Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[chrisml]

In Vincent Irizarry's defense, I don't think any actor would have been able to breathe life and interest into a lot of what he was given on his return to GL. The stories were rarely about him. It was about the women. When Simms and McKinsey departed, the character had been given so little inner life that he was not able to do much when JFP and the writers put him with actresses he didn't have chemistry with. On SB, the writers never knew how to write for most characters outside of the Capwells and they never showed much interest in his character or his romantic life. It was another example of hiring a popular actor without having a game plan for the character (a typical JFP move). They wrote off his character (Scott) in such a perfunctory way that it was obvious the show never thought him important.

 

[P.J.]

That I'm not sure of. But Ben lived there before Carrie and Ross. It was hideously decorated with wood every where. 

[Mona Kane Croft]

If I'm not mistaken, Roger and one of his early wives lived in this set.  Possibly Roger and Peggy?   I could be wrong.  

Edited January 16, 2024 by Mona Kane Croft

[GL Oldtimer]

I actually think Mark Derwin was effective as Mallet in lighter moments, especially during some of his banter with Mindy and Harley. I also thought he was quite good in some of his romantic scenes. I do see his appeal, but I had difficulty with him when he had to deliver really dramatic moments. I just didn't feel like he was able to do those as effectively. I watched him as Ben Davidson on One Life to Live, and felt he had similar struggles in dramatic scenes, especially when he was acting against Erika Slezak.

One of the reasons why I watched Guiding Light was because I always thought the acting was some of the strongest on the soaps, at least during the time when I watched in the late 80s and early 90s. I could watch actors like Michael Zaslow, Maureen Garrett, Kim Zimmer, Rick Hearst, and Beverlee McKinsey recite the phone book, especially Maureen Garrett. I was always so intrigued by her as an actress.   

Edited January 16, 2024 by GL Oldtimer

[Sapounopera]

I'been sayting that this is the same place for years. The question I have... wasn't this house part of the Wexler estate? 

And am I crazy to think that Amanda inherited Lucille's house and Alan eventually moved there with Hope? Making this the Spaulding mansion? 

[MichaelGL]

I loved this renovation of the Bauer kitchen. It's unfortunate that the set wasn't used more (I seem to recall as soon as Peter Simon left we saw less and less of the Bauer household.)

[P.J.]

Yes, the carriage house was on the grounds of the Wexler estate. I think Ben and Eve got to live there while employed by Lucille. Then Carrie and Ross moved there.

No, the Spaulding mansion was a separate entity that would've come before the Wexler set. I'm not sure if any other characters bought it after Amanda left. 

[kalbir]

Agree. It's criminal that BM was never nominated for Lead Actress for her work on GL. MZ deserved more Lead Actor wins than the one he got. MG got three nominations for Supporting Actress but the competition was tough.

[Sapounopera]

I am almost certain that I have heard Alan and Hope discuss a new home. During that time Amanda was staying at the Wexler Estate alone and I am almost certain that it was the same set with the 80s Spaulding mansion one.

Edited January 17, 2024 by Sapounopera

[Mitch64]

Agreed...I really liked Derwin as Mallet and thought he brought a masculine vibe to his role as a cop (unlike say cheesy Rusty who tried to act like a tough guy but seemed more into hair mousse, and we won't even mention Frank as a cop..) but it was the writers who should have written to his strengths, which was banter and he was better at quiet scenes then DRAMA...its like MOL, who was really good in nice big brother, friend, lightly humorous scenes but as soon as he had to be mad, or romantic he failed (I won't even mention his later, "comedy" scenes...) There should be all types of characters on soaps and yea, leave the heavy lifting to the actors who can do it.

 

I love that they kept the Spanish influence with the arch and the brick work, while making it look warm and friendly which the Bauer kitchen should be. Do New York producers like Wheeler and Gautman ever use their kitchens..cause in the midwest that is where most people hang out but it seems the shows would rather show a cop station then a kitchen. I actually think the Bauer living room with the fireplace is neck and neck with the Carriage House as longest running set. 

 

The Spaulding mansion has a convoluted history..Alan moved from Chicago there (later retro written that it was where Alan and Alex grew up under Brandon's thumb..) and had his various wives until he married Hope and in typical Marland fashion...did not like the mansion and wanted to live in a smaller house, so they moved to one that just happened to be behind Ed's house which allowed Alan and Rita to pass through the adjoining gate for some nooners. They then moved back to the mansion (so Rita would have further to go in her Walk of Shame in the afternoon?)  which was retro written to be the house adjoining the Bauer's (and the SF CC.) The Wexler mansion did have the carriage house on the property, which humpy Ben lived in and painted in his shorty shorts and got all the SF ladies including Amanda hot and bothered (though he always looked like he would rather spend the night with Kelly Nelson...and vice versa..) Amanda escaped the Wexler mansion but during Long/Kobe redecorated the gothic house to look nicer (obviously they had a story planned for her but it went nowhere..) I always wanted Poser's Amanda to move back in, since part of her story was chasing after Ross, how convenient to be next door to drive Blake crazy..("I just had to drop off some papers..is Ross home?") 

[Sapounopera]

I thought that Rita insisted on moving near the Spauldings. 
And I am almost certain that the redorated Wexler mansion is the house Hope is redecorating once again the summer 1982 episodes.
Perhaps they used parts of the Wexler set once Amanda was gone?

[Soaplovers]

Bauer and Spaulding places were close-by...at least in 1991.

And Amanda was fired by Kobe despite Pam Long clearly setting up story for her.  Long/kobe wanted to move the show away from the Gothic tone of the Dobsons/Marland...which was a mistake.

Oddly...Long had the potential to write Gothic.  The way she wrote Lesley Ann's death was eerie and something I could have seen the Dobson's and Marland write...and Roger's 'phantom of the opera' return as Adam had gothic undertones (and I assume Long wrote that).

[DRW50]

I wonder how much of the shift is down to some of the mixed/negative response the show got for the Mark and Rebecca/Mona story dragging out so much. Part was probably just down to trying to capitalize on the popularity of Dallas (and just Kobe/Long wanting to continue what they were doing at Texas!), but I guess that interim year can't have helped. It's just too bad they had to make Quint and Nola so goofy and small. 

[Mitch64]

I think that was the house that Ed lived in with Holly..I remember it (and I was a kid) that Hope didn't want to live in the big cold mansion, so they moved into a smaller house that I am sure was still impressive, and it shared backyards with the Bauers. Rita became entranced with the Spaulding lifestyle at that time (I remember, Alan gave them some crystal glasses or something for Christmas and Rita was seen starring at them in fascination..which is weird, its not like doctor's wives are poor. 

 

I think Roger's return was more Curlee...but I don't think she was that into gothic either. Oh, if only someone post 1985 mentioned Thornway Road...(I would have had Nola mention the old place ..with Bridget saying "Oh, Thornway Road has a bunch of gas stations and nail salons on it" with Nola looking disgusted. ) 

I agree, I have no idea why Nola and Quint weren't involved in the Cabin Mystery...like Nola would keep her nose out of that....though I have no idea how Quint could have survived to be a long term character.

[Soaplovers]

From what I understood, it was Curlee's idea to bring Roger back and had convinced Pam Long to bring him back... but from what I understand, it was Pam Long that came up with how he would come back (after sending a long time watching the Santa Domingo fall scene in order to see if there were indications he hit the ground).   

Curlee had said in the Locher Room interview that she didn't like how the Roger return story was written.