Love of Life Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Thanks. It has but it's been a while.

[Paul Raven]

Always interesting to see when a show is cancelled, which actors pick up another gig quickly and which don't.

Of course, some may have chosen not to do another soap.

Audrey and Ron were so identified with the show that they probably had no offers and being older didn't help at that time when shows were going younger.

In 1980/81

Margo McKenna (Bestsy) went to EON as Emily.

Chandler Hill Harben (Ben) to Texas as Max

Ann McCarthy (Bambi) to Texas as Samantha

Ted La Plat (Eliot) to GL as Andy

Veleka Grey (Mia) to ATWT as Lyla

Ron Harper (Andrew) to AW as Taylor

Dana Delany (Amy) to AYWT as Hayley

Tudi Wiggins (Meg) to AMC as Pamela

Peg Murray (Carrie) to AMC as Olga

Birgitta Tolskdorf was offered a role on Y&R but turned it down.

Interesting that none of those roles lasted.

Have I missed anyone?

[DRW50]

I remember in that "catching up with our first cover cast" SOD article from the mid '90s, Ron mentioned doing a lot of theater, so you are probably right. This was where he told the funny story about Yvonne de Carlo asking him to go to bed with her.

Edited February 11 by DRW50

[chrisml]

From the April 5, 1954 edition of Life Magazine: 

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[Khan]

Jesus, this show was EL FUEGO BITD, lol!!

[DRW50]

It was. I had wondered how they kept the Meg/Vanessa relationship fresh through the '50s - now I know!

And how sadly timely it is to have a story about Vanessa being fired from her newspaper job because she got too close to the truth. 

Thanks @chrisml. That photo would make a kick ass album cover.

Edited February 15 by DRW50

[te.]

God, that makes me sad how little has survived of these shows. I've always loved messy sibling dynamics on soaps and this certainly seems like one. Every episode from that 50s era has been a great watch. 

[All My Shadows]

I get more and more obsessed with Jean McBride with every episode, article, etc. I wish we had so much of this before she passed as I honestly might have gone out on a limb and tried to get a letter or something to her.

And it's funny, when watching the little that we have of Tudi, you can definitely see some of the same neurotic mannerisms just heavily seasoned with a weariness that's set in from a lifetime of such neuroses.

It really reminds me of early Corrie.

[DRW50]

It does. Imagine Meg being an ex of Elsie's American husband, going over and marrying Dennis when he comes into money...and Vanessa arrives to run the corner shop...

Jean is just riveting to watch - a live wire yet also fatigued and believable. I do wish she'd been interviewed. When going through the thread a few months ago I was reminded that someone who knew her had posted here briefly to say that she had enjoyed the fan comments about her surviving episodes.

[Joseph]

This Also Reminds me of the Messy Early Relationship of Jo and Eunice on SFT, Man I would love to watch that too! Wonder how the original Eunice was overall, she has passed as well

[chrisml]

Is there any way of knowing how much of the show is actually available and how much has been destroyed?

[Soaplovers]

Just the few episodes with Jean McBride available makes me understand why she was so popular.

It does seem like during the Bonnie Bartlett era...Meg was less an obstacle for her Van.  I wish the Judith story was also available.

[Joseph]

Funny Thing about Veleka Grey, she played 2 characters on Y&R on The Same Year, In 1983 She was A Manicurist and Patty's Psychiatrist

What was The Judith Story?

[Researching...]

Wikipedia claims, "Vanessa divorced Bruce to reunite with her first husband [Paul Raven], outraging many in the audience who could not accept their heroine getting a divorce."

Is this what happened? 

Soap Opera Wiki claims, 

"Van moved... from New York City and fell for Bruce and eventually married him. In spite of... various escapades; infidelity on Bruce's part; and various other trials, Van and Bruce were soulmates and stayed together through thick and thin."

Which is accurate? Or was there a different plot?

[Paul Raven]

Both versions are true.

In the late 60's Matt Corby arrived in Rosehill. He was later revealed to be actually Paul Raven, her first husband who had been presumed dead in the mid 50's. Vanessa was torn but ultimately divorced Bruce (maybe that marriage was no longer legal anyway?)

The second quote deals with Vanessa after Paul had 'died' She moved from Barrowsville (the original setting) to NYC. This was in 1958 when the show expanded to 30 min and Jean McBride (Meg) had departed, so the original format was dropped.

So Van and Bruce divorced but Matt/Paul died and they remarried in 1972. So you could say they stayed together, even though there was a divorce along the way.