Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Vee]

I've been watching old GL (and other soaps) for years. I just happened to go back to some of the classicGL playlists again in the last week.

[Paul Raven]

Jennifer and Morgan were Marland creations.The Dobsons had set up that Amanda was adopted but Marland took it from there.

[zanereed]

Thank you for the clarification, Paul. Do you know if the Dobsons originally had someone in mind to be Amanda's mother (either an existing character or one they were to create)? I believe the name "Jane Marie Stafford" was never mentioned until after Marland took over (and Jennifer Richards was already introduced)?

[~bl~]

Which episode was Vee watching that Carl shared?

[DRW50]

I put links in the trainwreck known as the Bridget Dobson interview thread. I think it's on page two or three.

Edited January 18, 2013 by CarlD2

[Paul Raven]

Edited January 20, 2013 by Paul Raven

[DRW50]

Thanks. I hadn't seen that before.

[jam6242]

Are the Dobsons the ones who had Amanda acting like a child and playing with dolls?

[DRW50]

Yes.

[saynotoursoap]

No, Marland wrote Amanda's regression to childhood. He loved writing weak, neurotic women, though Amanda's breakdown was utilized to exit the character during Kathleen Cullen's maternity leave.

[DRW50]

Wow. For some reason I always thought that was how Amanda was first introduced and Lucille wanted her that way. I guess I got that all wrong.

[saynotoursoap]

When Amanda first appeared, she was married to Gordon Middleton, but controlled by Lucille who did attempt to curtail Amanda's independence. The breakdown story occurred in the summer of 1981, I believe. If my memory does not fail me tonight, Amanda went bonkers after her Uncle Chet was revealed to be Eve McFarren's stalker and killed by police. Amanda reverted to childhood because she was unable to cope with an endless stream of grief.

[DRW50]

Thanks. For some reason I had it in my head - without seeing any of this or reading the original stories that much in recent years - that she was that way at the start and Ben helped her out of it. I'm glad you set the record straight.

[jam6242]

That sounds right, Saynotoursoap. I had stopped watching for a while and then started up again in the summer of '81 when I was channel surfing and noticed Nola and was intrigued by her. I remember Amanda being in hair bows and loose dresses (which the pregnancy would explain) and playing the piano all the time.

[zanereed]

saynotoursoap,

Do you happen to know if the Dobsons had Amanda's real mother in mind when they introduced her?