Guiding Light

Written By

Millee Taggart

Addie Walsh

with

Michael Conforti

Sofia Landon Geier

Jill Lorie Hurst

Donna M.Swajeski

and

Tita Bell

Patrick Mulcahey

Frances Myers

Roger Newman

Anne M.Schoettle

Danielle Page

Is Frankie the character the show took an entire episode to murder?

Yes. And it was brutal. And she stayed dead. It was almost as bad as when Maggie was faux killed on DAYS.

I say she stayed dead. The actress who played her came back as a different character a few years later.

In a way it was worse than Maggie's faux death. It went on for so long, like you said, a whole episode basically. I freaked a bit when she said "I'm a mother!" and it just got worse.

Damn Jill Farren Phelps and and damn Margaret DePriest.

After it happened there was a lot of controversy (DePriest was let go not long after)

I remember the magazines - DePriest tried to pass it off as how it was directed, but Alice Barret, (Frankie) said something like "We played it as Maggie wrote it"

She was a much loved character killed in a brutal, horrible way.

Yes. And it was brutal. And she stayed dead. It was almost as bad as when Maggie was faux killed on DAYS.

I say she stayed dead. The actress who played her came back as a different character a few years later.

In a way it was worse than Maggie's faux death. It went on for so long, like you said, a whole episode basically. I freaked a bit when she said "I'm a mother!" and it just got worse.

Damn Jill Farren Phelps and and damn Margaret DePriest.

After it happened there was a lot of controversy (DePriest was let go not long after)

I remember the magazines - DePriest tried to pass it off as how it was directed, but Alice Barret, (Frankie) said something like "We played it as Maggie wrote it"

She was a much loved character killed in a brutal, horrible way.

Frankie's death was WAY worse. Senseless and excessively violent. Episode should have easily been rated TV-MA if the ratings system was around in 96.

As disturbing as Maggie's death and the other DAYS deaths were, none of them even remotely compare to Frankie's death. I hope I can get the tape from Eddie on the AW site so I can school some of these folks on just HOW violent her death was.

Maggie DePriest(for that reason alone) should NEVER work in daytime again. EVER!

DePreist can definately write scary murder/deaths. Just look at the Salem Strangler stories. All of those deaths were very scary. I think Frankie's was worse than those too, but DePreist can write really scary deaths. It will make your heart just want to jump.

i dont remeber Frankies death being that violent. I hardly remeber it all. Wait its koming ack to me. But nothing is really standing out in my head

Frankie's death was WAY worse. Senseless and excessively violent. Episode should have easily been rated TV-MA if the ratings system was around in 96.

As disturbing as Maggie's death and the other DAYS deaths were, none of them even remotely compare to Frankie's death. I hope I can get the tape from Eddie on the AW site so I can school some of these folks on just HOW violent her death was.

Maggie DePriest(for that reason alone) should NEVER work in daytime again. EVER!

When Margaret Depriest was writing Days of Our Lives with Pat Falken Smith and Sheri Anderson, there was almost a movie like or prime time quality to the show. Intricate plots were driven by the characters and their relationships with each other. Family, romance, and suspense/action was what Days was all about back then. It's a shame that her work as a writer on GH and Days has been overshadowed for some by her second head writing stint on AW.

Here are two great videos edited to music by madelinehawaii, which highlights Depriest's work with Smith and Anderson on Days. First one focuses on the Brady and the DiMeras:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XVXbMwQWAFg

The second video connects to the first one, but elaborates more on Stefano's twisted quest to destroy Roman, which escalated into all out reign of terror for the citizens of Salem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBlSHY5t6BQ

Edited March 7, 200718 yr by Gino24

One of my favorite periods in all of DAYS history is from when Margaret DePriest was writing the show with Sheri Anderson and Pat Falken Smith. 1983-1984 were two of the best years in DAYS history, IMO.

I remember being in like the 4th or 3rd grade and watching Frankie's death on AW....I was freakin horrified for WEEKS of that show. Not to mention Justine/Rachel story also freaked me out also (VW wearing a wig and playing psycho was simply scary!). Frankie's death was such a senseless and violent death of such a light hearted and beloved character.

I liked Margaret Depriest until Frankie's murder.

I wouldn't blame her ordinarily because I know JFP made the decision but that death was so hard to watch. I was horrified that they would do that to such a beloved character. When she begged for her life...horrible. JFP should not be working in daytime with the way she treats some actors and while I loved Depriest, Anderson, and Smith...I am not sure I would want Depriest back. Knowing what happened to Frankie would make it hard to accept.