Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

It came about because of Mark Derwin. He was at OLTL then & of course he knew Jerry. They were in really dire straits & had been for awhile. They very badly needed a recast for Clint & apparently had had absolutely NO LUCK in coming up with a recast. Mark basically said to them that Jerry could do the job & that they would be pleased if they would just give him a chance. OLTL called Jerry the next day. They talked. He read. Everyone immediately got on board. The rest as they say, is history,

I get it that they had to ask actors to take pay cuts & they also had to move some people off of contract. I just hated that we lost Jerry. And, also, the way it happened, yes, fast as you said, we got only some lousy closure about a plane crash & no body. That was it for Ross, too. 

I will say only one more thing & that is it shows what an excellent actor Jerry was that he could play two such totally different roles, Ross & Clint, you would think had NOTHING in common. 

[Khan]

Actually, @Paul Raven, I think Tom O'Rourke was fired or let go.  I remember reading an interview with Grant Aleksander where he said he was livid about the news but that O'Rourke calmed him down and said, in effect, "That's just the way the business works."

[Paul Raven]

@Khan .According to his widow he was indeed fired.

She also states that soon after he was offered a part on another P&G part but turned it down, without her knowledge.

Edited September 15, 2024 by Paul Raven

[Khan]

I'd love to know which other P&G show offered him a part.  Something tells me it could've been for Lloyd Kendall on SFT, but maybe not, lol.

[P.J.]

My first thought is---Jerry has to audition? Seriously? 

My second---that they kept the door open in case Jerry wanted to come back. I know he'd said he wanted to be a part of the last episodes somehow, (as a ghost, whatever..) but it didn't work out. He lived close to where they shot the final scenes and could see them from his boat.

[Contessa Donatella]

Honestly, I think mostly everyone has to audition, or at least read. May not have to do the whole screen test shebang BUT it's nothing to be ashamed of, it's just a thing. 

[P.J.]

Maybe. But the way the east coast soaps used to trade personnel back and forth, you'd think a lot of staff might've known him.

At least Tom O'Rourke got some kind of exit. I swear, Eve just disappeared one day.

 

[kalbir]

The P&G shows amongst each other yes, but I'm not sure how much actor/producer/writer swapping there was between P&G and ABC back in the day.

[Contessa Donatella]

I'm sure there were people who knew Jerry by reputation but reputation does not get you hired. I know they say it is who you know, but it's really not, it's what you know. 

[DRW50]

Kathleen seems to have been let go. I am not as sure about O'Rourke. I think someone here mentioned a story once of him running around in relief after getting the news (or something along those lines) so who knows.

That's interesting. I thought Mark was off OLTL by that time. Maybe he was still friendly enough with them to make a recommendation.

I loved Jerry but his Clint never worked for me. 

[Paul Raven]

@Khan I was thinking Lloyd Kendall as well. Was there a role om ATWT around that time that would have suitedd Tom?

I came across his widow Marcy's blog about his life, career and marriage several years ago. I recall it being a loving tribute.

Today, trying to find out whether he voluntarily left GL I came across it again.

But now, as a result of her contact with a psychic interpreting her dreams she has a completely different perspective on their life together.

It's certainly interesting if not a little bizarre.

If you're interested go to marcycasterline.com

[Contessa Donatella]

Yeah, I think he reached out by phone, not still there. IOW, you are correct. 

[P.J.]

What about Barbara's smarmy brother Rick?  It's too bad they had killed Dan Stewart off--I can see him being a perfect Dan.

Tom actually was briefly on ATWT as the Police Commissioner. I think he suspended Jack for seeing Carly while married to JuliaI.

Edited September 15, 2024 by P.J.

[robbwolff]

Peter Haskell was already portraying the role of Lloyd Kendall on Search for Tomorrow when Tom O'Rourke was fired from Guiding Light. Haskell joined Search around June 1983. An age-appropriate role on another P&G show during that time is Carl Hutchins on Another World. Another possibility is Raymond Speer on As the World Turns, a role that went to Donald May.

[Mona Kane Croft]

I'd bet the role was Raymond Spear.  That one certain seems to suit O'Rourke's acting style the best.