Guiding Light discussion thread

[jam6242]

Oh, nice find! This is when Nola and Quint went to London. I think that's when Nola first met Helena. The maid's name was Effie and Nola became friends with her.

[DRW50]

Thanks! I thought this must have been early, as Helena is more serious here.

I always have a hard time figuring out when Nola was pregnant during any of this time...most of those clips don't seem to be online.

I've been watching the "Quola" clips with my mother (we're up to the Hollywood Trip), and I must say I have to give the actors a lot of credit for how they deal with strange and at times very inconsistent writing. This is especially prominent with Mrs. Renfield, who went from loving Nola and her baby to seeing them as outsiders and dangerous, to loving them again, and with Gracie, who for a spell (the bugging/Nola as "Mata Hari" storyline) was hardcore anti-Quint to the point where she went on a long "look at your look at your choices!" speech to Nola that made my jaw drop.

It was nice to see a glimpse of Kathleen Cullen's Amanda in the clips. I still wish the show had done so much more with her.

I love the whole "Quint's harem" setup with Rebecca, Nola, and Helena (with Vanessa popping in for blackmail visits). The whole thing is ludicrous, and a good example of how unique GL was, as it was treated so seriously. I think Helena pointed out the insanity of it once or twice. She's such a fun character.

Edited June 27, 2014 by DRW50

[jam6242]

Nola had already had her baby when they were in London. She had her around New Year's Eve of 1981. It was while they were in London that we learned about Quint previously being engaged to Helena and about his rivalry with Silas Crocker. I think Nola was pregnant when they were in Hollywood so that would have been earlier. Agree about the inconsistencies especially regarding Mrs. Renfield. I think Gracie just changed her opinions based on what Nola was telling her.

[jam6242]

Edited June 27, 2014 by jam6242

[DRW50]

Thanks. I get so confused. I think it's that a lot of 1981 isn't available for the characters (there are "early months" clips but I think she was still pregnant then).

It's kind of crazy just how many secrets Quint had.

[jam6242]

Yes, Nola was still pregnant in the "early months" clips. She started working for Quint around Sept./Oct. 1981 and had the baby in late Dec. so she wasn't pregnant for very long after she met him. I meant to say in my earlier post that Nola was pregnant when they were in San Francisco, not Hollywood.

Edited June 27, 2014 by jam6242

[DRW50]

January 1983 Daytime TV

[TimWil]

My friend Geraldine Court (Jennifer) wasn't all that enthusiastic about Jennifer Cooke. It was partly because she'd been close to Kristen Vigard (Morgan #1) and also because she felt that Cooke was a cynical casting decision-a vapid blonde with a good body and limited acting ability. She completely lacked the vulnerability of Vigard.

Edited June 28, 2014 by TimWil

[DRW50]

I'd tend to agree with her. What I've seen of Cooke in the role seems very generic. Frankly, she also seemed way older than she was. I didn't realize she was just 18 when she was cast.

[slick jones]

I never saw Cooke on GL, but I did see her on the V television series, and she really seemed like a weak actress, as though she needed some coaching.

[TimWil]

She was a pretty young girl who was probably fine for catalogue modeling and commercials but was extremely uninteresting as an actress. I realize that GL had to recast Morgan very quickly due to Vigard's issues being a big problem but I think they could have found someone more appropriate for the role.

[robbwolff]

Cooke was so radically different than Vigard and was a far weaker actress. She was painful to watch at times. That said, her departure from GL in May 1983 seemed awfully abrupt. At one point, it seemed like the writers were moving her into Phillip and Rick's orbit but then she was phased out.

[John]

Jennifer Cooke dated Robert S Woods. I Dont see it

Edited June 29, 2014 by John

[John]

What issues. Vigard seems like a great actress who cant hang onto a role. From the original Annie on Broadway (Replaced by Andrea McArdle), to GL then OLTL (replaced by Julie Ann Johnson)

Edited June 29, 2014 by John

[TimWil]

Vigard had serious "timekeeping issues." She was always late to set according to my friend who played her mother. This may or may not have been drug related.

GL kept her on for the taping of Morgan and Kelly's wedding but after that she was gone. When we saw Morgan on her honeymoon a week later Cooke took over the role in scenes which were shot on location.

Vigard was let go from Annie because, as the director Martin Charnin explained in a NY Times interview, she lacked the toughness and resilience which Charnin felt was needed for the title role. Andrea McArdle was playing another orphan, Pepper, in the pre-Broadway tryout at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut and Charnin felt that she'd be a better fit for Annie than Vigard.

Edited June 29, 2014 by TimWil