AMCHistory

You had the fans, actors from other shows, magazine columnists yelling from the top of our lungs how horrible Josh as the unabortion was and NO ONE cared. No one listened. You had Rylee, and while they never bothered me, the fans YELLED and screamed about them, but no one listened.

So I guess I don't really understand what they were supposed to listen to us about. We were only ever rabid, hating on them, going against what they were trying to write, or just plain being pains in the asses.

What then were we supposed to say and do that would make them listen? Or I guess, what were supposed say that was what they wanted to hear?

I think what set apart the good HWs from the bad HWs is that they knew how to listen to fans; it is not something that has a clear set of rules or criteria. People may love a certain character, or couple, but if there is no organic story left, it may be time to move on. The integrity of the character has to come first. As you water that integrity down, or stretch the character out, he becomes unrecognizable and isolates the very viewers you once attempted to cater to.

I think back to the 1984 departure of Chuck Tyler. Donna and Chuck were a super couple. They had gone through it all, jealousy, psychosis, the loss of a child. They finally had a brief happily ever after, but it could not last. What would that have permitted either Donna or Chuck to do at that very point? Without the 5 year break that we got with RVV's departure, Chuck and Donna probably would have gone down as an overexposed super-couple, instead of a beloved case of kismet.

I think he is a victim of bad styling and poor lighting in that photo. Shapeless light-colored jeans, check. Over-sized blazer, check. Oversized shapeless scard, check.

I am sure he stil has a good figure with he crazy Broadway schedule.

Didn't they initially not to bring Dimitri back and only backlash made them change their mind?

I was definitely surprised they never went back to Erica/Dimitri - I got the feeling they had been trying to write Dimitri out more than once, and things kept getting them in the way (for instance, I got the feeling they were going to kill him off in early 1998, until McTavish came back).

Yes, Nader was out the door. AMC used to jump the gun whenever they got bad press online about a character's impending departure. Robin Mattson was saved by a similar uproar. I am happy they grew out of that phase. Not I think ABC should ignore the voice of the customer, but fan bases became so rabid in the early 2000's, if you provided a high credence to their opinions, you would be even more hand-cuffed as a writer than they already are.

Ellabelle, great observations about the Dimtiri/Bianca relationship. I think in both the case of Bianca and Kendall, he just wanted to be a good step-father. In this case, he really was a first-time father. Though he had cared for Anton as a ward, he did not get to grow close to him and spoil him as only a father does.

Just like a first time father, he did not know where to set limits in sucumbing to a child's demands. I think that is why he helped Kendall to the extent he did. He did not know at what point he needed to say, "no" until it is too late. With a child, not saying "no" probably results in a temper tantrum and tummy ache from eating too much candy. But with a 25+ year old, especially one as petulant as Kendall Hart, the concequences are much dire.

I think also the age that Dimitri was in Bianca's life played a big part in their closeness. Dimitri was there for 7+years of her childhood/adolosecents as 5th parent (I am counting Barbara, Travis, Erica, and Jackson in that number). It is a very formidable time for a child. This is not a man your mother married when you were 16 and you could just get in a car and drive away. She lived in his home for many summers and holidays in a row. When Bianca came back to Pine Valley in 2000 she remarked how much at home she felt at Wildwind, even moreso than at Linden because so much of her childhood was spent in the dark castle.

I have such a soft-spot for the non-traditional parental relationships on soaps because I think it an accurate portrayal of real-life. So often, you have the family you were given and the family you found. So was the case in Bianca and Dimitri, Benny and Phoebe, and Myrtle and Kelly/Lincoln.

An Alex/Dimitri/Erica/David story would have been epic, especially with the proven chemistry with the actors in all four pairings (of course Vincent/Finola's was not discovered until her run as Anna). I as a viewer, did not pick-up on hints of this as David/Erica were broken up and she was spending a lot of time with Jackson again. I do remember Erica spending a lot of time at Wildwind again with Dimitri. Dimitri had grown to think of Bianca as his own daughter.

Oh Nader, always screwing up people's plans. Watching his Larry King interview made him come off as so unsympathetic. After his DUI, with his own daughter in the car, ABC paid for his rehab. ABC wanted to help him get better. The second time around, of course they are not going to provide the same level of support. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you. He was lucky Mark Consuelos had the kindness in his heart to pay for his rehab. I cannot believe a man of with a career as long and successful as Nader was broke and could not pay for his own recovery.

I wonder what if any relationship Mark has with Michael today. That would be one friendship I would not loose sleep over loosing.

^ I definitely think Erica matured over time, but I saw Nick as taking on more of a paternal role in Erica's life, to the point where them being physically intimate again would have felt very weird to watch.

My sentiments exactly. He became Mona's co-parent in the 90's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EgPNnvXIYY&feature=channel

Remember when Kristina was actually considered a lead actress on GH? She looks fabulous there, what a figure!

Watching that montage was so sad because of how well balanced it was. So many old time favourites were still featured. The mob violence was there, but it was not overwhelming. The scenes of the beautiful Bachenlia, and Jax and Brenda on the beach, those were the days.

True that. In a way, Erica was like Grand Central Station: sooner or later, every train passes through.

Like mother like daughter; I always referred to Kendall as the town bicycle. Heck, Jonathan Lavery was in town all but two minutes before he hopped on for a ride.

They flirted with a possible Dimitr/Brooke pairing during that whole Jim Thompson story, wouldve liked to see how that developed.

.. and thanks to the latest SOD, I have a picture of them from that time (though the quality was sub-par):

I remember it was Brooke who had spotted Dimitri in London in 1999. Everyone thought he was at Vadzel, but Brooke insisted she spotted him jumping into a a cab. Of course, Brooke's placing Dimitri in London helped to corroborate Alex Marick's claim to be the latest Countess Andrassy.

I still think the only viable romantic relationship left for Erica was with Nick Davis (and if Larry Keith had been alive, you bet I would have advocated bringing him back for AMC's finale). But Nick? He understood her better than even Jack, I think.

See I could not see Nick and Erica romantically linked after his pretty consistent appearances in 1993-95. He no longer played the role of lover for Erica, but moreso that of her Father. Mona called on Nick to help her with parental based crisis with Erica. Gone with the romantic sparks that got him so much trouble back in 1978 (plug for my old banner):

Then again, perhaps it could be argued that that is all Erica was looking for in a man: someone to fill the void left by her father.

What is JK's deal?

I'd love to know that too. I do not recall many people having bad things to say about him outside of Kate Collins. Obviously, Susan Keith got over her negative opinions if she married the man.

But such a horrible actor ... at least in his AW days.

Depending on who you ask, this assertion may still be true.

I am still reveling in my Kate Collins love this weekend:

This is a great picture. She looks beautiful. From the very first time I saw the movie in the theatre, I thought Soapdish borrowed the visual of Kate and Susan for Montana and Celeste.

Good call, I would not be surprised. Kate and Susan very recognizable into the early 90's.

I have a cute shot of Bar/Tad too:

Too bad this pairing was ended so abruptly. Barbara ended up with Travis/Tom and Tad with Dixie.

Eric Roberts was so gorgeous.

She eventually grew into the role, but Sherry Springfield was always my Blake.

I so agree. I have only seen Stringfield's portrayal on YouTube, but is night and day which one was superior in the characterization. Sherry also stayed close to Michael Zaslow, and was in his daughter's wedding.

Jacquie Courtney and Virginia Dwyer.

He is very critical of Courtney in novel for her acting abilities and inability to memorize lines. This was obviously something that she carried with her to OLTL as Bob Woods once mentioned you could never shake her hand because she had the script written between her fingers. I noticed he goes on that Alice was played by a more capable actress who could act what he wrote, but did not go on about her by name. Figuring that Courtney was extremely popular, I could not forsee the recast having been well accepted.

It was to my relief that one of my favorite actresses, Susan Sullivan, is portrayed in a very good light in the novel.

He is not too subtle in how he dismisses the actors he felt weren't strong enough, or unselfish enough. Unfortunately I think that he and Rauch and their choices for those who were unworthy ultimately destroyed the fabric of the show.

Which character's dismissals do you think were the most damaging?

A new picture of Maureen Garrett was uploaded to her IMDB profile in January, I wonder if she's looking for work again. She does look great for her age,

http://www.imdb.com/...85472/nm0308171

I always thought that she looked the same age as her daughter on GL, Elizabeth Keifer!

I'm talking about the one from People where she is looking into the handheld mirror.

I thought that photo was very flattering of Kate. To me it shows off how beautiful her features are still and that they had to do-up her frumpiness as Janet in her latter runs.

You know what I think hurt Kate Collins on AMC more than anything? Candice Earley's departure. As captivating as KC's beauty was, there also was the sense that she was ... frigid ... emotionally. Natalie's friendship with Donna, though, seemed to warm the character and make her more accessible. Once THAT was gone, well.....

OMG, I agree 100% with this. The Donna/Natalie relationship was so special to me. I loved that these two women, outcast by so many in Pine Valley and so different in upbringing, found their way to each other. Candice and Kate were so authentic together. Did they fight from time to time? Of course. But it never got nasty; Donna always had Natalie's back when no one else did.

Because Kate Collins (who does not look nearly as zaftig in that photo as she did on the show, BTW)

Which photo? Kate did look a little rounder in the face at the end of her run as Natalie.

2008 photo of Sarah Felder (Siobhan #1)

Sarah was the vocal and dialect coach for the Denver Center Theatre Company's production of Glengarry Glen Ross October 10 - November 22, 2008

Sarah (on the right), with Angela Calir, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts 30th season kick-off celebration on October 13, 2008.

https://www.blacktie...il.cfm?id=91664

Sarah's GGR bio is on the 7th page down

https://docs.google....H2Jw7cGqzIa1hJg

I am happy she is still working. She was just so amazing on Ryan's.

After they were aged, more of their stories were about fighting over a woman (Cecile), but I think they were still close.

I lost interest towards the end of the book, but the best parts for me were when he talked about his relationship with Irna Phillips, and then when he talked about how he got hooked on writing for the characters.

The book was so fascinating, and I agree, the end was the hardest part to get through. He is very unapologetic in his portrayal of some of the stars. Like the actress that played Mary Mathews! My gosh, you would have thought her to be the devil incarnate based on how he eviscerates her character.

You're right about Adam and Erica, although I think initially she was charmed by him. It seemed like Natalie/Adam was more about her relationship with Trevor.

Adam/Erica marriage 1 was a business decision. Adam offered Erica the staring role in "Raising Kane," the movie about her life, contingent on the marriage. Of course, in classic Adam fashion, he never intended on going through with the promise. Marriage 2 (which really was an extension of marriage 1) was equally sterile, with Erica trying to protect Bianca.

Trevor was a definite factor in the Adam/Natalie marriage. The crux of it was Adam's ploy to build some capital after loosing most of what he had to Brooke. Natalie was a rich woman again after she inherited the Mason estate from her ailing patient. Also, together, they would have enough shares to try and take Enchantment out from under Erica. I loved how much Natalie abhorred Adam, but there was a definite chemistry that kept that kept me tuning in.

Yes, but she never actually loved Adam or Palmer, did she?

I have not seen a lot of Dimitri/Natalie but I always got the feeling that was just until he got together with Erica.

Palmer... maybe. There was a relationship there. I think she realized that it was not love after the marriage. She cared for him after he was shot by Adam's thugs, and they had built a sincere rapport. Let's remember, Palmer was quiet the charmer when wanted to be. That was how he married so many women half his age.

I also do not think that great couples have to be in love. Take Adam and Erica for example. Erica had nothing but contempt for Adam in both her runs as Mrs. Chandler. I find both tenures especially memorable.

Dim/Natalie, I always wondered why they went there. Kate and Michael got a lot of press for the pairing. I wonder when the role of the Count was created, if he was meant solely for Natalie, but the last minute casting of Michael Nader changed the direction of the story so that they could pair the high-profile star with the show's highest-profile star. Nader's casting was so last minute, he shot three weeks worth of scenes on an expedited schedule!