You could probably blame that on the change in HW's (from Doug Marland to Ethel and Mel Brez).

 

Marland had planned for Tom to come out of the closet.  However, Colgate-Palmolive nixed it, forcing him to change his story to one about child abuse.  I suspect that's one reason why he ultimately left for GH.

It would have been a much better story than what we're seeing now. No offense to the little guy playing Ricky, but he just wasn't a very talented juvenile actor. It was a rare misfire from a show that had a very good track record with child actors - Jami Fields, Eileen Kearney, Jennifer Houlton, the first three Billy's, and especially Keith Blanchard. The sooner this plot is over with, the better. Thankfully, Jonathan Frakes went on to MUCH bigger and better things.

5 hours ago, Khan said:

You could probably blame that on the change in HW's (from Doug Marland to Ethel and Mel Brez).

 

 

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Marland had planned for Tom to come out of the closet.  However, Colgate-Palmolive nixed it, forcing him to change his story to one about child abuse.  I suspect that's one reason why he ultimately left for GH.

 

 

I love Marland, but that would've been absurd too. Tom/MJ have great chemistry. Could MJ win for once? 

The cast, December 1978:

15 hours ago, amybrickwallace said:

It would have been a much better story than what we're seeing now. No offense to the little guy playing Ricky, but he just wasn't a very talented juvenile actor. It was a rare misfire from a show that had a very good track record with child actors - Jami Fields, Eileen Kearney, Jennifer Houlton, the first three Billy's, and especially Keith Blanchard. The sooner this plot is over with, the better. Thankfully, Jonathan Frakes went on to MUCH bigger and better things.

I cannot stand Ricky and I feel like a terrible person for feeling that way.  He's not engaging at all.  We definitely have been spoiled with the other child actors.  And there's young Jonathan Frakes, whom I'm supposed to hate, looking as cute as a puppy, lol.

2 hours ago, jam6242 said:

I cannot stand Ricky and I feel like a terrible person for feeling that way.  He's not engaging at all.  We definitely have been spoiled with the other child actors.  And there's young Jonathan Frakes, whom I'm supposed to hate, looking as cute as a puppy, lol.

 

If the story  is true that Jonathan Frakes character was going to come out of the closet.. it makes sense that the character was recast.  The original actor (who played Bradley Raines years later) was tested with Sara Dancy and was just there.. and than one day is recast with cute as a button Jonathan Frakes (who looks good clean shaven and with a beard).

 

However, I do think the character would have been boxed in even more if he had come out as gay.. especially in the 1970s.  Although the alternative they've come up with isn't better.

 

I swear.. MJ on this show.. Katie Parker on GL.. were the two nurse characters in the 70s/early 80s that were beautiful and fun... yet had the worst luck with men.  It boggles my mind.

 

I haven't been able to watch the show lately since I moved away from an area where Retro was available... has Sara been recast yet.. and if so.. how does she differ from the first Sara.

1 hour ago, Soaplovers said:

 

If the story  is true that Jonathan Frakes character was going to come out of the closet.. it makes sense that the character was recast.  The original actor (who played Bradley Raines years later) was tested with Sara Dancy and was just there.. and than one day is recast with cute as a button Jonathan Frakes (who looks good clean shaven and with a beard).

 

However, I do think the character would have been boxed in even more if he had come out as gay.. especially in the 1970s.  Although the alternative they've come up with isn't better.

 

I swear.. MJ on this show.. Katie Parker on GL.. were the two nurse characters in the 70s/early 80s that were beautiful and fun... yet had the worst luck with men.  It boggles my mind.

 

I haven't been able to watch the show lately since I moved away from an area where Retro was available... has Sara been recast yet.. and if so.. how does she differ from the first Sara.

The Sarah recast has arrived.  I think she's much better than the first one.  Sarah now wants to go to law school.  The actress, Dorothy Fielding, resembles young Meredith Baxter.

The two Sara Dancys - Antoinette Panneck and Dorothy Fielding:

DJ Don Imus guest starred

 

On 4/1/2019 at 1:23 AM, amybrickwallace said:

The two Sara Dancys - Antoinette Panneck and Dorothy Fielding:

 

Sara 1 seems chippy and upbeat..girl next door..a good contrast to Nola/Joan

 

Sara 2 seems jaded, introspective..serious.

On 3/31/2019 at 9:52 AM, jam6242 said:

I cannot stand Ricky and I feel like a terrible person for feeling that way.  He's not engaging at all.  We definitely have been spoiled with the other child actors.  

 

One of the biggest problems is that most of the time, the kid mumbles/whispers his lines so that you can barely hear him. Would it be too much for MJ to drop him off with Rose so Tom can search the want ads uninterrupted for a couple of hours? I think they started this plot with good intentions, but the execution fell flat.

Dino Narizzano (es Len SFT) who also appeared on TD a few tears earlier as Kevin McIntyre was the director of the latest episode.

5 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Dino Narizzano (es Len SFT) who also appeared on TD a few tears earlier as Kevin McIntyre was the director of the latest episode.

 

Yup, he directed several episodes. Was he one of the first soap actors to go to directing soaps?

Some observations...

Geraldine Court has finally been taken off the credits.

Steve and Carolee remarry. I think they could have got more out of them being apart.

Gene Lindsey is now plating Kyle.

Chuck Weiss is now producer.

Ethel and Mel Brez get a story by credit and then various writers get written by...

This is a change to previous headwriters who got the written by credit.

What does that mean in terms of their contribution?

I don't know how the writing system worked at that time. Wayne Tippit, who had originated Kyle, was by this time playing Ted Adamson on SFT. Thus when TD decided to revive the role, he was not available. 

 

Kudos to Jennifer Houlton, who had the moody and mouthy teenager down cold. The conversations between Greta and her parents of late have been realistic and timeless. She's lucky that the Drs. Powers don't attend the Tom Carroll School of Child Discipline!