AMC, GL: Beth Ehlers on coming to AMC and leaving GL

[detroitpiston]

Beth Ehlers: Hello, "All My Children"!

For weeks, people have been buzzing that Beth Ehlers, who last airs on "Guiding Light" June 23 after playing Harley Cooper (on and off) for 21 years, will be coming to "All My Children." But neither the show nor the actress has confirmed the rumor. Until now.

"I can't wait to start working!" Beth told SOAPnet.com. "I haven't acted in a few weeks. I need to act!"

Who she won't be playing is Liza Colby, the bitch queen-turned-softie (and three-time Mrs. Adam Chandler) made famous by Marcy Walker. That was the goss, anyway. Beth will be playing an entirely new role: Taylor McBride, a soldier just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. She first airs August 5.

"Taylor is in town to give a Bronze Medal to Frankie [also a vet, played by Cornelius Smith, Jr.] She's biding her time until her next tour. She's lifetime military ... someone that likes rules and boundaries. [she looks at things as] This is right and this is wrong."

Multiple Emmy nominee Beth is psyched to be sinking her teeth into an entirely new role. "I started playing Harley when I was a little girl and now I'm a grown person. It's been a long time since I had a character I could start all the way from scratch with." Taylor's also a fresh breath for Pine Valley -- home of the glam girls who inhabit Fusion -- because Taylor is decidedly blue collar. It's a different color for the canvas that really attracted Beth to the part.

As Harley, Beth survived a teenage pregnancy, four marriages, a law enforcement career, panic attacks, and a brief stint as a superhero (yeah). Really, that's the tip of the iceberg. But through it all, Beth maintained Harley's down-to-earth sensibility and humor. It's one of the reasons she became so popular.

GOODBYE IS THE HARDEST THING

When asked if it was difficult to leave "Guiding Light," Beth admitted it was. "It was a decision that was about a year in the making," she said. "I backburnered it when the time came for the new way of shooting [a radical new production model, which is heavily remote-based] because that needed my focus." But as time went on, Beth found the new model difficult, especially as a working mom. "My kids are at an age [6 and 9] where I want to be home more ... . I just don't have the luxury of shooting in Peapack [NJ, where "GL" shoots most of its location footage a few times a week]. ABC is just 10 blocks away from my apartment!"

Ultimately, though, the decision for the change came because it was time to try something new. "I love my friends at 'Guiding Light.' I LOVE them. But a lot of them have left, too. Like Laura Wright [ex-Cassie, now Carly on 'General Hospital]. So that makes you look around and say, 'Maybe it's time for me to take a chance.'"

HELLO, OLD FRIEND

One of those friends -- among her best -- is Ricky Paull Goldin, who currently plays Jake on "AMC." As Gus Aitoro on "Guiding Light," Ricky was the other half of the ultra popular Gus/Harley pairing.

Beth's thrilled to be working with her friend again. And grateful. "Ricky called me and said 'Baby, I've got a machete and I'm hacking a path for you,'" she laughs. "I have my best friend there. So I don't have to be quite as brave."

Ricky helped Beth deal with her surreal realization that Pine Valley was her new home. "It's very strange to hear that," she laughed when we welcomed her to "AMC." "Whenever I talk to Ricky, I'd say 'your show.' But he just said to me, 'You're here too now, babe.'"

What about the possibility of Taylor and Jake becoming an item? We can tell you the two share her first scenes together, so expect their tangible chemistry to kick in right away.

THE NEW CREW

While Beth's excited to work with Ricky again, she's equally pumped about Taylor making the rounds of Pine Valley. She calls her new co-stars "powerhouses."

"David Canary [Adam/Stuart]. Are you kidding? Thank God I have a chance to work with him. I'm looking forward to working with Rebecca Budig [Greenlee], whom I've known for years." Rebecca played Michelle on "Guiding Light.'" "Would love to work with Thorsten [Kaye as Zach]. Darnell [Williams as Jesse, whom] I worked with on 'Guiding Light.' But he and Debbi Morgan? I love Angie and Jesse."

What about Pine Valley's resident lady in the big house, Erica [Susan Lucci]? "I want to work with Susan, but I don't know how we'd cross [since she's in prison]!" Weirder things have happened, Beth. Erica's prison is like Grand Central Station. I mean, even Warren Buffett showed up.

Beth couldn't speak highly enough of the "Guiding Light" and Gus/Harley fans. "Simply the best." She's excited for them to get to know Taylor and, she hopes, fall in love with the Jake/Taylor duo, just as they fell for Gus and Harley. Yeah, Taylor/Jake will hook up at some point, no doubt.

We can also tell you that Taylor's entrance story coincides with the brand new material from Chuck Pratt, the show's new head writer, starting to kick in. And he's got big things planned for Taylor and the rest of the crew. Very good things. We smell renaissance.

"I don't feel hesitant," she says, summing up her move. "It just feels right."

What do you think is in store for Beth's character, Taylor?

http://soapnet.go.com/soapnet/article/path...mp;lpos=module3

[LoyaltoAMC]

Sounds interesting, but I just wish Pratt had shown some creativity when it came to the character's name.

[NYC123]

Glad to hear Beth is excited. I know I am excited!!!

I know shes going to do a good job! I love how she compliments everyone!

[Gray Bunny]

I know I'll be checking it out! Gus & Harley, Part II: The Pine Valley Chapter

[Noel]

Apparently, Nelson Branco says or alleges that he has an inside scoop that Ellen Wheeler will be making an announcement for GL this upcoming Monday. Does anyone have any idea on what this announcement may be? I hope this topic is not getting off topic, but I'm just curious as I don't feel like starting a new thread LOL!

Do you think that Cady McClaine is now cast as the new Harley Davidson Cooper or is this announcement going to be that the show will stop shooting in Peapack, New Jersey? Thoughts?

[Max]

Even though it seems like a no brainer leaving the sinking ship of GL, I have a feeling that Beth Ehlers may come to regret switching soaps. On GL, she was the star of the show, whereas she will be just one of the crowd on AMC. Also, it is pretty rare (especially in recent times) for a star on one soap to become an important actor on another soap. Usually, stars who switch soaps wind up as just minor characters (with brief stays) on their new soap.

[Jonathan]

True. Especially since she's playing a brand new character with no ties to anyone.

[AddictedToSoaps]

That was a good article. I can't wait for Beth to come to AMC.

[Port Oak Valley]

I have a bad feeling that this is going to turn out to be like Jensen Buchanan on GH. A bad character in a bad storyline who is shown the door after just a year. I hope Im wrong though.

[althea-davis]

I like BE but we have enough characters who don't get screentime already,.,

[Rocket Man]

My exact thoughts about Beth Ehlers going to AMC. AMC will always focus on their top ten characters no matter what, Adam, Erica, Jack, Tad, JR, Krystal, Greenlee, Zach, Kendall & Ryan which Beth Ehlers will not be in the top ten like she's always been in even at the top 5 at GL.

[Kubla Khan]

That's a ridiculous argument. First of all, the show has a new headwriter, so all bets are off.

(And this new character of Ehlers' is the first 'product' of that new headwriter...so why wouldn't he want to give the character significant story?)

Secondly, is it NOT possible for Beth Ehlers to break into that "heavily featured" group? All of those characters you listed above were new at one point, and started "somewhere."

Once upon a time, there was a new character named Babe. No family connections to anyone in Pine Valley. Two months later, her mother was in town, and only months after that, both characters were so entrenched into the fabric of Pine Valley -- knee deep in story, and forever connected to the Martin & Chandler families (whether you are a fan of those characters is not the point, but they did get integrated pretty quickly for being new characters).

Or how about Zach? He was some random casino owner Erica crossed paths with in Vegas. But wouldn't you know it? He had a connection to Maria, too! And the rest is history.

Beth Ehlers is a pretty huge coup for AMC. They stole her from GL, and they had to fight Y&R for her, too. Something tells me that her character will integrated into the show the way Thorsten Kaye and Bobbie Eakes were, and not the way someone like Jensen Buchanan was at GH.

[Southofnowhere]

U mean the same dude who said B&E weren't being fired and that Charles Pratt Jr would never coome to All My Children?

[Rocket Man]

IMHO, certainly you don't start a new character with a well-known character name from a popular 90-s primetime soap called "Melrose Place." Taylor McBride was played by Lisa Rinna and it was extremely memorable for many TV fans, so there's plenty of names to choose from for the character that Beth Ehlers will play.

Your point about Beth Ehlers not able to break into the "heavily featured" group is well-made but does Beth knows it? Beth likes to be in the front-burner all the time as you can see where she was on GL in the past 20 years. She was always in the thick of things no matter how silly the storylines were. There will be a time when an actor or actress will want more airtime and unfortunately AMC loves their Erica, Tad and Kendall, there's no way around it. Since both RPG and BE have 4-year contract, I'm curious that we will be seeing a lot of "Blind Items" and "Gossips" in regards to AMC if they decide to make them their #1 supercouple like they were on GL. There will be a lot of unhappy existing cast members on AMC if that happens.

This RPG and BE move totally reminds me of when George Reinholt (Steve) and Jacqueline Courtney (Alice) who were the ultimate supercouple of AW during the 70s and left the show for OLTL to "re-create" the magic which didn't pan out and it only lasted for a couple of years. See this link about their history for leaving AW for OLTL: Wikipedia: George Reinholt; it sounds so similar to RPG/BE's situation that it actually spooked me.

All in all, good luck to BE at AMC, I hope she's happy with her decision which she may find success second-time around for a different soap role.

LOL! Bingo!