Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[juppiter]

Well, that and you'd think ANYBODY would realize that saying something like that is extremely offensive, let alone somebody as successful in the industry as MADD.

[~bl~]

Oh that article which still makes me want to wretch.

With Beth C on SVU that was a good episode as it was timely.

[SFK]

I don't think I'd ever read the full quote. When I read this last night I called her some unprintable names, I just don't understand how such words could make it past any sensible person's lips. If that was her attempt at PR to justify their actions in this"impossible situation" , she's doing it wrong. And frankly, I think they're idiots for not seeing how powerful of a story this could have been for Roger. Those scenes could have been some of the most powerful, dare I say legendary, scenes in soap history.

[DRW50]

There was a horrible tone deafness to MADD, and, although she has nothing to do with Zaslow, FMB had the same problem at As the World Turns, in regards to not knowing how to deal with people and having a tin ear for publicity. I don't think they understood anything about P&G soaps.

[DRW50]

GL promo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VH7DLhba0U&feature=BFa&list=ULfX0DXvpCl6I&lf=mfu_in_order

[ClassicSoapsFan]

Spauldingfield posted their latest character profile, Mindy Lewis:

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[DRW50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmU-zEqeU0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtLFhyfO-LY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ugIw0B-e70&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

[Mitch]

Didn't watch the whole thing, but I can see how the format could have worked if they had kept the original sets and filmed outside in the new format. Just from the stills of Olivia in the RevaBend/HollyBend/FarmHouse set compared to the toast in what I think is supposed to be the Spaulding Mansion. I did like that when people went to a park it was a real park, when they went to a cemetary it was real, etc. I just didn' t like that the whole show took place in a park, grave yard, alley, somebody's junked up back yard.

[DRW50]

September 1971 TV Radio Show

[DRW50]

"How I got convinced in the literary world is an interesting story. While I was appearing on "Light" a few years ago, one of the editors of a fan book, who knew I Had an interest in writing, asked me to write a piece about an actor working on soaps. So I sat myself down and wrote the article. I showed it to my wife, Janette, who is a literary agent, and she said that she really liked it. It was funny.

"We decided to sent it to the New York Times, and lo and behold, it was accepted. Well, a short time after that, someone from the publishing house of Bobbs-Merrill called me up. He had read the piece and asked me if I would be interested in writing a full-length book accounting my experiences as an actor working on soap opera. I accepted.

"In actually sitting down to write it, I discovered that writing a very accurate, personal account would not do. I decided to do it in the form of a novel. So Love in the Afternoon is not factual, but actual. The fiction form allowed me a certain objectivity...and I could be more truthful under the guise of fiction.

"The book proposition came while I was appearing on Broadway in John Osborne's A Patriot For Me. As soon as the show closed, I took to writing the novel which took about six months to complete.

"I must say that none of this would have been possible without my wife's help. She stood by me...told me what was good...what was not. She has a marvelous sense of what is right. She also shaped me up whenever my discipline was a bit strained.

"I find the life of the writer and the actor quite different. Acting is a very social life...you go out and perform...meet other actors. The life of a writer is isolated and lonely. And you need a tremendous amount of discipline.

"Now that the novel is out, my wife and I are working on a play. That's my goal you know. I want to write, star in and direct my own play. No, I don't want to produce it though. My wife and I had our experience producing a play...never again.

"Janette has been and is one of the most important people in my life. June 4th, the day my novel came out, marked our 16th wedding anniversary. I met her in a non-Equity summer stock musical. I'll never forget our first meeting.

"I was a junior at Columbia University and I decided to do stock work. I came, however, a day late, but in style. "Style" has always been very important to me. First of all, I flew in, trunks and all, so it was a very grandoise entrance. All the cast were staying in a house rented by the producer. A non-Equity company is kind of a very communal affair, much like an M-G-M musical where all the kids stay together and build the stage. Well, anyway, I had arrived and there in front of the house was this beautiful girl who was playing the ingenue in the company. Well, I saw this pretty girl under the tree and I never let her out of my sight that summer, and from then on afterwards. We got engaged and then married.

"For a while it was difficult getting acting jobs and then we had our daughter, Sandra, who is now 14 and studies ballet with George Ballanchine. With wife and child to support, I decided to take some teaching jobs just to get some money. I did that for seven long, struggling years.

"One of my first jobs was at the Rivers County Day School in Massachusetts. It was too cold there so we went to Hawaii. Why not? At least it was warm. Life was beautiful there...too beautiful - avocado trees and blue water and parties. One day Janette just told me...'Hey, you're an actor, not a teacher. Why don't we go back to New York?' She was right; I knew it. So we blew all of our money and came back to the cold city in style. That was a big decision and a hard decision to make...and it couldn't have been done without Janette. Another woman might have settled for the security.

"You know, one of my regrets in life is that I did not smarten up to life sooner than I did. I thought that the world was waiting for me. After all, I had talent, brains, attractiveness. Sooner or later someone would discover me. No matter how much you have going for you...you have to work for what you want. Nothing comes easy. And nothing is ever it. Even if you become a star, it's not it.

"I view life as a continual process. Is there such a thing as happiness? Well, happiness is simply the pattern of living...the process of living. It's working through your problems to the various stages. You see man should not stand still, but constantly evolve. You write a book; you don't sit back and relax, you write another book. You're in a hit play; well you've got to think of the next play. I thought being a star was it, but you've always got to have someplace to go to next.

"There have been many exciting, happy moments in my life, but they have been isolated times. Getting a nomination for the Tony Award certainly was thrilling to me. But now that it's over, I do not rest on those laurels.

"The Tony nomination, by the way, is a very interesting story. I arrived at the theater where The Philanthropist is playing and received a letter from The League of New York Theatres. I went into my dressing room and put the notice aside. I said to myself, 'It's probably some sort of announcement.' By chance, I opened it, and there it was...the nomination. I was in a state of shocked delight. Alec McGowan who is the star of the show also received a nomination.

"The Awards dinner itself is a hard thing to sit through. I went with Alec and a couple of the other nominees and we all lost. But it was just such a happy moment getting that nomination.

"Another especially happy moment that I recall was in London. I went there with Janette to rehearse for The Philanthropist. My wife showed the galleys of my novel to publisher W.H. Allen and when I walked into the hotel room one night after rehearsal my wife told me that Allen wanted the London rights to my book. Well, I was so happy I did a little jig. I was just like a kid. After that, we wined and dined and really did it up.

"I enjoy living in high style...I enjoy elegance. In the world we live in I suppose elegance is as dead as a dodo, and probably considered superficial. But I think there's something to be said for etiquette and tradition. I believe in kindness and honor and gracious living. In the world of today everything is so sharp and crude, and there's little place for honor and kindness.

"Do you want to know what one of my favorite places is? It's the Plaza Hotel in New York. And I love this club that we're in...The Player's Club. Can't you just feel the elegance?

"Yes, it's true, the world of today is plagued with war and strife. But the world has always had its horrible problems. Innocent people have always suffered. Horror is not new-born.

"I suppose that I am a product of the literature I have read. I am greatly influenced by E.M. Forrester and Ford Maddox Ford; Fitzgerald and Wolfe too. But most of all...it's been Janette. She and Sandra have shaped me up.

"You ask me what love is. Well, when you are in love, you mean so much to each other that no matter what the pressures are...you both refuse to give up. There's such a determination on both parts to make things work right.

"You want to know who I am...and what I would like to be. Well, let's just say, Ed Zimmerman is and Ed Zimmerman would like to be. Remember, there is no it...the process goes on. This much I know."

[Y&RWorldTurner]

This is probably the least hammiest I've ever seen Zimmer. I wonder if Beverlee McKinsey schooled her ass during rehearsal.

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[Mitch]

Zimmer is very, very good here, as Reva being a grown up. This is right before the birth of Shayne right.. and her postpartum and eventual death. I wish they had never resurrected her and tried to revert her back to "Wild Reva ways." At first I thought it was Bev who was chewing the scenery but then watching the clip and it was right after Phillip was committed...so it made sense. Damn, this was the GL I loved..two nemesis finding common ground, even if they will fight another day. Remember when people on soaps had conversations??

[DRW50]

[Mitch]

Wow...look at the hair and the simpering pouts most of the actors are doing as they glare into the camera! Damn I hated Fletcher! He dressed like a pimp here or a dancer for Gladys Knight.

[DRW50]

That's funny. He looks like a pirate to me.

I think my favorite is the "What the hell am I doing here?" look on Richard van Vleet.