Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Kimmy]

Well, as I recall, in one interview months before quitting GL, she did say she had no romantic ideas about being an actor or fulfilling  a desire as an actor. She simply wanted to pay her mortgage. She was also a child actor so maybe 30 years was enough for her.  Plus GL was in an excessively depressing state mentally and physically.  I also imagine her salary was cut substantially over there. Chosing to leave GL was a better decision financially. Unfortunately AMC had a horrible writer that didn't care for her or any of the other AMC characters for that matter and they simply were not financially stable. They were just has sick but had more insurance so they died with dignity. GL cancelled 2009 and AMC cancelled 2011. She would have an extra 2 years soap actor salary if she moved to LA and then what? 44 yr old actress looking for a stable job in Lala land is not the best move for a single mom.   

[Darn]

Beth Ehlers is a peach.

[Mitch]

I

Yea,  that story really makes her look like the toxic person she seemed to be near the end of her run on GL (and as Zimmer referred to in her book.) But it looks as if she may have got her act together now..good for her. She admits in the interview that she had no identity out of acting..(weird that she was a mom and saying that but..) so maybe she did fixate on Harley.  However, instead of becoming more like Harley (the down to earth, complicated girl..) they seemed to make Harley more like Ehlers (brittle, shrill and unpleasant.)  I remember right with Kriezman suddenly Harley was the Reva of old.. no man could resist her and she became skinny (remember the superhero show which seemed to be created just to show off her abs) and more angular and..blonder..(was she trying to compete with Wright??) Its interesting that no one ever mentions her in all these interviews.

 

I have to love the LM comment that she was keeping GL on the air...uh, I doubt he cared two sh*ts about the show. Reminds me of VW from Another World is constantly said that the head of the network only kept the show on because of her..uh..right.

 

All in all, good to have a career outside of acting!

[Khan]

Well, I'll say this much: her comments about Chuck Pratt, and about writing for soap audiences, were spot-on.

Edited April 30, 2020 by Khan

[Soaplovers]

I think she was burned out..and I think her jumping to AMC was her thinking she needed a change.  Only to find out, it wasn't the shows that burnt her out..but the profession.

 

She seems happier.  I've noticed those not acting as much anymore (MG, BC, etc) seem happier and more content.  Outside of Emme Rylan, who is still a delight.

[soapfan770]

 

I saw she included that LM bit in there and I was like “Why is she even botherIng to go there”? I do wonder now that’s been over a decade if she is seeking for closure on her daytime career that she never properly received back then.

 

VW’s comments? Funny that a story of bad/rude  behavior at a Rhode Island ice cream shoppe in 1994 followed her years and years. 

 

[Aback]

God, I need to buy that book. What did Zimmer say about BE?

 

I agree with everything you said. And the Les Moonves quote had me in stitches. Please. 

What happened in Rhode Island?

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Sorry to be so petulant haha

[Kimmy]

I enjoyed that interview from years ago. But I listened to the whole hour. She's balsy and a realist. I liked how she described Harley's different experiences/relationship/chemistry like a bowl of soup. She has that it is what it is type of attitude.  I remember her saying she's an old lady stuck in a young person's body. She kind of is. She was shocked that Crystal Chappell had a twitter account. I  don't think she realized most of her castmates were on there. But the interview was extremely honest.  It's like she was having a convo with her best girlfriend while sipping wine. I did feel bad for a vulnerable 25 year old JR because he was obviously hurt. He's use to people being amazed by his journey and personality 24/7 so Beth's comment probably was a shock and just stabbed him in his heart. I think Beth was amazed by JR but I guess working closely with him for a few months made her see  him as a regular and normal person and not necessarily a wounded war veteran.  Just like his family probably does. But I don't believe her bow and arrow was aiming towards JR...it was aimed at Pratt and she didn't give a damm and he certainly deserved it. 

[BetterForgotten]

You've only posted about Beth Ehlers on this board so far, Kimmy. I can only assume you must be her.

[Kimmy]

I think she was ready to leave acting even before she went to AMC.  She was studying to be an EMT while she was playing Harley. The only problem was she had to figure out how she was going to eat. And she would have to walk away from a lucrative and successful career. It would be easy to leave behind an actively dying GL but glamorous offers from AMC and Y&R not so much. 

I only care about her. Not here for anyone else quite frankly. 

[soapfan770]

 

In the late ‘90’s an anecdote from an ex-AW viewer on a popular TV discussion website at the time revealed they had a bad encounter with VW. Apparently in the summer of 1994 Wyndham went to an ice cream shop in Rhode Island and created a scene, being quite nasty and arrogant to the poster’s mother, a big AW fan too who owned the shop over the service and who she(VW) was. The poster and their mother vowed to never  watch AW again.

 

An interesting anecdote considering I've always thought VW to be a gracious woman off-screen with perhaps a few diva quirks here and there. I doubt VW's losing sleep (or money) over this, but it goes to show how an alleged incident of bad behaviour from a celeb can just live on and on just like Ehlers. 

 

 

[antmunoz]

Kim never named BE but said this co-star fell in love with all her co-stars and ended marriages for them.  (Well, two, Derwin and Bogue.) Bogue was supposed to leave his wife for her...but didn’t.  This pissed BE off and she became very toxic on set. 
 

Didn’t life imitate art in this case?  Bogue did leave his wife for Mandy Bruno just as Mallet eventually wound up with Harley’s niece Marina. 

[Aback]

 

Woah... 

 

I always found it strange there was no rumor about BE and RPG (as far as I know at least). Or is RPG gay? I also find it strange that RPG hasn't joined any of these reunions, either for GL or AW. I found him hot on AW but could not care about him anywhere else.

[Forever8]

Ricky Paul Goldin did a recent podcast interview with SOD about a few weeks ago. 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2SjXZInhV3SbEAuAdJHtGA?si=g47xpdNzTfaJXtA1GxOPCw

[Aback]

 

Oh cool! Thanks.