OLTL: The first 39 years

[Scotty]

Hello all,

As mentioned in the June 30th edition of my column, I would like for everyone to share their favorite memories of the past 39 years of OLTL. I would like to try to take some of those memories and incorporate them into my July 15th column, which is the same day as OLTL's 39th anniversary.

So if you have any memorable moments of the past 39 years of life in Llanview, please share it with your SON family. And perhaps I might use your comments in my next column.

Thanks everyone,

Scotty

[Dale]

39 years! I have been watching for 29 of those years, starting in 1978. I was 13 years old. It was the summer, and Karen Wolek had just been seen by Viki Riley accepting money from a strange man at the Wallington Hotel!!!

Over the next few days, Viki came to know about the horrible double life Karen was leading, and confronted her. I will never forget the powerful writing and acting that was played out in the Wolek living room set that week in July 1978. Those intimate moments shared between two powerhouse actresses rival (in my memory, anyway) the legendary courtroom confession scenes played out by Judith Light months later.

Other highlights and fond memories? Pat/Maggie Ashley (supreme silliness!)......the Asa/Delila/Bo/Becky mess (totally, completly and classically soapy!).......any and all the Viki/Dorian scenes (ESPECIALLY Erika Slezak, as Tommy, screaming at Dorian, "You stupid ugly bitch!")...Tina taking over and redecorating Llanfairwhile Viki suffered through her Niki drama.....Nora's summation at the rape trial in 1993 (WOW!!!).....

I could go on and on....such great stuff!!! Happy 39th, OLTL!!!!

[Adam]

Todd's rape of Marty and the subsequent trial. Such emotional, gripping stuff. That is my most memorable OLTL moment. I always love seeing that OLTL and I share the exact same birthdate

Happy 39th OLTL!

[daysfan]

One of the scenes I will NEVER forget is the heartbreaking confrontation between Dorian and Viki in 1995. Dorian told Viki what Victor did to her, and Viki denied it. They kept arguing and Viki eventually got hysterical, and Dorian even breifly tried to comfort her.

That scene was just so emotional and powerful. Robin Strasser and Erika Slezak were both fantastic, and I loved it when the memory of Eugenia's death breifly came back. It was all just.....wow.

One of the best scenes if you ask me.

[Ridge]

I've been watching OLTL for many of those years as well.

One of my all time favorites is when Ursula held Tina captive. I always remember that. Or when Sarah, played by Jensen Buchanan, got stuck in quick sand; Also when Grace Phillips (whom I LOVED) took over the role and was having flashbacks of Carlo Hesser's "murder".

I remember all of Gabrielle's fiasco, she was awesome, from the wedding to the jailing.

Viki's 5 altars in the summer of 95 (which happened to be when Marlena was possessed, ironic heh), was also very memorable.

[lizhanglao]

I've watched since 1988 (not so much in the past few years), but here are my favorite memories, some of which have already been mentioned above:

-- Megan's death. All the flashbacks and Jake and Megan's short-lived reunion had me in tears.

-- Carlo Hesser's first murder mystery (where his niece Charlotte was revealed to be the killer). It was slightly campy (with the whole "Wizard of Oz" theme. I loved how Alex became such a prominent player on the show (after almost being written off completely for trying to drown Cassie).

-- Marty's rape and subsequent trial. This was such an emotional, edge-of-your-seat drama. Nora's closing argument was one of the best scenes ever.

-- Viki's alters in 1995. This is my favorite all-time storyline. Erika Slezak proved once again why she has the record for most Emmy wins for an actress.

-- Allison Perkins and the baby switch story. I don't think this was very popular, since it rewrote history yet again, but I loved the reveal when Natalie was yelling at Viki, and told Viki that she, not Jessica, was her daughter.

-- Live week. That whole week was so exciting and fun. Loved it!

I barely recognize OLTL anymore these days, but at least I have my memories (and sometimes Youtube clips) to relive the glory days of OLTL.

[NYC123]

WOW! 39 years. What a change! It was so great back then.

With Viki and her husband! That was a great storyline!

The cross over with AMC was great!

Heres to hoping OLTL can be better then ever!

[SlezaksOLTL]

This is hard, but really I have to say the Viki storylines, whether it was the DID for which Erika won 2 Emmys back to back in the 90s even up to some of the Viki breast cancer, Viki romances and Viki heart story for which she won another Emmy. That actress to me is so compelling to watch I am totally into anything they do with Viki, including her current fun stuff with David Vickers. I missed a lot of the Todd raped Marty story with Nora, but hear that was phenomenal. I would have to go with the Viki storyline throughout the years mainly because of the always compelling and amazing Erika Slezak. It hopefully will continue with even more story for Viki under the new head writer.

[Marc]

My favorite OLTL memory is back in 1993, when Viki and Sloan were hosting a celebration at Llanfair in honor of Sloan becoming dean of Llanview University, and Dorian (livid at those two because of the book Sloan was writing accusing her murdering Victor Lord) crashed the party. IMO, this was the best Dorian moment I've ever seen. The scene that is still burned into my brain is when Dorian cornered Sloan during the party, started berating him in front of the guests and then threw her drink in his face, as Viki, Andrew and Cassie happened on the specticle. Cassie (pregnant at the time) angrily confronted Dorian, ordered her out of her life, and went to walk away. Dorian said something like "Don't you walk away from me young lady," grabbed Cassie's arm and she went tumbling down the stairs. I would kill for SOAPnet to rerun that episode.

[Shiner]

Loved the romance of Bo and Nora. It was nice to see two older mature people fall in love and as they did you fell in love with them too.

The Spring Fling Rape and trial was some of the best writting I've seen. Plus you had some awesome acting from HBS, SH, and RH

Jake and Megans love story it was one of the best I watched.

Love ES acting when she had to do the split personalities(sp). She had me wantingto watch all of her scenes.

Karen on the witness stand just drew you in.

[TC]

>Karen on the witness stand just drew you in.

That was one of the best in all soap history, not just OLTL.

Viki as Jean with Dorian. YOU BITCH! and then pushing her down the stairs

[Scotty]

Thanks guys for sharing your comments and memories. I will place them in my next column, which should be posted late Sunday afternoon or evening.

Thanks again.

[Scotty]

Just wanted to say that I have included everyone's comments in my column, and you can check it out by visiting the "Entertainment News and Editorials" forum.

Thanks again everyone!

[quartermainefan]

Hi, fairly new to the board.

I started watching OLTL in the very very early 80s, and consequently my first memory is a simple two words: Ivan Kipling. I think he was being eaten by alligators.

Other vivid memories is seeing Delilah's mother (aunt?) and it being the doctor from Dark Shadows. The neverending costume party at Asa's house, Cord's wacko mother, Jaime and Elizabeth Sanders with the two Bos, and that corny but fun death trap when all the walls came sliding around Bo, Cord and Asa. Tina and Cord trapped with the evil professional wrestlers and Cord forced to wrestle (during the Ursula period). Gabrielle stealing Brenda's baby was great. And Eterna! Loved Eterna and the death traps and the cliffhangers. Who Killed Michael Grande and the insane solution, and also the big reveal when it turned out Sarah, Delilah and was it Didi were held hostage for years.

OLTL lost its charm as the 90s began and never recovered. So many of the regular characters left (Wanda, Steve Holden, Brenda, Gabrielle, real Tina, Rafe, Delilah, Herb, etc). But for sheer lunacy, fun, and a touch of drama, OLTL in the 80s was pure gold.

[Scotty]

Thanks again to everyone for submitting your favorite memories of OLTL over the years. I'm going to unpin this topic now, but you can still toss in your memories if you wish. Thanks again!