Guiding Light discussion thread

[Franko]

Megan mentioning Kim Zimmer's I'm Just Sayin' as a book similar to hers makes me wonder if she was hoping Kim would give a dust jacket endorsement.

 

[DRW50]

It's interesting she doesn't mention Kim (beyond the book) or almost anyone at GL, even though she got her daytime start there. 

Beyond what @Mitch64 mentioned (I wasn't surprised about Maureen being a lesbian, after she returned and was put in some of the Otalia scenes, but the Mimi Torchin stuff did surprise [and reminded me of how messy the latter's SPW run increasingly seemed]), all she says with GL is the somewhat offputting story of how she merrily murdered Nadine because Jean Carol went to SOD to ask her for storyline. I read that blurb back in the day and it never came across as arrogant to me - at most it was a little foolhardy. Her response came across as borderline sadistic. And she talked about Frank Beaty, just sharing more about his breakdown. She did praise his work highly. 

She also mentioned that she only felt safe in her headwriting job at GL for the first three months. 

[Khan]

I can just imagine the blurb: "Megan's new book is a rip-roarin' read!  It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry, it'll make you go Amish!"

Which is about how long it took for P&G and Michael Laibson to realize they'd been sold a bill of goods.

[DRW50]

Either that or, "Megan didn't say anything about MY facelift, so go read her damn book!"

(not saying Kim had a facelift, just thought it was a funny line...)

That's also around the peak of her success at GL, probably. 

Her brief mention of how poorly Laibson handled talent does make me wonder if that's why he never worked in soaps again, AFAIK. I hadn't heard anything along those lines about him at AW, but he mishandled so much at GL.

Edited 8 hours ago by DRW50

[Khan]

He did work briefly at AMC, as Senior Producer, but I can't recall whether he was still there when Megan McTavish returned in late 1997.

And I don't know about anyone else, but I, for one, did not need to read the intimate details of Frank Beaty's heartbreaking nervous breakdown.

Edited 8 hours ago by Khan

[DRW50]

Thanks. I didn't remember he was at AMC. Looks like he was there at the same time as McTavish, if IMDB is accurate.

[Mitch64]

I didn't read that part? Carol went to SOD to ask Megan for a storyline (in all fairness, Nadine's tenure was over, but I wouldnt have killed her, and been happy about it...?)

[DRW50]

From what someone in the AMC thread said, she also went to McTavish and they had a good conversation as far as Jean knew...I guess McTavish must have felt Jean was going to SOD to try to pressure her. Or maybe she was looking for any excuse to justify such an ugly killing. It helps explain more why she went out of her way to have Brent being so callous and making digs against Nadine. It's a very bad way to write. 

I am trying to remember if any GL cast have ever said much about their time working with Megan.

[TEdgeofNight]

I’m not so sure about the Maureen Garrett/Mimi Torchin thing. Mo had a long term relationship with her partner Janet back then. Also, Megan talked about Frank Beaty and his breakdown and said he freaked out on 26th Street. GL was on East 44th Street then. I do question a couple of her recollections. 

[P.J.]

Yeah....I need a shower after reading that. If that ever got published, I think I'd hope ever actor mentioned sued. Funny how she's never to blame for what makes it on air. Maybe that's why she can't talk about GL much...

 

[chrisml]

Thank you to the people in this thread and the AMC one who summarized McTavish's book because I'm not reading hateful stuff. The Carol stuff as that is just catty and expected, but to put Frank Beaty's personal health stuff into her memoirs is cruel and unnecessary. It confirms for me everything I ever thought about her work. There's no need for that kind of bile.