The Doctors

[DRW50]

I still have one or other photos I can't find at the minute (beyond the one jam posted), but here's a Radio Mirror September 1943 shot of Florence Williams in her Front Page Farrell days. She went on to play Althea's mother.

[amybrickwallace]

What a nice picture. I was struck by the fact that even though she was only in a handful of TD episodes, Florence Williams just seemed to fit in seamlessly.

[robbwolff]

You're in for a treat with today's episodes! All hell's breaking loose at Althea and Nick's and Hope Memorial. And a future primetime soap star shows up as a police officer. Riveting and edge of your seat drama!

[amybrickwallace]

I'm giving retroactive Emmys to both Liz Hubbard and Gerald Gordon. As great as each of them are in scenes apart from each other (i.e. when she's working in the clinic and he's working in the lab), I think their best work was done in tandem. This is an acting team for the ages (along with Jami Fields as the misguided Penny "The Omen" Davis)!

Hey Carl, you've made Carolee gifs before. Can you make a gif of Althea slapping Penny?

[DRW50]

Sure. I'll try to have it by tomorrow.

Was it a real slap or a fake soap slap?

[amybrickwallace]

Thanks!! I think it was real - at least, it doesn't seem like any sound effects were added. Liz didn't swing too hard, so it was probably real.

[amybrickwallace]

I went back and watched the second episode, and the scene between Nick and Penny when he finds out the truth was over 8 minutes long. Regardless of what you may think of Evil Penny, Jami Fields had some serious chops.

[robbwolff]

The slap was awesome!!! I think it was real, too. Jami Fields was prepared for it as she blinked her eyes right before the moment of impact.

[DRW50]

Here goes.

If the dimensions seem off to you and you want something better, let me know.

[amybrickwallace]

Thanks!! Could you try it a little more tall and less wide?

[DRW50]

See if this is any better.

[DRW50]

nm

Edited June 10, 2015 by DRW50

[DRW50]

I really wanted to get rid of the black bar.

See what you think of this one.

[amybrickwallace]

Awesome!! Thanks again.

Today's two episodes are especially chilling - and once again, major props to all but especially Gerald Gordon. From guilt, anger (at Penny), sheer panic, sorrow and grief (as Nick was the one to finally find his wife unconscious and bloody on the clinic floor), he played every beat perfectly. Too bad Daytime Emmys weren't around back then. Yes, GG did win an Emmy in 1976, but that was for his role as President Andrew Jackson to Fran Brill's Rachel in The First Ladies Diaries (which I am still actively trying to find). If the awards had existed then, he surely would have won at least once for Nick. (Liz Hubbard did win for Althea in 1974.) Speaking of LH, I give credit to her and indeed any actor who can play unconscious like that (I would never be able to), and with her eyes open at that.

Penny sure doesn't know when to quit!! Good for Nick for putting his foot down.

I've always been a fan of the Matt/Nick friendship - they make each other laugh, they drive each other up the wall, and when one is at a low point, the other is right there to lend a hand. Nick was there to support Matt during his separation from Maggie over the Karen thing (visiting him in that sorry hotel room a couple of times for drinks and to lend a sympathetic ear), and now Matt is helping Nick in this crisis.

The most chilling moment - Nick finally finding Althea. "Althea...baby..."

"Dedicated to the brotherhood of healing" - the motto of Hope Memorial and now that this is one of their own, it will bring on new meaning.

[amybrickwallace]

Lots of riveting drama these past few episodes...Florence Williams will be returning as Edna Hamilton to be there for her daughter, Althea. I'm glad that Matt quickly figured out that Townsend was involved in Althea's injury, because I thought no one would connect the dots for weeks (which is what would happen today).