danfling

Here is a question about two former television performers who happen to have the similar last name: What has happened to Lionel Johnson (Michael Randolph on Another World) and Julie Ann Johnson (Joy O'Neal #2 on One Life to Live)?

Actress/producer Lyn Loring (Betty #2 on NBC's Return to Peyton Place) passed away at the end of last year. Her death is now being announced.

Actress Bonnie Bartlett (Vanessa #2) has written her own autobiography.

Happy anniversary to The Edge of Night, which premiered on April 2, 1956.

How would the audience have felt if the late Michael Levin (best known as Jack Fennelli on Ryan's Hope) had played Mark Elliott on Love Is a Many Splendored Thing? He probably would have remained on the show for most of the run. And, David Birney (who played Mark #2) would have been great in the role of Jack on Ryan's Hope (excepting the fact that he did not look very Italian).

Could someone tell me when The Edge of Night stopped using the organ and piano in the opening and switched to orchestrated music? I know that it was during the CBS run.

I loved the entire Price family. I felt that Sheila's break-up with Troy was too sudden and not logial enough. She then became paired with Hank. I enjoyed Valerie Pettiford in the role of Sheila, but I also greatly enjoyed Stephanie Williams in the role. She was so beautiful, but the character had so little to do. The only time that her storyline was anywhere near interesing is when R. J. came to her apartment and she begged him not to hurt Hank's career. R. J. made Sheila strip for him. She did have a semi-emotional scene when she told Hank good-bye and that she was moving to Europe. Dr. Ben Price was also a wonderful character to me. I had never known until today that the show considered killing R. J., but had that storyline materialized, two likely suspects would have been both Sheila and Ben. His final scene with Marty, though, completely puzzled me, as I had noticed no attraction between those two characters. I also liked the storyline in which Rika Price (sister of Ben and Sheila) was involved with Troy's son. (I think that the actor and actress later married in real life.) Rika would have been good with Javier, R. J. or Antonio. I beleive that it was during the Linda Gottlieb years that the rap storyline aired and Curtis Blow was a special guest and a consultant. The best thing to have done with this storyline is to have Sheila say good-bye to Hank, leave to join Ben in Europe, then (several years later) to return with a child who may have been Hank's or may was not his. I absolutely hated the return of Becky Lee and had not known that there was a reason for her personality change. I liked all three of the actresses who played Rachel. Mari Morrow may have laced the talent of the other two, but her work was acceptable. I loved Rachel B. Grant, although i always that the she and Kelli Taylor (Kelly #2 on All My Children) could easily have exchanged roles. (I thought that Ms. Taylor was extremely talented and was wasted.) Also, One Life to Live introduced a hospital administrator who was trying to have Ben Price fired as a physician, She could have been placed in triangle with Hank and Shelia had the show kept this character.

I am now wondering about actres Janis Young. She appeared on Our Five Daughters, The Edge of Night (probably in a day role) and Another World (which was produced in the same studio as Our Five Daughters). I read that after she and her husband (record producer Mark Abrahamson) divorced, she became a drama professor at Bennington College. Is she still teaching there (doubtful), or how is she spending her time now?

I loved the entire Price family. I felt that Sheila's break-up with Troy was too sudden and not logial enough. She then became paired with Hank. I enjoyed Valerie Pettiford in the role of Sheila, but I also greatly enjoyed Stephanie Williams in the role. She was so beautiful, but the character had so little to do. The only time that her storyline was anywhere near interesing is when R. J. came to her apartment and she begged him not to hurt Hank's career. R. J. made Sheila strip for him. She did have a semi-emotional scene when she told Hank good-bye and that she was moving to Europe. Dr. Ben Price was also a wonderful character to me. I had never known until today that the show considered killing R. J., but had that storyline materialized, two likely suspects would have been both Sheila and Ben. His final scene with Marty, though, completely puzzled me, as I had noticed no attraction between those two characters. I also liked the storyline in which Rika Price (sister of Ben and Sheila) was involved with Troy's son. (I think that the actor and actress later married in real life.) Rika would have been good with Javier, R. J. or Antonio. I beleive that it was during the Linda Gottlieb years that the rap storyline aired and Curtis Blow was a special guest and a consultant. The best thing to have done with this storyline is to have Sheila say good-bye to Hank, leave to join Ben in Europe, then (several years later) to return with a child who may have been Hank's or may was not his. I absolutely hated the return of Becky Lee and had not known that there was a reason for her personality change. I liked all three of the actresses who played Rachel. Mari Morrow may have laced the talent of the other two, but her work was acceptable. I loved Rachel B. Grant, although i always that the she and Kelli Taylor (Tayor #2 on All My Children) could have played each other's roles just as well. I loved the months of friendship between Max and R. J., and missed it after the writers stopped writing mutual scenes with them. I especially hated the way the show fizzled the character of R. J. out. Wasn't R. J. paired with Alex or Lindsey later. I did not care for their scenes.

Here is a recent picture of Lisa Sutton (Nancy Feldman #1 on Ryan's Hope):

The man who was originally was announced to be the co-creator of Loving (with Agnes Nixon) has passed away. I will post an obituary of Dan Wakefield later.

Writer Dan Wakefield, who was originally to be the co-creator of Loving, has passed away. He also wrote the book about Agnes Nixon called "All Her Children." He was to write a review of All My Children for Playboy magazine, and, thinking originally that he would not like the show, became involved with the various plots on that show.

The late Mr. McCourt played Kevin McGuinness on Ryan's Hope. He also appeared on Search for Tomorrow and One Life to Live.

Malachi McCourt, who played Big Begelowe, died earlier this week.

One of my favorite soap opera composers was the late Wladimir Selinsky. He wrote the theme (I think) for the CBS primetime show Our Private World and also my favorite soap opera there, A World Apart. He also composed (background music, I presume) for Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, He was born on February 15, 1910 and passed away at the age of 74 in 1984.

I nominate Eileen Letchworth (Margo Flax Martin on All My Children) Catherine Bruno (Roxanne/Nora on The Edge of Night) Deborah Soloman Simon (Amanda Holmes on As the World Turns and Sydney on All My Children) Frances Fisher (Deborah Saxon on The Edge of Night and Suzette Saxon on The Guiding Light) Heidi Vaughn (Phoebe Smith #1 on The Edge of Night) Georgann Johnson (Ellen Grant on Somerset; also on As the World Turns and All My Children) Clarice Blackburn (Dark Shadows, As the World Turns, The Secret Storm and many more shows - also a writer) August Dabney (Young Doctor Malone, Another World, As the World Turns, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, The Guiding Light, A World Apart, One Life to Live, Loving, serial General Hospital) Jane White (The Edge of Night, A World Apart, Search for Tomorrow)

The show should have had Ellen and Lisa both competing for the attentions of Edwardo (Nicolas Coster) when he returned to the show.

I think that Christopher Wines had lft the show before the abortion was performed and that Charles Frank had begun playing Dr. Jeff Martin. I never saw Ms. Coslow in the role. But, I seem to recall that Charles Frank had already been playing Dr. Jeff Martin by the time that Mary Kinnecott, R. N. was introduced. The husband of Ms. Coslow, Ted Sorrell, appeared on Ryan's Hope in 1981 and on The Guiding Light in 1992. Her father was film composer Sam Coslow. (Both she and Karen Gorney were appearing on All My Children at this time, and both of them were the daughters of composers.)o Here is a picture of Jane Rose (Love of Life, The Secret Storm, Dark Shadows, Somerset), Jacqueline Coslow, and Daniel Keyes (Dark Shadows, Where the Heart Is, Ryan's Hope, Texas, The Secret Storm). I can see a little resemblance to Erica Slezak, who also auditioned for the role of Mary. Ms. Slezak said years later that she would have been entirely wrong for the role. I wonder if Ms. Coslow was miscast as Ms. Slezak would have been.

Post any questions of comments about music that was heard on soap opera episodes or music from performers who appeared on soap operas.

She was also on As the World Turns, but I remember her best for her portrayal as Gretel Cummings. Gretel was introduced as an assistant for Adam Brewster. She and Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord were competing for the attendion of Herb Callison. I do not remember clearly what actress was then playing Dr. Dorian, but the boyfriend of Claire Mallis (Dr. Dorian #2) appeared on Somerset. I cannot remember his name. Could someone refresh my memory?

This sounds a lot like what Donald May had been advocating when the network considered airing the show in a late-night timeslot. He was advocating a maximum amount of money for everyone concerned.

I was told this weekend by a reliable source that actor and writer Doug Chapin (Tony Cooper #1 on Somerset; also Dr. Dan Stewart on As the World Turns) married Marilyn Chambers in the early 1970s. It wiould have been before the time that he and Richard Hatch appeared together in the movie Best Friends (which Mr. Chapin also partially wrote). It was also told that Mr. Chapin (who, I believe, is an heir to the Steinway family) had been playing bagpipes when he and Ms. Chambers first met. They divorced later. Is this the same Doug Chapin who appeared on Somerset and As the World Turns?

The article above mentioned NBC's talk show "The Faith Daniels Show." I loved that program! It seems that Ms. Daniels disappeared following its cancellation. I really wish that her show had been aired for a longer run.

This show was produced by the late Don Wallace. He had extensive prior soap opera experience after having worked on The Edge of Night, From These Roots and One Life to Live. He pioneered location shooting when he was directing The Edge of Night. Why was this show so unsuccessful? (Of course, I realize that James Lipton was not known for splended writing.) Did this show use many scenes taped on location as had been used on The Edge of Night?

Dr. Marcus Polk was a character on both One Life to Live and All My Children. He was played by a variety of actors (with the final one being James Douglas). When Dr. Polk was murdered in the 1980s on One Life to Live, was there any mention on ll My Children that Dr. Polk had died?