Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[watson71]

Charita Bauer (Bert) passed away in February 1985.  Does anyone remember why TPTB waited an entire year before they acknowledged her passing onscreen?  They gave excuse after excuse why she was absent from Springfield- visiting Meta, etc.  Since they did wait an entire year, TPTB should have tried to get as many past characters as they could who had ties to Bert for her memorial.   Given her importance to the history of the show, her memorial wasnt't what it should have been.

[Paul Raven]

There was some spin about the audience wanting to believe that Bert was alive and happy.

They should have done a proper funeral with Mike, Hope and even Peggy appearing .Surely the actors would have agreed to return to honor Charita.

And Meta could have returned for the funeral and stayed on as the new matriach.

 

[robbwolff]

 

Yes, Giancarlo Esposito portrayed Clay. Matt Davenport didn't last long. A month or two, I believe. He was portrayed by James Carroll, who later played Leo Burnell on Loving.

 

I never understood why GL didn't do more with Alex and Alan's sister Victoria. 

[DRW50]

 

I'd say it was down to backlash over the retcons, but they probably never planned to do much beyond some brief exoticism for a sweeps boost.

 

Carroll did well on Loving, from the bits I've seen. It's too bad they didn't give him more of a chance. 

[Khan]

Actually, Pamela K. Long and Jeff Ryder had planned to do more with Victoria, along with the rest of Brandon's Barbados family.  However, as Ryder himself suggested to me (via email), P&G nixed it, because they weren't entirely comfortable with there being African-American Spauldings.

[Mitch]

Its too bad the Vicky Spaulding was boring and didnt fit into Rauch's "Blond Babes" GL. I would have given most of Toby Poser's Amanda material to Vicky.(leaving out the Malibu Madame).who didn't agree with her mother allowing Alex to have the bulk of Brandon's estate and comes to claim her own power.  She would be hostile to Alex and side with Alan on all his fights with Alex, etc. Alex, having a good relationship with Victoria (as she stayed out of her way) would have no idea why Vicky was hostile.  Having a strong black woman taking on the white establishment in a soap opera way would have been interesting, but way beyond the GL that would not allow Gilly to be paired with AM and certainly not in Rauch/MADD cartoon world.

[John]

So what was the thought on the Rick before Michael O'Leary?

[Khan]

 

Speaking of James Carroll, what happened to him?  He seems to have dropped off the face of the earth!

[Forever8]

He's on Facebook. I saw commenting on Lauren-Marie Taylor's post. 

[Vee]

They also wanted Lisa Peluso for Amanda around then.

[Darn]

 

Didn't even need to see this comment to know it was straight up racism.

[Forever8]

Isn't Toby Poser half black? 

[Soaplovers]

I recall during the clone story when Vicky was an assistant..who seemed nice at first but became ruthless.  They were building up an Alan vs Vicky with Vanessa back as president.   The show recast Vicky and all she did was smile all the time...was paired with David..than in a boring triangle with David and another woman.  All dropped quickly.

[Mitch]

Lord, yes, the boring Vicky smiling all the time.  The first Vicky was better and they brought her on as the clone docs assistant..(how she had medical knowledge plus her busienss but..) and then after Michael blew up the lab to protect the clone secrets Van went on a rampage and exposed her as Vicky Spaulding.  They were making Van more back to her bad girl days and more like Alex, a strong woman who did not take any [!@#$%^&*], and it looked like Alan and Vicky vs. Van as president .. all interesting stuff and would have given Matt a reason to fall into Beth's bed with his newly ruthless wife, but then they brought back Alex B & E said Vicky's story couldnt be told without Alex, Van went back to sighing all the time, Alex disappeared without a trace and they recast Vicky into the smiling woman who did nothing. Typical B & E.  I can only think they were gearing up to Van vs. Alan over Spaulding with Matt going for Beth but it all fell apart and was changed, etc.

I dont think she is but if she was she would have made a great Vicky...I LOVED her character, it just wasnt Amanda! I remember the time she was locked into a shed in winter, but got out, went to the Country Club, had cocktails with Dinah, and went back and pretended to have been locked in the whole time. It was actually also one of the only times I liked Marj's verison of Alex, the two of them had great bitchy chemistry.

[victoria foxton]