Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[robbwolff]

 

Yep. That's what she said. I think she was written out in May 1995, so I'm not sure if it was Farren Phelps or Michael Laibson who fired her.  Tina Sloan seemed genuinely surprised about how Ellen Parker got news of her firing. It was so wonderful to see all four of them. I got choked up when I saw Ellen.

[BetterForgotten]

Michael Laibson talked about recasting Michelle when he joined the show. I think it was his decision.

 

Also, Rachel’s father was Peter Miner, a longtime director at OLTL.

[cassadine1991]

During the OLTL reunion, Erin Torpey talked about how Rachel was up for the role of Jessica  when she was auditioning 

[BoldRestless]

I would watch a show with these ladies today... they all look great and they took their work so seriously.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Same. I was really impressed with how much Rachel seemed to know about the inner workings of soap production and what made them so popular and how some seemingly lost their way. I wish the people running soaps today actually demonstrated this type of knowledge. 

Also, I kept thinking how appalled she'd be with how Y&R handled their MS "story"--particularly insulting, especially since, from what I saw growing up, Y&R used to handle disability with much more depth.

[Soapsuds]

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[BetterForgotten]

I was kinda surprised Alan let them get a little candid here - like when Tina asked Ellen Parker if JFP gave her a reason why they were going to kill off Maureen. Ellen of course said it was because of some focus group sh!t, the excuse we've heard over and over again. 

[John]

Joy Lenz quit in 2000 but was Rebecca Budig fired?

[chrisml]

It was so thrilling to see Ellen Parker again. Her story made me dislike JFP even more if that's possible. I was amused that Tina Sloan kept calling her Maureen. It was also touching to her Sloan talk about having to write the letter. MY only quibble is I think Miner tended to talk over the other women especially Sloan.

[Soapsuds]

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Ellen to Tina: Just write the fcking letter

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Edited August 13, 2020 by Soapsuds

[Soaplovers]

 

I think anything pre Alan working at P & G might be ok to talk about..imho

[Asb23]

Great interview. Interesting that at the beginning Alan had to ask fans to be nice in the comments. I don’t think any fans would have anything bad to say about any on the ladies. It was the leadership and the storyline most took issue with.

 

So nice to see Rachel after all these years . Pretty sh$tty that she found out she was being replaced in a magazine. It never made sense to me since they kept Bryan Buffinton. They had a gold mine with those two kids/actors and much like losing Maureen, replacing Rachel took me out of the story. I no longer cafes about Michelle at that point.

 

Too bad Maeve lost her connection. 
 

As always I appreciate Alan’s efforts and the actors agreeing to appear!

[BoldRestless]

 

And it wasn't that the focus group didn't like her, it was that no one mentioned in her as part of a couple they want to get together - because she was happily married! Like they can't even see a character as something other than part of a hot pairing. Ugh.

 

I really loved when Tina was talking about a woman who didn't cry over her own breast cancer but did over Lillian's, and Ellen said the shows were that kind of catharsis for so many women who didn't let themselves stop and feel for themselves. She GETS what the shows meant to so many people.

[John]

Bryan grew into a good looking Teen. I think he was surprised he lasted til 1998 given that RB was older than him

[Bill Bauer]

 

 

I think that may have been a leftover from the writers chat. Apparently there was a lot of negative comments in that chat. For good reason.