Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Mitch]

Well, you gotta love Bert Bauer calling someone a slut!!!

It had to be fun to be involved in the soaps back then, they seem to have a lot of camaraderie back then, like no one was taking it that seriously and ego tripping (though I am sure there were a few who still did.)

Stephen Yates was hot, but yea, he pinged off the charts, wonder what happened to him and if he was a Marland conquest?

[DRW50]

I wonder about that too. I was hoping there was a recent interview, but his credits only go up to 1992, and when I put in his name I got a massage therapist and someone who works at the Heritage Foundation.

[EastMA2]

I just found out that Geraldine Court, who played Jennifer Richards from 80-83, passed away in November. She was a nice lady. She allowed me to visit the GL set twice in 1982 as her guest and I had a fantastic time! Very fond memories of her. RIP Gerri.

[DRW50]

I'm sorry to hear that. I've seen very little of her work but she was an important actress on The Doctors and GL and she was part of that understated and subtle, yet powerful trend which soaps had in the late 70s and early 80s. I always hoped that when they inexplicably revisited Amanda's paternity, that they would bring her back.

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[Paul Raven]

Geraldine also appeared on AMC as Mary Georgia and was the first Jennifer on ATWT before Gillian Spencer.

Also she played June Lafferty on AW.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Paul Raven

[EastMA2]

A few other things that I am remembering about Geraldine. She was good friends with Doug Marland, a relationship that started on The Doctors. I believe that she told me that Doug had her in mind when he created the Jennifer role on GL. I also remember an episode of Kate & Allie that she did as well as a couple episodes on ATWT in 1989(?) I think, again pairing her with Marland. She also wrote some Loving scripts. I want to say that was around 1987 or maybe 88.

P.S. - thanks for the youtube postings Carl! Very much appreciated.

[Mitch]

Yes, didn't she appear during the whole, "Earl Mitchell is missing/did Grant do it," storyline as rich society matron girlfriend of either Earl or Grant?

They SHOULD have brought her back as Jennifer for the Amanda parentage thing, at least it would have made it SEEM that it made more sense. There was enough ambiguoty to have Amanda be Brandon's daughter (didnt he originally say he was...) if they would have connected the dots better (and it was the first step of turning Alex into a total shrew, that she would have know the truth but never said anything, to be replayed years later by trying to shoehorn Gus (and Icky Ricky) into the Spaulding family.

[DAMfan]

All snowed in today - so I watched some stuff you-know-where like Edmund/Cassie linen closet and it is still 100% hot!!!

[Paul Raven]

Obit for Geraldine Court.

The Ruth Warrick connection is interesting.

http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2010/11/24/new_york/milestones/passings/3.txt

[DRW50]

I didn't know she was on the Doctors for 7 years or GL for 5. I thought it was around 3 for GL. Was it 5?

She had quite a career, as actress and director. That was so nice of Ruth Warrick to help her out that way.

[Paul Raven]

She was on GL from 80-83, the length of her contract.

As for TD, I think Ann was written out for a while then brought back,but her stints didn't total 7 years.

[MichaelGL]

I think it's safe to assume that not only Marland had something to do with Court's casting on GL, but the EP at the time Allen Potter as well. Potter had also worked with Court when he was EP of The Doctors during Court's first stint as Ann.

[teplin]

So sorry to hear about Geraldine Court. I thought she was a striking presence on The Doctors and AW, but the characters didn't do her any favors. She really shone with the writing on GL.

[Vizion]

Sigh, this is actually what I miss the most about the show. For all of the show's faults, and it had many, I felt that they almost always had very strong female characters. The current crop of soaps still on the air, just don't do that very well (I guess Y&R might be the best but eh). Most of my favorite female characters from daytime are from GL, and I don't think that is a coincidence (I have watched at least 7 soaps through the years). I maintain the opinion that GL set the bar for acting in daytime, the show consistently had the best and most talented cast.

I also absolutely loved Mary Kay Adams as India, adored her. I realy think India as played by MKA would have had the potential to be one of the most beloved characters in daytime and long remembered.

I don't remember when I started watching GL, I just say since birth since I used to spend summers at my grandmother's house and she would make us all sit quiet and pay attention when her "stories" came on.

[DRW50]

Y&R

The strong female characters were a big strong suit for GL, and most importantly, these were women who were complex, sometimes nasty, sometimes evil, but also often very empathetic. You felt a connection with them.

I started watching GL around the time Reva "died" and although I had a big soft spot for Ross and Billy, it was Nadine, Vanessa, Maureen, Alex, Harley, Holly, Blake, Mindy, who drew me in.

JFP's decision to center GL around unpleasant male characters was a big mistake.

GL was the show I had the most complex emotional reaction towards - as the years went by it would often infuriate me, outrage me, yet I would still come back, hoping for better and more. I often wonder whether I would have been better off if I hadn't started watching when the show was so good, if my expectations were too high.

I still miss the show a lot, yet I can't go back and watch as easily as I can with other soaps. In some ways it's too painful. GL is the show I always had the most connection with, it always had such a jagged edge and was so unique. I miss it a lot.

Edited February 6, 2011 by CarlD2