Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Soaplovers]

I always wonder had the Dobson's stayed beyond December 1979..how they would have resolved their stories.

 

Would the Philip paternity story been revealed earlier than 1983? 

 

Would the rita and alan affair have happened?

 

Would Holly/ed/rita play out differently?

 

Would Diane have been murdered?

 

Lastly, the Ms Wexler story..how would it have concluded?  She seemed hell bent on killing Ben lol

 

[Mona Kane Croft]

 

Thanks for the comparison.  I feel sure you are correct.  But isn't this the same basic layout as the Bauer's original TV living room from the earliest available episodes?  That set was much simpler (smaller fireplace, etc.), but essentially the same major set pieces.  

[SoapDope]

Jarrod Ross Kaplan who played Phillip # 1 (1977-1981) has a personal youtube page. He uploaded a clip of his GL work back in April. 

 

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[All My Shadows]

 

Possibly, but they would have had to make some major changes. In all the 50s episodes I've seen, the front door is to the right of the screen, but the staircase does still wrap around the fireplace.

 

I'm getting into this era, and these three (Ross, O'Rourke, and Dalton) have three of the most distinctive voices I've ever heard in soaps, even the kid.

[GLATWT88]

Is that 1973 episode available online? 

 

Nvm. I think that's Papa Bauer's funeral service episode. 

Edited July 10, 2020 by GLATWT88

[All My Shadows]

Yep, that's it!

[vetsoapfan]

A while back, I posted a link to a web page containing scores of radio eps of  TGL from the 1950s. I loved that page because its editor had gone through the trouble of putting all the 90+ episodes in proper, chronological listening order. (The Internet Archives has the same episodes uploaded, but they are NOT in the correct sequence, so it's not as enjoyable to listen to.)

 

My old laptop died, taking all my bookmarks with it, before I could save the link permanently.

 

By any chance, does anyone know the page/link I am talking about? I'd appreciate finding it again, and endless googling is not helping me.

[victoria foxton]

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This guy is just as bad as Alan Locher. At least he doesn't have a pretentious queenie vibe. He is so goofy and out of it.  So many really awkward pauses. Where he just stares at SS. SS revealed that every year of her run. The cancellation rumors were strong. 

Edited July 10, 2020 by victoria foxton

[lunaquinn]

 

His connection is so awful. I mentioned on another message board that if folks want to do these sessions, then there has to be some tech testing and home wifi networks can't be as slow as blazes - but then the other posters jumped on me for not being grateful, they're doing this for free, and blah de blah. Free or not, I have better things to do with my time than watch people stutter for an hour plus. It's super awkward not just for us but you could tell she kept trying to fill in gaps when he was frozen and about 20 seconds behind in his audio/video. 

[Asb23]

He interviewed Mark Derwin a few weeks back, too. I like this one-on-one format better than the 5-person interviews (neither polished interviewers, however). Mark shares some good stories and basically carried the interview. I’m happy to see any of the actors that we have gotten to see the past few months so no complaints here!

 

https://youtu.be/AoqR0D78xPY

 

He’s managed to get a few other GL stats recently, too.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Asb23

[KMan101]

 

I really enjoy watching the late 70s era, personally. I do love me the 80s though but there was something special about the 70s. It's so fascinating to watch. I can see how longtime fans were so turned off in the 80s. I greatly prefer a character study as opposed to constant sex and action. But that's just me

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 lol. There's room for it all but it seems the drawn out scenes and character study became 'boring' in the 80s. I think that's how it should be now (especially with covid restrictions) but it won't be lol. There's no real 'depth' anymore on soaps and I miss that.

Edited July 11, 2020 by KMan101

[DRW50]

 

The quality of the show really drops markedly after the Dobsons leave. I wish they had stayed longer, as it seems like, other than a few years at SB, GL was their peak. Absolutely gripping emotional drama and very layered, human characters, and full of top-notch performances. Some of the material can be tiring at times, especially the perpetually suffering ladies (which is probably one of the reasons viewers seemed to embrace Katie so quickly even though she was very alien to most of the GL I've seen up to that point), but it is still strong. Brilliant a writer as Marland is, there is a strangely rudderless and small feeling and also an inherent blandness that creeps over the canvas, made even more jarring by the random as hell camp camp camp camp that bursts through. 

[redontop4]

 

Thanks for the link.

 

Yes, the interviewer is not very skilled, but Derwin is great and very generous with his time. Lots of great GL and OLTL stories. I didn't know he dated Gina Tognoni!

[KMan101]

 

I really enjoy the Dobson's Guiding Light (what I've seen which isn't their full run of course). The show was effectively dismantled by the mid 80s. I like some of the very early 80s with the arrival of Vanessa and Nola and even Josh, but yeah it eventually all goes to hell which is sad to see. It just grabs you and makes you want to watch.

 

I feel like the brief Curlee era somewhat returned to that but of course it was still very different. I can see a lot of Reilly-isms (which makes sense as he was there at the time). Not awful but it's noticeable. Phelps really does come along and take an axe to the show. So sad.

 

DAYS used to be 'my soap' but honestly I feel like I have such a special place in my heart for GL. 

Edited July 11, 2020 by KMan101

[SoapDope]

I am in love with late 70's GL. Jackie, Elizabeth, Alan, Hope, Justin, Mike, Ed, Bert, Rita etc....keep me invested in what's going on. Even if it's just someone having coffee or dinner etc... By the early 80's the show started to unravel and become the Reva Show. 

 

Elizabeth Spaulding was such a fascinating tragic character. Her marriage to Alan was tumultuous, her son Phillip was not her real son, she couldn't be with the love of her life (Mike), married and divorced Justin quickly and eventually gave up custody of Phillip leaving town.  I wish Cindy Pickett had continued as Jackie till the end of the Phillip story.