Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Bill Bauer]

Although my personal favorite Ed was RG, I MUCH preferred MH over PS. RG's Ed was a smart-ass but he owned it. PS's Ed was kind of a passive-aggressive, smug smart-ass. MH was by far the most likable. I thought maybe he quit acting after GL and that's why he never came back but his list of credits go up to 1995. 

[vetsoapfan]

 

Perfectly said.

[zanereed]

As far as why Hulswit was not hired after Marland had moved to ATWT, I really don't know. As others have correctly noted here, he didn't give up acting at all. He was still active for years after the show let him go.

 

I have heard from a few people in the past that Hulswit became critical of Marland's writing once Marland took over as headwriter in 1980.  I'm not certain *what* the issues were, but Marland apparently became so fed up with it, he pressured the Executive Producer at that time, Allen M. Potter, to fire Hulswit and recast Ed. Potter was reluctant to do so, but finally gave in and terminated Hultwit in the summer of 1981.

 

As @vetsoapfan stated above, Marland was not kind at all to Hulswit in the press. Which, to me, was surprising, as I always understood it that Marland had good relationships with the actors. Apparently, this wasn't the case.

 

I wish I could find the book, but there was a section in some book I was reading a few years ago about soap operas and soap opera production where Potter actually talked about his firing of Hulswit, stating something along the lines that he regretted doing it, and felt pressure to do it from the writing staff. I am blanking on the book though. Potter also discussed the character of Alan Spaulding in that same book. Does anyone remember this book at all...?

 

Here's where I laugh about wanting to recast with a "younger" Ed:

 

Mart Hulswit DOB: May 24, 1940.

 

Peter Simon DOB: September 27, 1943.

 

So, I guess they were successful in getting a younger Ed, all of 3 years younger...

[Bill Bauer]

 

 

Pure speculation but I wonder if it had something to do with Kelly popping up as Ed's godson and replacing him as the "stud" of the show? 

[BetterForgotten]

Soaps Past will have an interview with Jerry verDorn and Maureen Garrett on 9/14.

 

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Edited September 4, 2020 by BetterForgotten

[raffaella]

 

I know only Peter SImon Ed; he seemed neurotic almost likes holly and Roger..(remember the Hero's party?). I don't known how holly could consider him like her"safe Place", they were very similar to me ! (Sorry for my english)

I can't wait

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[Mitch]

Hmmm, while I agree that O'Leary is not as funny as he thought, and apparently the rest of the cast and crew who let him mug it up on camera, but Tuc Watkins??? I never saw him in a role where he did not come across as gay and his humor was more bitchy then actually being funny. No, Rick needed an all American nice guy and if you wanted him sexy (and straight) I would have gone with that guy who played Mike on DH..(Tuc Watkins made me think of that..) James Denton, who always plays the quite parts but comes across as a nice solid guy you can count on...

 

And I never want to see Rick Bauer in a thong...and they always have to parade Watkins around in one.

 

Good description, that is why MH was a good contrast..he was a nice guy who would keep you warm and night..and besides the booze problem, was pretty much not neurotic. So that made sense that Holly would gravitate towards that. Did MG and RG have chemistry when he returned?

 

[prefab1]

 

James Denton is DILFy goodness, but he was still on Desperate Housewives from 2004-2012. And besides, GL already had too many hunky middle-aged guys who fit that mold and who they didn't know what to do with (e.g. poor Kurt McKinney). If they really had to recast Rick, then Matthew Ashford might have been a good fit for the character. But they could have served MOL better by bringing back Krista Tesreau's Mindy back earlier--they could have been a really cute supporting couple. 

[Paul Raven]

Mart Hulswit was cute as younger man but by the early 80's he was overweight and balding thus the decision to let him go.

Don Stewart had aged much better, so Mike was retained at that time.

[RavenWhitney]

Exactly, remember they were competing with Gloria Monty's GH at the time. The interesting thing is that Luke/AG was never hot and aged a lot. Gloria and AG made it work.  The Dobson's had played Ed/Mike/Rita/Holly for years.  It needed a bit of a rest anyway.  I never liked PS as Ed even though I like the actor. He was a sourpuss as my Granny used to say. I think he always resented playing Ed and it came through.

[zanereed]

 

Hulswit had actually thinned out a bit by 1980 (as can be seen on YT during the Summer 1980 Bauer pool scenes), probably due to pressure put on him by the studio, although I have no confirmation on this. I know that TPTB were looking to eliminate the Bauer family - or to downsize them significantly - but Marland kept that at bay during his tenure there. The point could be made that both Mike and Ed became more supporting players versus part of front burner storylines.

Edited September 5, 2020 by zanereed

[DRW50]

 

I wonder at times if Marland was humbled by his unpleasant experience at GL and whatever happened at Loving. I was surprised to see an older interview with him from The Doctors where he basically criticized Julia Duffy for leaving the show as he didn't get to tell the story he planned for Penny.

[victoria foxton]

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[Mitch]

Just throwing out "types". MA never did anything for me  and McKinney...well, he wasn't the strongest actor and the Van/Matt storyline had nowhere to go...as long as the Mattessa's held sway...( Van should have assumed the Alex role battling Alan for control of Spaulding but keeping her moral center, and that would turn off Matt who just wanted her sit at home and sigh all day.) I think Matt and Beth would have been hot, or Matt and Blake (they should have had the one night stand not Blake and Rick..wow..woudlnt the Mattessas and Blossies go nuts) but never at the expense of making Van look like an old crone.

 

Agreed on bringing KT back, but after Alex/Rog/Mindy it would be hard to go back to KT...a good recast Mindy who looked like she had a past and could go toe to toe with Alex would have been good, but Rick still loves her. 

 

 

 

[Faulkner]

Paul Michael Valley could have made a solid Rick IMO.