Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[John]

Elissa Leeds (Hope on AW in 1966 & GL 1968-73 said in an interview once there was talk of bringing her back in the 80s but it never happened

[DRW50]

There was a casting report in SOD around 1986 or 1987 that mentioned bringing Hope back.

 

Is that Ron Raines briefly in this (creepy, weird) Datek ad?

 

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[robbwolff]

Yep. I believe it was in 1986 during Jeff Ryder's brief stint as head writer. He talked about bringing back Hope and also mentioned about introducing Rusty and Sarah Shayne. Within a few weeks, he was out and Mary Ryan Munisteri was hired as head writer.

[SoapDope]

I've been going back and watching some classic GL episodes on youtube. I wonder why they never brought back Hope Bauer Spalding, Lainie Marler, Justin Marler, Elizabeth Spalding in later years. The Elizabeth and Alan confrontations were awesome. Chris Bernau was my favorite Alan. He died when I was 11. 

[NothinButAttitude]

Because the Bauers became non-factor to most writers post Curlee. And Alan gradually became a mustache-twirler under Ron Raines. 

 

It'd throw a wrench in a lot of these hacks writing for them to bring back characters that once brought complexity to other characters on the canvas (i.e. Alan). 

 

 

[DRW50]

They weren't much of a factor even with Curlee...

 

Anyway, Beth Chamberlin around the time she rejoined GL. 

 

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[SoapDope]

My earliest GL memories are from about 1980/81. I was excited see the two re-uploaded 1977 shows. The one with the Spaldings staying with Jackie was not long after their arrival in Springfield. I wish someone had the episode of their first airdate. I say most of the 70's episodes are long gone. I have only seen the 1973 episode about Papa Bauer's funeral and the two 1977 episodes prior to 1979 in circulation. 

[zanereed]

Yes, most of the 1970's are long gone, but not all, as there are a few random episodes around. In fact, Roger Newcomb found two GL episodes from 1976 that he never had a chance to get released via Soap Classics, along with a Bauer compilation video that likely included various scenes from the 1970's. I'm guessing Roger would have found some more if given more time. Some episodes from 1973 exist at UCLA, but they are not even allowed to be viewed. There are clips that have surfaced on YouTube over the years (one from 1975 as Mike Bauer confronts Hope's college professor, etc.). I wish that the German GL sets would have continued (which would have gotten us through the rest of 1979, but I guess there were either low sales or P & G put a stop to them).

[SoapDope]

I would love to see those. I know Maureen Garrett started playing Holly in 1976. I would like to see Lynn Deerfields version of Holly onscreen. Maureen said Lynn would come to the set after she assumed the role and stand by the camera. Lynn did a interview years ago in SOD and she joked that when she was on the show " She was married to Ed and wore polyester. There is a short 1976 Roger and Peggy scene on youtube.  

 

Yes UCLA does have a vast collection of rare soap episodes. Now that you remind me. They also have some early 70's ATWT. I wish the people at UCLA would get off their butts and start making that stuff available to be viewed. I also wish someone would get in touch with the right people at CBS and dig out 70's/early 80's Y&R. 

[danfling]

Robert Mason Pollock, who was a head writer for Guiding Light (around the time that it changed its name), As the World Turns, The Doctors, serial Santa Barbara (which he co-created and co-produced) and serial General Hospital has passed away at the age of 99.

 

He was the son-in-law of Frank and Doris Hursley.

[Gray Bunny]

So, I'm currently watching GL circa 1996 on YouTube (I originally started watching in 1996, but didn't really dive in full-time til 1997). I must say, despite its bad rap, 1996 is highly enjoyable to me. Some kind soul has uploaded every single episode from 1994 to 1997, and watching it day in & day out for the first time, I couldn't help but notice a few things that were already phased out by '97 when Paul Rauch / Brown & Esensten took over... 

 

- Class. I see a true representation of the different levels of class in Springfield, from the wealthy Spauldings all the way down to the lower middle-class Reardons. You see it in the way they live their lives and in the company they keep. You don't see the wealthy hanging out in the "poor" establishments like Company or Wheels & Meals (unless Alan comes in to taunt Buzz/Reva). With this representation of a class structure, you get more of a feeling of the wider landscape of Springfield, from the rich Spaulding mansion, to the upper-middle Bauer home, to Company, to Josh & Annie's carriage house, to the Jessup farm. 

 

- Touching moments that didn’t necessarily advance the plot, but enhanced the relationships between the characters. This is why I always thought Josh Lewis was one of the best TV dads out there; there was such depth and closeness portrayed with him and Marah & Shayne.

 

- Ensemble. Yes, Kim Zimmer had returned, but the show was still very much an ensemble. There was an ebb 'n flow to many storylines, and even characters who were usually permantly on backburner (Frank, Eleni) had ample story at some point. I never knew we had actually met Dahlia’s mother until now.

 

- Supporting characters like Holly’s mom and Fletcher’s son Ben were rarely seen, but yet utilized during pivotal family moments and given decent material, rather than just filler fluff. 

 

- Beautiful Sets. Oh, my gosh! The colors! By the time Rauch put his mark on the show, everything was YELLOW!

 

Josh & Annie’s house: from rich reds and touches of dark blue… to yellow.

Spaulding mansion: from dark forest green accent walls… to yellow.

Meals & Wheels diner: from a realistic-looking white diner… remodeled to a big yellow box with a fake looking backdrop outside the windows.

Cedars Hospital: from dark green trims… to yellow.

Company restaurant: from a more realistic layout of a bar on the left and ample seating on the right, mostly light brown walls… remodeled to being strangely shaped and, of course, yellow. 

 

Edited July 26, 2016 by Gray Bunny

[robbwolff]

I always got the impression that they were going to reveal that Frank Cooper was Dahlia's father. I recall Frank and Dahlia's mother Tina knew each other, but then Tina was dropped.

[YRBB]

And this uploader is....?

[DRW50]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD9ZQME7mFfaEid7Qowlq9Q

 

I don't think I could watch 1996 again. I'm sure if I did I'd say some parts weren't so bad, as I enjoyed a good portion of the show up to about late spring or early summer, but I still have too many bad memories of the very misguided attempts to push Wendy Moniz as a noble ingenue. 

Edited July 27, 2016 by DRW50

[Gray Bunny]

Probably why I love '96... I loved me some Wendy Moniz