Another World Discussion Thread

[Tisy-Lish]

Not sure if there is a way to verify, but I feel certain it was Sullivan.  That scene was written by Lemay, and Sullivan was already in the role when Lemay arrived. 

[Paul Raven]

According to AWHP

Walter's last appearance was Feb 4 1972.Susan Sullivan began as Lenore May 21 1971.

[Xanthe]

Thanks -- I clearly got mixed up.

[chrisml]

 It's her show, her memories and video. They were such a minuscule part of the video, and that was your main reaction? Not appreciation that we have this time capsule?  Her husband and her mother were huge AW supporters and of Linda Dano. Anyone who knows about Linda Dano's career and personal life knows what their deaths did to her, so to make that comment is rather heartless even on a soap opera thread.

Edited August 14 by chrisml

[DRW50]

The main way I can remember is because of Lemay criticizing Val Dufour for ruining Susan Sullivan's big moment (never mind that it was Dufour's last moment on the show).

[chrisml]

Who was responsible for creating Victoria/Felicia/Cass/Donna/Marley? Was it Allen Potter? Is he responsible for creating the characters who lasted the longest post-Lemay?

[DRW50]

Donna, Cass and Felicia arrived at the end of Rauch's run. The Pursers and Richard Culliton seem to be the writers involved (Culliton more for Vicky and Marley), although Corinne Jacker was still headwriter when Cass arrived.

[Efulton]

Yes that was my main reaction.  I am aware of how close she was to her mother and her husband.  This is your reaction to my comment?  Completely overblown and shame on you for trying to say my comment is in anyway disrespectful to the grief Linda had after their deaths and is still living with.  If you are looking for an argument go after someone else.

Edited August 14 by Efulton

[Efulton]

Was anyone on here watching when Val Dufour was on Another World?  I’m curious if you think Walter was worth keeping or if you agree with Mr. Lemay that he had been written into a corner and killing him off was the best option.

[Tisy-Lish]

Yes, I was watching occasionally while Val Dufour played Walter.  And I've had mixed feelings about Walter dying.  One one hand, Walter had been an important and fairly long-running character, and I believe for the most part he was liked by the viewers.  Walter was a versatile character also, in that he was mostly a good-guy, but was easily tempted to explore his negative side. And that allowed him to get into trouble, and be redeemed several times. In fact it was this negative side that allowed Walter to murder Wayne Addison -- something that required the character to pay for his sins one way or the other.   On the other hand, Walter had a tendency to be a bit boring.  And that got even worse when he was paired with Susan Sullivan who was very dynamic, and of course much younger. Seeing Dufour "married" to Sullivan was distracting, and imagining intimate scenes between the two was down right off-putting. Because of the storyline situation at the time, I'm not sure Dufour and Sullivan had any intimate (or even romantic) scenes, and that was probably just as well.  I do think Walter's death freed up Lenore for further and more interesting romantic situations.  And I don't think that would have happened had Walter remained alive, because the audience saw Lenore and Walter as end-game. Death was really the only acceptable way to break them up.  And when all is said and done, I don't think Walter's death harmed AW in any noticeable way.  Although I imagine it was shocking to long-term fans at the time.  

The deaths of Steve Frame, Mary Matthews, and the firing of Jacquie Courtney harmed the show, in my opinion. But Walter's death simply did not have the same outcome.  

[Efulton]

Thank you!  I often thought this sounded like one of those times Lemay was correct but since I was not watching I could not be sure.  Lenore and Robert were brilliant so we were lucky to get to watch them shine and might not have had the opportunity if Walter was still around.

Edited August 14 by Efulton

[chrisml]

Thanks for the information. It was hard to determine who was headwriter so I was not sure and I always look for verification since this is a period I'm not familiar with. I wonder if viewers at the time would have had any idea that those characters would be the ones who would still be around at the end of the series. 

[DRW50]

Given how many came and went on AW in those years, I can't imagine so, especially Donna, who was initially just there to cause problems for Peter. I give credit to the actors but I suppose it was also writers and the viewers who were supportive. There was such a void in the show at the time that once they figured out how to write Cass and Felicia (not sure if it was Culliton or the Pursers), it was easy for them to become important to viewers. I'm glad the show did not get impatient and dump them too as had happened so many times. 

That also seems to be when humor returned to the show, as so much I've seen of 79-82 is a misery, aside from Cecile being a camp bitch.

[vetsoapfan]

You are correct. Susan Sullivan was definitely playing Lenore by the time Walter Curtin died.

The scene with Lenore being so traumatized by the whole Walter debacle that she went berserk and tore apart her living room was chilling!

Edited August 15 by vetsoapfan

[vetsoapfan]

You put that very well.