ATWT Tribute Thread

[DRW50]

May 12 98 SOM. 10 Reasons to Watch ATWT.

1. The Real World

No one moment more solidified ATWT's status as the best in the business at real-life drama than the one when John Dixon said goodbye to his prematurely born infant son. But the heartrending storyline that allowed two-time Daytime Emmy winner Larry Bryggman (John) to offer up maybe his best work ever was hardly a surprise. For over 40 years, ATWT has consistently delivered the goods when it comes to true-to-life heartache. From little Tom Hughes' custody trial to Margo's rape by an HIV-positive attacker, this show can wring every ounce of emotion from a situation - without going over the top.

2. Timeless, Ageless Talent

From Helen Wagner (Nancy) to Jordana Brewster (Nikki), ATWT continually has one of the best multigenerational talent pools in daytime. Whether they're hatching a plan to create a baby or save a marriage, longtime favorites Eileen Fulton (Lisa) and Larry Bryggman (John) regularly mix it up with young turks like Maura West (Carly) and Michael Park (Jack). The results leave us with the feeling that we're watching old friends through new eyes every day.

3. Fearless Couplings

Who would have thought that together, grouchy John Dixon and man-eating Barbara Ryan could make sparks fly? But ATWT seems to be fearless when it comes to experimenting with way-out duos. Other notable mix-and-matches include bad guy David Stenbeck and psycho Molly Conlan, the very married Tom Hughes and the very confused Emily Stewart, and - the granddaddy of them all - persnickety Lucinda Walsh and her archenemy, James Stenbeck.

4. Holden on to Lily

They've been star-crossed lovers for an eternity (well, 12 years, anyway), but now that ATWT's inveterate romantic duo, Lily and Holden, are hitched, don't expect the hearts-and-flowers to stop anytime soon. From their first electrifying scenes in the stables years ago to Holden's impromptu wedding ceremony earlier this year, this couple brings new meaning to romance every time they gaze into each other's eyes.

5. Delicious Divas

They scheme, they flirt, but when the going gets tough, they fight back. And that's why ATWT's quartet of divine divas is such a riot to watch. Elizabeth Hubbard (Lucinda) can blow out a beacon with her bluster, and after 38 years, Eileen Fulton (Lisa) is still the quintessential femme fatale. With relative newcomers Lesli Kay Sterling (Molly) and Maura West (Carly) - equal parts spunk and sex appeal - the combination of these lovely ladies keep the men of Oakdale on their toes.

6. Homeward Bound

Warm sets and even warmer characters always make tuning into ATWT feel like taking a trip home. Every Christmas we feel like we are part of the celebration when the Hughes family gets together for a traditional holiday with all the trimmings. Elaborate set designs and a rich history between characters make Oakdale the quintessence of small-town life.

7. A Dastardly Duo

When Public Enemy No. 1 James Stenbeck wants to stir up a little trouble, he always goes home to Oakdale to hatch his diabolical plans. And since we can't seem to get enough of this delicious devilry, the show has given us his recently discovered son, terror-in-training David. We can hardly wait until these two officially team up and set Oakdale on its ear.

8. All in the Hughes Family

After 40 years, Nancy is still the matriarch, and Bob and Kim still the pillars of the family and the community. Although we've watched generation after generation of Hughes progeny grow up and leave the fold, we always know they'll be back in times of trouble. Case in point: Andy's recent return after a two-year absence to help rouse his mom from a coma.

9. Clowning Around

When it comes to downright goofy hijinks, Kirk Anderson takes the cake and then some. Kirk's side-splitting (and seam-splitting) rendition of Saturday Night Fever was an absolutely hoot. But it's Tom Wiggin's (Kirk) Rubbery mug that makes Kirk's antics so delightful to watch. Add Sherri Alexander's elegant portrayal of Sam, Kirk's partner in love and laughter, and Kirk's wild gyrations seem all the more endearing.

10. Blast from the Past

A few months ago, Kim cleverly used her former career as a torch singer to get info on Molly's whereabouts. More recently, twice-divorced Barbara and Hal turned to each other for support, and John Dixon is starting to remind us of his old ways as a schemer extroidinaire. The past is always a big part of the future on this show, which is why so many its core cast members are still around.

Edited September 6, 2010 by CarlD2

[Franky]

LOL. The author of that article really likes John Dixon, I guess. I find it hard to believe that anyone enjoyed the Lucinda/James pairing, but I have to agree about the sets. ATWT always had some of the best sets in daytime, IMHO.

[DRW50]

ATWT promo near the start of this clip -- around the time that Marcy was almost assaulted by a photographer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIR-ogh2YAE

[DRW50]

Yowch Lisa's hair color is so glaring in some of these shots. I like this clip because of the way they film the Lucinda/James sexual buildup. You don't see much of anything, just undoing cuffs or jackets or watches, but the way it's done is very sensual and frenzied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FzvMVG1fUI

[Mitch]

AHHH, Lucinda is doing the walk of shame! I hope she is going to go home and change her underwear!!

I loved this brief period post James the psycho and pre James as Lex Luthor.

I love how Lucinda treats Lisa as an annoying little nat and walks right over her line..(and yea, Fulton looks terrible with red hair.) And we get to see AMBROSE!!! Man looking at the Mona Lisa scene with so many people involved makes soaps today look like the town is empty. I also like how they have so many people talking about people and things that you definatley would have to watch everyday.

[Bright Eyes]

When Helen Wagner was fired/quit in 1981, what year did she return to the show?

[Mitch]

She quit, but they only offered a contract of one day a week. She came back for Bob and Kim's wedding in 1985, both she and DM came back the summer of 85 as recurring, and then I think a contract basis in the Fall when Marland started.

[Bright Eyes]

So, she didn't appear at all during the time she left in '81 until the time she returned? That makes her time on the show at exactly 50 years. Fascinating.

Edited September 8, 2010 by Amello

[Mitch]

They like to skimp over those years she was gone. However, they did return for Tom and Margos wedding, however, typical of ATWT at the time, they had no interaction with anyone ("Like, where have you been for two years?") They are simply shown getting out of a car and Nancy says, "Chris, WHAT is our grandson up to now?" (those were the days of Tom being kind of wild and fun, not the boring stiff ahole he is now.) And then observers of the wedding.

[DRW50]

I was reading an SOD from April 1994 and they talked about how the show planned to burn down the Snyder farm but then changed their minds because word leaked out in a "small soap opera newsletter." They said that ultimately this fire would have brought the Snyders back together. Do any of you remember hearing about this? I kind of wish they'd done it -- starting around 1995 the farm became nothing more than a boarding house, at best, and had no heart, and ultimately has become a stopping ground for the Cicciones. Burning it down could have made for a good story, although most likely, considering ATWT at the time, it would have been all about Rosanna weeping over losing her home and why couldn't she have spent all her life milking cows instead of being an heiress.

[DRW50]

April 1994 SOD interview with Margaret Reed. Shannon was one of my favorite characters. Over fifteen years later I'm still bitter about how that story turned out.

[Mitch]

Ah, I know you love your Shannon, but really, she should have stayed that shrunken head..( I always thought Duncan could tie it around his rear view mirror, "Ah, Lassie, I miss you as much as I miss the heather on the hill, but that Jessica may be ice on two legs, but she is a hellion in the sack!")

What was the outcome of that anyway. I know the actress was bitching about getting fired (which I think is funny, she LEFT the show so they had to write around her,) Was Marland still there?

[DRW50]

I agree with you in hindsight that she should have stayed dead. At the time I was happy to see her again because I enjoyed her the first time around. I also liked Duncan/Jessica. They just gave the middle finger to all the characters and their relationships. I think they should have brought Shannon back and still had some of her fun. The story about her losing her mind in a prison and having a stillborn baby was so grim. Who wanted to see that??? And she came across as unpleasant.

John Valente fired Margaret Reed in spring 1995. He fired, just using character names to save time, Duncan, Shannon, Andy, Emma (put on recurring), Ellen (put on recurring -- recurring as in seen twice over the next 15 years), Evan, Julie, Caleb, Larry, Jef Hamlin. Some of those characters did need to go but at the time the soap press acted like this was some great step forward, when actually there were some solid characters in there who never should have gone anywhere, like Andy, and even worse, the characters who replaced them sucked.

Shannon left on a book tour and Duncan went to a foreign country. I still don't understand why they didn't even get to leave town together.

[Mitch]

Ah thanks, still born babies born in prison are no fun...was Marland writing that..doesnt seem his style.

[DRW50]

No. I think Richard Backus/Juliet Law Packer wrote that. I don't think Marland ever would have brought Shannon back.

Oh, I think Jason Biggs/Pete was also fired. Pete and Julie I really enjoyed as mother and son.

Brooke Alexander was fired not long after this. I know there was some rumor she couldn't remember her lines but I thought she was great as Sam.

I think Laurie Caso was going to fire Kirk but when Valente came in he reversed the decision and Kirk stayed.