Another World

[vetsoapfan]

 

Right. Bringing Steve back only to kill him off AGAIN was just incomprehensible and stupid. An important character like that could have easily been written out in another way, thereby leaving the possibility open for him to return later on...under better writers and (preferably) Jacqueline Courtney as Alice. What a waste.

 

Me too. Yikes!

[rick55]

Another thing that bothered me.  How, when they had the 25th anniversary in 1989, do we not get a Steve/Alice scene?   We got them with Rachel and Jaime.  I would understand if Courtney wasn't there, but they brought her back for it.  IMO, criminal considering the couple's history and the fact that they had the original actors in the role.

[Mona Kane Croft]

 

It was probably because Courtney was no longer a regular on the show, and was just appearing as a guest -- just as Reinholt was.  They likely didn't want to give that much attention to a returning former actress who wasn't staying permanently.  

Edited November 6, 2020 by Neil Johnson

[denzo30]

I have mentioned the same thing out here multiple times.  You have JC, GR and VW all in the same room and you cant do a scene.? As Neil said, I am sure because JC was just a guest and I know the whole anniversary was focued on Rachel or maybe again just real sloppy writing that it ever dawned on them to bring ALice into a heaven scene with Steve.  However, Donna Swajeski was writing at this time and she worked with Harding Lemay months before the anniversary so she had a good history of the characters but what a shame.  I noticed a lot of things about the 25th anniversary of characters that should have ineracted but did not.. 

[vetsoapfan]

 

It was incredibly stupid not to take advantage of the opportunity to reunite the show's most legendary and popular characters while both the original actors were guesting. Plus, they should have used more available flashbacks.

[Paul Raven]

i envisaged a scene b/w Rachel and Alice leading to Alice imagining Steve declaring his love and them sharing a romantic reunion.

Don't bring back old characters for an anniversary and then discount the whole thing by not dwelling on the past...

 

I'm sure this has been discussed before but wasn't it supposed to be Leon Russum as Willis who originally had the lines given to Dorothy Lyman?

Either Russom couldn't commit or they decided there was more value in having Lyman return and there was a last minute switch.

[Paul Raven]

Never seen this photo before.Mitchell Dru,Pat Matthews and John Randolph prepare for her trial.

[watson71]

 

Also, all of the 25th anniversary episodes had to be revised and hastily rewritten after the sudden death of Douglass Watson.  Mac was probably heavily featured in these episodes.  The speech that Rachel gave at the party we can assume would have been given to Watson.  I wonder if the show ever planned for Mac to have some sort of scene with Christine Jones' Janice?

[amybrickwallace]

 

Yes. Everything I've read indicates that Mac was supposed to be the star of these episodes. The cast and crew already knew he had passed when all these scenes were filmed but the show had to go on. Still, to not feature GR and JC in a scene together is inexcusable. 

[Mona Kane Croft]

 

It's been speculated for years that Gwen's lines in the 25th episodes were originally written for Willis.  Russom was definitely invited to appear, but turned-down the offer.  Had Russom agreed, both Willis and Gwen would have attended the "party," since we know Lyman was invited to appear at the same time.  Willis would likely have been the trouble-maker, and Gwen would likely have been more true-to-character -- trying to control Willis and calm him down.    

 

Other actors who turned-down offers to appear were Susan Sullivan, Maeve Kincaid, and at least one other who's name I've forgotten.   So no doubt, there would have been scenes featuring Robert and Lenore, and Willis and Angie.  There should have also been at least a short scene featuring Gwen and Russ Matthews, since they had been romantically involved and engaged in the '70s. 

 

In addition to the on-screen celebration, there was also a "real" anniversary party in Manhattan.  Dozens of former actors attended that event -- not just those who had appeared in the episodes.    As far as I know, there is only one existing photo from that party showing some of the actors in attendance.  It was posted online about a decade ago, but I do not have a copy of it.   

Edited November 6, 2020 by Neil Johnson

[amybrickwallace]

 

There is a photo of Jacquie Courtney, George Reinholt and Beverly Penberthy posing together at that party. It's in Gerry Waggett's AW Trivia Book.

 

Per AWHP, the invited past cast members who declined to participate were Kinkead, Russom, Chris Rich and Susan Sullivan. The latter was still on FC at the time and may not have been able to get away. 

Edited November 6, 2020 by amybrickwallace

[Mona Kane Croft]

 

That's not the photo I'm talking about, but I'm glad there is another photo.  The photo I saw was a large group, mostly actors, Sort of an un-posed group shot.  Some of the actors seemed to be aware they were being photographed, while others seemed oblivious.   I do remember George Reinholt and Tom Eplin in mid-conversation, near the front of the group.  

 

Susan Sullivan attended the real anniversary party. So she was in town.  Maybe her contract with FC prohibited her from playing another fictional character on TV.  Who knows?

 

Thanks for the memory jog -- yes, Chris Rich was the fourth actor I was thinking of.   If I'm not mistaken, Sandy Cory was the only invited former character who was not from the Lemay era.   That's pretty amazing, really.  And speaks to Lemay's huge impact on the show, even all those years later.   

[denzo30]

I am thinking at the time, they did not have the flashbacks as we see today.  Most of this stuff is shared by our loyal fans.  However, the Paley Center did have stuff.  All of the flashbacks were from the early 80's.  Stupid.  The fight with Alice and Rachel in the cottage in 1974 should have been Alice's reminance and not the 1984/85 scene where she talks to Rachel and having amnesia.  

Russom was invited to come back as Willis Frame and he declined.  I am wondering if Dorothy Lyman was scheduled as invitee to come as Gwen Frame or if they needed someone to fullfill the theme of a Frame going nuts on Rachel and then pursued her?  I am guessing maybe but at this time Lyman was a producer in Hollywood already.  Wonder why Russom declined?  I never saw him again after Willis left AW.  They turned the character into something she was no but then again, in real life stuff like this does happen.  haha!!!

I would have loved to have seen the original script but I am guessing unlikely the Janice part.  Frankly, they should have bought back more past characters even if it were just for a cameo appearance.  People like Elena Depulinac, Louise Goddard

[teplin]

 

I don't know why he declined, but he had a long and varied career after AW. I last saw him on Showtime's Shameless last year. Check his IMDB page. 

[denzo30]

Totally my bad.  I do remember him in shameless.