Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Krista not auditioning for Tina was a real mistake. She was not right for the part (not helped by lousy writing).

I think by that point with Curlee phasing out the show just lost any ability to properly establish any characters, returning or new. Mindy existed solely for angst with Nick, as did Alex. She had no character. Crampton was well-liked on Y&R but Mindy was nothing like Leanna. She was clearly just cast because of that popularity and the idea that a soap name will help paper over nonexistent material.

The only time I thought she was fitting in was toward the end, with Michael O'Leary. 

At that time characters only seemed to fit in just as they were leaving (Mindy, Nick, Tangie).

[TheyStartedOnSoaps]

Back then they had a major problem recasting that part after Simms left. Despite Betty Rea magic at casting, they could not find an actress to play the part. Rea actually flew to LA TWICE to auditions hundreds of blonds. At one point they even approached Simms to come back, but both sides were still far apart of the length of the contract. 

I suspect that Betty Rea might've had some good choices, but JFP veoted them all (JFP is not good at spotting talent like Rea). Crampton was actually approached by JFP to play Mindy, but at the time she didn't want to leave LA. Finally they settled on Ann Hamilton

Weeks later Crampton bumped into JFP at the Soap awards, and said she had second thoughts. JFP told Crampton to send her demo tape. Based on that tape JFP offered Crampton the role, no audition required. Unfortunately for Ann Hamilton, she lost her job as she was told on a Friday night after filming her scenes not to come back on Monday. She was done. 

[chrisml]

I said it before, but I have never seen an actress (Crampton) so clueless about her character in all my life. She didn't seem to know anything about what she was doing. It's one thing to be confused about a storyline but Crampton just seemed completely out of it. So bizarre. Crampton is a good actress, so I have to blame the people at GL and the execs.

Besides Walker and Crampton, have there been other examples  of actors/actresses on GL who just floundered in a role and could not make it work? 

[DRW50]

I might say Lisby Larsen, although she wasn't as high-profile. Chris Pennock is another.

There are some I could mention but they lasted a long time, so I guess they made it work.

[DeeVee]

Carrie Mowery never hit it right as Jackie Marler, in my opinion. She wasn't a bad actress, she just wasn't Jackie.

Larkin Malloy. I know a lot people disliked him as Kyle. I think he was a good actor, thought he was fine on EON and AMC, but for some reason he seemed out of place on GL.

Michael Wilding, Jr. as Jackson. Again, I had nothing especially against him, he was O.K., unless you have a problem with nepo baby casting. But what was he doing there other than pining after Beth? He even looked confused a lot of the time.

Daniel Pilon. I know he was likely always meant to be a temporary replacement. And on paper, he should have been an adequate replacement for Bernau, since he played a very similar character on RH. But MAN, he just melted into the wallpaper. It didn't help that a majority of his scenes were with two actresses who would wipe you off the screen if you didn't meet them on their level. 

I'd agree with both of these. I watched a few episodes of Texas recently and was surprised by how much I liked Larsen in that role. Loved Pennock on Dark Shadows, but he was seriously miscast as Justin.

Edited April 14 by DeeVee

[Speed Racer]

LOL - not to be out-confused by Wilding Jr was Adrienne Zucker as Christine Valere.  She took "what the hell am I doing here?" to another level altogether.  

Can't fault either one.  Who wasn't confused in 1987?  

 

 

 

[P.J.]

You mean Ariane Munker.

Other than ones already mentioned, the big one that stands out to me is Geraldine Court as Jennifer. Maybe "floundered" in the role is an overstatement, but the show never seemed to know what they wanted to do with her. She never seems close to either of her daughters, the relationship with Mike went nowhere, and marrying Mark seemed like a hail mary effort to make her relevant. And then she just disappears before Mark dies.

Edited April 14 by P.J.

[DeeVee]

So true! The whole art theft mess was one my least favorite storylines. The idea that Alan would have stolen art for kicks is so dumb. Almost as dumb as making him into a villain plucked out of a James Bond movie for the Dreaming Death storyline.

[DRW50]

Wilding lasted such a long time. Off and on. Didn't he even have story with Chelsea? I wonder if he just got focus because of his mother. 

I know Malloy did have some support as Kyle but based on his exit I am not sure if something was off backstage. Has Zimmer ever spoken about him?

I agree Mowery was doomed, as Marland didn't seem to have much interest in Jackie or Justin anyway.

[alwaysAMC]

Random thought:  I love how on random days, Alan-Michael wears glasses.  He gives me Harry Potter vibes and its cute

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[chrisml]

Zimmer spoke highly of Malloy in her book. She also thanked him years after he left in her Emmy speech when she won her third emmy. I have read about bad blood but I would imagine it was probably with the producer or headwriter unless it was a Clint Ritchie type situation where other cast members were tired of him.

Edited April 14 by chrisml

[Alan]

Just now catching up on this thread, I can't seem to find this. Would you mind posting a link?

 

[Contessa Donatella]

https://archive.org/details/beverlee-mc-kinsey-1982-city-lights

I also have it up on my Rumble account. In case you have any problem with the Internet archive, just PM me.

[cassadine1991]

Is Pam Long retired? I think the last thing she did were those Dolly Parton tv movies

[Mitch64]

In the Locher Room when they mentioned him Krista Ferrell (who had no f*cks to give, called Kimmer out for being mean to her at first) goes..."Oh..Larkin Malloy," and made a face and Zimmer laughed apprently in agreement that he could be a pain. This was in response to Terrell whatshiface saying that when he came on Malloy came up to him and said, "Don't even THINK about pissing on my leg as I am the leading man,"  or something.

Kyle was just a skeevy character, the bastard kid of a prostitute who black mailed Roxie into sleeping with him and led his niece on before she kneshe was his niece. Malloy always seemed unhappy and his stylized acting didnt really work on GL. But lots of peole think he and Kimmer had chemistry.