In the August 29 1995 Weekly (K-III Magazines), they had a story on how actors survived live TV. For Secret Storm, Nic Coster talked about a love scene with Jada Rowland on a bearskin rug, in front of a fireplace, when a camera ran into a live plug on the floor. All the power in the studio blew out. Gloria Monty was yelling "Don't move, don't do a thing," and Jada started giggling. When they got back she was still giggling. He said he almost had to smother her in the bearskin rug.

Rowland talked about how she had a reputation even as a teenager of knowing her lines. During a scene where she had to make a peanut butter sandwich while giving a two page speech to her mother, she reached for the peanut butter, only to realize someone had replaced it with a jar of pickles. That was the first time she ever went up on a line. Another time, she was supposed to empty ashtrays. She threw the butts into the trash, and looked down, only to see her sneakers on the bottom of the trash can.

They also talk about the story of a bull from captain Kangaroo that chased Gloria Monty into the control room. Rowland said it was a cow, but Gloria thought it was a bull. Rowland said she wouldn't be surprised if someone had done that on purpose.

Here's a photo I hadn't seen before. It has a Dark Shadows type of tone, don't you think?

That's a gorgeous picture! It does indeed have a DS feel. Belle reminds me of Nancy Barrett, the other blonde looks like Lara Parker, Amy kinda looks like Alex Moltke, and Val looks like Joan Bennett.

I love those color 60s soap cast photos. The fashions were top notch. Must be Ohrbach's.

The other blonde looks like Ilene Kristen too. Who is she?

Yeah I love the 60s clothes in color. There's something striking about those plain, monochromatic dresses when they have blues or reds or greens.

Isn't that the infamous Christina Crawford as Joan Borman Kane?

As a matter of fact, it sure is! I totally see the Ilene Kristen resemblance too.

Belle's dress is my favorite, even though it's so plain. It looks absolutely gorgeous on her.

Yes, it is her. Good eye. I should have remembered because I saw a black and white photo of her, but I have to admit that every time I picture this era of Christina in my mind it's Diana Scarwid.

She has a bit of a wild look about her - what was her character like on SS?

I really like Amy's sweater and skirt too.

Who is the other guy with Coster? I probably know him but can't place it.

That's the late Keith Charles as Nick Kane. Charles is up there as the actor with the most soap roles.

I saw Lori March (Valerie) during the "The Twilight Zone" marathon that was on the SyFy channel the other week. The episode was called "Third from the Sun." Denise Alexander played her teenage daughter! I'm a fan of both so that was a pleasant surprise!

From the October 1955 Radio TV Mirror. Daytime Diary, a synopsis of each soap. I'm not sure how far behind this was.

Defeated in her last vicious effort to ruin Peter, Pauline Tyrell knows a momentary pang of real remorse. Will her evidently sincere apology deceive Peter into trusting her, and treating her once more as the sister of his dead wife and the loving aunt of his children? Or will his need to protect Jane Edwards make him as cautious as he should be in dealing with Pauline? And what of Jane's husband, no longer missing?

Haila Stoddard died Monday at the age of 97. I know it was posted in the Discuss the Soaps section, but I figured I'd continue the conversation here.

Does anyone know when Stoddard left the program? The obituaries have different dates and the soap books tend to be unreliable at times.

On a side note, I was just reading an article from December 1967 about daytime actors appearing in plays. Stoddard was listed as co-producing "The Birthday Party." George Reinholdt was appearing in Cabaret as well as playing Eric Fulda on "Storm." Actor Noel Craig was recently hired to play Herbie Vail on "The Secret Storm" and was appearing in "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead." Apparently, before appearing as Dan Kincaid, Bernard Barrows played Henry McGill, the president of the local university.

I have an interview with her in a magazine from around 1965 and she was still on the show.

From the July 1973 Afternoon TV.

she asks, visibly upset. "I spent one whole night in the Animal Medical Center while the doctors did what they could. Then I took Jessica (Ellen's name for her foster pet) home and nursed her back to health. I'm happy to say that she's in perfect condition now and I'm looking for a good home for her. She's such a lovely little thing with the sweetest disposition. I wish I could keep her myself because she's a perfect companion for my own dog, Willie, a beautiful apricot-colored poodle. But unfortunately, apartment living in New York is not the best place for more than one dog."

Ellen admits to being a very private person and for a long time she didn't give interviews. But lately, she has begun to open up somewhat for the press.

"One day it dawned on me that five million people watch the soaps. If I could reach even a few of them and affect their lives for the better, what a beautiful thing that could be. If I could get some people to be conscious of the obligation we have to this earth and to each other; if people all over would begin their own recycling projects, think of the different we'd make. We could change things! As an actress and a human being, I have an obligation to try."

Shocked by the Michael Nader / Ellen Barber connection. I didn't realize they were once involved. My major Ellen Barber exposure is from her brief stint as the bitchy soap rival of Barbara Wilde's on "Ryan's Hope." Barber was good as the meddling instigator type. Joanna was more of a sympathetic role, no? If the show had continued, I wonder if Joanna would have been more in the mold of her mother-figure, Belle. Was Barber the first or second actress to play the role?

I never knew that either. I wonder if she helped him get his job at ATWT (probably not as that was a few years later).

I wish we could see some of Secret Storm from that era. As you mentioned, I loved her on Ryan's Hope.

She was the second Joanna - I think Audrey Landers was the first.