danfling

Lisa Howard was the first actress to play Louise Grimsley Capice on The Edge of Night. This was posted yesterday on It's about TV: I" It was in the January 25, 1964 issue of TV Guide that I first became acquainted with Lisa Howard. That was the issue that looked back at TV's coverage of the JFK assassinations; I've written before about how I grew up with that issue, reading it over and over until I was familiar with the most obscure programs (several of which have since wound up in my video collection), knowing that this was a gateway to a time that I was a part of but only vaguely remembered. In that issue was an article by Alan Gill about the "ever-persistent" Lisa Howard, a reporter for ABC, accompanied by a picture of a redhead wearing a vivid shade of red on her lips. It was a very effective photograph, not the kind of thing you're likely to forget. The article discussed her transition from soap opera actress to political activist to reporter, particularly her headline-making interview with Fidel Castro. Since I'd committed the contents of that issue to memory, I filed the name Lisa Howard there as well. There haven't been many opportunities over the years to use that information. Howard appears in ABC's JFK assassination coverage, but aside from her daily show she doesn't show up as much as you'd think she should, given her credentials. Indeed, her story takes a tragic turn; after being fired from ABC and suffering a miscarriage, she fell into a deep depression and committed suicide in 1965 at the age of 39—less than 18 months after the TV Guide article appeared. All this is background to a fascinating article by Peter Kornbluh in Politico, "'My Dearest Fidel': An ABC Journalist's Secret Liaison With Fidel Castro." Without even seeing the story, bells were going off in my head, and I had an idea who that journalist would be; clicking on it merely confirmed my suspicion. It's a brilliant piece of long journalism, the kind that we don't see often enough anymore, documenting the details of how Howard became an intermediary between Havana and the White House, a story of politics and intrigue worthy of any spy novelist. And, befitting a spy novel, there's a romance between Howard and Castro, which makes the story even more intriguing. In some ways Howard reminds me of Dorothy Kilgallen, another famous female reporter of the time, one who covered the big stories (and, in the case of Dr. Sam Sheppard, was part of it), saw herself as part of history, and died under tragic circumstances from an overdose of pills. You'll want to set aside some time and read this; whether or not you've ever heard of Lisa Howard, and no matter what you think of Fidel Castro, you'll be pulled into the narrative, and hard-pressed to stop before you get to the end. And as an added bonus—think of it as the companion to the article—here are a pair of YouTube videos. The first is the Howard-Castro interview as presented on ABC, while the second offers an interview with Peter Kornbluh, author of that Politico story. Would I have even noticed this article had I not read that long-ago TV Guide profile? Kornbluh writes that while at one time she was one of the "most famous TV journalists in the United States," today "almost no one remembers Lisa Howard." I remember Lisa Howard, though, thanks to that issue from over 50 years ago. Like so many things I've run across over the years, it's part of the permanent record. TV

January 13 was the anniversary of the premiere of Kitty Folye on NBC. This appeared on It's about TV: "On Monday, it's the debut of the daytime serial Kitty Foyle (2:30 p.m, NBC), which surely must have one of the more distinguished pedigrees of any soap opera. It begins with the 1939 best-seller by Christopher Morley, which tells the story of a white-collar girl who falls in love with a young socialite, and includes such touchy subjects as out-of-wedlock pregnancy and abortion. This was adapted into a 1940 movie (toning down some of the book's racier parts), which won a Best Actress Oscar for Ginger Rogers (and created a fashion trend called the "Kitty Foyle Dress"), and then a 1942-44 radio serialization created by soap opera giant Irna Phillips. In was inevitable that it would eventually make it to television, which it does here, becoming NBC's first half-hour soap. Strangely enough, the TV version of Kitty Foyle doesn't do too well; soap opera historian Ron Lackmann speculates that "perhaps the story was too familiar, or perhaps once the basic story was told, there was nothing else to say about Kitty and her problems." The series ends after only five months. "

I am wondering what the reason was for Michael Stroka to leave his role as Dr. Quentin Henderson on The Edge of Night.

She was the domineering woman who wanted to be domineered. Tom did realize that Erica would never be the wife that he dreamed of. However, it was Tom (in my opinion) who was best for Erica and was the true love of her life. I don't think that Erica ever located the man who could or would dominate her.

The question of the true love of Erica Kane. To me, the love of her life was Tom Cudahy. They should have reunited, although I doubt that the two performers (Susan Lucci and Richard Shoberg) would have enjoyed the repetition.

Hugh was killed in a car accident. His body was identified as John's. John was actually in the hospital but was assumed to be Hugh. Later, when John was able to speak, he identified himself, and it was then known that Hugh had been killed.

One of the stars of Can Openers is Josh Casaubon (Hugh Hughes on One Life to Live). Also seen is David Rasche (Ryan's Hope).

When Nicolas Coster was playing Anthony Macona, which actress was playing Samantha, Julie (Julia) Montgomery or Dorian LoPinto?

Yes, Mary K. Wells as Louise did eventually disappear in the same way that Phil had disappeared earlier. After I had posted above about Ray MacDonnell, I started thinking that his departure probably came at the time his contract with The Edge of Night was expiring. The show probably thought that he would be renewing, but he suddenly decided to depart. I can also imagine that the show was not sure how much Phil would be used in future storylines, so the show did not if it should recast the role or to leave it dangling. Perhaps they thought that All My Children might not be a success (after all, there had been no soap operas airing in that timeslot before then) and that Mr. MacDonnell may again become available to return to his role. The retention of Louise made more sense probably because Louise was the daughter of Winston and Walter Greaza was still appearing on the show. Also, sometime during this era, the actress who had played Mattie for so long (the second actress in the role; I cannot think of her name right now) had died. But, Mattie was recast with Katherine Meskill assuming that role. Mary K Wells did leave the show, probably when her contract ended. (Maybe they decided to drop her, or maybe, she decided to leave.) She became the third actress to play Nola Hollister on The Secret Storm. After being written off The Secret Storm, she was cast as Hannah Cord on the Hollywood serial Return to Peyton Place and remained on that show during its entire run. This was the same role that Ruth Warrick had played during the primetime version on ABC. I wonder if Ms. Wells could have played Phoebe on All My Children (the role filled by Ms. Warrick). That would have lead to some good soap opera trivia. Mary K. Wells and Ray MacDonnell playing a married couple on The Edge of Night and then Ms. Wells playing Phoebe and Ray MacDonnell playing Dr. Joe Martin. (For those who do not remember, there was mention of a romance between Phoebe's step-daughter Ann and Dr. Joe Martin at the beginning of All My Children. Kate Martin was hoping that they might become romantic, and maybe Dr. Charles Tyler did also. Phoebe hated Ann's relationship with Nick Davis.) And, I understand that All My Children did try to initially hire Kay Campbell (Rose Pollock #3 on The Edge of Night) for the role of Kate (which had been created for her). She had already retired and did not want to return to work. Two other actresses were cast as Kate before Ms. Campbell decided to return to acting. All My Children later considered replacing Ruth Warrick in the role of Ruth. The new actress would have been Hailia Stoddard (from The Secret Storm). And, considering that Ruth Warrick was initially told that she was too young to play the wife of Dr. Tyler. So, it was decided that she was to be the second wife of Dr. Tyler, mother to Charles, Jr. but step-mother to Ann and Lincoln.

The departure of Martha Marceau, as badly as it was handled, was better than the departure of the character of Phil Capice. Ray McDonell left the show to join the cast of All My Children. Mary K, Wells as Louise remained. Phil was always somewhere else when Louise appeared. I remember one particular time when the show opened with Ann Flood as Nancy yelling from the front door of the Karr home saying, "Bye, Louise and Phil...."

Today (January 2) is the anniversary of the premiere of Password on CBS. Which show had left the schedule? Was it the Hollywood serial Full Circle or had some other show come in between Full Circle (if, indeed, Full Circle had been broadcast in that timeslot) and Password? I do know that Love Is a Many Splendored Thing took the place of Password in 1967.

I wonder if the episodes of both Return to Peyton Place and The Best of Everything are in existence.

NBC considered airing this show in the 1960s? I never knew that. I do remember, though, that NBC had rights to the show after CBS cancelled it. (And, I am thinking that American Home Products re-purchased it from CBS). I think that CBS should have hired Harding Lemay to write the show after he left the shows on NBC. He could have used the same practice of hiring many theatre performers to appear as characters on the show and kept the veterans who, in his opinion, were great.

I had never liked the character of Tracy or (especially) the actress. I do remember, though, that Tracy and Danny did not leave the show together. Tracy left Monticello first. I seem to remember that Danny rejected her after her behavior with Noel became known. Johnny left town also, and I seem to think that Laurie Ann was committed to a mental institution. Johnny left with their son (Mike's grandson), and that is a character who could have been used in the show later (but was another character that soap opera writers seem to forget). Phoebe was indeed murdered, and I think that her death scene was quite well acted! I did not want Kevin to lose Phoebe to Dr. Chris Neely, but I really liked the character of Dr. Neely and regret that he was on the show for such a short period. Kevin moved on to Raven (her first marriage and his second). Raven was not faithful to Kevin, and the couple eventually divorced. Jaime was not the son of Kevin, but it (at first) was assumed by all that he was. His name comes from Kevin's relative (the first one on The Edge of Night) Julie Jamison Kevin borrowed a car from some other character (maybe Draper) and was killed in a crash. Initially, the people in Monticello had thought that it was Draper (or whoever had lent the car to Kevin) who had been killed. And, oddly, both Danny and Kevin were almost connected to my all-time favorite character on the show, Deborah Saxon (the step-daughter of Geraldine). When Deborah was first introduced on the show, Danny had begun working for her father (Antony). Maybe he wanted her to link with Danny, or maybe he was opposed to such a pairing. (I cannot remember because I was a senior in college and trying to complete my work. Therefore, there was little time to watch my favorite show at the time.) But, Danny decided to leave town rather suddenly (maybe it was said that he and Tracy were trying to reconcile), and it was then that the character of Beau Richardson was introduced. Antony had told Danny that there were only three people who had elevated to his position (Beau, Rainey, and then Danny). One should remember that Deborah at the time was being written as a spoiled vixen. And, oddly enough, Kevin and Deborah had both been living in the Whitney mansion after his separation and divorce from Raven. One of his very last scenes was a scene with Deborah in which it looked as though they were about to enter a romance and that they were attracted to one another. It was then that Kevin drove away and was later killed. I thought that was a very odd ending for the character.

Antonio was my favorite male character on One Life to Live. I loved him with Andie! My second favorite male character was Cordero. Coincidently, both characters were Latino.

Joe also interacted with Richard Abbott, who was Victoria's first cousin. I loved Tina and Greg when they were together!

In one of the first commercials on the ninety-minute episode of The Edge of Night (its premiere on ABC), the actress playing the policewoman looks an awful lot like Mari Gorman, who played Taffy Simms on the show. Also (later in the episode) in the commercial for Roman Brio cologne, that is certainly Joel Crothers, who played Dr. Miles Cavanaugh on the show.

The episodes that I would love to see again are the thirty-minute episode in which Donald May spoke the only lines (and there were no commercials) and the one in which Mike and Nancy seperate (due to Beau Richardson).

Paul, although there were no African-American storylines on All My Children for the first years, there was initially an African-American character. I had initially seen the character of Lois Sloane listed as one of the original characters on All My Children, and she was played by Hilda Haynes. I could find nothing about the character. I only surmised that Lois was the first character to leave the show. I have since been told that Lois was a nurse who worked alongside Ruth Brent at the Pine Valley Hospital. (Interestly, the nurse Ramona was the first character on Ryan's Hope to leave the show.) Maybe Ms. Holly was referring to Hilda Haynes as Lois when she mentioned the African-American characters who appeared in the early episodes of All My Children.

I fully agree that the African-American soap opera viewers flocked to watch One Life to Live and that they helped the show against its competition. The Edge of Night, its CBS competition, was #2 in the ratings at one time after the premiere of One Life to Live. After that show was moved, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing was cancelled after it was being broadcast opposite One Life to Live. There were several more shows which may have aired in that time slot following the cancellation of Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (Iu have forgotten all of them, but The Vin Scully Show and maybe The Secret Storm come to mind), but One Life to Live remained a ratings success. I also think that the African-American audience remained loyal to the Gray family and to One Life to Live. I did not learn of Ms. Holly's statements about her strange telephone calls and her below-average salary until after the cancellation of the show (although I had read her auto-biography, I do not remember these accusations). I have ever since learning of these two things wanted to ask other minority performers who appeared on One Life to Live if these things happened to them: David iPendleton, Lawrence Fishburn, Al Freeman Jr., Herb Davis, etc. I would also love to ask some of the minority performers who appeared on All My Children the same thing: John Danielle, Avis McArther, Lisa Wilkinson, Charles Brown, Patricia Dixon, Roscoe Orman, etc.

During the time that the late Michael Hawkins was playing Mark Elliott #3, which actresses were playing Iris and Laura?

But I was glad (and still am) that the pairing of Joey and the daughter of Tina and Cord was dropped rather quickly (if there indeed was a pairing rather than an attraction).

I enjoyed Bruce Michael Hall in the role of Joey, and I am glad that he was cast in the role. I wish that he had remained on the show for a longer period.

i just viewed an episode of Ryan's Hope on YouTube. In it, the third actor was playing Dr. Patrick Ryan. Please help me: I cannot remember the name of this actor. Who was the third Dr. Patrick Ryan? To me, he resembled or reminded me of Malcolm Groome, but the actor seemed very inexperienced.