.... but, who cares, really?? Anyhow, which classic actress would you cast as the Snake Charmer?? 🐍

The daughter of a snake charmer!! 😅

Carol Burnett once said her favorite character - when she first started watching All My Children - was Margo Flax. Margo was a hot MESS. I wish her facelift story (from 1974) could be seen. I believe Margo was also Erica’s roommate when she first moved to NYC to become a model, being signed to Jason Maxwell’s agency. Margo was an ex-model herself, who had a ‘Norma Desmond’ vibe going on.

Alicia Minshew looks EXACTLY the same.

😂 Ruth’s 1970 hair was its’ own character.

Amy crashing a Daughters Of Fine Lineage meeting would’ve been fun, putting everyone in their place - Aunt Phoebe, Enid Nelson, Juanita Ramsey. Amy may have admired Erica’s business acumen and the fact that she developed her own brand (through nothing but determination and hard-work). Btw, this statue (or is it a painting??) in Phoebe’s living room intrigues me. It appears to perhaps be some Roman (or Greek) god(dess). Can anyone identify it??

@All My Shadows Do you wish the character of Amy had lasted longer??

Yes, she’s a truly nasty person - sadistic and vindictive. She probably wrote Janet’s dialogue when she’d visit the well to taunt & torment Natalie. LOL Wisner Washam LOATHED her, which is why he exited the writing team shortly after she was promoted in ‘92.

This is no mystery, but Megan McTavish was NOT well-liked by most of her colleagues. On the flip side, Lorraine Broderick is much-loved; the two women seem like polar opposites (but, perhaps, their “oil and water” aspect as co-HWs could’ve somehow worked). AMC enjoyed healthy ratings for most of McTavish’s first HWing stint (usually always ranking #2 in the weekly ratings - and nearly toppling Y&R for #1 in early ‘93), but I feel it was her team who made most of her ideas work on-screen; she needs good people around her (like Hal Corley, ect.). The influence of Felicia Behr (having been involved with AMC since 1970, as an associate producer) also invariably helped matters. AMC’s ratings in the early ‘90s really started to rise in September 1991, when Natalie was rescued from the well (with Janet being exposed in October). Agnes Nixon, Lorraine Broderick and Wisner Washam were at the writing helm at that time; Megan was a breakdown writer (although she is often credited with coming up with the iconic “Natalie In The Well” saga). She wouldn’t become HW until the Spring of 1992, her first major plot being the “Who Killed Will?” murder mystery (which received widespread acclaim in the soap press).

OK, so Mr. Corley has a Facebook album entitled “Soap.” These comments were made 10 years ago, but I found them interesting (I’m sure most of you will recognize the names).

I’m Hal Corley’s friend on Facebook. Wonderful man. Here’s another cute, behind-the-scenes shot:

Sad news, INDEED!! 😪

Was that when AMC hit #1 in the summer months of 1982?? That was the summer of Jenny & Jesse fleeing to NYC (living “in hiding” with Mrs. Gonzalez), as well as the All About Eve-inspired storyline with Erica and Silver, with Silver (whom we later learned to be an imposter) gaslighting Erica while she was signed to Sensuelle. Interesting how most of the action during that period was taking place in the Big Apple, as opposed to Pine Valley.

Judith Barcroft was quite popular, so it makes sense the recasts weren’t so successful (same situation w/ Taylor Miller).