OLTL: Question about 1991 story

[dntdropthesoap]

Actually, if I remember correctly, they made her crazy and were going to write her out of the show. But once they saw how entertaining she was that way, they decided to keep her.

[DRW50]

Good choice to keep her. She was gold for most of 1991-1993 or so, and decent in 1994, even though I think Asa diluted her as a character.

I wonder if they might have originally thought of putting Megan and Cain together, or if they already knew Jessica was leaving at that time.

[SFK]

*Allegedly* LB dated a rather well-known NY headshot photographer (I won't call his name here) back in the day who claims not only that it was his connections that got her on the show, but also that LB unceremoniously dumped him once she booked the gig (saying that she couldn't possibly meet the demands of a busy soap schedule and a romantic relationship at the same time).

Alex was great fun for that bubble of time there, she was my next favorite female character after Viki/Dorian. Some of her stuff with Carlo/Poseidon (remember the awesome scary/moody music theme for that?) was really entertainng.

[Llantano Incorporated]

Alex's theme music was awesome. It was that Elizabeth Swados that Gottlieb hired for a time. Linda hired an orchestra to give the show a more conematic quality. It did not last long, but they continued to use her work.

Tonja Walker was insanely good, funny, and frightening. I loved her back then.

It is fun to look back at 1991. What a TERRIBLE year for OLTL, not too disimilar from OLTL's state now in my opinion. And I totally agree about the potential for the character of Brenda. I loved Brenda Brock. She was down to earth, beautiful, and Branda was a salt of the earth, kind, yet tough character.

And you can tell that Linda had not arrived yet by the harsh lighting. That is all Rauch (slightly subdued compared to his standards, maybe Linda was JUST taking over? Changing the lighting was one of the 1st things she did. In addition to hiring Malone and firing OLTL's long time costume designer- I think her name was Taylor Kinkaid Cheek. Linda thought the costumes were horrible.

[Dale]

You know, this one is not so easy to answer (or remember!) When Cain first arrived on the scene (May-ish 1991), he was in Tina's orbit, posing as Hudson King, and scamming Tina over writing her memoirs. He disappeared for a bit, only to be brought back in the fall to interact with Megan; at that time he was posing as Heinrich Kaiser, a producer. I gotta pull out my old tapes and check to see if he was a Rauch or Gottlieb creation.....my gut says Rauch.

[Khan]

All I can say is, I remember watching the Cain/Tina story unfold during the summer of '91, when my family and I were on our annual vacation in Las Vegas; and noticing Michael Malone's name in the credits for the first time back then (still w/ "Peabo's Theme" and the Rauch-era title cards) at the end of the episode where Cord and Tina basically beat that slime at his own game.

[Khan]

I know Alex was off the canvas for a bit, but didn't someone @ the show tell SOD that it had been their intention all along to keep Alex (but just turn her into a nutcase)? Then again, they were probably just covering their collective asses, lol.

[Khan]

Yeah, I remember reading an article (might've been in SOW) where Linda Thorson (ex-Julia Medina) said that "now we'll all look like those people on YOUNG AND RESTLESS," or words to that effect.

[Llantano Incorporated]

Khan you nailed that quote.

Julia mentioned that Paul used these huge overhead lights that "showed every pore on their faces"..

If you ever to get to watch old OLTL backstage footage on Youtube- like when Regis visited the OLTL studios, you will see the amazing amount of lights- and they they were HUGE. Bizarre. There were some recent backstage videos and its like night and day in terms of production design. Linda's innovations in that aspect did live on.

[DRW50]

Some sad irony in that.

I wonder if she really thought she'd be staying around, since she had no one left on the show (except Carlo I guess). I was surprised they kept her as long as they did, wasn't it like summer 1992 when she was written out, wherever Julia went.

Do you agree about the costumes? I thought some of them were OK but generally I remember Erika being better dressed under Gottlieb.

Oh good, someone else who liked Brenda. I thought there was a lot of potential there, for a basically decent person who could also take care of herself. She reminded me a young, green Jacquie Courtney. It's too bad they didn't try to work with that.

[Llantano Incorporated]

She was always just a little green. That was part of her charm. She just had a southern, down home, yet beautiful vibe. She was so different from every other woman on the show, and it gave more depth to stories like Brenda vs. Gabrielle.. I actually like Brenda and Larry's chemistry, as well as her chemistry with Michael Palance (who was a great actor and like Dan Gauthier, one that the network stupidly let get away)

Costumes I never notice, but I do agree about Erika. Dorian has always been dressed prefectly, whatever the regime. They certainly made Llanfair look like a classy home (As much as I love 80's OLTL, Llanfair with that blue striped and flowered wallpaper and cheap ass furniture was an embarrassment- not to mention that cheap looking foyer)

1991/1992 was so fun to watch because it was the last true overhaul of a show I have ever witnessed-excluding (Loving/the City) every aspect of production, writers, (and a major change in storytelling) the opening, ect. OLTL looked and sounded completely different. A producer was allowed to have a vision and execute it. To mixed results. (Much of Gottlieb's regime BORES me now after viewing on Youtube)

[DRW50]

I agree about Brenda's chemistry with Larry (I haven't seen as much of her with Dan). Michael Storm was still a talent when they gave him the opportunity, which was almost never. I really miss him and I miss Wanda, although looking back, thank goodness Marilyn Chris left when she did, as JFP probably would have had her slaughtered for sweeps. But Wanda was such a great example of how OLTL did not need a "core family" to introduce a unique character -- Wanda couldn't have grown up more differently than Viki, yet even after Joe and Vince were gone, she was a close friend to the family, and she also worked well with the Buchanans. I would have loved seeing her face off with Roxy during that 2001 Jess/Natalie story.

I know Schemering said Rauch made Strasser's Dorian look like "Ronald McDonald". I didn't think it was that bad but it was a little garish. Then again this was the 80s.

You're right, I've never seen another major overhaul like that since (I guess you could count Conboy's GL or what Sheffer did to ATWT and Rauch/Sheffer to Y&R, but those were not something I enjoyed). There's a certain slightly fake over-sincerity in a lot of the Gottlieb stuff, making some stories better than others. I enjoy most of what is shown (especially pre-Todd), although in the long term I think a lot of the damage and rewrites to Viki and Tina and the Buchanans weren't worth it. I guess I should blame Malone more for that.

One thing I miss is the sense that people still cared about soaps and wanted to try to do something with them. Now no one gives a crap.

[SFK]

Didn't Rauch say something about how expensive and great the sets were and why hide them with no light? Maybe that was when he was on GL, same diff if it's his taste we're talking about.

I think LT was right on the ball, the show did resemble Y&R somewhat, Llanfair and Dorian's apartment had that warm luxe look of the Abbott home. However, the Y&R sets (the Abbott home in particular) always have glittering light reflective glass pieces and and are more textured with contrasting prints and fabrics. A problem ABC soap sets have always had and continue to have is a certain hotel room flatness, a couple shades of the same color without much contrast.

I remember SOD making some comment about getting Viki out of her Liz Claiborne monotony. Early '90s, women still wore more suits, and with Viki no longer working she's always in sweater sets and separates now. Dorian (who was at her stylistic best) wore more suits too and now she looks like Charles Busch in any number of his plays. RS has said that LG was an awesome dresser with extraordinary taste and I think that read on screen.

[Llantano Incorporated]

Krista Tesreau was appallingly awful as Tina. What a disaster.

Your last sentence summed it up completely.

Linda at least wanted to make the show BETTER. And DIFFERENT. She both succeeded and failed, definitely worthwhile few years.

[Khan]

Actually, I don't think RS ever looked better than when Joe Stuart was producing this show.

So, making everyone look as if they are being interrogated by the Gestapo (under the bright lights) was the answer?

No offense, Paul, but WTF happened when you left ANOTHER WORLD? That show was lit so much more tastefully.