AMC: Daytime Confidential confirming production moving to LA

[tina m]

I really did not see this happening, but it did. I will be very sad to see vets like Susan Lucci and Michael E. Knight leave the show because of the move. But like UKBoi mentioned, this will open up returns for Budig & Riegel. (I wouldn't put it past Frons for doing this just for RB, jk, jk.) This move does bother me because I wonder if this cancellation is really on the horizon for either OLTL/AMC.

[bellcurve]

If AMC's move is successful, I wonder if some LA shows might follow suit...

Would any LA show be desperate enough to move to San Diego?

[Carolyn1980]

The latest from DAYTIME CONFIDENTIAL:

More All My Children Relocation Scoop: "Everyone on Contract Will Be Moved, Unless They Don't Want To Go"

Submitted by Jamey Giddens on August 5, 2009 - 10:59am All My Children

More news is trickling out of New York, following yesterday's announcement that All My Children will in fact be moving to Los Angeles. According to setside sources, all contract players will be offered the chance to relocate.

"Brian Frons told the cast everyone who is on contract will be moved, unless they don't want to go," says one mole. "If the contract actors don't want to move to LA, they will be let out of their contracts. Several behind the scenes people will be offered severance packages."

AMC's current contract cast includes: Brittany Allen (Marissa), David Canary (Adam), Bobbie Eakes (Krystal), Melissa Claire Egan (Annie), Beth Ehlers (Taylor), Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake), Vincent Irizarry (David), Shannon Kaye (Natalia), Thorsten Kaye (Zach), Michael E. Knight (Tad), Susan Lucci (Erica), Jamie Luner (Liza), Ray Mac Donnell (Joe), J.R. Martinez (Brot), Cameron Mathison (Ryan), Adam Mayfield (Scott), Alicia Minshew (Kendall), James Mitchell (Palmer, who recently relocated to California for health reasons and is not expected to return to the show), Brianna Moncrief (Colby), Debbi Morgan (Angie), Cornelius Smith Jr. (Frankie), Chrishell Stause (Amanda), Aiden Turner (Aidan), Denise Vasi (Randi), Walt Willey (Jack), Darnell Williams (Jesse) and Jacob Young (JR).

With such AMC veterans as Jill Larson, Lee Meriwether and Jennifer Bassey on recurring, fans could soon see the last of beloved matriarchs like Opal Cortlandt, Ruth Martin and Marion Chandler, not to mention cutie Lucy Merriam who plays Emma Lavery.

[CSF]

That's true, she has made ABC a ton of money over the years and AMC was the soap that stole the crown away from ATWT, not GH. But remember, ABC is not ABC anymore, it's Disney. I believe Richard Shoberg, ex Tom Cudahy once said in an interview that when he returned to AMC and they had their new studio, things really changed. Prior to that, when you did good and when the show preformed well, everyone at ABC raved about that stuff because it helped ABC to be successful and the cast and crew at shows like AMC were praised for that. That obviously stopped with Capital Cities acquiring them in 1984 and with Disney in 1996. ABC is just an entity that is to make money for the parent company. So they probably look at Lucci as chump change. Lucci could live her life without AMC in the lifestyle that she's been accustomed to for nearly 4 decades. She should write a new tell all book.

[CSF]

Could that be JHC? IMO, she shouldn't be offered a dime since she let McTavish and B&B and allows Pratt to destroy the show.

[Cat]

How much money does she make from her partnership with Guthy-Renker? LOL, the Malibu Pilates chair comes to mind. She enlisted some help from her AMC castmates for those infomercials but if she leaves, she wouldn't be able to trade on the whole "I'm Susan Lucci. You may know me as Erica Kane on All My Children..."

[lisastar08]

I agree, its more the fans that think she wont. On the View today they were talking as if Susan was moving with the show

[Carolyn1980]

They wouldn't offer a fired EP a severance package.

Sadly, I think they're talking about the crew, and departments like hair/make-up.

[Cat]

Trying to find a silver lining here... but wouldn't moving to LA be a draw for some of the contract actors? And Susan Lucci can still hob-nob and do her infomercials thing. Also, if they ARE moving into a facility which offers more studio space and stand-alone sets and ability to expand, more luxurious dressing rooms, etc... isn't that a good thing for AMC?

I hope de Cazotte overseas the transfer to HD. She did a decent job in overseeing the way GH: Nightshift was lit and filmed.

[Sylph]

Or perhaps to an yet undisclosed overseas location which offers competitive prices...

[sheilaforever]

So why would LA be cheaper? They will use union staff there, too, I suppose.

My spin is that the studio space is actually cheaper and facilitates production and that you can easily get rid of a LOAD of expensive veteran actors and actresses without getting much blame. Everyone over 50 with no ties to LA is unlikely to make the switch. Except Susan Lucci maybe for who they could pay commuting.

[CSF]

She could always say "You may know me from my long running role as Erica Kane on All My Children" I doubt ABC would recast that role if she opted not to move.

[Cat]

Oh, no! I don't think they would dare recast.

I hope she does move with the show.

[Angela]

Whoopi was most likely assuming. Lucci staying, Lucci going, Lucci recurring - she'll be leaving the studio. The View and "AMC" (Eyewitness News) have shared the building for a long time, everybody will miss each other. SL will be on Regis & Kelly on Friday so maybe she'll give us an answer then.

I think NB was probably right in that they'd like her to go on recurring. They can't afford to lose her completely (but probably don't hate the thought of losing her contract pay). SL has been with the show too long to not want to help it survive so I see her being fine with a new deal. She clearly doesn't need the show, it's been 40 years (she's a brand name) and it's not going to last much more than 3-5 more, if even. I think they'll pay for her to commute a few times a year, or have her stay in L.A. for a couple of months a year. If by some chance she decides to remain on contract though, fabulous.

[marceline]

This is where someone more familiar with how these unions work needs to step in. I can see them doing the same thing you're suggesting to the crew. It says above they're offering BTS people severance. If they get rid of "vet" crew members and hire "newbies" in CA they can cut costs, right? Or does the union set the wages? Is it the same union or different?