Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[alwaysAMC]

Haha thanks for indulging me!

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  I remember reading about the Jeffrey character briefly in Kim Zimmer's book and I haven't heard many positive comments about him from the SON group. I'm guessing I wouldn't like him as much either based on your comment.

I don't know Lacey or Kelly, but I definitely understand the Tangie selection. I only saw her last year, but I felt what you were talking about in that last year of hers. My gain though as she was so great on AMC in her return as Liza right after.

[alwaysAMC]

I think I'm in the same boat as @MLH with Phillip, so your comment about having to know him from the beginning makes sense to me. 

OMG I forgot that Cady was on ATWT. Sadly I never saw her work there, but clearly it was good since she won an Emmy. But, I'm glad you're familiar with her.  Her role as AMC's Dixie will always be one of my all-time favorites.

[Vee]

The biggest thing that made me accept Hunt Block at ATWT (not that I had any history with Craig as a viewer at that time) was Cady. They were incredible together.

As for GL, I am aware of Bradley Cole's rabid fanbase which snowed more than one EP. But Cole was just not that interesting and Jeffrey should never have existed. I'm not saying I wasn't sick of Josh and Reva in the late '90s/early 2000s like many people (and I agree Rauch did lean on KZ/Reva as his new Erika Slezak/Viki from OLTL and Josh as her Clint except the writing was considerably more crass) but I do think there were other roads to take before going back to Josh and Reva that did not involve yet more Bradley Cole.

[DeeVee]

If they had brought her back as a Hope or Amanda recast, it might have turned out differently. 

YES, I know she would have seemed too young to be Alan Michael's mother, but she was actually the right age for both characters. Poser was several years younger than Walker and MUCH younger than Cullen, but there was no SORASED child to make that look weird. I would have rather had Hope back played by a phenomenal actress than have her permanently off the canvas because it seemed a little awkward.

I agree! Cady brought something out in Hunt that was much more palatable than when he played Ben. I loved the story about them trying to adopt a baby. (Until it got weird because someone thought the kid just HAD to be James's grandson by his heretofore unknown son).

[TheyStartedOnSoaps]

Fun Fact - Cady McClain auditioned to play Harley in 1988. She writes in her book she was so nervous, she did a horrible audition. But that gave her experience to improve for her next audition - at "All My Children"

[DRW50]

Reva/Jeffrey almost seemed like a last resort as so many attempts at pairings for Jeffrey went nowhere. 

[P.J.]

I honestly wasn't expecting much when she took over the role of Carly's sister. I assumed someone who'd spent their time playing some sweet ingenue type wouldn't really fare well against Maura. But she held her own.

Edited September 11 by P.J.

[P.J.]

While she's all wrong for Harley, she might've made a good Dinah.

[TheyStartedOnSoaps]

Dinah (Paige Turco) would wind up playing her sister Laine on All My Children

[Khan]

I find it amusing that Cady McClain auditioned for Harley since, in my GL fanfic, I have her playing the returning Samantha Marler.

[Mitch64]

Well, Judi was also in an abusive relationship with the director on GL..who would throw scenes her way and direct only to her..so there is a reason that the other actors didn't like that situation.  I can't even imagine Kimmer and her backstage....

[DeeVee]

Whoa. When you say abusive relationship, do you mean he was abusive to her on set, or were they in a romantic relationship?When she was 19? Either way:

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[alwaysAMC]

Y'all - November 1997 was a great month of soap opera! I'll post my notes/recap later this weekend, but I'm very happy with what I got to watch.

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Remind me - what were sweeps months back in the day - February, May and November? 

[DRW50]

Here's an interview with Judi about why she left GL.

https://www.angelfire.com/tv2/jelonline/press/87sod_judievans.html

[DeeVee]

Thanks. Welp, that answers my question. Cringey that she says nice things about him, but that's understandable, since badmouthing a director who was also her ex wouldn't have done much good for her career.

Yikes. This makes me dislike Kobe all the more. If the actors knew, she knew. Of course, she couldn't interfere with their personal relationship, but what happened on set is a different story. 

Makes me think of the story Maeve told on The Locher Room about her first day: Elvera walked up to her and said, "Don't worry, we're the NICE show." Sounds like that changed after Potter retired.