Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[antmunoz]

GL messed with its theme and graphics entirely too much in its last decade. After HOLD ON TO LOVE, we got the 10 second version, the Lifesavers version, the Moving Frames version, the Overdone Logos versions (Reva and Harley), the There Is A Destiny version, and the Katie Mac version. HOTL was far from played out; just needed new graphics.

[DRW50]

There are some complete spring 1991 episodes being uploaded here now, along with some other things.

https://www.youtube.com/user/thomas123853/videos

[Vee]

Since people were mentioning Hope Bauer, I will say I remember watching GL through the 2003 debacle. OLTL at the time seemed ready to dispense with Catherine Hickland as well as Roscoe Born, and I had always found Ron Raines singularly unimposing as Alan Spaulding. My idea, however misguided, was to bring Born and Hickland on as Alan and Hope Bauer. Alex would bring Hope back to town to throw Alan off his game, and the two star-crossed lovers would ultimately reunite. They'd had great chemistry as their demented characters on OLTL, and of course they were on The City together.

[DRW50]

That would have been a really interesting idea. Born had had a small role on GL a few years earlier, but it still could have worked.

[Vee]

It was particularly pie in the sky because I wanted them to get Beverlee McKinsey back, which would never have happened. I believe she also said no to AW before it ended.

I had much weirder, darker ideas than that for Blake and Ross's twins, too, something I always thought was a good one, but it would have required their literally being retconned into being identical twins instead of fraternal, which is just too big a hurdle for me to jump, looking back as an adult - it's Pratt-esque, to introduce that out of nowhere.

Edited February 22, 2015 by Vee

[NothinButAttitude]

Do you guys think that Roscoe could pull off being Alan?

I like RB but his performances always came off as pervy in a sense. Maybe because he was tight cast in those roles in soaps. The only time I've seen him not play a vile role was from clips when he was Robert Barr on SB.

And Vee, share your story for the Marler twins. I wanna hear it.

[DRW50]

Born played a decent guy on The City.

I do share your concerns about Alan, but I feel like the character needed the change after moribund Raines, who by that point was written like the grandfather in the Werthers Originals ads had dropped acid.

[NothinButAttitude]

You're so shady, Carl.

Are there any other actors that you think would've played the role Alan well? How did everyone feel about Daniel Pilon's Alan? I wonder why they didn't try and get him back....

[robbwolff]

Interesting. My hope during that period was that GL would bring on Roscoe Born as Ed Bauer. A bit younger than Peter Simon but I thought his presence would give the Bauer family a much needed boost and a sexy patriarch.

[heffer]

I don't think Roscoe would have been a good match because Alan was supposed to be upper-crusty and RB always excelled at more "from the streets" type characters. He may had been better as a recast Roger.

The biggest problem for me wasn't Raines, but the way the writers portrayed Alan as if they never went back and watched CB's version of the character.

[DRW50]

I thought Pilon was dull as hell.

I think Dennis Parlato would have made a better Alan recast than Roger recast.

I think Randolph Mantooth might have made an interesting Alan recast as well.

[heffer]

I liked Pilon somewhat, but they did write him as an evil dullard that would go to lengths that the Bernau version would not go to stop Phillip and Blake's wedding. Almost as if to say "Hey look, Roger wasn't THAT bad after all"!

100 percent agree about Parlato. His version of Clay almost feels like a dry run of Alan. Mantooth I really can't see though (and yes, I know he played "Clay" (imposter) also).

Edited February 22, 2015 by heffer

[Khan]

As do I.

Long ago, I had in mind someone to play Alan, but it's way too embarrassing to share now if I haven't already. Besides, these days, I'm of the opinion that no one other than Chris Bernau could have done the part justice. Just as no one other than Beverlee McKinsey could have done Alexandra justic (contrary to what BM herself believed).

Edited February 22, 2015 by Khan

[NothinButAttitude]

Share, Khan. You're in a no judgment zone. Why be embarrassed? No one is going to laugh at you.

[Khan]

My choice was the original Sweeney Todd, Mr. Len Cariou.