Linda Gottlieb article 1992

[Vee]

I believe Dorian hung in for awhile with Rauch. I thought he made a lot of use of her with the Who Killed Mitch story, Dorian and Herb, etc. All that led to Dorian in jail, and Pamela Payton-Wright's first character as one of Dorian's cellmates. It was a big story for Dorian. When Robin walked he replaced her with Sharon Gabet's Melinda, a Dorian-clone, and also tried humiliating Dorian with the Jon Russell/Cassie story. He begged her to come back in '90 for Mendorra, though.

I thought he iced people like Cassie's teen squad (weren't they all living in Ivan Kipling's haunted house?) and Laurel Chapin Wolek first. Either he or someone else (maybe he inherited this) tried Dorian first with a Joey-style Danny Wolek, then with Asa, but then came Pamela and Jeb Stuart.

I liked the Samanthas a lot. I also really, really like Becky Lee. Even with Asa.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I wonder if there's any truth to the rumours that Courtney was jealous that Judith Light stole all the spotlight in the late 70's and early 80'a, as she thought she would be the most buzzed about actress on the show and yes replace Vicki as the center of the show.

[DRW50]

I liked Becky Lee a lot too. She also seemed very authentic. I wonder how Rauch would have handled those characters from the last few regimes, if they had stayed around. He made AE's Tina into the campy Tina, which worked, but then when I look at Mari Lyn Dennison, who in some ways is reminiscent of the young, ingenue Tina who first showed up in Llanview, but Mari Lyn is so plastic and such a Barbie Doll. Aside from Viki, that's the only type of woman Rauch seemed to know how to showcase. These women who were always a little ridiculous.

I guess there were a few exceptions, like Renee, or Brenda. Something about the actress who played Brenda cut through a lot of the sap.

I'm surprised Rauch didn't do more with Delilah when Shelley Burch was around. I'd think she was a type of character he'd enjoy showcasing.

[Vee]

I don't know if Becky Lee lingered into Rauch or not. I think she was on the borderline. I thought he did some with Delilah (she stole Gabrielle's designs, for one thing) but Shelly Burch left at least once, the first time in a mysterious disappearance a la Laura on the docks; I think she was later rescued, held captive by Patrick London along with Bo and Didi. To the best of my knowledge, Delilah left the show before Rafe and their/Sam's daughter Sammi to head up her fashion business elsewhere; for some godforsaken reason, it took a couple years for Rafe and Sammi to follow her. Delilah could be fun but the hair and shoulder pads always made me think Klingon.

It amazes me there was so many Fake Shemp Tinas before Andrea Evans returned under Rauch; they really tried to keep the teen heroine around and nothing seemed to have much success as far as I can tell. I didn't care about Brenda McGillis. Just another Rauch blonde. He loves blondes. See also: Laura Wright, Beth Chamberlin.

[DRW50]

You're right about the Klingon part.

Brenda was the typical Rauch blonde, there was just something about the actress, being so tall and having such a husky voice, which was a good contrast for me to the generic material. One time she had to fight with Gabrielle over a letter in the Grande baby swap, and I really thought she was going to beat the [!@#$%^&*] out of Gabrielle. In some ways she made me think of a rougher Jacqui Courtney.

I can never remember when Rauch started. He was there for so long and I guess I lump in many of those middle era characters with him, since he wrote out Jenny, Brad, etc.

I still can't believe they cast Marsha Clark as Tina. From what I've seen of her on GL, she was fantastic, but she was like the anti-Tina.

[Vee]

Yeah, that Marsha Clark thing is really staggering.

[DRW50]

I do wish she'd stayed on OLTL in some capacity, because she wrote that brilliant parody of GL in 1979; I can't imagine what she'd have to say about Rauch's OLTL.

[Doyen]

I'd kill to see some of those Marsha Clark Tina episodes. Along with Ken Kenitzer's Kevin and Claire Malis' Dorian, they seem extremely rare (even though ABC has them all archived in their library, but just has no reason to ever show them.) Unfortuately, because of her name, every time you try to do any kind of a search on her you get Marcia Clark results. She did an interview not too long ago stating that while on she was on vacation in New York, OLTL was frantic to replace Kelli Maroney as Tina, and so they called and basically browbeat her into taking over the role. The process was so rushed and quick that she just inadvertanly agreed without seriously pondering it, but later told them that she wouldn't be able to stay for an extended period of time because her family was out west and she was only supposed to be in New York briefly anyway; so her whole stint was treated like a stand-in until they found someone else (which turned out to be Evans.) From what I heard from others who can barely remember, her on screen demeanor was too sophisticated and vague for the character and that her Tina was like a younger, mousier, slightly hipper (totally forgettable) version of Viki. Anyway, if anyone finds any clips of her as Tina, please post them.

[Paul Raven]

Here courtesy of French Fan is a summary of August 83 written by Hall & Slesar

Written by: Sam Hall & Henry Slesar

Produced by: Jean Arley

Dick Grant is taken to police station. Spotting Viki, he shouts that Echo and Clint made love. Clint lyingly denies this to Viki. Edwina tells Marco she is not sure they are ready for marriage, although he continues to push the subject. At Vernon Inn, floors start to collapse and a gas line ruptures. Jenny is locked in a room with gas leak but Brad jumps in and saves her life. Giles warns Echo they cannot forget that Clint took Giselle away from their father. Upset because he's not named chief of police, Ed wants to quit the force. To placate Dorian, David gives her photo album of Cassie's childhood.

Giles stops Echo at the airport and says that she cannot desert the family just because she's fallen in love with Clint. Echo agrees to stay in Llanview but is fearful when Giles says he plans to set Clint up for Echo's murder. Clint goes to the ranch house where he once had an affair with Giselle. Giles tells Echo they must get even with Clint because he was responsible for Giselle's death. When Brad is unable to get backing for the Vernon Inn, he fears disappointing Jenny and goes to loan shark. Dorian is finding it hard to keep her former relationship with David a secret. During an argument with David, Dorian and he unleash the deep feelings they still have for one another. Marco isn't certain that Shelley's TV commercial is a positive step. Courtney learns Ed intended to propose to her and suddenly stopped. Now that Ed's quit the police force, Courtney isn't so sure he's good marriage material.

A caretaker at a mission near the ranch house in New Mexico tells Clint that Giselle died a violent death but Clint can't remember what happened. Viki tries to find out what's going on and recovers a picture showing Giselle wearing a pendant exactly like the one Clint gave her. Viki believes that because of the strong resemblance, Giselle is Echo's mother. Echo is determined to get revenge on Clint. Jenny sees a loan shark follow her and Brad, and Brad admits he borrowed the money from him. Brad tries to repay it, but the loan sharks want the interest too. Rafe arrests the loan sharks for extortion and Brad's financial problems are temporarily solved. Herb accuses Dorian of having an affair with David. Ed talks Marco into giving Arnie a job, but not as a model. Alec is bitter that Asa pays attention to him only because of his basketball talents.

Viki learns that her husband Clint had an affair with Echo and publicly ends their marriage at a big dinner. Viki tries to investigate the mystery of Echo and her brother Giles. Viki overhears Echo accusing Clint of killing Giselle, but Viki tells Clint she thinks he is incapable of murder. Echo and Giles start gossip to assure that some people believe Clint is hostile to Echo. Pat decides to take an offer in Chicago after another dispute with Dorian. Delilah constantly argues with Bo about his leaving her alone so much.

David promises Dorian not to tell Cassie' he is her father. Viki tells everyone she is leaving Clint, but she really flies to Arizona to try to get information on Echo and Giles. She learns Giselle drowned after falling off a bridge and the family vowed revenge on Clint. Echo attempts to lure Clint to the bridge, claiming she is ready to die for love of him. Jenny looks through old journal at Vernon Inn and finds gold may be hidden there. Becky is beset by sudden dizziness and pain. Cassie returns home from Greece grown up and gorgeous. Alec is concerned that a shady gambling operator, Anthony Makana, is playing up to rookie football player Doc Gilmore.

[DRW50]

You may want to ask VickRobCal to post some, or I might ask them, if someone already hasn't.

It's frustrating, because there are episodes up from like a month before she debuted as Tina, but none during the time she was in the role, at least none that I could find.

[Vee]

As I thought - Echo was Slesar.

And I see they at least started the Anthony Makkana/Alec/Ed/Carla/Courtney stuff. I know Delilah became a club queen at Makkana's establishment which wrecked Bo and Delilah. After this creative team came the Corringtons, I believe; I don't know how much of that they did, and again I'd swear they did San Carlos, the Crown/Chapin mob family, Coronals, etc. They seemed very much to me like a Rappaport-style invasion.

Didn't Brad Vernon leave married off to Liz Keifer's Connie O'Neill? People would throw a fit at Carlivati for it but I wouldn't mind seeing a short-term Brad recast come in to mix it up with people with Keifer's Connie, who could visit with Bo.

[DRW50]

I'd love to see Keifer on OLTL in some capacity. Brad again would be nice as well. I'd really love to see some of the Woleks back, although that seems unlikely.

Dan Lauria played one of the people at the club, right? I remember seeing a part of an episode online where Delilah was doing what she thought was some sort of artistic dancing and the guy at the club was just leering at her.

[EricMontreal22]

Didn't the actor playing Larry recently say he would still come back? Unlike AMC, OLTL is in need of a doctor (they seem to liek to use Marty as some sort of substitute)...

In those Agnes Nixon Paley Center videos i love one question (this was 1988) where the guy asks her when Larry Wolek will stop acting like a complete idiot and get a brain again. She doesn't know what to say

[SFK]

Vee, I always assumed that Sharon Gabet's Melinda was intended to be somewhat of a Dorian clone, but I've read others say online that she really didn't fit that mold. I wasn't watching then, so I can't say, but I've read that she was written rather blah, she was a reporter and there was mention made of her past mental health issues, then there was the business with her getting with one of Cassie's dudes and then leaving town... Sharon said in her WoST interview that it was such a shame/missed opportunity that she and Robin Strasser couldn't have shared scenes as sisters. I know she's busy with family and all, but seriosuly, it's Sharon they need to bring back instead of catatonic Duh-linda, Nicole Orth-Pallavicini whenever they feel like dragging the character back out. Now, I have also read that Lee Halperin was more in tune with a Dorian replacement.

ACEM, you are *really* not missing anything by not seeing Ken Kenitzer. Just Google image his picture and say in your best emotionless monotone something like, "Mom, I'm so glad that you're okay, I came back as soon as I heard" and there you have the Ken Kenitzer experience. To put him in scenes with Erika Slezak was insulting to Erika, the audience, and the medium.

There's a *snippet* of Claire Malis in this clip:

Are there any YouTube clips of Phyllis Newman as Renee? Curious.

[Vee]

I've always felt they should honor Larry with a tribute. I still do. They could easily introduce a few young Woleks.

I'd heard Lee Halpern was offed in the writer's strike, though that may be wrong. I've seen some of Gabet's Melinda but what I remember the most was her skydiving or rappelling up the side of an office building or something, which screamed "faux Dorian."

I have no discernable memory of Ken Kenitzer but I remember Jack Armstrong Kevin, or "Nazi Kevin," very well, the suspenders guy. I always envision him playing "Rolf" in lots of roadshow productions of The Sound Of Music.