Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[P.J.]

Well, part of it was the times. If he's responsible for Quint & Nola's engagement party and wedding, and a bunch of costumed events in '84, he was better at events. I did watch a KZ interview where she mentioned when she started Reva was all in whites/creams until the lighting improved (or changed) and it was too stark onscreen.

[wonderwoman1951]

in 1962, rex ingram became the first black actor on contract. but the show, ‘the brighter day,’ was cancelled 2 weeks after his first episode. bad optics for sure, but the show had been moved from the late afternoon to late morning and the ratings were tanking, so it’s unlikely his appearance was a much of a factor.

in may 1965, irna phillips appeared on kup’s show in chicago and lambasted p&g for not permitting her to integrate ‘as the world turns.’ that july, micki grant was on contract at ‘another world.’ in january 1966, james earl jones was on contract at ‘world turns, billy dee williams and cicely tyson joining gl.

jones left ‘world turns after a few months to develop his breakout role in ‘the great white hope’ at the arena stage in washington, dc. when he returned to nyc, he replaced williams at gl. later, ruby dee would replace cicely tyson. 

Edited September 8, 2024 by wonderwoman1951

[Contessa Donatella]

THANK YOU so much for that history lesson!!! 

[P.J.]

I wish youtube had some uniform way of categorizing videos. Or searching for them. (I mean, God bless shippers and clippers who saved stuff from the 80's, but there is nothing more frustrating than watching chopped up episodes, but I digress..)

MK's last day in '88 was just put up. I had seen it in German, but I hadn't found it in English. ('88 seems to be very spotty indeed.) Today, I'm randomly clicking on videos when I found someone who has clips of shows with actresses wearing furs. Including the soaps. Including GL. 

Okay. Hey, everyone loves something, and in the '80's everyone of wealth wore furs. 

I'm randomly scrolling through the GL clips, hoping to find Vanessa's infamous coat drop with Ross. Didn't find it. What I did find? A five minute clip of Vanessa's good bye to Ross...posted two years ago. SMH. All because she's in a fabulous fur coat (well, 'Nessa always was, back in the day...) and hat. 

This is why I'm half convinced everything exists somewhere. We just can't find  it.

[Contessa Donatella]

This is my universal, forever, all the danged time, perpetual, want from GL: Alexandra gives a dinner party with Roger, Alan-Michael, Blake, Beth, & Phillip as guests. Things become contentious. Beth tries to diffuse the tension by asking someone to please pass the salt. Finally, Alex gets up & leaves the room, saying over her shoulder as she goes, “And would someone please pass Beth the damned salt?!!” Date unknown but Phillip & Beth are in town & Beth is able to speak. So likely 90 or 91.

[P.J.]

Ah...everyone has their holy grail. I can't decide what mine is---Ross/Vanessa and the coat drop, Vanessa's failed fake suicide attempt, Billy's car blowing up & return, or the argument between Billy and Josh in the car after Josh learned Dylan was Reva and Billy's kid all in English. (there was a preemption, and about half of it's up.) Oh, and the week of Josh's accident, in English.

Oh...and this snarky exchange between Vanessa and Billy---they're at the country club at the buffet line. Vanessa is with Ed and Mo (which makes me suspect that it is after Vanessa's been left at the altar so it has to be the fall of '90).  Billy snipes that Vanessa's date is ungentlemanly for letting her get her own plate of food.

Vanessa--"Turkey!"

Billy "--what?"

Vanessa points at the buffet "isn't that cute, the way the turkey's wrapped around that cranberry? (looks at his plate,) "oh, I see you prefer the ham." (which is her way of calling him the sonofabitch with Nadine) It's in someone's clip medley, and it's hilarious.

 

Who am I kidding, I want it all. And the Andy Norris story and the complete Carrie story in English. LOL. 

FWIW, I haven't come across that dinner party. And a lot of '90-'91 is up. 

Edited September 8, 2024 by P.J.

[Contessa Donatella]

Come to think of it, I would love to see all of Carrie that exists. 

[DRW50]

Are those the clips of her at the airport? I remember seeing those on a few channels (at one point munecojim for sure) but the episode would be taken down.

[P.J.]

Yes. I thought 1/8/88 was her last day (Vanessa talks to Reva at the airport), because of course...all things begin and end with Reva. (rme) But on the 1/11 episode, Dinah, Ross, Henry, HB, Alex, Phillip and Ross all show up in turn to send her off. Alan shows up too, but they don't speak. He watches her leave, realizing her eyes are all on Ross.

I also realized this starts Henry scheming his way back into real power at Spaulding. Alex and Phillip are plotting to oust Alan, and want Henry's support. Henry gets Vanessa's proxy, making the Chamberlain block (whatever percentage it is) united.

Right? Sleeping with Josh alone....yeeee....

Edited September 9, 2024 by P.J.

[Mitch64]

Van and Ross should have always been endgame...(and drove the Blossies and Mattress's nuts...) I saw an episode from 1999 where Blake is screwing Hunt Block's character, and Beth is sniffing around Matt, and Dinah is having one of her ridiculous crazy episodes (she burned her face so is running around with an oversized napkin on her face) and this would have been the perfect time for Ross and Van to be drawn back together...and away from their younger partners insanities.  A good writer like Marland would have jumped on it, but our writers liked to play around with "maybe it will happen" but go back to status quo.

I do have to admit, the episode while dumb, is entertaining and still GL...(this is the start of the stalker storyline and poor MG has to be forced to overact, popping her eyes and threatening India of all people "In this town, bad things happen to people who break up families". India: "Is that a threat?" Uh, India, you have been threatened almost every day since 1985, your smarter then that!!! Watch out for those anvils!!!

Edited September 9, 2024 by Mitch64

[Vee]

Speaking of James Earl Jones, he passed away today.

[wonderwoman1951]

free link to ny times obit which mentions him as one of the firat black actors on soaps. 

jame earl jones obit

 

[P.J.]

Or Matt and Blake could've screwed, thus killing two birds with one stone. Not that I hated Bloss, but by the time she "just couldn't help" but screw Ben, they should've been over. 

It is interesting--the younger woman can repeatedly cheat on an older man and still be the love of his life, but the younger man can't cheat on an older woman and test that relationship at all. 

I make no bones about having zero use for Matt, period, but I am surprised they didn't throw Vanessa under the bus to keep Kurt McKinney. I find him bland, but he was a better actor than Frankie D. 

I've said this before, but I don't know that if Jerry ver Dorn had stayed, if Maeve would've come back. But if Ross and Vanessa were there at the end---and had two years to build to it, I'd a been okay with it. Maeve lit up like a Christmas tree with Jerry.

[Mitch64]

Agreed...instead of Rick (which was gross, they grew up thinking they were brother and sister, and while that dynamic was not played..it was still gross) it should have been Matt screwing Blake after Van find out he was a rent boy in HW...(not that I would have done that particular story, but I would have made Matt a former gold digger living on the largess of older, rich, married women) and knocks Blake up...(only one kid, please, not twins by diff fathers.) They could have set that up with Van saying she was past wanting to be preggers, while Matt wants to have kids (cause he is a Reardon, he wants to have tons of spawn) and Van and Ross are pulled together, along with the Dinah drama (another thing would be both Matt and Blake sick of Dinah Drama causing more issues.) Having a Van/Matt fall out would effect Bridget and Nola (though I would have Nola taking Van's side..)

Yes, Matt was boring and bland (I never believed he was a Reardon) and judgemental as hell...(whats it any of his business to blackmail Amanda to leave Ross alone..Ross is in charge of his own zipper...) but not quite as dull as poor Frankie D who could not act his way out of a paperbag.

[P.J.]

I would've had Matt be a grifter, and Bill the only one who was on to him. Everyone assumes he's just resentful, but slowly, he convinces Ross which irritates Blake and strains their marriage. Amanda returns to town, and she and Matt decide to bilk Vanessa out of her Spaulding stock.  When Vanessa realizes Bill and Ross are right, Matt "disappears" Vanessa to finish the swindle. Amanda suddenly gets nervous when Matt starts threatening her and she realizes both she and Vanessa are in danger. Amanda confesses to Ross, Ross rides in and saves the day, and he and Vanessa fall back in love. Matt's carted off to jail, never to be heard from again.

The whole idea of Vanessa taking up with an ex-ho was ridiculous. And the idea of Vanessa putting up with his constant litany of complaints about her child-rearing and wanting a career was insulting. What was she supposed to do? Live off his wandering handy-man earnings? Even his mid-level manager position (thanks to her ex-inlaws) isn't paying the annual dues to Vanessa's country club.