Loving/The City Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Thanks. That's nice.

[DRW50]

More of Elizabeth Savage, and then early into Christine Tudor's return. Looks like Tudor was still playing the bitchier type of Gwyn early in her return. I wasn't sure if she was or not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un1AvmkSqrM

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPH8zn1JLys

Apparently this is Marianne Tatum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h0Yn3PdOwc

Edited August 4, 2013 by DRW50

[DRW50]

[DRW50]

Loving/The City promos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Phf0hSRMk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlLZsONMQX8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdjuD8MmN7Q

[dc11786]

A 1986 "Loving." This doesn't seem to be long after the other 1986 already online. This seems to be from about February / March.

Part I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUCLvjDDw0w

Part II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDLlXS404wg

[EricMontreal22]

Thanks so much for that! I don't think I've seen the other 1986 episode and can't find it--do you have a link? know of the two episodes from 1987...

Edited September 2, 2013 by EricMontreal22

[dc11786]

This was posted ages ago but it seems fairly close in date to this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_6TRwbSqKM

[EricMontreal22]

Thank you for the link! Dunno why it was not coming up--I have watched it before, and yeah, I suspect they are close together.

[DRW50]

The production values were very good. The opening shot of the party is gorgeous.

I've heard so many bad things about the Dolly story. Here it just seems very dated and overly melodramatic. And out of place.

Who was the guy with the older woman at the start of the second clip? Was he looking at Shana?

I thought Agnes Nixon was still writing for the show at this point.

Ava is such a breath of fresh air.

[dc11786]

I'm the one usually complaining about the Dolly plot. The more disturbing element wasn't featured. Later, it is revealed that Dolly had had a child with Carl, the pimp she referred to in her conversation with Hunt Belden. Hunt claims to have knowledge of where the child is and attempts to (successfully or unsuccessfully, I cannot remember) lure Dolly into an affair. At one point, Hunt tells Dolly that Carl sold the child to child pornographers in order to cause Dolly grief. Then again, I have similar feelings about the current AMC plot involving Cassandra Foster.

The guy speaking with the older woman is identified later as Terry in conversation with Harry and Pirate. I'm not sure how he fits into the story and its odd that we got that bit with him and the lady. Even though he is listed in the credits, Anthony Herrera is on the way out the door at this point leaving both Gwyn and Ann open in terms of romantic story. Maybe they considered increasing Terry's role before going with the Harry triangle.

I was surprise to see William Levinson listed as leading the writing staff. I found it bizarre that no one was separated, but I think it was later like that when Ralph Ellis was writer. I don't know what to think.

[SFK]

I didn't know that B&B's original Thorne was on Loving. Nor did I know that Jane Powell was on the show and received special billing at that. I know that she temped as ATWT's Lisa years later, did she do earlier soap work? She's still living, right?

Can't say that I remember JO's hair ever being that dark. I love CT's patrician voice. The whole glamorous scene reminded me of those great old AMC galas. One thing that's missing though is that *pop* that AMC parties had, and it all comes down to character. Everyone just sort of blends together here with the most notable exception being Ava. She actually reminded of Audra Lindley's Liz at Lenore and Walter's wedding on AW. Just a short prickly snippet from an agitator that adds a jolt to the episode.

[DRW50]

Seeing this reminds me again that Ann is just so dull. She didn't have to be.

The Dolly plot doesn't work even here. I think we got a more palatable episode of it, but it all seems like a hand me down of a Bette Davis potboiler.

Bad dye job on O'Hurley.

Trachta was the second Thorne.

Powell played Rebekkah, who was described as "witchy" in some magazine. I think she tried to keep Linc and Lorna apart.

How long is this before Susan Walter left? I thought most of that story took place with the O'Hara recast.

Edited September 3, 2013 by DRW50

[dc11786]

Here's a partial episode from 1985

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmjjy4PTh04

I want to say this was late summer / early fall. As I recall, Elizabeth Burr's Noreen Donovan wasn't around all that long. I think April until November. Again, Levinson is listed at the start of the writers credits. Baby Johnny was born in May/June and became sick and September, which I think either led to Ava/Jack reuniting or just Jack/Stacey separating.

Jeff Trachta's character was around until May / June 1986. I'm thinking he died in a police shootout, but I cannot really remember all the details. He was intended as a spoiler for Dolly / Keith and they weren't around much longer either. I think their last big moment in the story was Dolly meeting her daughter.

Jane Powell's Rebekah Beecham was Linc's businesswoman mother. Marland had introduced Linc Beecham and his brother Judd as Dane Hammond's partners in the takeover of Alden Enterprises. Dane had worked for the Aldens for years and had been dismissed because Curtis suspected him of embezzlement. Anyway, Linc fell for Susan Walters' Lorna and, of course, their conflict was that Linc had stolen Lorna's family company. At this point, Marland left and subsequent writers (Levinson? Nixon?) introduced Rebekah Beecham, Linc's mother, who was against Linc and Lorna's relationship. She popped up after Linc and Lorna were in a plane crash in the fall. During sweeps, Rebekah revealed Linc already had a wife. Eventually, Zona came to town and claimed she was having Linc's baby. Zona was crazy and Rebekah was egging her on. Rebekah wanted Zona and Linc to remain married in order to get her hands on Zona's land. Eventually, Zona took her own life, but Lorna stood trial for the murder.

A SW fan had posted most of the tail end of SW's run in Italian several years ago. SW played the Zona / murder storyline. I think in the final Italian clips we saw SW in jail. I get the impression O'Hara played all the Zach Conway (John Gabriel) stuff.

After they dumped Linc, they briefly brought in a Judd recast for Ava, but that didn't last long.

[SFK]

I don't know why I thought that was Norcross even after seeing Trachta's name in the closing credits.

I've said this before, but Wesley Addy would have made for a great Victor Lord had the character lived or in flashbacks/dream sequences, et cetera.

[EricMontreal22]

I've never heard of Levinson (the first writer listed in the credits.) I dunno, sometimes I feel like these episodes didn't list the HW, or at least when Nixon apparently was writing, but?