Santa Barbara Discussion Thread

[amybrickwallace]

I think that Vietnam/Mei-Ling story was dropped after the strike. If I had a been an NBC daytime viewer back then, I would not have been happy with two back-to-back Vietnam PSTD stories. At least David Forsyth of AW had really served, so he lent authenticity.

As for Eden and Cruz, that was definitely one of their happiest periods together, though they also seemed happy with their kids around.

Today (3/14) is the 47th birthday of Melissa Brennan Reeves, best known as DAYS' Jennifer Horton, but who got her start on SB as part of the original cast as Jade Perkins.

I couldn't get over how much the actors playing the Perkins family at the outset looked so much alike: Dane Witherspoon, Kerry Sherman and Missy all had the blond/light brown hair, fair skin and blue eyes, as did Valorie Armstrong, who played their mom, Marisa Perkins. The only one of them who really didn't resemble the others was the dad. Also, that's another reason why Mark Arnold didn't work as a recast Joe - with his dark brown hair, dark brown eyes and olive complexion, he didn't look like any of them, which was a bit jarring.

This is not to put down Mark Arnold at all - he did come in with a solid daytime pedigree, after spending three and a half years on EON as Gavin Wylie. Post-SB, he went back East for a role on OLTL, which I think was his final soap role to date.

Edited March 14, 2014 by amybrickwallace

[DRW50]

How many in the family were still around when he joined as Joe?

[amybrickwallace]

Everyone was still there. MA was playing Joe when the dad was killed in the earthquake in November 1984.

[DRW50]

Oh I thought the father was gone by then, and maybe Jade. Thanks.

[amybrickwallace]

Nope - Joe was killed off in March 1985 and Amy was killed off in September 1986. Marisa and Jade just basically faded into the background - Missy's final airdate on SB was in August 1985 and a couple of months later, she got the DAYS gig.

[Mickey Valez]

Extracts from Jed Allans autobiography are being posted on the French SB page, also in English. Very interesting. He doesnt name names, but under Paul Rauchs regime he had a terrible co-star who ruined the set atmosphere. Jed said three months, but I swear it was longer and somewhere online it was revealed who she was. Its easy to realize who she is, because he basically said having lots of scenes with her. Apart from Judith McConnells Sophia, it has to be none other than Wanda deJesus who was the last Santana Andrade!

[DRW50]

Has Wanda ever spoken about her time on the show?

[amybrickwallace]

It was indeed Wanda de Jesus. I recall reading somewhere else that when the role of Santana was being resurrected, the Dobsons wanted to re-hire Gina Gallego, but were overruled by the network.

[antmunoz]

Margaret Michaels was such a beauty as Santana. I never felt she was given a chance to shine. Gallego played Santana SO weak and over emotional. (And a bit too old and frumpy for Cruz, Mason, etc.) DeJesus was just COLD.

[amybrickwallace]

I thought Margaret Michaels was miscast, because she didn't look or sound Hispanic. She was indeed very pretty, and I think she would have been fine as another character. My favorite Santana was the first one, Ava Lazar. Her Santana was a spitfire, independent and had a backbone, and you could see why men from Mason to Cruz (pre-Eden) wanted her.

Gina Gallego seems like such a sweetheart from all the interviews and articles I've read, but it's true that her Santana was a clingy mess. I haven't seen enough of Wanda de Jesus yet to make an informed opinion.

[cuzIsaySo]

Considering the way her storyline went a recast might have been the only option cuz as much as I liked Gina Gallego she didnt have the femme fatale vibe. I hate that she was sacrificed for the love of cruz and eden but she was fun as the scorned woman unhinged. But they kind of went to that well too many times. It was still ok with victoria Lane but I think they had planned a similar story with Miranda the psychic who hooked up with Cruz's brother after they returned from Paris.

[amybrickwallace]

Victoria Lane - now SHE was even more of a clingy mess than Santana!!!

[DRW50]

I can't help feeling sorry for Santana, but Tori just seems so generic and whiny.

Speaking of Tori, were they setting up a big custody battle over Chip during the strike, and then it was dropped once the strike ended?

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[amybrickwallace]

I found a 1996 clip of Robin Wright (then Robin Wright-Penn) from June 1996 on Jay Leno, complete with a clip from SB:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xw2l0b_exclusive-video-interview-with-robin-wright-about-kelly-capwell_fun

[antmunoz]

There are many Latina beauties who look very similar to Michaels. Gallego is a more traditional Latina, but popular Latina singers like Shakira, Paulina Rubio, Thalia--much more Anglo/exotic in look--like Lazar, who was FAR from appearing at all Hispanic.

But hey, I vastly preferred Linda Gibbonney as Gina!