Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[kalbir]

P&G was old and busted. ABC was the new hotness.

CBS/P&G were really shaken by 1978-1982 ABC big three huge rise and domination, thus all the changes to the shows.

[Paul Raven]

TV originally came out of NY in the 50's. Look at the casts of those live anthology shows and you will see many familiar soap names there.

So actors participated in the theatre and TV . If you were in a Broadway show you might pick up a soap gig. Or do a soap and some mightime stuff.

So I think there was less stigma involved.Unless, of course, you were a big TV or theatre name and wouldn't dream of doing a soap. 

Then when TV migrated to the West Coast that just left soaps and theatre as options in NY.

[Mona Kane Croft]

And misguided changes they were . . .

 

[DRW50]

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I wonder how long Ross kept that office. It's nice to see more of these friendly Vanessa/Ross scenes. I wonder if the show was already setting up the Dinah story by this point. 

Not sure if I love or hate Roxie's coat. 

[Liberty City]

So class. So absolutely class, and I would assume inklings of the Dinah storyline were beginning since Dinah debuted six-ish months later on June 16, 1986. And wow, an alternate mix of that theme? Very orchestral.

[Mitch64]

They had Ross's office up into Wheeler. She had a press thing there where she annointed JVD GL's goodwill ambassador (much like Charita was) good move, until they put him on recurring!

 

[Contessa Donatella]

Putting JvD on recurring is what is not-so-lovingly referred to as a BLUNDER. Should've been Frankie. Or possibly even just getting rid of Bradley. 

[Mitch64]

Frank was not my favorite but he wasn't offensive..plus I think at the end HE was paying THEM to stay on. Cole's character WAS offensive and had years to bring the ratings up to no avail..(plus I am sure those idiots were paying him more then Frank and JVD..) so just cut him loose and keep the patriarch.

[TEdgeofNight]

Wheeler was the most inept EP GL ever had. She was in way over her head and had the most asinine ideas. Her years as EP were the worst in GL history and she ushered the longest running soap right off the airwaves, ending with Peapack. Unforgivable. I’m so glad we never heard from her again.

[kalbir]

@TEdgeofNight You think Wheeler was the worst of the seven evils?

How would you compare the rest (Kobe, Willmore, JFP, Laibson, Rauch, Conboy) to Wheeler?

[Contessa Donatella]

Well, you're not asking me but I will tell you, anyway. WORST automatically is Conboy. To me Willmore doesn't even belong on this list. Neither does Kobe. So, next after Conboy, in order, Jill, Laibson, Rauch & finally Wheeler. Of these "evils" the ones who were most insistent in putting their own stamp on the show are to me so obvious: Jill, Paul Rauch, John Conboy. Laibson not so much & Wheeler not at all. The things Wheeler did, she had to do. Her only input was trying to figure out how to do them without a budget provided to do them with. Wheeler's huge flaw was her inexperience.

I agree Dicopoulis was never offensive. BUT, putting him on recurring, when someone had to be, is to me a position of wrong place, wrong time. I also agree about Bradley Cole. When I think about how much money must have been spent on him, I get a little sick to my stomach. WHAT A WASTE.

[GL Oldtimer]

PREACH!!! These three actors were my absolute favorites on the show when I watched. I'll also throw Rick Hearst into the mix.

The country club scenes when Alexandra shames Roger in front of the movers and shakers of Springfield was simply epic. Same can be said for when she confronts Roger about his affair with Mindy. These scenes are simply a masterclass all around.

I was never one to root for the villain, and that was what was so brilliant about Michael Zaslow's portrayal of Roger — I found myself wanting him to win more times than not. It's one of the reasons why I loved him with Holly. As wrong as the two of them were together because of their past, there was also just something so right in having them together. I loved the vulnerability the character showed when he was with Holly.

And I could go on for hours about Maureen Garrett. What a gifted performer. I loved her portrayal of Holly. I don't think I've ever seen another actor communicate so much emotion without saying a word. She should have won an Emmy 10 times over.

Annette

Edited August 29, 2024 by GL Oldtimer

[Contessa Donatella]

Totally agree. There is a Locher Room where Nancy Curlee & Kimberly Simms are the guests & they did a watch party of that scene, that episode. Watch for a bit. Stop & discuss. Watch some more. Etc. I highly recommend it to you if you've not seen it. I hope I have described it suitably. 

I also really liked his one friendship - Maureen, I mean, of course. 

Total agreement. An actor's actor. 

[TEdgeofNight]

There were no evils. But yes, Wheeler was the absolute worst EP in soap history. 

[kalbir]

The country club scenes were epic and they were the culmination of everything that was built in the Calhoun era.

It will forever be the most egregious error of the Daytime Emmys that Beverlee McKinsey did not get any Lead Actress Emmy nominations (and possibly multiple wins) for her work on GL, especially in the early 1990s when the Lead Actress races were weak.

It was so wrong to root for Roger and Holly to be together because of their past, yet it was so right to root for them to be together. There were always hints of something brewing between them. Roger and Holly were once described on this board as the anti-supercouple, and that description fits them perfectly.

Maureen Garrett once said that she and Michael Zaslow connected right away as actors and clearly the writers and the audience saw that connection as well.

Agree that Maureen Garrett should have gotten an Emmy, but the years she was nominated in Supporting Actress the races were tough.