Handling the Frontburner

[Queen]

We all know what that is. We also know it can be a good thing or a horrible thing, depending on the actor/character. We've all had complaints about a writer's favorite eating a show alive.

But, despite the show hogging, sh!tty writing, etc., which actors do you guys think managed to be elevated and thrive or handle it?

[titan1978]

I think Robin has done a great job on GH- she was never a major player until the Stone storyline, and I think she has done well since, especially compared to come of her fellow actors on the show.

I think Genie Francis did a great job, considering her age at the time she did a tremendous job!

I think it is interesting when TPTB give a supporting player a chance for something more too. Not to be just GH centric, but I think Lucy Coe went straight to the frontburner and a centerpiece of the show during Wendy Riche's tenure as EP, and she handled it beautifully.

On Days I was a fan of Carrie when she started to get whole storylines about her, same with Sami.

Tina Lord on OLTL has to be a classic too, she became a star after being placed on the frontburner, and no one played the role as well (Witter was good too, but Evans was a classic).

I think Crystal Chappel is at her best when the story revolves around her character, no matter what show she is on.

[Cheap21]

Susan Flannery is always on frontburner at B&b despite her age. She practically carries the show and is by far the best it has to offer acting wise. Thank god for her, bc many times it would not be watchable if not for her performances

[Phoenix11]

Without a doubt, Crystal Chappell.

Michael Zaslow, may he rest in peace. That man could act.

Jeanne Cooper, glad to see she is frontburner these days.

Ellen Dolan - I've always thought she was very underrated. Just something about her "acting" made everything that happened believable.

There are so many people I could list from GL and Y&R [past and present], particularly GL (Justin Deas, Kim Zimmer, Grant Aleksander, Peter Simon, Jerry ver Dorn, Sherry Stringfield, Gina Tognoni, to name just a few).

This answer could get very long in a hurry!

[DRW50]

Anne Heche at AW.

Kim Zimmer at GL. No matter how lousy the story, Kim always gives 110%.

Lynn Herring at PC. She carried so much of that increasingly wretched show even as her character lost most of what made her stand out. I miss seeing her on daytime.

Alicia Mishnew at AMC.

[SFK]

I think Kate Collins made for one of my most memorable soap summers as a kid when she was doing double duty as Janet with Natalie down the well. What a joy to watch.

An obvious/my go-to answers, but Slezak and Strasser were so infinitely watchable during the DID s/l, I wish it would have been stretched out longer.

I agree with Phoenix about Jeanne Cooper, she is so interesting to watch. She and Linda Dano with those gesturing hands and fingers that are like their little acting partners.

[quartermainefan]

Martha Madison thrived on the frontburner at DOOL. JKJ is blossoming into one of the best in daytime I think these days. Tuc Watkins thrives anywhere, and everytime he returns to OLTL and goes frontburner the show is better for it.

[Cyberologist]

I think despite shoddy writing Rebecca Herbst, Rick Hearst, Nancy Lee Grahn, Jane Elliot, Leslie Charleson, John York, Greg Vaughn

are among my favs who are clearly not favored by Brian Frons or/and Bob Luza but manage to shine with the little they are given.

Leslie Kay on B/B

[SteveFrame]

I don't see any of the ones that are mentioned as really fully fitting the show hogging that Queen mentioned in her first post except for Alicia Minshew.

And sorry but I for one don't think she has thrived during it. Her acting has really suffered a lot during it. She was not strong enough to handing hogging the show as she has.

I think all the ones mentioned are great and yes they do handle the front burner well when they get it.

Kim Zimmer and Susan Flannery do get close to show hogging at times and yes they do handle it well. But Kim Zimmer does what Susan Lucci does at times and that goes into overacting and histrionics.

Of all the actresses that I ahve ever seen none of them handle show hogging well at all. Even the great Slezak fell into overacting many times back in the 80s when the Vicki story was going so strong that she was on every single day. 90% of the time she was great but many times esp. when she was playing some of her alters she got lazy and went into the histrionic and overacting mode.

It is just hard to maintain that intensite day in and day out without any breaks. So I don't blame them at all.

Genie Francis was a show hog back in the 80's and in front of the camera she kept it together but in truth she didn't handle the front burner well at all. Her backstage life fell apart with drugs and all. Something that the great Gloria Monty allowed in order to keep her star.

There are many stars throughout the ages that handled being on the front burner as their stories called for them. Luckily in the 70's and earlier the front burner meant that they didn't hog the show and got breaks. Even the great Susan Seaforth Hayes who was Days biggest star for several years and got constant front burner stories got breaks from the front burner from time to time and that kept her from hogging the show. She rose to it and was constantly brilliant.

[quartermainefan]

The only one that shines on that GH list I think is Jane Elliot. Leslie Charleson used to shine years ago and occasionally gets a good scene (like once every two years) but it is tough to shine with literally no material. Greg Vaughan has a likable way about him and is good as nice guy Lucky, but it seems whenever he has to act out something other than being a nice guy, he is not up to the challenge. (although I did enjoy the drug story).

Rick Heart and Nancy Lee Grahn? I don't know if I can even point to a single story she starred in that was memorable even with 15 years more or less to choose from. Totally pointless role played by a fairly talented actress, but one who has very little screen presence. Rick Hearst may also have talent, but his role has to be one of the worst characters ever conceived for GH, and there is literally nothing he contributes to the show except an unfailing ability to make the show more boring than it is without him. He has been saying the same dialogue for five years and it is impossible to shine under those conditions. John J York...I don't know if he has ever had a decent stretch in all these years. His character was basically the replacement Scorpio, and now he is just wall paper. Rebecca Herbst I think can be competent, but another poorly written character strikes again. Her recent stint on the front burner took what was once a fairly likable character and she (and the show) turned Liz into this horrible wench that has nothing likable about her.

[SFK]

Steve, I'll agree that ES could be VERY OTT back in the '80s, less so in the '90s, but I'm not even talking Niki Smith who used to seem calm compared to shrill unraveling weepy Viki. And that wannabe intelligent/sophisticated dialogue they sometimes gave her certainly didn't help things. I really don't care for her Niki any longer, Niki gets further and further from reality (and likability) with each new incarnation.

I suppose it's a matter of taste, and again, an "obvious" answer, but the Erica Kane show was a lot of fun in the '80s. People criticize the character for never growing up, but she's done a lot of growing up, especially since Mona passed and having her children in her life. But there's something very special about that self-absorbed/living in her own little imaginary world of fame Erica who was just into everything back then. People don't realize just how good Susan was, she was NOT a bad actress, she played OTT Erica beautifully, just as she was written. Having said all that, if Erica was not your bag, I could see how you'd start rolling your eyes whenever she popped on screen.

[Ann_SS]

Interesting thread.

I agree with Steve Frame about Alicia Minshew. She is not a strong actress and all this front burner story time hasn't help her at all.

I can't believe that no one has mentioned Eric Braeden. He has an average actor and all the time merely gives him the opportunity to effuse Victor with an even larger ego. His reaction shots are never appropriate because Braeden won't let Victor lose or recognize that he may be wrong.

Victor is loved so Y&R survives.

I also can't believe that Maurice Bernard and Steve Burton have not mentioned. They have both gobbled up major airtime over the years and their stilted acting has gotten even worse. They barely try any more and their characters have become beyond obnoxious as well. GH has been hurt by their mediocre performances and extended airtime.

[juniorz1]

I think that A Martinez & Marcy Walker thrived on it & their acting was elevated by it. They were front-burner on SB throughout their entire run.

I also think Sarah Buxton handled the front burner beautifully on SUN. Annie MADE Sunset Beach for me.

Eileen Davidson did fantastic work during the last half of her DAYS stint. The woman was on practically every day and we loved every minute of it.

[dm.]

ITA. I'll never get over how those characters ended up...

Annie was the essence of Sunset Beach. It was the character that could have done the most despicable things and still I would root for her.

[juniorz1]

Oh yeah, me neither. It killed me that neither were even mentioned during the last weeks of SB. It was a large part of the reason I wrote my SB fanfic a few years back.