Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Soaplovers]

Lujack was Vincent's best character he played...followed by his AMC character David.

It is sad the 2000s had such non descript sets unlike the sets they had in the 80s and 90s.

[Khan]

Whenever I think about GL, that set is one of the first things that comes to mind.  It's amazing to me how long that set survived.

[dc11786]

One of my favorite episodes from 2004 features Eden's apartment in the beginning and end of the episode:

Please register in order to view this content

This episode is about two months into Ellen Wheeler's run when the scripts are still being credited to Ellen Weston. In this period, the show is telling about four or five interlocked storylines that you can see playing out here:

1) Phillip has been released from the sanitarium and has returned to play out a "War of Roses" style marriage to his new bride, Olivia. To secure her daughter's birthright, and to achieve her quest for power that she has been on since she has arrived onscreen, Olivia is looking to take over Spaulding Enterprises. Spaulding is under scrutiny as there is suggestions that the pharmaceutical division is being used to traffick drugs, which has led to a mad stock dump by characters fearing financial losses. Someone has been buying up the stock and Olivia is desperate to know who. 

2) Danny's mob past has come back to haunt him when it comes out that the mayoral election he won has been rigged by the mob. To finally cut ties, Danny is working with the mob to be free. Eden August, Gus's sister and Bill's girlfriend, has also decided she needs to be free from her former lover/partner-in-crime Vinnie Salerno. Both are working with Jeffrey to bring down Salerno and free themselves of their ties to organized crime. Escalating the emotional conflict, Bill has proposed to Eden and they have begun to plan a wedding that is never to be. I believe at the end of the week, we have the warehouse bombing where Eden is "dead" and a nosey Michelle is left with brain damage. 

3) Tammy's romance with Joey Lupo has been complicated by her sexual attraction to her mother's boyfriend, Edmund. Meanwhile, Lizzie is sniffing around Joey wanting him for herself. Tammy's mother and Edmund are aware of Tammy's infatuation, but Joey still is in the dark (I believe). I believe Sandy's "idea" that he speaks about is the Spaulding internship contest. 

4) Sandy has developed an infatuation with Marina, even though Marina is involved with Sandy's brother, Shayne. Shayne is blissfully unaware. 

The highlights in this for me are:

a) Alexandra and Philip's scenes at Spaulding Enterprises. Probably some of Dusay's finest, understated work. Also, there's a Lujack reference. 

b) Olivia crashing Bill's bachelor party to Daniel Beddingfield's "James Dean" which is basically the beginning of the Olivia / Bill pairing. 

c) Billy's presence as the host of the party. 

d) The general cast integration at the bachelor party with interplay between characters who don't interact like Gus / Edmund. 

[soapfan770]

Did Conboy really give Teresa Hill’s Eden that big old set like he built a baseball field for Shayne? 

I don’t remember Deborah Zoe’s Eden ever doing anything aside from her and Tony getting a creepy call from some in a mask who was supposedly Jeffrey but that’s all I remember, mainly because I HATED what the show became in early 2004.

Edited January 15, 2024 by soapfan770

[dc11786]

Yes. It did out last the Garden of Eden murders though. Right after Eden "dies," Bill tears it apart and it becomes a much smaller, much darker, and much different looking set that is essentially Bill and briefly Bill and Olivia's for the remainder of 2004 and into 2005 I believe. 

The original set in the picture aired between March, 2003 and May, 2004. I believe by June the set had already been broken down. 

Wheeler pretty much cut a lot of the sets when she came in, which made sense. Orchid Manor was sold. Eden's apartment underwent renovations. I think even the lobby of the Beacon lobby shrank, but I might be wrong. That Main Street set I think was used in May, 2004, to reintroduce Marina (Mandy Bruno) after Kit Paquin's quick exit. I don't remember it being used very often. The office that was used for Harley's Angels was eliminated, which I think may have housed a crisis hotline in memory of Ben Reade. 

in rewatching that 2004 episode, I forgot how intiially there was also a lot of pop music in the Wheeler era. Not only is Daniel Beddingfield's song used (he had appeared a year earlier to sing to Danny and Michelle at their 4th of July wedding) but you can hear Maroon 5's "This Love" playing at Bill's bachelor party as well during a Joey / Lizzie conversation. Prior to this, "All for Love" was used in April for a montage involving the Bauer family and others after Ross one the election (possibly after Leah was born). During the wrap party for Romeo & Juliet, Joey seranaded an absent Tammy (she was off trying to kiss Edmund) with "Your Song" by Elton John. Later in the summer, Dido's "White Flag" played during a teen scene about Tammy and Joey.

[soapfan770]

Thanks @dc11786 I definitely remember one of the Garden of Eden murders occurring at a gothic looking country club set (the escort was on a date with Alan). Not to mention they wasted Colleen Dion for the opening murder

Please register in order to view this content

I remember Daniel Beddingfield being on GL as that song was used in overkill for CBS “Hot Enough for You” campaign for the summer of 2003, including a promo of Amber dangling Little Eric off a cliff. 

[P.J.]

Right? I can't really think of one that survived longer. 

[kalbir]

I didn't think much of Mark Derwin acting when he was on Y&R, so I was surprised that he became so popular on GL, winning SOD 1993 Hottest Male Star over Antonio Sabato Jr. and getting a Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nomination that same year. He also became a Friend of Jill, as I'm pretty sure she brought him over to One Life to Live.

[Khan]

She did.

[Mona Kane Croft]

Didn't Roger Thorpe live in the set in the 1970s?   

[kalbir]

Thanks for confirming Khan.

[DRW50]

I just flat out despised Nick for large portions of his run. Only in his last year when Mindy was gone and he had the story with Susan did I feel more moderate towards him. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Vincent's work on AMC, but then, David was just a much more interesting character. Beyond sanctimonious, I'm not sure Nick had a personality.

[MichaelGL]

Yep, that set is from the Paul Rauch/John Conboy era. 

And #3 is definitely Danny and Michelle's mansion. 

[Soapsuds]

Please register in order to view this content

[Sapounopera]

In 2000 Rob became the Art Director for the CBS-TV daytime drama Guiding Light. He has been nominated for three Emmys for his work on that show. On permanent sets for kitchens, restaurants and hotels with Guiding Light, he has been a part of earthquakes, floods and fires. He then made the transition into handheld, location and exterior work in the show's later years. He was with Guiding light through its last episode in 2009. 

The Bauer kitchen:

Please register in order to view this content

You can see the Boarding House, the Beacon and Towers among others here: 

https://www.robodorisiodesigns.com/television

Edited January 15, 2024 by Sapounopera