Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[P.J.]

You're right in that respect---GL's family dynamics are certainly more true to real life. It's one of the reasons Maureen was important to the canvas. She gave a lot of characters without family (or a weak family unit like Blake or even Vanessa at the end) someone to lean on and let you know it was okay to be messed up. 

[DRW50]

I agree they may not have felt like established Bauers, especially Trudy, but I think bringing one or both in could have eventually established some balance, and Meta had such a rich past while Trudy was a blank canvas. A foster care story given to one of them instead of India with Dorie might have made sense and provided a young female voice to the Bauers they wouldn't have again until Michelle, by which point they were fully depleted. The show wouldn't have been in a place where Maureen was relied on as a matriarch when she wasn't even 40 years old.

[P.J.]

They should've brought someone in when they knew Charita's health was failing. And I'll never understand why they didn't keep Lee Lawson. Mo was still there, and Chelsea (rme...that girl..) They'd even established that Bea had other kids who hadn't been shown. Or even bring in a grandkid for her to raise before Bridget.

[SoapDope]

Was it said what became of Leslie's father Dr. Jackson ? I think he last appeared around 1980. 

[Paul Raven]

Was he dropped along with Barbara and Adam in 81?

The trouble with those characters is they only had past ties to the canvas.

Leslie had died 5 years earlier but it seemed longer. They really should have let her and Mike have a son before she died to keep the Bauer name and legacy.

That would have bonded Steve and Bert-maybe leading to marriage? Or at least a close courtship.

All of Barbara's kids were gone and Adam's only link was 'dead' Roger.

So I can understand from that viewpoint why they were dropped.

Edited August 26, 2024 by Paul Raven

[P.J.]

Speaking of Leslie, is it true she was briefly married to Holly's father, making her and Rick stepsiblings? Talk about bizarre.

[Reverend Ruthledge]

Yes, it's true. Leslie was married to Stanley Norris (Holly's father). 

[Mitch64]

I would never burn Company down...it was the one consistent "location" (which was changed constantly, remember when McLaiby turned it into a "hip" nightclub looking place and Rauch ( in one good decision) turned it back into a restraunt/bar without any comment from any character?  Company, the Bauer House, Cedars and the Spauling Mansion were the corner stone locations of GL (though the sets changed through the years, except for the Bauer house) 

I do love Nola as the nosy Bauer aunt...(GL's Liz Matthews/Lisa Grimaldi combo) and I do like Reva running a roadhouse..burn that freaking diner down (which they finally did for good) and have Reva/Buzz as friends running a dive on the outskirts of town ..though I always wanted Reva/Nola to run up against each other..they should have had Bridget/Dylan marry on screen and have some scene with the "moms" trying to arrange things and getting on each other's nerves. 

 

I remember that scene and it was written more of this skeevy old closet case coming on to sweet young Luke...but it was freaking LL who looked great and I watched it and thought "Luke you, dumb ass I would jump on THAT and forget the boring boyfriend." 

[SoapDope]

What little I have seen of Lynn Adams as Leslie I was not too impressed. I remember that hilarious clip of her constantly flubbing her lines like she was on something. Charita (Bert) was a pro and kept going. I was more impressed with Barbara Rodell as Leslie in the 1973 episode surrounding Papa Bauer's funeral.

Was Kathryn Hays as Leslie just a temp recast ?

 

[DRW50]

I thought she was alright in the '60s material I've seen on Youtube but I get the impression Adams' return was not well-received. Rodell seemed well-received in her various soap roles. 

[Paul Raven]

I have a feeling that Kathryn Hays was a replacement for Lynne Adams but it didn't work out for some reason and she was dropped. I say this because Kathryn had done primetime  and it seems unlikely she would just temp.

Barbara Rodell went straight from Secret Storm to GL. Maybe once Barbara became available they thought she would be a better fit. 

Maybe some of our posters have more knowledge/info.

Kathryn never spoke of GL in interviews and I've never seen reports from that time.

[Sapounopera]

You are right about that. A show in constant change, with only a few veterans cannot afford to lose classic locales as well. 

[SoapDope]

It would be interesting to find out why Kathryn didn't stay in the role. She may have been pulled because Irna wanted her for Kim. I don't know how long it was between her stint on GL to ATWT.  KH was always a delight. My Mom says she remembers when arrived on ATWT and how beautiful she was. 

I think I remember reading Geraldine Court was the first Jennifer Ryan briefly before GS took over the role. 

[Liberty City]

According to Soap Central, Kathryn Hays played Leslie Jackson Bauer from March 10 1971 to July 23, 1971, and she made her first appearance as Kim Sullivan on August 31, 1972, so about a one-month time between the roles.

[Reverend Ruthledge]

I think I remember Alan Locher asking Kathryn Hays about playing Leslie Bauer and she didn't remember it. Since her daughter announced she had dementia towards the end, that's more understandable. Then again, maybe I am the one misremembering and she didn't say she didn't remember during the interview. Memory's a tricky thing.