Another World

[Contessa Donatella]

The whole schtick about Ada's body going to Peoria. OY. 

[DRW50]

@vetsoapfan @Mona Kane Croft Another Jacqueline Courtney scene (in her last weeks before her exit, presumably). A nice little family moment. 

Even here you can see Hugh Marlowe struggling with his lines a bit.

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[Mona Kane Croft]

Wow, so great to see Courtney during her final weeks.  Courtney is clearly not the focus of this scene (Marianne is the focus), but watch Courtney's detailed acting.  The looks she gives her father, while Marianne speaks. And the way she strokes her niece's hair near the end of the scene.   

Now, imagine Susan Harney playing the same script.  It would not have been terrible. In fact, Harney would have been quite acceptable in this scene.  But none of Alice's subtext would have been exhibited.  None of Jacquie Courtney's nuance.  The scene would have been played rather flat, with Alice being a side character.    

History shows it is nearly impossible to successfully and permanently replace a TV soap opera ingenue.  Think about efforts to replace the following: Alice Frame, Tara Martin, Nina Cortlandt, Penny Hughes, Marley Love Hudson, Lily Walsh, Lily Winters among others. And even Mary Ryan (who I hesitate to describe as an ingenue, but perhaps). For reasons I do not understand, soap opera ingenues seem almost impossible to replace.    

Edited July 7, 2024 by Mona Kane Croft

[DRW50]

Courtney was a very warm actress, but not in a gooey way, more in a very dignified way, like what you imagine royalty to be. I can't speak for her OLTL run as much, but you can always feel that in her AW work. It was especially striking to me when she came back one last time in 1989 as the show by then was populated by performers who were so different to her. She was almost ethereally vulnerable even as she was mature and restrained - those moments she had with Rachel were beautiful. 

I remember Lauralee Bell going on about how hard it is to play an ingenue or a "good" character. I'd generally agree with her.

Recasting can work sometimes but in many cases it doesn't, especially when viewers have a special connection with a performer. That performer is what strings the character together for them. You have to have that poise and integrity to make the inner life of a long-suffering character work. There are some performers where I don't really love watching them that much, but I respect the obvious effort it took (like Lauren Marie Taylor and Noelle Beck on Loving).

Edited July 7, 2024 by DRW50

[Contessa Donatella]

AW managed with this one, although there was one misstep in the middle. 

[Mona Kane Croft]

Totally agree.  That final brief scene with Rachel, where they share a few words.  Rachel scurries off, and the camera focuses on Alice.  The look on her face said more than any words from a script.  Thankfully somebody (I assume the director) allowed Jacquie to play Alice according to her instincts, and it worked perfectly -- even in 1989.   

[DRW50]

That's very true. I do respect the efforts the show made for the anniversary compared to many soap anniversaries - there were certainly issues (the Gwen mess, and as much as my heart went out to Iris in spite of her many failings, I'm not sure Robert would have been so forgiving, even all those years later), but Alice's return was a big success. I wish they'd had her come back for the 30th too but I suppose the show had changed even more by that point.

[mikeaw1978]

Thank you for the birthday wishes everyone. Much appreciated.

[watson71]

Courtney never should have been let go in 1985.  Just as she left, they were setting up a good story with amnesiac Rachel digging into her past with Alice.  At that point, Rachel wanted nothing to do with Mac, and she moved out of the Cory mansion.  This was the perfect opportunity to have Mac date Alice again and set up a triangle- this time with Alice having the upper hand on Rachel.

[Mona Kane Croft]

Hmm.  Maybe I got my dates wrong, but I was referring to the Alice/Rachel scene at the end of Mac's funeral.  That was at least several months after the 25th anniversary, but maybe still in 1989.  Not sure.   Anyway, that was Courtney's final scene on AW.   

But the 25th anniversary episodes definitely had both high points and low points.   That much is for sure.    

[DRW50]

Oh sorry - I thought you meant the last scenes they had together on the boat after Rachel saw Steve's ghost. The scenes at the memorial were also beautifully done.

[Xanthe]

Maybe I am misremembering, but I thought Malone sued and won and that she publicly discussed her claim that her firing was because of her weight. And that her version of the falling out was that she didn't know why Rich and Frangione had become cold to her. Which sounded like we were expected to infer that Chris Rich thought it reflected badly on him for Sandy to have a fat wife so he wanted Malone pushed out. 

I have not been able to find any references to the lawsuit other than mentions in this and other forums. Maybe they settled out of court?

[Contessa Donatella]

Well, this may just be "piling on" but what you describe here, about her taking it to court, is exactly the way I remember this. 

[TheyStartedOnSoaps]

I question the story about Laura Malone suing and winning a settlement because there is nothing on-line about it - and as a faithful reader of Soap Opera Digest (I have all the back copies from the 80s & 90s) nothing was reported about any lawsuit by her

I wouldn't think she would have any grounds to sue - her contract expired and the show decided not to renew the contract. That is not wrongful termination. The contract expired and the show decided they didn't want to negotiate a new contract, nothing illegal about that.

This whole story about Laura Malone suing and getting a settlement seems to be a urban legend, because there is no evidence this ever happened. 

[Avatar610]

Also, Victoria Winters, Emily Quartermaine, Jody Travis, Patti Tate, Morgan Richards, and my all time favorite soap ingenue: Allison MacKenzie of Peyton Place as played by the irreplaceable Mia Farrow!