Guiding Light discussion thread

[vetsoapfan]

Ahh, the revisionist-history Bauers, who had never existed or been mentioned since the family was introduced in the 1940s. With known and established characters like Mike, Hope, Meta, Trudy, etc., out there to use in the TGL universe, I resented how these awkwardly-inserted strangers were suddenly supposed to be part of the family. Nope. I called them all "the fake Bauers," and never accepted any of them. Daughter Lacey was particularly painful to tolerate. At least they came and went fairly quickly. I had to endure Peter Simon as "the fake Ed" for a looooong 27 years, LOL!

I really liked Derek Colby and was disappointed that the show dropped him so suddenly. He was vastly more appealing than so many of the revolving-door newbies who kept being foisted on us as the 1980s progressed.

[Soaplovers]

Oh.. Derek Colby... I've heard that name before.. but never saw him on an episode.  Only time I saw the actor was in the Moonlighting screen test video.. and he was attractive.. but I don't know if he had that 'look' to be a memorable actor. 

[P.J.]

It's kind of hard to judge, since 1982 episodes are so spotty, so I'm really not even sure if he was a contract player. He never seems to have his own story, but I like him. They could've at least tried him with Katie (who is basically a day player for three years) instead of trying to sell Tony as the be-all end-all. I mean, I liked Greg Beecroft at the time, but not so much on the rewatch.

 

honestly, at this point in '82, I think he's better looking than Robert Newman.  An argument with Hillary starts about 3:30. (Please excuse the bad perm someone obviously talked Maeve into...)

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Sometimes I really do wonder why Peter Simon lasts so long. Then I stumble on some Richard Van Vleet or Robert Gentry in the role...oy vey.

 

[MichaelGL]

Harley Venton :swoon: 

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Derek had potential, but like most things post Marland his character was lost in the shuffle. I seriously think he was meant to be Vanessa's endgame romantically (scheming rich b!tch and the straight laced lawyer who holds her accountable which forces her to grow up), and throw Nola in the mix it would've been interesting. 

Edited August 4, 2024 by MichaelGL

[vetsoapfan]

LOL!

Robert Gentry was actually very good as Ed when he originally played the role decades ago, but when he returned, the magic was gone and he no longer fit the part. Of course, lousy writing and TPTB's apparent disinterest in the character at the time made the situation worse.

The less said about RVF, the better. He clicked as Chuck Tyler on AMC, but he was woefully miscast on TGL.

If RG and RVF were the only other options, I guess I'd grudgingly have to accept Simon as Ed Bauer, but his listless, morose take on the character was a turn-off. 

I've always been team Mart Hulswit, and felt firing him was a decision that damaged the character and the show in the long term.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one to find Derek Colby attractive.

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[P.J.]

I could see him with Trish. I do not understand having Vanessa leer at and sexually harass Tony for basically a year. The only thing I can come up with was in the shuffle after Marland, the HW (which I think is Pat Falken Smith) doesn't want to commit to any new couples. 

Edited August 4, 2024 by P.J.

[Khan]

Believe it or not, Harley Venton - who, I agree, is wonderful - was Cybill Shepherd's choice to play David Addison on "Moonlighting."  However, the show's creator/EP, Glenn Gordon Caron, and the network (ABC) overruled her.

[P.J.]

Mart is the first Ed I remember. In rewatching some late 70s' episodes, I'm blown away by the difference. I always knew in the back of my mind there was, but there's an intensity with Mart that is more of a natural fit fo the son of a bedrock family than Simon ever manages.

And I know it's not really fair to throw Gentry under the bus (I caught a handful of episodes when Vanessa is giving birth to Maureen and had to wonder who the F this sad sack doctor attending to her is, until someone literally calls him Ed...*boggle*) but Van Vleet is a trainwreck. 

I DID NOT KNOW THIS! *WOW*

[Reverend Ruthledge]

I've said this before and I'll say it again but I think Robert Gentry personified the character of Ed the best as he was envisioned in the 60s and this is, in my opinion, the character's most prominent time. But this vision of the character was long gone by the time Gentry played the role again decades later. I never saw him when he revised the role but I can imagine he did seem out of place with both the writing and Ed being so different. Hulswitt was, by far, the most likable Ed. He was my "favorite" Ed in terms of likability but Gentry was my favorite for being truest to the character as originally envisioned. I really couldn't see Hulswitt pulling off the Ed of the 60s just like I can't imagine Gentry pulling off the Ed of the 70s. I tend to go with the original version of characters as the most definitive so that's why I think Gentry played Ed the best. Ed was a dick and Gentry played that so well. By the time we got to the later version of Ed, the character was just sour and weak which, actually, Simon was great at playing. But my strong distaste for the actor challenges me to say anything positive about his portrayal.  I never liked Ed so it's just hard for me to think of Hulswitt's Ed as the real Ed. Especially because his Ed was the Ed I had the least exposure to. When I watch Hulswitt's Ed, it actually confuses me to like Ed. Much like it confuses me to watch Bert in the 70s and 80s and like her so much.

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Edited August 4, 2024 by Reverend Ruthledge

[P.J.]

I think most people do this with recasts. It depends on who you "knew" first. For me it sounds like a Ellen Dolan/ Ellen Parker situation. Dolan probably fits into the Reardon family a bit better, but Parker embodies the warm matriarch everyone can turn to. 

LOL...I think P&G sent out a memo---these grandmas are supposed to be warm and fuzzy! in the late 70's- 80's. Nancy Hughes got a lot less peppery around the same time.

[Sapounopera]

Can someone explain to me who the owner of Towers Club was?

Was the building supposed to be a hotel? 

I read somewhere that Roger built it for Blake and was called Blakeview at first? 

Was Company always around? Even during the Cooper Diner years?

[MichaelGL]

Company was started in 1982 when Pat Faulken Smith was HW. It was first just the Reardon Boarding house, then became Reardon & Company. The Coopers and the diner came later in the late 80s. 

Not sure about the ownership of Towers and etc. It went through so many changes in the early 90s with the ownership/name and etc. 

[Reverend Ruthledge]

Thank you for the response. Most of my posts are usually thread killers. Or, at least, just get a response from crickets. 

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[kalbir]

Ellen Parker Maureen was the anchor/tentpole of the community that kept things grounded.

Edited August 4, 2024 by kalbir

[Soaplovers]

Agree to disagree.   Derek seems non-descript to me as a character, but I can't judge it by just this one scene.   However, Robert Newman was kinda hot.. and this Josh was loads better then the Josh we got once Reva invaded Springfield.

And I kind of like the hair on Vanessa in this scene.. it seemed a bit funky and showed that Vanessa was still free and untamed as a character.