Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[NothinButAttitude]

I thought that they said she went to go visit her sister named Trudy in NYC?

[Khan]

They might have. I was in and out with GL by that point, so I might have missed that.

[cassadine1991]

Speaking of Trudy why wasn't she brought back or had any children?

[Khan]

I think Claire Labine had plans to bring back Trudy (as a homeless woman?) but MADD rejected her long-term story projections, resulting in that brief period when Labine and her kids quit before MADD, unable to find a replacement, asked her back.

[NothinButAttitude]

See I think Labine and her kids could've flourished had they not have MADD interfering in stories. Some of her stories were duds (i.e. Buzz/Holly/Billy triangle), but given time, I think she would've found her footing and brought about a new "golden age" for GL.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Nothin'ButAttitude

[Khan]

Agree. Claire Labine was successful at GH, IMO, because she had the full support of ABC and her producer, Wendy Riche. Same goes for the early years of RYAN'S HOPE, when she and her collaborator, Paul Avila Mayer, owned the show and then-VP of daytime, Michael Brockman, offered only minimal guidance.

[NothinButAttitude]

That pisses me off because I feel like she shouldn't have anyone hovering over her. She's freaking Claire Labine. Her track record spoke for itself. Things like this just further strengthen my belief that around '99 (when they canceled AW) P&G wanted out the soap game and was willing to do anything to sabotage them. While ATWT had a resurgence the first 5 years of the '00s, GL flopped all the way to its ending. I think '02 maybe '03 was the last time I truly enjoyed the show.

But I would've loved to have seen what stories Claire had for the show. I would've loved for her to fix the Bauer clan and put them back at the center of the show where they rightfully belonged. I just would've loved to have seen a competent writer take the reigns of this show since Curlee's departure.

[robbwolff]

In regard to Labine's plans… On a board I frequent, one person (who claims to be a soap writer) said that Mae (who sold cigarettes at Millennium) was supposed to turn out to be Stacey, Nola's daughter with Floyd. I'm not sure how true that is.

[Khan]

I've heard the same, robb. Supposedly, Mae was supposed to be Stacey (hence all the 1940's references, since Nola enjoyed watching old movies); however, plans were changed after Lisa Brown refused to return to the show.

[NothinButAttitude]

Well that sucks. I would've loved for a Nola/Quint (Michael Tylo version) to make a return. They would've been a breath of fresh air (along with J, Stacey, and the other Reardons) in the show's final years.

It was always my dream to have J (played by Jason Gerhardt) & Bill fight over Lizzie with J winning, and Tom Reardon (played by Chad Brannon) vying for Marah's (played by Martha Madison) heart.

[cassadine1991]

Interesting you should mention Martha Madison as Marah, if GL hadn't have been canceled she would've probably been casted since she auditioned back in 2002 and again a day before P&G announced the cancellation

Would've loved Gerhardt as J. Loved him as Cooper on GH

I wonder if MADD and P&G hadn't have interfered how would've Labine's GL would've been like

[robbwolff]

If they went that route, I hope they would have recast the role of Mae. Elizabeth Hobgood was painful to watch.

[robbwolff]

Which character did Madison audition for? I don't recall hearing that GL was planning to bring back Marah. They were planning to bring back Michelle Bauer and there were rumors early in 2009 that Madison was slated to play Michelle.

[zanereed]

Correct. Martha Madison was rumored to be auditioning for Michelle Bauer, along with BethAnn Bonner who also auditioned. In fact, the soap press stated it was Bonner who snagged the role of Michelle before the show was cancelled, and then they decided not to use her (NSA was eventually asked to return for a brief stint as Michelle to close out the show). I don't remember GL ever having plans to bring back Marah. Maybe they would have brought Marah back if Kim Zimmer wasn't going to renew her contract and they would need a way to usher Reva out?

Edited May 15, 2014 by zanereed

[Khan]

Agree.