Soap Dish with One Life to Live Honcho Frank Valentini

[ljacks13]

Soap Dish with One Life to Live Honcho Frank Valentini

by Daniel R. Coleridge

Frank Valentini, One Life to Live

One Life to Live's executive producer, Frank Valentini, joined the ABC sudser as a production assistant back in the '80s. He has stuck to Llanview ever since, eventually working his way up to EP five years ago. It's too bad Valentini never ended up in front of the cameras, since the guy's just as handsome and fit as any actor on his cast! That said, OLTL certainly benefits from his toiling behind the scenes: The show just landed its first Daytime Emmy nomination for outstanding drama series since 2002. TVGuide.com recently rang up Valentini to dish all things Llanview.

TVGuide.com: Congrats! Was the best show Emmy nod a surprise?

Frank Valentini: I'm not so much surprised as really pleased and very honored by it. We certainly feel like we deserve it. We had a wonderful year [in 2006].

TVGuide.com: Which episode did you submit?

Valentini: We submitted the "Todd's execution" episode for best show. We submitted the "John's funeral" episode for the [drama series directing team] nomination. That's the show that Jill Mitwell, one of our directors, won the Director's Guild Award with this year.

TVGuide.com: Two very strong episodes! Todd's execution was among the most dramatic stunts I've seen in all my years watching soaps.

Valentini: Oh, thanks! We thought it was really great. Larry Carpenter, who is one of our tremendous directors, worked really hard. It was just a really wonderful collaboration with set design, lighting, acting and direction. It was a great day.

TVGuide.com: Shame Trevor St. John (Todd) isn't nominated for his work.

Valentini: I think it's really unfortunate that Trevor didn't get in there. As we all know, the best actor and actress categories are really tough and very competitive. I was surprised Michael Easton (John) didn't get in, too. I mean, Michael's such a tremendous performer. I think he should be honored for his work. I was really disappointed about Kassie DePaiva (Blair) and Bree Williamson (Jessica/Tess). Bree's had an incredible year and has done some amazing work. I was really upset that John Paul Lavoisier (Rex) didn't get in because he's just really funny. I don't think those kind of performances are rewarded as they should be. Everybody talks about how they love the light side of soaps, yet you don't see the the comedic actors in there much and that's too bad.

TVGuide.com: Maybe it's that old cliché that comedy looks easy? Perhaps Emmy voters favor the big dramatic scenes.

Valentini: It's not that John Paul can't do that. Last year, we submitted him for his work in the story of Jen's death and he didn't get in for that. This year, he went in for some lighter stuff. He's just a really good actor and very strong and smart. I feel like that's too bad, but that's the way it goes.

TVGuide.com: Back to Trevor St. John. It's rumored Roger Howarth could return as the original Todd.

Valentini: I can't really comment on contracts. I'll get in trouble. [Pause] I will say that we're doing our best to make sure that we do right by the audience. [Click here to vote your verdict on the Todd casting controversy!]

TVGuide.com: While we're doing rumor control: What's this buzz about Dena Higley sharing her head writer status with another writer now?

Valentini: No, that's not true. Dena is definitely the head writer of One Life to Live. Ron Carlivati, who has been with our show for a long time, has been promoted to co-head writer under Dena. He's just being rewarded for doing a great job. It takes nothing away from what Dena's doing, which has obviously been really great because we were No. 3 in the demographics for the whole month of February.

TVGuide.com: It would be odd timing to demote your top scribe now that OLTL's nominated for outstanding drama.

Valentini: I would say so!

TVGuide.com: Back to the Emmys. I'd say it's bittersweet that Heather Tom (ex-Kelly) and Dan Gauthier (ex-Kevin) were Emmy nominated after OLTL wrote them off.

Valentini: I brought Dan and Heather to One Life to Live. I not only appreciate them and respect them as tremendously talented actors, but I like them as people. They were just phenomenal, but Heather wanted to move on and do other stuff, and I can understand that. And we were in a situation where we had to make some cuts and Dan was let go, and that's too bad. But I really hope that they win. We're behind them 100 percent. They still have a lot of friends on the show.

TVGuide.com: I think outstanding supporting actress is the most exciting race. Your two OLTL gals — Heather Tom and Renée Elise Goldsberry (Evangeline) — are up against the legendary Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital).

Valentini: I love Renée. She's phenomenal. She's one of my favorite people on the show and she's just a tremendous actress. It's so exciting that she's being honored for her work for the second year in a row. She's a great performer and pours herself into the show 100 percent.

TVGuide.com: By the way, I also love Ilene Kristen and I'm so glad there's been some action at Foxy Roxy's hair salon. I looove any scene with Roxy. I eat it up.

Valentini: You'll continue to see a significant amount of Ilene Kristen in the show. She's just really wonderful. It's going to be fun the way you'll see us integrate her into the show more.

TVGuide.com: Good news! What led to the decision to use Roxy more?

Valentini: We have a large cast. With Tuc Watkins (David) off the canvas, you want to give the audience fun stuff. Ilene is fun. I call her "Trouble." That's my nickname for her.

TVGuide.com: When is Tuc back? He's in jail, right?

Valentini: Tuc's going to come back one more time [on May 25] for another short stint. His stay will be not too brief, but not too long. I love Tuc. We're really lucky to be able to have him come back, and it works perfectly with the story. When he comes back, it's really important and you want to see him. It's lots of good stuff. When he goes away, you miss him, and you want him to come back even more.

TVGuide.com: When will the whole "Who killed Spencer Truman?" saga be wrapped up?

Valentini: Oh, not for awhile! Spencer casts a looong shadow. We have an incredible story that has lots of twists and turns; it will be really fun and a real payoff for our longtime viewers.

TVGuide.com: So that means more Paul Satterfield (Spencer) as the sexy source of all evil in Llanview?

Valentini: Yes, absolutely. We love Paul. He's a great guy. Spencer is a villain who got into everybody's soup and not all actors can really pull that off.

TVGuide.com: Speaking of baddies, I wanna know who the arsonist is! You have me hooked.

Valentini: [Laughs] You don't want me to tell you, Daniel. If I told you, then it wouldn't be any fun.

TVGuide.com: Is the firebug someone who's already on the Llanview canvas? Not just a day player?

Valentini: I won't say if they're on contract or not, but it's somebody significant and it will have a really nice payoff. I think the best thing about the storyline is that it's given us the opportunity to get to know Vincent Jones (Tobias Truvillion) a little better. He's a likeable guy. We are going to find out that all of these fires have been racially motivated. The arsonist struck an African-American man (Vincent), a Latino man (Antonio) and a white woman who is Jewish (Nora).

TVGuide.com: [Jokingly] I think it's one of Viki's multiple personalities. That lady has several angry people inside her head.

Valentini: She is a fire starter! [Laughs] Tommy likes matches. You never know in Llanview!

TVGuide.com: Anyway, I like the Viki/Clint/Dorian triangle that's been slowly percolating. Erika Slezak and Robin Strasser are OLTL's true supercouple.

Valentini: Isn't it more fun that Clint (Jerry verDorn) chooses to be with Dorian instead of Viki?

TVGuide.com: Yes! Dorian makes a good underdog, but she can't lose all the time.

Valentini: If Dorian didn't think she had a chance with Clint and she kept going for it, she'd be a loser. Dorian's not a loser. She's quite formidable, my Robin. She'll get herself into some nasty little trouble. She can't help herself! That's who she is.

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Soaps/QA/default.aspx

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

Valentini has an interview up on TvGuide dot com. When asked about Dena, sharing her HW duties, he responded

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

I am geting ready to call Frons' office and curse at his secretary until she hangs up on me.

[King]

Todd's execution deserves a best show Emmy Nod. Sorry!!! But I really do think it was one of the best episodes of a soap I've seen in recent years.

If GH can be shitty year round for five years and just do single good episodes, submit those, and win, I don't see why OLTL can't do it!

[Jess]

I know Jay, I'm in a state of deep shock. Every line in that interview was just shocking. All the stuff you mentioned about made me throw up. Add to that comments about the arson story being a way for him to introduce Vincent Jones, and I about died. Then he said, Jones was "charming" I believe that was the line he used when he went out of his way to hire Mikey from the soapstar show. Add to that, his comments about Dan and Heather, and it is amazing. Heather has said she left out of frustration over her storyline, yet he continues to spin it like she left voluntarily. Then he says, Dan left because cuts had to be made. Oh me gosh.

It was very disappointing and robbed me of any hope. What is even more discouraging is that it is obvious he did the interview in some lame attempt at damage control stemming from Erika's comments.

[psychofan]

I agree with you on there. And I currently detest OLTL for what they did to my Margaret, but from Jan-June I was obsessed with it.

[daysfan]

WHAT?!

There was hope, and now it's gone other than mabye the rumour of Smith at OLTL. It seems Kay Alden is at AMC and if Smith is still at GH, OLTL is dead.

Dena just needs to be fired, pronto. Even though Frons might just replace her with another one of his puppets(and the madness will not end until HE is gone IMO) she still has to go. What is the status of her contract anyway? Wasn't it up last October or did it get renewed?

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

I wish this hadn't had come out. I could have psyched myself out and kept thinking that there was a Co- Head Writer, and forced myself to see improvement..lol.

[daysfan]

May was really the best month of OLTL last year. I actually throughly enjoyed it. Dena actually wrote it good, lol.

Todd's Execution does deserve something though. Those episodes were the best of OLTL all year.

However, some things about this interview make me mad. Especially when it comes to Vincent. He's just like RJ and Valentini does not seem to realize that!

[Cat]

OLTL were definitely following the GH Sweeps-stunts formula, King, and ITA that they shouldn't be penalized for submitted the Todd's Execution epiosdes. IMO they were amazing.

I do *strongly* resent the fact that Higley has not been reined in. I'm not sure what Valentini means here -- IS Ron Carlivati co-HW or not?! I hope he is.

Speaking of confused, WTH?

They better NOT be getting rid of TSJ! Much as I love RH's Todd, I'd rather see both TSJ and RH on the show than TSJ replaced overnight with Howarth. Sorry.

I also *strongly* disagree with his description of Michael Easton as "a tremendous performer. I think he should be honored for his work." What? For services to Brooding?

And what's this BS?

Um I thought the "official story" was that a focus group hated DG's Kevin and that was the excuse to get rid of him? OLTL are talking out of their a$$. And if they really had "a lot of friends on the show," they would be rehired ASAP.

[Jess]

The execution story was the best one-day story all year. So if they give awards for one day, yep OLTL deserves it.

The rest of that interview was double talk, lies or just plain spin. Yeah right, Dena is doing a great job. And what was that BS about trying to do what viewers want? Uhh, yeah right.

And no Frank, it isn't "more fun" that Clint opted to be with Dorian. It's totally a rewrite of the history of both characters. Yes we know she is Frank's "Robin'' and that is why Viki is backburnered all the time. Notice the arrogant little sh*it didn't even bother to mention Erika Slezak. Obviously this entire article was that jerk's very weak effort at damage control after Erika told the truth about the sorry state of OLTL.

I'm back to disliking Frankie again for being a very weak EP. What was that crap about Vincent Jones? Charming? He can't act. He's cute, but he can't act. He is being used to replace one of the more popular characterrs on the show and one of the most talented. Then again, handsome men is what Frankie views as talent.

Oh well, OLTL is doomed again.

[Josh]

TSJ has resigned with OLTL there is a link to it in the article at TVGuide I do believe. That said Frank V. is a fine looking man. LOL!

[Cat]

I don't get it. Is Ron Carlivati co-HW or not? In the quote here, he says he isn't and then he says he is. ::confused::

I like Tobia Truvillion and think he's an OK actor -- nowhere NEAR as bad as that Mikey fella -- but I don't think he should have been promoted in place of RJ. I would have preferred it if they had linked him to RJ as one of his henchmen or RJ's big-talking nephew or even Kerri's brother. But not as RJ's younger, deadlock-less replacement.

A really dispiriting interview. I never figured it was to counter Erika Slezak's comments but, Jess, you are probably right. Ugh. That sucks even more.

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

Yes he is but Frank is saying that he is not equal to Dena. Dena is Head writer, He is Co- Head Writer which in a sense is nothing but an Associate Head Writer, which he already is.

[anita30]

UGh Frank needs to shut the hell up seriously could he kiss ME ass any more than what he is doing. UGH

Yes OLTL needs to win cause that episode one of the best for the year and litterally had me bawling my eyes out. TSJ who should been nominated was outstanding rocked his scenes along with everyone else.

Co-Head Writer means there are two. This is stupid cause seriously if they coulf fire Wendy Riche who was kicking butt on GH then DH should have been gone a long time ago.

Trevor just updated his site:

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

04.03.07: Four years have flown by, and the unfortunate result is that contract negotiation time has rolled around. Any time you get the lawyers involved, life gets complicated. But I’m hopeful we can get all the details ironed out soon, so we can get back to the business of telling great stories. Thank you so much for all your support. It means a lot.

Be well.

Trevor

I dont like that GH treats OLTL like a step child. When is the last time OLTL has had a cover on a mag or feature soap which it should be since hello they are nominated and the most nominated out of all your ABC soaps. He sucks royally.