John Alden was the cute blond kid playing Nicholas. Correct?? I guess he didnt follow into more acting or writing like his mother??

Yes, John Alden was the blond little boy that was Nicholas in the early 1990s. I'm guessing John would be in his mid-20s now.

Oh guys, watch this clip. Summer is a future alkie like Auntie Katherine. Made me laugh so hard. I was not watching Y&R last Christmas when this is from so it may be old news here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74UGIJHvUUA

I love that scene and think it adds a great dimension when actors like Michelle and Josh deviate from the script and ad lib in response to what the baby is doing. I miss that little Summer, like Michelle, as long as someone puts food in front of her, she's nibbling. Sadly they seem to have aged Summer ahead of Fenmore, hence why Lauren and Micheal were not at Summers birthday party.

1) Marguerite Ray HAD to be replaced to set up that John/Mamie romance. After seeing this I was reminded as to why. There was something so matronly about her and Veronica Redd was much more believable in the John/Mamie pairing.

Veronica Redd replaced Marguerite Ray when Bill Bell decided to make Mamie more than just the Abbott housekeeper by introducing Mamie's nieces into the story. Redd's first appearance as Mamie was around the same time Victoria Rowell came on as Dru. It was several years after that the John/Mamie pairing happened, although I agree that I don't think it would have worked had Ray still been playing the role.

Morey Amsterdam was hilarious.

And to add some Y&R trivia here, Morey's partner Lil was played by Lilyan Chauvin, who had appeared on the show previously in another role, Pierre's sister Marianne, in 1974.

I miss the photographer (Was it Chris?) and Carol.

Chris?? Why do keep wanting to call him Chris- What was his character's name?? He was the photographer... was hot hot hot hot - HOT. I didn't think so back when I was 13, but i do NOW!

That was Schuyler "Skip" Evans. I always liked him and Carol together, too, and was sorry when they wrote them off. The most memorable thing about Carol for me, though, was the scene where Jack (then Terry Lester) first hired her as his gal Friday. Jack was interviewing several candidates for the job, and being the playboy that he was, everyone figured he would hire one of the more attractive candidates. But he hired Carol because of her answer to his question about what the most important quality an assistant should have for her boss, which she answered "loyalty." The fact that Jack went for the less attractive, disabled, loyal choice rather than one of the lookers he interviewed showed that Jack wasn't as superficial as he often seemed.

Leanna and Brad were a bore.

That's probably why they didn't stay paired together, since Brad soon after went after Ashley and then got involved with Traci and Cassandra, while Leanna started a rivalry with Jill over Rex (during the time Rex was on the outs with "Katherine" during Marge's impersonation) and John.

The cast was HUGE. Every 5 minutes a bunch of characters popped up that I never expected!

And there were still plenty that didn't get shown in that episode, like Jill, Paul and his family, Cassandra, Lauren, Scott...

Brenda Epperson

She always was my favorite Ashley.

Brenda's ok.

Better than Shari.

Brenda's ok.

Better than Shari.

Brenda was great as Ashley. I was pissed Eileen left but once I saw Brenda in the role I loved her in it.

Shari was just plain awful!! Awful is too kind of a word for Shari in the role of Ashley.

Eileen's clearly the best Ashley and the one most identified with the role. However Brenda's Ashley had certain warmth that the other Ashley's didn't have. She had a certain vulnerability about her that made her very likeable.

Shari was horrible, and looked nothing like Eileen or Brenda. I wonder what Ron Moss was blackmailing Bill Bell with at the time to get his wife in that role once Epperson left. Y&R wasted no time in getting Davidson back once they got rid of Shari and once Davidson left DAYS.

Eileen's clearly the best Ashley and the one most identified with the role.

Amen.

Eileen Davidson is the best Ashley. When she left it was the height of the Cricket era so I don't really blame her for leaving when she did. Brenda Epperson was an adequate replacement, but she looked too innocent and sweet to be convincing as the other woman in the Victor/Nikki/Ashley triangle and there was no connection at all with Eric Braeden. Shari Shattuck was absolutely miscast; I feel she only got the part and lasted as long as she did because she was married at the time to Ronn Moss.

^Yeah, I just can't see Epperson's Ashley as a sperm stealer. LOL! She had the heroine part of the Ashley character down perfect. However, she wasn't a convincing bitch/ice queen, which is also apart of the Ashley character. Davidson excels as both a genuine heroine and bitchy ice queen.

Eileen's clearly the best Ashley and the one most identified with the role. However Brenda's Ashley had certain warmth that the other Ashley's didn't have. She had a certain vulnerability about her that made her very likeable.

Shari was horrible, and looked nothing like Eileen or Brenda. I wonder what Ron Moss was blackmailing Bill Bell with at the time to get his wife in that role once Epperson left. Y&R wasted no time in getting Davidson back once they got rid of Shari and once Davidson left DAYS.

LoL....blackmail?..Hmmmm...LOL...What could it have been? Did anyone see Shari on Dallas? She was horrible on Dallas too!

Eileen Davidson is the best Ashley. When she left it was the height of the Cricket era so I don't really blame her for leaving when she did. Brenda Epperson was an adequate replacement, but she looked too innocent and sweet to be convincing as the other woman in the Victor/Nikki/Ashley triangle and there was no connection at all with Eric Braeden. Shari Shattuck was absolutely miscast; I feel she only got the part and lasted as long as she did because she was married at the time to Ronn Moss.

Terry Lester also left for the same reasons because of the Cricket era.

Just remember: it could have been Gloria, and not Michael, who got the "It's a Wonderful Life" treatment. ;-)

Good point..I wouldn't have watched that one either.

Eileen is Ashley, everyone else was a placeholder.

It's about Michael...but other characters are in the mix...CLB said to TVGuide "Even though I'm in all the scenes, I never got to see it [put together], and it's tough stuff. I had to step up my game. Michelle Stafford, Greg Rikaart, Judith Chapman ... these people threw down. The audience will get some really amazing acting. You've got to see it."

CLB, unlike other certain actors, is always quick to give kudos to his castmates!!!

I found the episode rather good. If only some of the characters stayed the way they were being portrayed. I'm sooooo tired of the domesticated Lauren, Jana and Phylis. Bring back Tracy!!!