SFK

I'm not sure what happened to Jenny. And I'm pretty sure Sam being Scotty's father was a retcon very late in the run, I don't think there'd ever been a hint of Sam being with Kelly prior. I have some episodes leading up to the finale which I think you've seen, where Kate is holding the Scotty secret over Sam's head forcing him to divorce Myrna and marry her.

1. Samuel Pierson Clegg, III ("Trey") -- Myrna's stepson, his mother is Laureen played by Janis Page, same set-up as Mason and Pamela on SB 2. Julie and Jordan ("Jordy") -- twins 3. Brenda

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Thomas and Kelly remained a "happy couple" up until the end, even though they were raising Trey's son, Scotty... who turned out to be Sam's son!

It must be Gottlieb, because remember Carl, Linda talked about hiring a guy with a scar on his face (Brettschneider). I think he was part of her casting project, finding interesting actors first and creating roles for them (e.g., Mia Korf and Susan Batten).

I think Shannon was just a temp, but I'm pretty sure Leslie didn't last much longer because Ashley Laurence soon assumes the role. I have a pic from SOW where it looks like Brenda and Wally ran away to get married or something, or maybe they're at Mark and Clarissa's wedding, I'm not sure, but Ashley Laurence is the Brenda in the pic. Sam and Myrna gave Trey and Sloane this Georgetown townhouse as a wedding present so this episode can't be too long after their splashy on-location wedding at the Jefferson Memorial. Paula doesn't actually attend her daughter's wedding but can be seen skulking about the perimeter in shades and a trenchcoat. In the copy of the episode I have, someone has edited out the Paula portions seconds after they begin. Leslie Graves is still in the role of Brenda at the wedding and is notably featured. I guess Brenda had a reputation as a bit of a [!@#$%^&*]-up and she's super nervous about carrying Sloane's train and falling on her face on those hard monument steps. Myrna is watching her like a hawk and says some smart remark to Sam about hoping she doesn't do something stupid or whatever.

That may very well be my new all-time favorite photo of her, she is luminous. Thank you so much for this Carl, saynotoursoap has already said it best. Is it bad that if I ever met James Earl Jones the first thing I'd ask him about was working with Beverlee McKinsey? She mentions Robert Hooks, that's who she did Dutchman with (which was later made into a film with Shirley Knight and Al Freeman, Jr.).

I have strong feelings about BW. She is worst of them all.

Did you all see when Joy had Starr on her show? It seems to me that Joy likes to talk [!@#$%^&*] but will be quick to back down and play dumb and innocent when she feels threatened. Did she go to Sherri's wedding? Boo if she was in fact trying to steal thunder, because that's shady but even worse, lame as hell because the press doesn't really give a [!@#$%^&*] about either of them getting married if you want to be really real with it. Honestly, I feel that all of the young co-hosts have carried themselves the best on that show even if some of them were "dumb". But Debbie, Lisa (definitely not dumb), Elizabeth () and Sherri seem the least shadiest of the bunch. Oh, and of course my beloved Meredith! Barbara, Joy, Starr, Rosie, and Whoopi on the other hand...

I never noticed how much Bradley Lockerman looks like Catherine Hickland's real-life ex, Michael E. Knight. This was before Vanessa on AMC, but Marj said in an interview that Myrna was her favorite soap role (over Alex and Pamela), and one can see why. It is a shame about Debrah, though I feel that she honestly outgrew daytime. That probably sounds like a weird, snobby thing to say, but I have a hard time actually placing her in a good soap role. The best I can come up with is one of those short stints on a Bell soap (aunt/lawyer). I could be totally wrong, but "silliness" (see OLTL) doesn't seem like a good look on her.

She really does. And they gave her Dorian's fountain! (I loved Robin's second shot with her hand at her chin that was in the final spot.) But Karen looks a lot better than some of those shots of Andrea. And oof, there's a shot of Tonja Walker and her hair looks fried. I always found it interesting that Erika was billed after Phil, and sometimes after Phil and Clint.

Lol, that pic of him alone on the left, I was like, "That's a... interesting lookin' dude." He looks like a skeevey Three's Company guest star. I know what you mean about Sharon Gabet. I haven't seen much of her, but it comes off as a Melinda in name only kind of thing. I thought it was awesome when I learned they were bringing Melinda back in the '90s but it was such a snooze. Having her all catatonic was such a waste. I can't believe we never got at least one full-on Melador screaming match where the three sisters just tore into each other.

Thanks for sharing this! I recognize that pic of the three of them from Laguardia's Soap World book. Never thought I'd see it printed anywhere else! I would love to watch this material. For us younger fans, I don't think we fully realize the extent of the Melinda/Dorian relationship of the '70s.

I find that very surprising. Unlikely even. That role must have been real crap for her to turn down a primetime opportunity like that. I'm sure they would have still taken her later had the L.A. Law gig become a bust. That's interesting about Sherry because in SOD, Betty Rea said that Sherry caught her eye at her college showcase knowing they'd soon be needing a new Blake. Tonja's casting tales are really interesting. Also interesting about Jane being approached for Port Charles. That would have made for an even more interesting history with that timeslot given her producer work on Loving and her GH crossover role in The City.

Phoebe, that's so mean. Meanwhile, I wonder if eyebrows were raised in Pine Valley when Tara named "Chuck's" son Phillip, after her true love. Doesn't that seem kind of inappopriate and detrimental to their ruse?

! Yeah, KW and MK are not many years apart. Most likely, KW's weight gain attributed to her transition into more motherly roles, not unlike Shirley Knight. I had sort of a reverse reaction to yours when I saw some stills of KW opposite Sam Waterston in a Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing. I only knew her from brief glimpses of Emma so I never thought of her as the typical slender romantic lead she once was.

Very fuggable.

Interesting. She is like the perfect missing link between MF and LM.

Yeah, and the Crystal Gayle/Gary Morris credits had a faint poster paint circle swirling around each character shot, in some cases pretty much absent. Circles are such an easy motif, you could do a million creative things and I agree that they should have never ditched their brand logo.

I did like how the ER opening had that spinning circles globe thing (Rachel had a similar piece on the sofa table).

I remember reading that in SOD and the only reason it remotely worked in my head was that I could picture her ill and frail in bed (on a pillow of her flowing Jessica Tate hair) like Dimitra Arliss as Helena.

And the reason why the *other* Michael Fox had to add the J. when he joined the union.

Wow, I cannot see that at all.

Jaime is giving me everything in that family photo. Acting her ass off in a still shot.

Agreed, the show (from what I have seen of the era) was reminiscent of taped British programs you see on PBS.

Yes, I have seen it... and you can too! For only $19.95... but seriously, there are some classic episodes at the Paley Center where you can see a kinescoped version of the opening. I bet it looked great in color.