Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

It seemed like Peter Simon had a little more to do, although I haven't seen much of his time under Marland.

One of the differences between this time and the Dobsons is that some of the people who get the most focus under Marland seem somewhat vacuous. Kelly, the Reardons, Morgan (especially after the recast), etc. I think it helped create more of a void once he left.

[zanereed]

You are right, of course - Ed (after Peter Simon took over) did get more to do once the Maureen Reardon appeared on the scene. Oddly enough, I think Ed had the biggest storyline in years in 1985 (when Richard Van Vleet was in the role) during the whole Fletcher/Claire/Maureen/Ed storyline that resulted in the birth of Michelle.

[John]

Marshall Hilliard still acts and has recurring gigs on GH, Y&R & Days all this year as Cops. He was also the original Dylan on YR. He auditioned for it. Steve Burton got the role. However he wasnt there to film a scene so they had Marshall be Dylan when they showed him or the side of him reading the newspaper

Edited January 3, 2014 by John

[Aback]

Cool! I didn't know they had auditions going on for this role.

bandstandmike is uploading episodes from early 1996 on YouTube. Damn, Rick Hearst is so damn handsome it's distracting.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Aback

[katie_9918]

Agreed!

Though I'm still missing my Cutter, the early days of Dinah and Hart is grabbing my attention.

[zanereed]

I've been watching whatever clips are available from 1984 right now. Some I haven't seen for awhile. I'm still perplexed as to why Gail Kobe decided to fire Don Stewart and Marsha Clark. Yes, they were Bauers, but Stewart was the second longest-running character on the show. Does anyone know if he was difficult to deal with at this point, and Gail just finally said "enough"? Or, could Pam not write for the character at all? I still think they could have milked the Bauer-Spaulding feud for many more years if Mike was still on the canvas. I also think that Marsha as Hillary was fantastic, and I can't think of a good reason why they ever killed her off.

[DRW50]

I know there was some debate over whether Don was fired or if he quit due to long shooting days.

I think they killed Hilary off for shock value and also to further marginalize the Bauers. I'm sure they also thought she was frumpy and not hot compared to their new characters.

[Mitch]

It seems that Long was willing to write for Mike...as she had him paired with Alex for a while...that would have been great when they brought back Alan to see him with her sister, and Mike and Alex would be interesting on their own, Mr. Law and Order and Ms. Morally Ambivalent I Will Do Anything to Protect My Family and Company.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Mitch

[DRW50]

I can't see Mike putting up with Alex for long, but the push and pull would have been interesting, far more than the stuff with her doormat, Warren.

It's too bad they mostly paired Mike with mousy women.

[zanereed]

I think the push and pull between Alex and Mike would have worked for awhile. I think I posted earlier in this very thread on how Mike and Alex could have worked throughout the rest of 1984 and into 1985. I think it would have been interesting to have a Mike/Alex/Lilian triangle, with Lujack and Beth being impacted in this. The culmination of this whole storyline would be a wedding planned in 1986, or just at the time that Alan could return to stop it in its tracks. Alan's reappearance could have reignited the Mike-Alan feud that had been going on since 1978.

I also heard that Pam Long was willing to write for Mike, Mitch. This is why I wonder if Stewart either didn't get along well with Beverlee McKinsey or if he wanted Mike to go in another direction romantically. It was odd that Mike never remarried after Leslie died in 1976.

[Soaplovers]

What's interesting is that Pam Long wrote for Hilary for over a year, even pairing her with Jim Reardon. It even looked like the show was flirting with a Tony/Jim/Annabelle/Hilary quadangle with Fletcher and Claire thrown in before Hilary was killed suddenly.

I had heard that Mike/Lillian/Alex was suppose to be a triangle but then Mike left suddenly so I'm unsure if the show fired him or if he quit on his own.

I was also curious on how Pam Long wrote Mike's daughter Hope vs how Marland and the Dobson's wrote her.

[DRW50]

I don't think she was on the show long when Long was there. I think they made her a drunk, then she left town.

[DRW50]

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[EastMA2]

Always loved Geraldine Court in her various soap roles. Great seeing this material again.