Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Reverend Ruthledge]

Although they had much shorter runs, I would add Ted White, Ben Scott and Lee Gantry to that list. 

Edited June 30, 2024 by Reverend Ruthledge

[Soaplovers]

The other element going on in Rita's life was the constant presence of Holly in Ed's life.  Post Roger's fall off the cliff until Holly left Springfield months later.. Ed had this pull toward Holly.  Even after Holly left town, in order to stop being in the way of Ed moving on... Rita felt Ed was blaming her for driving Holly out of Springfield.  These feelings led her toward Alan.. who also felt out of sorts with his new marriage to Hope.

I also noticed a change in Hope after Marland took over... and I wondered how the Dobson's would have written Alan/hope post the island story.

[vetsoapfan]

Antipathy towards a certain host does end up bringing the viewing community together, however.

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That is a fact, and can engender various sentiments.

[Khan]

I think Alan and Hope's marriage would have disintegrated, regardless of whoever wrote for them.  IIRC, Alan and Elizabeth divorced, in part because Elizabeth had had enough of being Alan's trophy wife and yearned to be her own person instead.  (Wasn't she into photography or something?  But Alan discouraged her from having her own career).  I think Hope was bound to chafe emotionally and psychologically from being dominated by Alan as well.  It was just in Alan's nature to control the people who were closest to him, especially his wives.

IMO, Rita was a basically decent person, who never set out to hurt anyone (at least, not intentionally), but she just couldn't tell the truth...about anything.  If she had told the truth at least once in her life, imagine how much happier she would've been, lol!

Edited June 30, 2024 by Khan

[Khan]

The way I see it, Alan, as played by Christopher Bernau, was more cunning than Roger, who, IMO, operated largely out of desperation and impulse.  Like Alexandra said, Roger was HUNGRY from the first day he came to Springfield, lol.

But what I think Alan and Roger shared was a deep-seated need to measure up to, if not outdo, their respective, disapproving fathers, yet always coming up short.  As a matter of fact, when I still was writing GL fanfic eons ago, I wrote this scenario where the two men wound up trapped someplace (can't remember where, or how they got there) and are forced to see just how similar they actually are.  They wouldn't have become BFFs afterward, but there would've been a new level of understanding between them.

 

Edited June 30, 2024 by Khan

[kalbir]

@Khan Thanks for the reply.

Like I always point out, its too bad that so little of 1976-1978 GL is out there which makes any 1979 and 1980 episodes that surface such a treat.

We all know CB 1988 departure was due to health reasons and CB departure lead to MZ 1989 return, but imagine if CB Alan and MZ Roger had faced off in the Calhoun era, I think it would have been amazing.

I just realized that a couple weeks ago (June 14) was the 35th anniversary of CB passing away.

Edited June 30, 2024 by kalbir

[Khan]

I agree.  As great as it was to see MZ/Roger back, I have to think that longtime fans who watched back then were disappointed not to see MZ in scenes again not just w/ Chris Bernau but w/ Mart Hulswit, Don Stewart and Lenore Kasdorf as well.

I agree here as well!

To me, the rivalry between Alan and Roger is one of daytime's most fascinating.  It's certainly more fascinating than the rivalry between ATWT's John Dixon and James Stenbeck, which, to me, felt plot-driven, precisely because James never had any real motivation aside from wanting more power.

[DRW50]

Renauld White Dies: 'The Guiding Light' Soap Star And Pioneering Black Model Was 80 (deadline.com)

Another case of someone I'm not sure actually had that much of a role on a soap being called a soap star. I am not doubting Renauld White's own fame - I see him mentioned (including on here) when people talk of famous black male models.

IMDB has him listed in a number of episodes off and on from 1987 to 1992 as William Reynolds. I have to admit I know nothing about that character. Do you?

[P.J.]

The chemistry between Mart and Maureen is palpable. It was a bit of a shock for me to watch a clearly less neurotic/sardonic Holly.

 

William worked at both WSPR and The Blue Orchid (or the Blue Moon, or maybe both). I seem to recall him being low key interested in Gilly before Hamp arrived. I don't think he ever even had a major part in a storyline. He was a continuous presence for a while. Like Lt. Wyatt, before Mallet came to town.

Edited June 30, 2024 by P.J.

[DRW50]

Thanks. That must have been before I started. I haven't watched enough of that period on Youtube to know most of the recurrers who were not on later on.

[Franko]

A while back, we had the thread on essential characters for soaps. This type should be high on that list. The one who acts in service to his or her "reasons," even if honesty would make much, much more sense and be fulfilling.

[DRW50]

Cindy and Lenore are definitely the standouts in terms of acting for the women at that time (Maureen Garrett is also strong but I think the writing for Holly is more limited compared to what she had later on). I notice with that period of GL compared to when the Dobsons were at ATWT that the characters all had such rich inner loves and complicated relationships, some of the acting weaknesses didn't stand out as much.

[P.J.]

Yeah, I just don't get the Dobson's ATWT either. It seems totally inconsistent with what they did at GL. I suppose some of that had to do with the Luke and Laura syndrome. It's really not an era I'd want to go back and watch, tbh.

[Mitch64]

GL during the Dobson's blended perfectly a family/community dynamic with sophisticated characters and plots.  They never did that on ATWT and always wonder if they resented being sent to ATWT..even though they quit and came back...I would love to hear that story. 

[Soaplovers]

I agree Alan and Hope's marriage would have crumbled.. I just wondered how the Dobson's would have written Hope.  From what I've been able to determine, the writing for Hope differed depending on if the Dobsons or Marland were writing the show.

Rita was the classic case of 'your own worst enemy'.  She was woefully insecure and she tended to make mistakes based on that insecurity then scrambled to cover them up.   I always noticed a difference in Rita and how she acted when she was in scenes with men/women that didn't like her.. and when in scenes with her sister Evie.  Rita seem more secure and rational when talking to Evie because she knew her sister loved her unconditionally while she was never sure if anyone else could, or would.