Another World

[Xanthe]

The jury had to make do with testimony -- they couldn't "see" the scene on video. And we also got a little clip of Quinn hustling Rachel out because Brittany had called right before talking about how she was going to kill Peter! Quinn testified to that at the trial, too. And probably half of the rest of Bay City testified similarly because Brittany had been running around town buying weapons and brandishing knives and talking about how much she hated Peter and wanted him dead. I can't blame the jury.

[Contessa Donatella]

Oh, I love it! You remember so much more of it than I do!! Ms. Gabet is such a delight & her memory is amazing. I had a question for her one time about the timing of something, when it was shot versus when it aired or something & I msgd her & asked & she replied *immediately with the accurate information. I know most people know her for EON but to me she is Brittany. And last week it was just good how much she appreciated that clip!

Did I ever tell you about the dream I had about Miz Paley? This was one night last spring & I dreamt I was on AW & I was going to be set up with a relationship & they were trying to decide who to pair me with & they had 10 names. BITD I recalled all the names but right now they escape me. Anyway the point was I was so pleased with their decision & it was Petronia Paley.

[Contessa Donatella]

#OnThisDay in 1986, (Sept. 23) Rhonda Lewin assumed the role of Victoria Love, although her face would not be shown until September 30 #AW #AnotherWorld

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[Efulton]

I think I’m the only AW fan you liked Rhonda Lewin as Vicky. But Anne Heche was by far one of the best performers to ever walk through those doors in Brooklyn!

[Contessa Donatella]

I just honest to god have little memory of Rhonda Lewin! And, yes, you said a mouthful. This is my personal tribute to Anne. And I loved Ellen Wheeler's Marley but Anne is my pick for Vicky & for Both.

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[Xanthe]

A lot of the problems I had with Rhonda's Vicky at the time are the same issues I had with Anne's Vicky initially: the character seemed shallow and superficial and gullible. She trusted Reginald because he indulged her and had just a supporting role in the conflict between Michael and Reginald. Donna was fading out. Marley and Jake and Carter and Thomasina and even Dee I believe were gone. If they had intended to start something with Neal he was gone, and the rumour that they were introducing a brother for Jake didn't pan out. They didn't do much with Vicky and Nancy. They did throw Vicky together with Jamie a little bit but it wasn't until much later with Anne that things got interesting there. Maybe Rhonda could have been better with better writing but she didn't elevate it on her own. 

Did Rhonda's Vicky have real scenes with Bridget or did it get treated like Bridget was Reginald's servant and she hardly knew Vicky? 

[Contessa Donatella]

I don't know if any of you have any interest in seeing costumes but I have some AW costumes up in my Instagram account (shallotpeel). An AW Halloween, some Jake & Vicky fantasies, some miscellaneous, the masked Lumina Ball and Jake & Vicky's November wedding at the Brooklyn Botannical Gardens. Rounding it out is GL's Time Travel storyline.

[Xanthe]

I always thought it strange that they didn't bring Ben back to Bay City, especially when Mary came back from the dead and while Jake and Marley were gone. I was surprised to find that Cheryl mentions him here -- not only to say that they had let Ben know that Mary was alive, but she even goes so far as to claim that he is coming home (and they don't really know what happened after he dropped out of school). But Ben never showed up. They must have at least tried to cast him but it's baffling to think what could have happened. They could have had Ben date Nancy instead of introducing outsider Tony Carlisle, and/or thrown Ben and Vicky together. The only reason I can think of that they would not have wanted a Ben character would be that he would not be a romantic option for Cheryl, but they didn't really offer Cheryl any alternative to Scott except perhaps creepy Chad Rollo.

 

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[Contessa Donatella]

I always wished they'd brought Ben back. Someone told me at one point years ago that they decided to have either Ben or Jake but not both. Then, once they decided they liked Marley with Jake, then the jig was up for Ben. I have NO idea if that is an urban legend or not.

[Xanthe]

It depends on when they were making the decision. Jake originally arrived in Bay City February 4 1985 and Ben last appeared only a couple of weeks later on Feb 21. Certainly it appears that Richard Steen did not last out his contract as he had been around for less than a year. But Jake and Marley left town in Sept 1986, leaving a void in the middle of a story focused on the McKinnon family where it would have made a lot of sense for Ben to be present. Jake didn't return until May 1988. A Ben could easily have kept the McKinnon spot warm for him even if they had decided to swap the character out when Tom Eplin returned.

[Contessa Donatella]

I never thought the timing particularly favored that story! Basically I was a 'the More McKinnons the merrier' kind of Bay City fan.

I've been trying to remember when the wonderful dynamic between Vicky & Bridget started. Every instance I think of has Anne in the scene, not Rhonda.

Someone on an Anne Heche F'ANNE board I'm on, today found a site with videos of Anne singing. They're great! Sometimes she has a true lilt to her voice & other times it's husky like a torch singer.

[j swift]

Wasn't that spot taken up by Scott?

It could be understood that Cheryl and Scott were supposed to be a gender swapped Jake and Marley (despite the fact that Cheryl was a bit of snoozefest)

Also, Ben lacked charisma or many romantic hero qualities.  I've never valued populating soap town with characters who share a last name, but don't play a necessary role in the plot.  Just having more McKinnons, Loves, McGowens is not enough if their identities are not unique.

Edited September 24, 2022 by j swift

[Xanthe]

Ben's charisma could have been solved by casting. I wasn't clamouring for the return of Richard Steen. 

Scott was already right there when Cheryl was telling Mary that Ben was coming home. So if they intended to bring Ben back at that point it would have been in addition to Scott. I was hoping that the crack detectives who caught Tom becoming Mark and Mavis becoming Lorna might know what was going on with casting at the time. Of course 1986 is not 1991 and I don't think anyone has ever figured out who quit as Reginald before John Considine was brought in either.

Were there any other new young men around that time?

[j swift]

excellent question, and worthy of an investigation, unfortunately it pre-dates all goggle references and most of the parties involved are no longer available as resources - but I hope someone will crack that case...

[AbcNbc247]

I remember reading somewhere that Todd Mckee and Jon Hensley both auditioned for Ben. But with both of them on other soaps by 1986, Idk who could've played a recast Ben