Another World Discussion Thread

[vetsoapfan]

 

Yes, and she was mesmerizing. Quiet pain shone through her portrayal. She was born to play iris, of course, but I have always wondered about how Emma would have evolved if McKinsey had remained on the show in that role. I think the audience would have grown to love her and feel protective of her.

[zanereed]

 

I think someone previous posted in this thread an image from one of the soap mags from the 1970's featuring an interview with Reinholt. He was critical of the writing on AW, saying how the current writer failed to understand the Steven Frame that he and Agnes Nixon created when the character first appeared on the show.

 

It's funny you mention Leon Russom as Willis. He's the only Willis I remember, but Lemay stated in his book that he didn't have the drive to write for the character of Willis once Fitzpatrick was fired and took over. I'm not sure why, as I thought Russom was a very capable actor.

Edited December 7, 2016 by zanereed

[DRW50]

 

Thanks. I hope some of that shows up someday. I've seen the photos of her as Emma but I don't think it does the material justice. 

[Vee]

I think Lemay's book is fascinating and indispensable for any soap opera buff, but you can only go with him so far before you form your own opinion. The first time I ever saw Jacquie Courtney was in that '70s episode of OLTL they used to trot out all the time, the one where Viki gives birth to her son Kevin. Jacquie is there as Pat Ashley and immediately segues into doing a Groucho Marx bit, she's a trip and totally self-assured. I was always impressed by what I saw of her AW work later on, and I think Lemay didn't know how to deal with her because she was her own unique type, without having to be written into one by him. He seemed much more comfortable crafting characters from scratch, and uncomfortable with any performers who had star personas before he came aboard.

 

I did think the original Willis Frame was really interesting from what I've seen of him - young, brash and a little off-kilter or disturbed. You wouldn't see that many guys like that today.

[vetsoapfan]

 

 

Yes, Reinholt expressed dislike for how the character of Steven Frame was altered by Lemay, and I can understand that he felt his past portrayal of the character was negated because of the revised backstory, but I still say it made valid psychological sense. Steve was a man who had trouble opening up and being vulnerable and trusting with people anyway. He was ashamed of his roots, and desperate to escape from them, so it's not a stretch to believe that he had hidden the truth about his origins from the world.

 

Russom was more vulnerable than Fitzpatrick, and I guess Lemay just did not feel as inspired to write for a softer, more repentant Willis. It's too bad because as a viewer, I only started to give a damn about Willis once Russom was in the role.

 

 

 

 

I don't know if any of McKinsey's work as Emma has survived, because it aired before most people had VCRs, but you never know. I personally think 1966 to 1975 were AW's best years, and finding any episodes from that era would thrill me to death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree. Courtney was great,  and quite charismatic as a romantic heroine. She could be warm, amusing, vulnerable,  and strong when she had to be. So many younger viewers take Lemay's assessment of her talents to heart, without ever having seen her on-screen, but the more you read Lemay's own comments, the more you get the sense that a lot of his negative opinions seem to be borne from petulance or annoyance.  Once people actually see Courtney's material for themselves, I think they can see how good she really was. One of the best performances of her career, IMHO, was when Pat Kendall visited her son Brian's grave on OLTL. Heartbreaking, like Brad Maule at Maxie's beside, listening to his dead daughter's heart, on GH two decades later.

[rick55]

Not really defending Walter, but he did not strangle him.  He hit him in the head with a statue.  Remember, Lenore was on trial for it.  Noone would believe she could strangle Addison, but she could whack him over the head with an object.  It was a crime of passion.  Addison goaded him, goaded him, played on Walter's insecurities and jealousy.  That said, Walter still did what he did.

 

Now, I didn't see this.  I've read this.  Read some 70s novels that recapped this period.  But one of my first concrete memories of watching the show is Lenore on trial for that murder and i remember that Walter had done. He was defending her and was torn.  Then she was axquited and he just said nothing.   Not denying that his actions are unconscionable just clearing up how Addison died and that it was a crime of passion.

 

For me. the first Willis was a flat out bad guy.  Lemay's book read to me as the softening of that character was due to the recast.  That Russom didn't possess the qualities to portray Willis the same way.  Whatever the case, the character sure changed.  IIRC, the change started after Russ found out what he was doing to Sharlene and beat the crap out of him.

 

[zanereed]

 

Sorry, yes - he hit him with that statue he got from Liz! I always get confused with the storyline because Walter always cried when he held Lenore's scarf that Wayne threw at him. I'm always reminded more of that scarf versus the statue. Crime of passion it may have been, but it still put Walter in a corner when Lenore was put on trial for Wayne's murder and he did nothing.

 

I would love to see that, as well. Unfortunately, I doubt any of her footage as Emma still exists. That being said, I remember the time I first got to see Steve Frame meet Alice Matthews. I never thought in a million years I would ever get to see that. So, I suppose anything is possible.

Edited December 9, 2016 by zanereed

[denzo30]

I didn't think that Lemay was writing during this time?

I would love to have seen Bev playing Emma.  So diff than the Tresa Hughes I seen and yes as much as Iove Elizabeth Ashley as an actress, I don't think she was casted well for Emma Frame Ordway

Quite possibly so.  I was too young when J Courtney was actually playing Alice and Susan Harney was the Alice I really knew.  I think Lemay did destroy the character of Alice even though I loved Susan Harney.  It was my understanding that the producer wanted her off and George Reinholt  as well.  Until it was pointed out in his book she wrote her lines on hands or kept scripts under her, I did begin to see the constant eye drop.  Regardless, it was a stupid move on AW, Pand G and Rauch to fire her.  She was a heroine on the show.  When She returned later years is when i really got to see her day and day out.  Not so much in 84 or so since I was in HS.  Her returns in 89 who bravo.  She looked beautiful and was an outstanding actress.  This was the time that AW should have really gone out of their way to bring her back to show.  Maybe it would have survived longer

[DRW50]

He wasn't. The material was pre-Lemay. 

[vetsoapfan]

 

Lemay only came in at the very end of the Caroline-poisoning-Pat story, thought it was absurd, and quickly wrapped it up. The story had been conceived and written by Robert Cenedella.

 

Elizabeth Ashley was totally miscast as Emma, no question about it.

 

If Courtney occasionally had to look at cue cards/bits of dialogue written on her fingers, I cannot blame her. At the time she was the show's leading heroine, and was on-screen a huge amount of time. With all that dialogue to remember, day-in and day-out, virtually any actor would need help keeping up. She was certainly better than many other actors on the soaps, who stumbled over their lines regularly.

[DRW50]

I love the last scene with Rachel and Alice on the boat, when she tells Alice that she saw Steve. You could see the tangled history and the respect between the two characters, and the actresses had such chemistry together. It's just a special moment. 

[vetsoapfan]

 

YES! It was the best part of the anniversary week, IMHO. I was only disappointed that they did not have Reinholt play in any scenes with Courtney.

[denzo30]

 

True but it once it was pointed out it seems apparent she did that often.  Regardless, stupid move on AW and the P and G for allowing her to be fired...  Someone out here mentioned that they believed Lemay had a hard time writing for actors who had been on the show prior to his hire. Something I totally agree with. Well, he had great things to say about Connie Ford, Bev Penthoby, Susan Sullivan.  Others who were already on the show but it seems like he wanted to clean house when he came on board.  Not so unusual on most business's when someone new comes in.  I loved the final scene between Rachel and Alice at Macs funeral.  That was the last time we saw them together.  It was genuine 

 

I said that too.  They made a scene between Jamie and Steve where Jamie saw his father in a dream why not do one with Alice and Steve?  I often wonder how the scripting and writing and story would have went had Doug Watson not died just weeks before the anniversary.  Maybe it would have been Alice who saw Steve at the light?  I heard that the intent was not to make Gwen nuts but they were not able to bring the character Willis back so they used her instead.  It would have made sense of Willis to trying to get back at Rachel.. 

I only saw the first Willis in some of these recent releases of footage but like Susan Harney, Leon Russom was really the only Willis I knew and he did play the role for about 5 years.  That is long time in soap world.  Very different Willis's.  What was the reason Fitzpatrick left?

Edited December 10, 2016 by denzo30

[teplin]

I don't know why Fitzpatrick left, it doesn't seem to me that he was there for very long ... but I much preferred him to Russom's Willis. He was brash, cocky, sexual. I would never have bought Gwen with Fitzpatrick's Willis, it just wouldn't have worked visually. Russom, as someone pointed out above, was much softer in his portrayal -- though he was probably a better actor. He certainly built a long acting career. I never saw Fitzpatrick again.

 

As to Jacqueline Courtney: I pretty much worship at Harding Lemay's feet, but I have always thought he was way off on her.

[vetsoapfan]

 

Lemay is vague about why Fitzpatrick was replaced, but in his autobiography, the scribe claims that Fitzpatrick was fired for reasons other than his on-screen performances...whatever that means.

 

I agree that Lemay was way off in his assessment of Courtney, but of course he has the right to his opinion. It's just a shame that his ire about certain actors had such a crippling effect on the core of the show.