Any Capitol Fans Here?

[DRW50]

Oh I didn't think you were chiding me, I thought you were just telling me that to save me some time.

[SFK]

Oh okay , but I love all of the articles you post, looks like you got yor hands on some great old magazines. Please continue to share because what's "old news" to our parents and such is still new to a lot of us around here. The interviews used to be so charming.

[SFK]

One thing I've always been curious about is what other names Conboy and company bandied about for the leads in Capitol. Beverlee McKinsey shared that she was friends with John Conboy in her infamous Michael Logan interview (going back to their days at LIAMST) and I wonder if he would have liked her for Myrna.

[DRW50]

She would have been great as Myrna, although I wonder if that would have affected a color scheme (since she and Constance were both blondes).

Did Carolyn Jones know she was dying before she was cast on Capitol? I assume the show also knew.

There's this funny picture, you've probably already seen it, in one of the synopses on SOD, where Carolyn and Constance are kind of being goofy for the camera.

[SFK]

Hmmm, maybe, not sure, show me. There are some publicity photos where Carolyn is being *very* old school Hollywood super posey for the camera, like one where they're blowing out the candles on the anniversary cake.

Yeah, I thought about the Beverlee blonde thing too, people have said that's why they didn't keep Marla but I don't think her hair color had anything to do with it. To me, she was... weird in the part, uncomfortably prickly and neurotic. I think they always saw her as a temp until they found a suitable permanent replacement. Of course Carolyn was blonde too, but her thin hair was never seen on the show, always under turbans and auburn wigs.

Not initially, but yes, eventually Carolyn knew she was dying. I've read some articles about it and Constance Towers talks about it in Carolyn's A&E Biography. At one point she was coming to set in a wheelchair and shooting most of her scenes seated, and she confided to Cnstance in the dressing room that she was "so scared." She married her longtime boyfriend shortly before she passed.

[DRW50]

Marla is a very neurotic type of actress - I can see where that might have been odd. Of course Marj is too but she's more haughty and OTT, a contrast to Constance. I never have watched this show enough, it will be odd seeing Constance play the heroine.

That's so sad about Carolyn. Can't believe she was only 53 I think she would have been a great fit for daytime, it's a shame she never got the chance.

I will try to post the photo soon, and a few other things.

Edited August 31, 2010 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

Here's the photo of Myrna and Clarissa. It's from a summer 82 SOD recap page. Network Publishing Co

Edited November 22, 2010 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

I didn't see this on the Capitol website -- hope this isn't a duplicate. It's a party for the show, from the July 6, 1982 SOD. Network Publishing Co

Edited November 22, 2010 by CarlD2

[SFK]

Thanks Carl!

The infamous (now defunct) Chasen's, how John Conboy.

Years ago when I realized that Deborah was with James Farentino I thought, "What was she doing with that old ass man??" but it never dawned on me that he was maybe messing with her while he was still with Michele Lee. Maybe I'm startin' sh!t, just wondrin'...

Re: Bill Beyers, "By the way gals, he's single!" Lawwwd ...

Wait, so KBH's hubby is a Hilton Hilton, right? Barron? Never dawned on me before.

Edited August 31, 2010 by SFK

[DRW50]

Those photos were a wealth of discovery, huh. I did a double take at realizing that was THE Tonja Walker. She looked a lot better on OLTL! I think anyone looks better without spangly headbands. Unless you're Princess Amethyst of the Jewel Kingdom, avoid it. And I thought they said Nicholas Walker was there with Marla Maples! Oops.

I think people used to assume Deborah Farentino was his DAUGHTER...

So how many of these actors lasted past the first year? The younger ones. Didn't they recast or write out a lot of the younger roles? Or am I confusing that with Santa Barbara?

Thanks for looking at this stuff and commenting on it. I'm still trying to find that ad...

[SFK]

I had the same Maria Naples/Marla Maples brain fart! I guess Lawrence was out after Myrna's scheme to break up Julie and Tyler was up (?) but Julie, Tyler, Matt and Thomas were all recast.

[DRW50]

Thanks. Do you think they were right to recast the roles, were the recasts any better?

[SFK]

My limited knowledge is from tapes I've acquired but I would say there's something to be said yet again about that quote of Conboy's. I'd also say that there's something to be said abut charisma when young "actors" don't have the chops. Some did better than others.

Catherine Hickland was an improvement acting-wise (I think KBH looked more like CJ's daughter and CH looked more like MD's btw).

NONE of the subsequent Brenda's had Leslie Graves' raw charm, and the last one was way too polished '80s TV teen mannered. Like one of the better actresses on Kids Incorporated or something. LG was very real and so believably flawed if not a great actress, she was the little eff up of the family, and maybe her real life struggles are what helped to sell that on screen.

The second Thomas was a lot more "real" looking and a more grounded actor I suppose. I can't speak for John Conboy's taste, but it seems to me that they de-hunked the role, which is pretty unusual.

It's no coincidence to me that Sloane, Trey, and Jordy were never recast (except when Todd Curtis had his accident and Russell Todd stepped in). They were the three sharp, charismatic, bitchy young characters who were quite strong regardless of their prior experience.

Edited August 31, 2010 by SFK

[SFK]

Oh, I also think Richard Egan was a better-suited Sam. Robert Sampson seemed like he should be playing Sam's lawyer, not Sam himself if you get my drift, not the same gravitas.

[DRW50]

Did Graves leave because of her personal problems or something else? Did Egan leave or was he let go?

I wonder how many of the cast Constance keeps in touch with. I know she sang at Richard Egan's funeral.