Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Efulton]

I just watched the Locher Room interview with Ellen, Harley and Michael.  I really enjoyed it and thought Ellen Dolan was funny and interesting.  As a huge Texas fan I love it that Michael and Harley enjoyed their time on the show.  

[zanereed]

@vetsoapfan, "Elsa" was the forum member I was replying to above

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 - Lisa's mother was indeed "Alma"!

 

I am wondering if I am misremembering Charita being off screen in 1983, as your memory is so keen that I would trust yours more than mine at this point!

Edited May 2, 2021 by zanereed

[robbwolff]

I think Bert was off-screen in early 1984, not 1983. She was very prominent throughout 1983. She was in the story involving the older German hospital patient (Martin). Didn't Annabelle live with her after she was introduced? Bert was part of the story involving Annabelle and Eli, which led to Bill Bauer's murder. They even hinted at a possible romance between Bert and HB. I think Bert went off-screen after the story involving the mystery of Annie Sims ended. She returned in May 1984 when Tony and Annabelle were married.

[zanereed]

 

Thank you, @robbwolff - it *was* 1984, which I assume was because of Charita's surgery? Did they give any reason on-screen as to why? I'm now starting to think they never did address any sister of Bert's after all, and @vetsoapfan was absolutely correct!

[Soaplovers]

Bert and HB....now that would have been fun.  

[vetsoapfan]

 

I think we all remember certain things with spot-on clarity, while other facts become cloudy over time. I am usually very obsessive about historical facts and accuracy when new writers and producers come aboard a soap, and I watch them like a hawk. There were loads of continuity and factual errors after Douglas Marland and Pat Falken Smith left. It seemed to me that the new PTB either did not know the show's history, or simply did not care to follow it. That's why my gut tells me that if Bert Bauer's long-unmentioned sister had been referenced, I would have zeroed right in on it and started doing extensive research to see if Bert had had a sister whom I had been in the dark about for decades. That being said, I trust your memory too, so....

 

 

That's how I remember it too. To give Pamela Long credit, I thought the little story with Bert and Martin Bruhner was lovely. 

 

 

I'm not trying to convince you that your memory is faulty! If you believe that the show referenced Bert's sister, I believe you! Just because I have no memory of it at all does not mean I am correct. I might just be having a "senior's moment," LOL!

[robbwolff]

Bruhner was before Pam Long. He arrived around March so it was either during the L. Virginia Browne/Gene Palumbo stint or when the Cullitons and Gary Tomlin were interim head writers.

[Mitch]

Bert was indeed front and center with Long and Kobe...to their credit, and yes, the plan was for Bert and H.B....(when they Lewis boys came to town and went on a yelling spree in Cedars Bert put a stop to them right away...)Bert was running the Patient Advocate program (I wish they would have had Abby take that up later in a nod to history) and in what had to be a scene written for Bert  before Charita become ill, H.B. came looking for her to give him advice on his kids and found Mo instead and talked to her.  The explanation for Bert being gone was that she was visiting Meta and then Mo went to visit and came back and told Ed, and the viewing audience, not to be upset but Bert had lost a lot of weight but she is fine.

 

I don't understand why they did not bring Meta in then to fill the void or use Bea instead of just letting her sit there and then the actress left. 

[vetsoapfan]

 

I thought Martin Bruhner arrived in the summer, but if he showed up in March, then the Cullitons and Tomlin must have been writing. And here I was trying to give Long a compliment on her first stint as TGL's headwriter; the first time THAT has happened in almost four decades, LOL! 

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[72Hearts]

Speaking of Pam long? I have an of and on (friendly) argument with a friend whether she was the best GL writer? She certainly brought on lots of great characters but I don't think she was great at ensemble storytelling.

[Forever8]

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[zanereed]

 

Bridget and Jerome Dobson are still my favorite writers for TGL.

[KMan101]

 

I would love it. LOL. I'm shocked he wants to talk to her. I'd love it but I don't see it happening. Everytime I see a Hillary scene now all I picture is Marsha Clarke eavesdropping on her co-stars and ratting them all out as she gets thrown at man after man. 

 

I liked her as Hillary too. They should have just recasted. 

Edited May 3, 2021 by KMan101

[zanereed]

 

Thank you for the clarification - my memory is certainly cheating lately. I'm going to make it a point to watch whatever earlier episodes are available on from all of 1983 and early 1984 on YT.

 

Earlier this year I was watching the spring and summer of 1984, because I was trying to remember how the Alexandra/Mike/Lilian triangle played out. I'm thinking that Charita must not have been well during August, when the Springfield Founders Day Celebration was happening. In fact, it was jarring to see HB Lewis giving a speech about Springfield, when he had only been there for less than a year!

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I wonder why the show didn't try to redirect back to HB/Bert, once Charita had started reappearing during the spring and summer of 1984?

[Soapsuds]

So what is the scoop on all this? Where did the rumors come from? I loved her as Hillary.

Isn't it sad...well for me it is...that they were great on GL and ATWT but were dreadful on their own soap Santa Barbara....

Edited May 3, 2021 by Soapsuds