Thursday, July 11, 1974 — Leader Herald, Gloversville-Johnstown, N.Y
Judith Gains Praise in Her Soap Opera Role y CHARLES WTTBECK TV Key, Inc
HOLLYWOOD-(KFS) - When is that sexy nurse Augusta McCloud on "General Hospital" ever going to catch a man? In the mindless, slow moving world of soap opera such important questions never appear to be answered. Curvy, seductive Augusta first strolled through hospital corridors over a year ago, spelling trouble with every step and glance. Just brash enough to taunt grouchy nurse Lucille Wall, Augusta McCloud seemed eager to joust with lady doctors, her superiors, over their husbands, ready to poach. Part of the house-cleaning that occurred on the soaper, Judith McConnell's Augusta was a new sexy menace with one aim in mind—stir up trouble and add visual excitement. Coming on strong at the outset, Judith's character Augusta promised visions of action, but her follow-through proved to be dismally inept. Last week she lost the gold ring when her doctor decided to return to his missus.
At this stage, Judith McConnell wonders what's wrong. Augusta certainly qualifies as an eyeful, and goodness knows she's direct and open about her desires. Organist George Wright's sexy stripper background music for Nurse McCloud is guaranteed to keep fans from drowsing off, yet script writers maintain their frustrating tactics leaving Augusta out in the cold. But the role of the siren who never scores happens to be a bonanza financially. Under contract to ABC, Judith, who brings to mind Ann Sothern in the early days, has a guarantee of two shows a week and is employed 52 weeks a year—a Hollywood plum in these short TV seasons for a lady who loves to work. From Pittsburgh and Carnegie Tech's drama school, Judith knows the value of a steady income after all those odd jobs—being a cut-up in a poultry market, a waitress, selling cosmetics, modelling, teaching a children's theater group.
She also held her own: teaching ballroom dancing in one of those well known franchise dance studios after answering an ad in the paper. "I learned to dance on duty leading from a woman's position," Judith said. "From that six months' job, I can honestly say I can teach anyone how to dance." Along with her teaching duties, the actress was also supposed to sell, using time honored techniques. For the most part clients were married couples or husbands egged on by wives. Oddly enough single males after girls never frequented the studio. Judith approached all newcomers with the franchise line, using a phony name, suggesting the prospective customer dance with her to see how he could improve. "That wasn't bad," she would say, following a few turns around the floor, reaching for an application paper to write down "good, natural rhythm." On this cue, watching through a 8-way mirror, the studio dance director would appear and ask how the two were getting along. "Mr. Smith is going to be a dancer," Judith would announce with a note of triumph. "But he needs a lot of practice."
Now safe in a soaper that could go on forever, the actress looks back on the odd job days and laughs as she spends hours driving from her Malibu beach home into town for the show. Like other daytime actors she decries soap opera's negative image and offers samples of the large daytime following. Flying out for a visit, Judith's mother told the strolling plane's pilot of her daughter's role and learned the man was a steady "General Hospital" fan on his time off. A close friend of Judith's, Carolyn McWilliams in "Guiding Light," tells of being in a New York restaurant when the great pianist Van Cliburn recognized her from the show and came over to offer his compliments. "People shouldn't feel guilty about daytime TV," Judith said. And who would with players like Judith McConnell on the tube?
By
Paul Raven ·
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.