Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Bill Bauer]

 

Not at all and that’s why they were my favorite soap family. To me, the Hughes family were the”good guys” and more boring family. Trudy hated Meta. Meta shot and killed her husband. Bill was an alcoholic who cheated on Bert several times. Bert was a nagging shrew in her younger years. Mike was a womanizer who drove the mother of his child to suicide and committed adultery with the wife of a crippled man. Ed was an alcoholic who beat one wife and cheated on another wife, indirectly causing her death. The only real “good guys” would probably be Papa Bauer, Mama Bauer, Chuckie, Hope, Hilary, Maureen, Rick and Michelle. That’s a pretty big number but the greater Bauer family was always so complex. I love the Hughes family but they were a little “too good” for a soap family. 

Edited June 12, 2019 by BillBauer

[Mitch]

I thought Jean Carol's Nadine and Simon's Ed would have been interesting! She would bring the warmth and fun to Ed. Actually, I would have recast Simon, I thought he was a cold fish, but Ed and Nadine would have been fun and took Nadine out of Buzz (EWWWW) orbit.

[j swift]

@BillBauer I agree that not all Bauers were good guys.  Upon reflection, I don't even think Rick was very virtuous.  He had multiple affairs, he cheated in med school with Claire, and he practiced while under the influence with Annie.  It is a flaw in my writing/posting style that I always wind up comparing characters which causes more a focus on the comparison as opposed to the original comment.  

 

@Mitch I never noticed how much I didn't enjoy Peter Simon's characterization until I watched Springfielder's YT profiles.  He was so stiff and stuffy, and not at all sexy. 

[redontop4]

 

Nadine's exit actually bothered me more than Maureen's. At least Mo was given a big, very dramatic, exquisitely written, beautifully produced send-off. Nadine's was quick and cheesy and ultimately macabre (didn't they find her decomposed body on Christmas Eve or something like that?). But the fans did not cry out, as I recall, even though it was a loss of a considerable talent.

 

Jenna's death was at least more heart-wrenching but, yes, also needless and ill-advised.

[robbwolff]

 

Mary was in talks to join GL in 1987. She stated so in one interview. However, her character was to be called Hannah Bauer. That was during the period Sheri Anderson was head writer. I'm not sure how Hannah was supposed to be related to the rest of the Bauer family.

[j swift]

My recollection is slightly different.  Nadine's murder was shocking because it raised the stakes in Brent's plot to where it felt like any character could be at risk.  Most soap serial killers only kill off superfluous characters, so when someone that close to Lucy died it had a great deal of impact. 

 

Although, your point is well taken that Mo's family got better written, (and performed), grieving scenes.  The exception is that most of her family of origin wasn't around to watch grieve by the time she left this mortal coil.

 

Also, I vaguely recall that SOW did not have spoilers that the actress was leaving, which contributed to the surprise.  However, I think that the SOW editors did not approve of either the violence or the loss of the character.

Edited June 12, 2019 by j swift

[Bill Bauer]

 

Oh wow. Now that you mention that, I vaguely remember it. Given the year, I’m sure they were going to link her to the fake Bauers (Jack, Lanie, Johnny and Lacey). 

[MichaelGL]

Having a lighthearted comedic character (which is what Nadine was at the time) succumb to such violence was tasteless and is on the same level of Frankie's death on AW (interestingly, didn't these happen within one year of another?).

 

[victoria foxton]

Brent killed Nadine in October of 95. Fairfax murdered Frankie on August 29,1996.

[DramatistDreamer]

Watching some May 1993 episodes that include Frank & Eleni's wedding.

 

I've just thought of the possibility that with the raucous, block party-like atmosphere on Fifth Street, Frank & Eleni just may have had the original Big, Fat Greek Wedding (both families were Greek). 

 

(Steve & Betsy on ATWT had a Greek wedding nearly a decade before. Theirs was highly traditional, albeit beautiful ceremony, while Frank & Eleni's had a more celebratory feel).

Edited June 13, 2019 by DramatistDreamer

[MichaelGL]

Yeah, the P&G soaps (primarily GL and AW, ATWT was close) were in a competition of trying to become the most violent, misogynistic, trashy display of daytime television around this time. 

[KateW]

Today (June 14) marks 30 years since Christopher Bernau passed away. RIP.

[OzFrog]

 

The other day I came across this clip on Youtube. It’s a 1984 clip with Chris Bernau and Beverley McKinsey, when Alex forced Alan to hand over control of Spaulding Enterprises to her. This was so delicious to watch!

 

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Edited June 17, 2019 by OzFrog
Relinked video

[DAMfan]

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Still miss Chris Bernau 

 

 

 

 

[Faulkner]

Such a gorgeous man and excellent actor. The toll of HIV/AIDS in the arts (and elsewhere, of course) was absolutely devastating.