Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

October 1940 Radio TV Mirror

[DRW50]

March 1992 Daytime TV

[dc11786]

The Ned Holden story was riveting to read.

I was surprised by the details given about Five Points. It paints a very different picture of the world of "The Guiding Light" than I ever imagined. I just didn't dawn on me that most of these people lived in the same apartment building (Ellis, Fredricka Lang, the Kranskys) and how that would effect the story. It seems more urban and ethnic than I think most people give it credit for being.

It's interesting how this sets up the next big story with Rose Kransky.

For the most part, I feel like the story holds up. Some of the old soaps seem so dated, but I think this story holds up fairly well.

Thanks, Carl.

[DRW50]

Thanks for reading. I also hadn't realized it was an apartment building. I always pictured it as houses or something. Radio soaps, some of them, seemed to have a little more urban feel.

As soon as I saw these I knew you'd want to see them.

The photos of Arthur Petersen are a little menacing - I wonder if that was intentional, to show that God is judge as well as support.

[dc11786]

With Petersen, he appears more stoic than menacing to me. I knew Peterson played Ruthledge, but I didn't dawn on me that it was him. I've only seen him in SOAP.

Again thank you. This was an interesting read. Everyone talks about how Agnes Nixon was the one to really diversify and urbanize the soaps, but I think Irna's efforts in those categories are often unvalued. She certainly made an attempt to integrate Asian characters into soaps more so than any other writer in that time period with the stories on "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" and "As the World Turns."

Off topic, but I've been wondering lately if Nixon was the one to create the Bergman family on "Search for Tomorrow" to contrast the more WASPy Barrons.

[DRW50]

Maureen's car accident episode.

Turn the volume up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VPxIkL3nmU

[EricMontreal22]

I'm sure the info is here somewhere--but a search won't find it. What exactly is on the German GL 1979 5 disc set? And is there an option to watch it in its original English? Amazon.de has a video preview which even dubbed I admit made me want it--it doesn't help that although I love other soap themes (I have a soft spot for both the first two AMC ones for obvious reasons, and Y&R's is just classic soap IMHO), I think GL had two of the best themes in the 80s-early 90s.

http://www.amazon.de/Die-Springfield-Story-Staffel-Guiding/dp/B007RU6JI8/ref=lh_ni_t

[Paul Raven]

Thanks Carl for TGL radio summary- a treasure.

Came across this book - never knew this existed.

[zanereed]

Eric,

If you are a fan of the Dobson years of GL, or have yet to see anything of that era and want to, then you will definitely enjoy this set. You can watch all the episodes in their original English dialogue. I think the only difference in these episodes is the credits. But these episodes, as far as I can tell, are full and uncut (i.e., no edits due to song rights issues, etc.). The episodes are from November, 1979 (and the set also includes the 1973 "Papa Bauer Funeral" episode that was also included on the "Bauer Family" DVD set that Soap Classics released). I highly recommend it. This set is "Region 2", although I don't know if that will be an issue for you or not?

I hope this helps.

[DRW50]

Was that book just a recap, or an original work?

[Vee]

I'm a bit confused so maybe someone can clear it up - who did the Amanda Spaulding story? The Dobsons or Marland? It seemed to be being set up in some material I saw a long time ago credited to the Dobsons, and then again (re: Brandon Spaulding) in a 1979 episode I watched the other day (thanks Carl). Was it a story he picked up from them, or did they have something else in mind for Amanda and Lucille and all that? What did they do with her other than the triangle with Ben McFarren and Eve?

[DRW50]

saynotoursoap can answer this better than I can, but the Dobsons brought in Amanda and Lucille, had the triangle with Eve and Ben, had her marry Ben (I think), and had also laid the groundwork of her being Alan's daughter. Marland wrote Lucille's demise, the trial, the reveal, and the rest after that.

[zanereed]

Vee,

Carl is correct. What I cannot remember offhand was if Jennifer Richards (Amanda's natural mother) was created by the Dobsons and Marland carried on with incorporating her, or if she was one of Marland's creations independently. Jennifer first appeared in April of 1980 (when the show was under Marland), so I'm not clear on that part.

[Vee]

Thanks.

It was such a fascinating show, every time I see it - some of the plots, like the Spaulding/Phillip labyrinthine storyline and quadrangle (quintangle?), were so byzantine, but the candor and subtlety of a lot of the performances and writing felt lyrical. The voice-overs, which are old fashioned now, helped - often they were more fevered than the character's outward personalities, and that's the essence of soap. More literally in terms of lyricism, I remember an episode with Amanda at the piano just fantasizing and daydreaming, lost in the music and so on. I remember it being not much more than her face, the music and some wildlife or something.

[Khan]

I am so glad you have been enjoying watching old clips of GUIDING LIGHT, Vee. No lie.