OLTL: Discussion for the week January 18

[EricMontreal22]

How long was Lemay's return?

[DRW50]

Lemay returned around the time of the writers strike of 1988, or not long after. He didn't write for the show very long until he was replaced by Swajeski, and some say she only gets her praise for work she took from his story plans (I disagree with that -- I think she wrote some strong material all the way up to 90-91, but certainly his stuff was quite good). He brought Iris back, which was a brilliant idea, and he also had some fantastic scenes where Matthew accidentally found out from Aunt Liz that he was conceived through awful circumstances (Rachel slept with Mitch Blake so he would tell her where Mac was being hidden). Right when his work started, Sharlene Frame immediately started spouting off about the stuck up Corys and how they had ruined the lives of the Frames, and then Rachel went on about the Frames being trash. This type of class conflict between the families had been MIA until his return, and generally left again when he did.

I think he would have done some excellent stuff if he'd stayed around.

I think that's right.

http://www.igs.net/~awhp/credits.html

# Harding Lemay, September 12, 1988 - November 10, 1988

(In 1988, with Barbara B. Hagstrom, Stephen LeMay, Chris Whitesell, Carolyn Culliton, Fran Myers, Roger Newman, Peggy Schibi, David Cherrill, Michael Zaslow, Nerissa Radel, Susan Hufford)

# Donna Swajeski, November 1988 - November 1992

(In 1989, with Christopher Whitesell, Nerissa Radel, Peter Swet, Carolyn Culliton, Fran Myers, Roger Newman, David Cherrill, Janet Iacobuzio, Mimi Leahey, Eugene Price, Michael Zaslow, Nancy Franklin)

[SFK]

Did Lemay write the anniversary where Rachel fell out from the fumes and Steve visited her in her dreams/hallucinations? Dorothy Lyman came back as Opal Gwen: "Only Rachel is pretentious enough to wear a white mink coat in May!"

[DRW50]

I think he was gone by then. I don't think he would have written Gwen that way; Dorothy Lyman also said she was baffled by the writing for her. Then the last episode, Gwen was more normal again. They just said, "Gwen has had psychological problems," or whatever.

I wish they'd done more with Gwen, they could have had her make some appearances later on when the Frames were no longer around and needed a boost. Rachel also needed a frenemy.

Here's Beverlee on LIAMST, with a bit of an accent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZQ1uxKl6NY&feature=related

[SFK]

I wonder if Lemay was secretly wishing that BM would quit GL and come back to AW. I'm sure he saw the wonderful potential in bringing back the character, but I'm a little surprised that he'd even want to if he couldn't get his "Bevie" back.

[DRW50]

I guess he knew it probably wasn't going to happen. I do wonder how much input he had in Carmen's hiring. Carmen was so underrated, I miss her on daytime.

[SFK]

Thanks for that LIAMST clip, I think I saw that on WoST back in the day... I know I saw an ep with her son (Billy?) and Albert Stratton (Eric Kane, AMC) as her ex.

Coincidentally, someone has uploaded some GREAT Beverlee material just recently, including her Hawaii Five-0 guest spot where she looks gorgeous: http://www.youtube.com/user/everydayrebellions

[chyti]

I'm new here so I really don't get your hostility towards the actress/character but it is your opinion I doubt that she needs to crawl back to OLTL in fact I doubt anyone needs to crawl back to the show at this point the show needs whomever they can get to capture any attention.

I will love for her to come back, I loved her character and the unique presence that it did bring to OLTL as an African American female, I love her friendship/relationship with Todd and thought that her acting was no where near mediocre but she like every other actor at the time was riddled with bad writing.

[DRW50]

Thanks, SFK, I'll have to check that out soon!

I wonder what Evangeline would think of Todd these days.

[chyti]

I doubt that she would be involved in his life on a day to day basis like she was before a scene here and there like is afforded everyone beside Blair and Tea. I really miss his interactions with other people especially with is sister and niece.

[Toups]

Woah, what's with the long AW discussion? Don't tell me the OLTL threads are going to be like the Y&R threads and go all off topic! Come on, guys.

[EricMontreal22]

LOL they always go back on topic as soon as the next day's episode starts--I wouldn't worry But thanks for keeping us in line.

[Toups]

I always have to whip the Y&R posters, don't make me whip the OLTL posters too now. LOL

[EricMontreal22]

Us OLTL posters are a kinky lot, we might just come back for more

[Vee]

As long as Sylph continues holding his encounter groups with hapless posters in the various Y&R threads, I think we can be tolerated the occasional digression.