The earliest clips I can find on youtube are of her character on All My Children in the late 70s in that wedding show--great great stuff. I can see why Agnes liked using her so much and suggested she take over as Dorian on OLTL

I think Lemay was misquoted, actually. I think he discussed exactly that topic in his book about AW and he didn't say she was one-note, just something like she had different dominant aspects in her acting or words to that effect. Nor do I think she is one-note.

I remember Robin talking in print about Christina Karras on AMC (maybe to you, Marlena?) and saying that the character was a milquetoast, confused jumble or something, with childhood trauma and sleepwalking episodes. Dorian was and has always been much more clearly defined. And also three-dimensional. She has pathos and trauma and pain but she also has weaknesses and a very dark side.

While I adore her, I frankly thought that when Robin came back in 2003, she was so worried about being let go again from a show she so dearly loved that she played virtually everything totally over the top, and very shrill, with much less subtlety than I remembered. Dorian was a caricature around that time, especially during the Mitch mess. It's only recently that she's regained her pitch-perfect modulation, in my opinion. She has been dazzling since RC took over, and she was spellbinding today.

Just imagine if Robin had taken over the role of Cathy Craig, which I think is what was originally offered to her...

Good post Vee. I'd like to add, if I may, Harding Lemay also had to appease Victoria Wyndham who, rightly or wrongly, ushured Rachel from uber-bitch to flawed heroine. The original Rachel was a creation of Agnes Nixon. Her redemption, with edges, and another dynamic actress playing the role, as suddenly a sculptor, was all Harding Lemay.

As you say, Dorian's background is more gothic, and I suspect, less defined from the beginning. Rachel of AW was mostly Erica from AMC in other circumstances.

This is what Robin told Mari Lynn Henry about the role of Dr. Christina Karras on AMC. Henry also conducted that interview with Harding Lemay.

http://www.geocities.com/tms117/strassersodinterviews.html

MLH: Obviously, you didn't take that role. What happened next?

STRASSER: Then Agnes wrote the part of Dr. Christina Karras [1976-79] on All My Children, [which I did take]. She became a very gray character. But I could not go into the "Rachel" prototype because Erica Kane was on the same show. As a gray character, she wasn't good, she wasn't bad. She was neurotic. She thought she had killed her father. There were ghosts. She wanted to be a ballerina. She would have flashbacks. It was a challenging role and I said to ABC I didn't want to continue, that the part and I did not mesh. One of the first things I did when I came on the show was tell a character that her newborn baby was retarded, had brain damage and should be put in a home. And I did not want to play a character that would say such a thing. I thought of all those people who have children who are learning challenged at home and really I begged not to have to say that. And they made me say it. And I must say, Mari Lyn, if you don't adopt and marry and take into your very heart and soul the character you are playing on a soap, you are probably only going to be doing the role for six weeks, six months, but you are never going to make it to the six year mark. You have to love and adopt and own and defend and adore your character, whether it is a bad guy or a good guy. I can do black or white, but gray is not going to work on daytime.

Edited June 5, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Robin Strasser is sublime and that's all that needs to be noted.

Good post Vee. I'd like to add, if I may, Harding Lemay also had to appease Victoria Wyndham who, rightly or wrongly, ushured Rachel from uber-bitch to flawed heroine. The original Rachel was a creation of Agnes Nixon. Her redemption, with edges, and another dynamic actress playing the role, as suddenly a sculptor, was all Harding Lemay.

I think that was exactly Lamay's point, that Robin could play Rachel the villainess bitch, but he didn't think she would be able to transform the character into the heroine she became under Wyndham.

Still, I would've loved if Robin had stuck around AW for a few more years. Though I wasn't alive during that era, I would've loved to see scenes with Robin and Beverlee McKinsey going at it as Rachel and Iris.

I am almost positive Lemay is much, much more complimentary of RS in his book than he came off in that interview. I do think what he did with Rachel was probably a masterstroke no matter who played the role.

I still wonder about RS and Cathy Craig. I would not trade her Dorian for anything but anything with OLTL's original core families interests me. I always thought it would be funny if, when Daniel Colson told us a few years ago on the show that his son Riley was named for Joe Riley, who his wife admired, we learned that Daniel's ex-wife was in fact Cathy herself.

I think that was exactly Lamay's point, that Robin could play Rachel the villainess bitch, but he didn't think she would be able to transform the character into the heroine she became under Wyndham.

Still, I would've loved if Robin had stuck around AW for a few more years. Though I wasn't alive during that era, I would've loved to see scenes with Robin and Beverlee McKinsey going at it as Rachel and Iris.

I was alive then, admittedly very young. I should say that Rachel didn't turn into a saint overnight. I can't say I remember Strasser in the role, but I can remember Wyndham's Rachel making many mistakes and misjudgments based on the journey Rachel had between her old self and her struggle to become a better person. It took years and it resonated with my own parents' breakup .. and my ability to understand them.

Lemay was quite bitchy on a lot of actors in that book but I don't remember him thinking much of Robin anywhere. She did do AW a favour--she wanted to leave for Broadway but stayed on as a favour to the show while they finally found Victoria W who they felt was good enough to replace her. but Lemay has said he liked her more as a talent hasn't he?

Anyway here's part one of the Tom and Erica 1978 wedding episode of AMC which opens, and runs all through with Robin as Dr. Christina Karras Martin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3trPoYzF_ng (With Jeff Martin who she was with at the time ) the earliest clip of her I can find. I'd kill if they ever unearthed a clip of her on AW.

Edited June 5, 200817 yr by EricMontreal22

I was alive then, admittedly very young. I should say that Rachel didn't turn into a saint overnight. I can't say I remember Strasser in the role, but I can remember Wyndham's Rachel making many mistakes and misjudgments based on the journey Rachel had between her old self and her struggle to become a better person. It took years and it resonated with my own parents' breakup .. and my ability to understand them.

Yes even in some of the earliest AW clips that Youtube used to have Rachel is still basically the villainess... (I dunno if they could even have a somap opera heroine like Alice anymore--like Tara on AMC I think she just wouldn't work)

Did Robin ever have succes son Broadway after leaving AW for it? The only credit at the Broadway database I can find was much later during her run on AMC I think--

Robin Strasser

Productions Dates of Production

Chapter Two [Original, Play, Comedy]

Performer: Robin Strasser [Jennie Malone] - Replacement

(Dec 22, 1978 - ? ) Dec 4, 1977 - Dec 9, 1979

Odd...

Also I know early in Malone's first run at OLTL we had yet another Dorian but I don't remember anything about her even though I watched! Very odd--does anyone know if there are youtube clips?

I have had the pleasure of seeing Nancy Pinkerton in the role thanks to the 1976 Daytime to Remember episode where Kevin was born (it's online) and I can see why people liked her even if she was a much more steely less over the top, maybe even more brutal/quiet Dorian. I've never eeven seen a picture of the second Dorian, Claire Malis who I assume, despite runnign two years, wasn't ever a huge success in the role. I wonder why Nancy wasn't asked back in 79 though--I see she joined Doctors then.

I know Dixie Carter also came in briefly to replace Nancy in 1974--and I certainly can see her in the role.

Edited June 5, 200817 yr by EricMontreal22

Yes even in some of the earliest AW clips that Youtube used to have Rachel is still basically the villainess... (I dunno if they could even have a somap opera heroine like Alice anymore--like Tara on AMC I think she just wouldn't work)

Did Robin ever have succes son Broadway after leaving AW for it? The only credit at the Broadway database I can find was much later during her run on AMC I think--

Robin Strasser

Productions Dates of Production

Chapter Two [Original, Play, Comedy]

Performer: Robin Strasser [Jennie Malone] - Replacement

(Dec 22, 1978 - ? ) Dec 4, 1977 - Dec 9, 1979

Odd...

Also I know early in Malone's first run at OLTL we had yet another Dorian but I don't remember anything about her even though I watched! Very odd--does anyone know if there are youtube clips?

I have had the pleasure of seeing Nancy Pinkerton in the role thanks to the 1976 Daytime to Remember episode where Kevin was born (it's online) and I can see why people liked her even if she was a much more steely less over the top, maybe even more brutal/quiet Dorian. I've never eeven seen a picture of the second Dorian, Claire Malis who I assume, despite runnign two years, wasn't ever a huge success in the role. I wonder why Nancy wasn't asked back in 79 though--I see she joined Doctors then.

I know Dixie Carter also came in briefly to replace Nancy in 1974--and I certainly can see her in the role.

Didn't know about Dixie Carter! She has a rep for being difficult. If she hadn't maybe we'd have nver had Robin.

For Malone's first run you must be thinking of Elaine Princi, almost a dead ringer for Robin but lacking the charisma.

Claire Malis - there are pics of her on various OLTL websites. She was a more "fragile" Dorian from what I remember. Someone correct me if I am wrong. CM is also one of those faces that turns up on shows like the CSIs. Malis might have been a better Melinda Cramer.

As for Nancy Pinkerton. From what I remember she was older and making Dorian younger was a way of skewing the blockbuster Mac/Rachel/Iris thing on the other network. My sister used to say "the old Dorian (Nancy Pinkerton) looked like Fred Flintstone. I'd have said Sada Thompson from "Family" but I got her point. With Robin they went for more of a vixen.

Dixie was just there while Nancy was ill but yeah I could see her being a permanent replacement.

I am thinking about Elaine Princi's run. Wasn't she briefly with a younger guy who had long blond hair (before Robin of course was with Joey/nathan Fillion)? God my early memories are fuzzy on this show When I youtube her name it just has some mid 80s Days clips of her...

Could someone find me a pic of Claire? She was the mom of Jo on Facts of Life apparantly a show I loved as a kid but don't remember her at all...

It was odd that by the time Robin came to OLTL the actress who had played Alice on AW was still there (there was a later Daytime to Remember with both of them on from 1979-81 or so I forget) but the actor who played Steve on AW, had BOTH left OLTL hadn't they? Sadly a missed opportunity.

(for those who haven't seen here's the final part of the edited OLTL ep that aired as Daytime to Remember, with Reba doing the intro lol I believe it has both her and the actress who played Alice in the segment before. You're right she does come across as older--which makes sense for her first storyline with Victor Lord--and a bit more steely as I said

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LASBdhtsw10

This Daytime to Remember seems to be the earliest full OLTL ep floating around besides that great 1969 episode that was online with Vicki's sister and Carla's mom, etc)

Edited June 5, 200817 yr by EricMontreal22

Found Claire

I am thinking about Elaine Princi's run. Wasn't she briefly with a younger guy who had long blond hair (before Robin of course was with Joey/nathan Fillion)? God my early memories are fuzzy on this show When I youtube her name it just has some mid 80s Days clips of her...

Wow. Was his name Blade? Slash? Now I'm confused.

And Dixie Carter - before that she was on EON, briefly.

Edited June 5, 200817 yr by TC Greene

I can't remember I think he's in the OLTL coffee table book--I'll do a search

I went back and read what I posted to Marlena and feel very self-conscious about sounding a bit French. I notice over the years my sentence structure has changed, probably my grammar suffers as well.

Eeeh? What can I do. Too late to change it.