Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[zanereed]

 

So am I. I think it was discussed earlier in this very thread, but I don't know that there was ever a definitive answer. I think at one point I assumed it was L. Virginia Browne's idea. But now you have me reconsidering again - as was indicated a few pages back, things that Browne said regarding her time on GL weren't always so accurate.

 

Thank you!!! I vaguely remember this, but I haven't seen it since it aired. I only saw Don Stewart on a few nighttime shows (Profiler, X-Files, 90210) during the 1990's. I wish he would have returned to TGL beyond just the short cameo in 1997.

[DRW50]

It never made any sense to me why they didn't, since the 1997 one seemed to be well-received. I guess Rauch was one of many producers who just didn't care about the Bauers (although he or whoever at P&G at least kept Mary Stuart on even during her illness, which is more than I can say for ABC around this point...or for P&G a few years earlier with Zaslow). Stewart's performance seemed strong and likeable in the few scenes he had. 

 

It's too bad he never really had more soap work either - you'd think he would have fit in well on the Marland-era ATWT as a love interest for someone like Lisa, or younger women. I don't know how Marland felt about him but he did write for him at GL, generally. 

 

I think he was a temp recast on AW or SB but that's all I remember. 

[zanereed]

 

I would agree. I loved the Dobson era of GL. The Dobsons - while introducing new characters and families - made certain to have those characters interact with core characters. I believe the Dobsons wrote out Ken and Andy Norris, Janet Mason, Joe Werner and Leslie Bauer (though I think this was the choice of the Lynne Adams).  Characters like Justin Marler interacted with Sara McIntyre. Rita was placed with Ed. Jackie Marler was placed with Mike Bauer (briefly), as were the Spauldings (more long term). Hillary Kincaid was eventually revealed to be a Bauer. Bill Bauer returned briefly. They didn't overhaul the show so much that it became unrecognizable.

 

However, I never understood their ATWT run at all.

 

Yes, Stewart subbed for Nicolas Coster for one episode in 1985, I think.

[robbwolff]

 

It wasn't only her time on GL where her recollections were wrong. She claims to have been head writer of Another World from November 1980 to November 1982 and that she received head writing credit during that period. Not true. Her head writing credit was removed in November/December 1981 when the awful Corinne Jacker took over. She claims that AW continued to user her bible after she left to join Marland at GL in late 1981/early 1982.

 

 

[Paul Raven]

A summary of storylines during the transition from Browne/Potter to Long/Culliton/Kobe

 

Guiding Light

 

Written by: L. Virginia Browne / Richard Culliton & Pamela K. Long

Produced by: Allen Potter / Gail Kobe

 

Rebecca escaped unhurt but Quint suffered multiple injuries in the car crash. Nola hovered at Quint’s bedisde. Amanda insisted Mark return to Jennifer but Jennifer mysteriously split town after Amanda confessed her affair with Mark. Susannah (Susie) got closer to Tony but kept her past a secret. Mark avoided a face-to-face meeting with Mona’s (Rebecca’s) father, Peter, who is staying at Alan’s. Vanessa cried crocodile tears over Quint. Hope tried to befriend Amanda. Lt. Wyatt investigated Quint’s accident.

 

Violet told Nola that Quint is really Henry’s son, Sean. Phillip boozed it up instead of studying for an exam. Ed and Maureen married. Trish remembered that Mona dated Quint in Europe. Lesley Ann was fed up that Floyd is preoccupied with Nola’s problems. Bert agreed Rick could move in with her after Ed and Maureen return from their honeymoon. Justin performed successful surgery on Quint. Josh and Morgan failed to find Jennifer. Brian tailed Peter. Alan warned Mark to toe the line at Spaulding or he’ll fire him. Helena noticed Vanessa’s interest when Peter remembered Mona had known Quint. Eve got an invitation from Ben to join him in Rome.

 

Mark got a note that Mona is alive. Ballet master Edward warned Susie won’t be happy if she gives up her career. Kelly left town, taking a leave of absence from Cedars. Mark rightly suspected Brian let Peter die of a heart attack after Peter recognized Brian. Phillip accused Hope of keeping him and Alan apart. Morgan got a letter from Jennifer, who warned Mark will dump Amanda. Morgan stole Mark’s passport then went to Brian’s hotel room looking for Jennifer. Quint and pal Gunther prepared for an archaeological dig even though Silas wrote a warning note that they abandon the project. Alan and Justin clashed over how to discipline Phillip. Floyd fixed up his new pad.

 

Mark confessed to Amanda that his father committed suicide after Alan’s father ruined him financially. Helena insisted she didn’t tell Silas about Quint and Gunther’s Tanquir dig. Quint told Nola that Henry may not remember but they once had a confrontation about Quint being Sean. Floyd and Lesley Ann moved into their new digs. Alan was miffed that Amanda always sides with Mark, whom Alan fired. Brian told Mark that he suspected Mona secretly left Paris and is back in the States. Quint told Violet he must go to Tanquir to clear his name before he can admit his true identity to Henry. Josh refused to move in with Morgan.

[Mitch]

In Long's defense I think she did a great job on the Reardon's for the first year or two.  They seemed like a real family...(and she transitioned the Irish Reardon framily from Marland's typical waspy Protestant to Catholic..) and she did a great job on Nola's wedding and the little touches...(I remember the bridesmaids getting ready in the Church basement, complete with vollyball net, etc, much to Van's dismay.) Something just happened and her writing on the abruptly changed. And yes, Tony Reardon was HOT.

 

I never understood why they didn't make Nosy Rosy Nola a reporter..I hated Jay Hammer's Fletcher but a triangle with Quint her and a hot reporter would have been good. I don't think Quint was made to be a long term character. He was too stylized for GL and he instead of Hillary should have been killed in the cottage bomb which would open Nola up for more stories.

 

I actually don't think it was Reva who watered down Vanessa but actually Alex. I think they thought she took over the aristocratic rich, driven. "botch" role and left Van with nothing to do. I think Long's second tenure she got Van right...not a bitch or a wimpy wife to Billy but a strong woman with her own identity.

[DRW50]

 

That's a good point. I think India also took over a lot of that role. 

[zanereed]

 

Exactly right. Halfway through Long's first writing stint (I'm thinking mid-1984) things just got weird. Susan Piper weird. That and the whole "Dreaming Death" storyline fit more in line with Dark Shadows than TGL.

 

Nola would have made an excellent reporter. After thinking about your Quint comment, having him killed to free up Nola would have been a great idea. In fact, it really should have been Nola versus Annabelle having "visions" in that whole Piper storyline.

Edited December 21, 2016 by zanereed

[danfling]

zanereed , Don Stewart also appeared on Dragnet prior to being a recast Michael on The Guiding Light.   I cannot remember who had the role for a short time before he did.   Could someone refresh my memory.

[zanereed]

 

Robert Pickering is who you are thinking of, I believe This is one of the few photos I've found of him (2 years before he would play Mike Bauer on TGL) from "Let's Kill Uncle".

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[Mitch]

I remember thinking the same thing, Nola should have been having the visions, and with her being Nola no one would believe her. Tony and Annabelle could have still owned the cottage and the triangle with her and his brother could have continued.  I don't think a storyline with psychic things was necessarily bad on GL..but a bit more subtle...(start with Nola having bad feeling and then seeing things out of the corner of her eye..)  I would have toned Ms. Piper down or had her move from LA or someplace...(it made no sense that she lived in mid western SF. all this time and no one seemed freaked out by her.) And of course, I would have had the pay off be something better then the dumb thing that happened..

[DRW50]

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[NothinButAttitude]

 

 

No! 

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Why would you wanna kill Quint?! Nola still could've had stories outside of him, Quint could've still assisted Nola in various capers surrounding her journalistic career, which we all know she would've involved in. I do think that a Nola/Fletcher/Quint triangle would've been hot and interesting to see how Maureen would've reacted as she had a soft spot for him in later years. 

 

I seriously think that Quint should've been transitioned into an educator, who struggled with the steadiness, restrictions, and bureaucracy of education versus being an ex-archeologist. A restless Quint could've caused tension between he and Nola, which led to him being written off for a few years had Nola chose to stick around. 

[Soaplovers]

Its always a little jarring when a new headwriter comes in and writes for characters they didnt create..Sometimes they have a different view/take that the previous headwriter doesnt...which can be a positive and/or a negative.

 

Marland wrote some of the Dobson created characters well and some not so well...

 

He wrote good stuff for Alan, Justin, Jackie (when the original Jackie was still playing her), Diane (shame she was killed off...she would have fit in well during the mid to late 80s), mike, Ed, Ross...etc

 

He didnt seem to have a good handle on Katie, Holly, Rita, Hope, nor Amanda.

 

Ive said before that Pam L had a decent handle on Tony and Nola (she knew what made nola tick...just didnt steer her in the right direction...i.e. working at the paper or being a PI)..and she evolved Vanessa past being one note..plus wrote Hope and Amanda fairly well during their brief stints under her..

 

However, she didnt keep Hilary (imagine the role she could have played when Roger/holly came back in the late 80s)..and her handle of the bauers was so so at best.

 

 

[DRW50]

Lisa Brown 42nd Street medley.

 

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Jerry ver Dorn, looking very handsome aside from an eyebrow issue, in Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been?

 

 

Edited December 28, 2016 by DRW50