You can usually tell how little a writer might be respected if actors are dragged out to basically read press releases about the wonders of this person. That didn't happen with Bell.

The thing about Bill is that for all his faults he strove for integrity.

He ran a tight ship but was able to be flexible if something worked.

Actors had their issues with him but if he were alive today things wouldn't be half as bad as they are now.

Even Braeden had a lot of respect for Bill which pretty much says it all.

do you think she could have stayed around or was her time past?

Lorie could have stayed (but only a couple more years) cause JLB was getting very second run Brenda toward the end.

By the time she left she was all hair tosses & flamingo arms

we had Nikki

Who never gets enough respect.

It's such an awful choice with Nikki, either she would have been banished or she stays and is degraded. No actor should have to make that choice, not to mention soap fans.

Thanks for answering my question. I've never really seen any of the early 80s Y&R, the earliest I've seen of the 80s was when the Brooks sisters came back for Victor and Nikki getting married. I thought JLB was pretty good and fairly restrained there but that's probably because she'd been away for a few years.

It sounds like the only actors who started in the half hour format and stayed around were Jeanne Cooper, Julianna McCarthy (for a few years anyway), and Beau Kayzer (for a year or two). I wonder if they were just able to deal with a more rigorous format or if others would have been willing to stay but Y&R felt they were out of steam.

It's such an awful choice with Nikki, either she would have been banished or she stays and is degraded. No actor should have to make that choice, not to mention soap fans.

Exactly.

Y&R's vets carried the show (especially through LML's reign of terror) & are now treated with such disrespect is criminal.

I thought JLB was pretty good and fairly restrained there but that's probably because she'd been away for a few years.

JLB had her moments (though she got VERY OTT around the end of the L Quad).

She had a lot of chemistry with John McCook but was more fun with Tom Ligon (they had matching dry senses of humor).

I wonder if they were just able to deal with a more rigorous format or if others would have been willing to stay but Y&R felt they were out of steam.

Jeanne was always a fan favorite & almost always frontburner.

Julianna & Beau eventually were recurring (and were used fairly well).

Exactly.

Y&R's vets carried the show (especially through LML's reign of terror) & are now treated with such disrespect is criminal.

She had a lot of chemistry with John McCook but was more fun with Tom Ligon (they had matching dry senses of humor).

I still remember how MTS had me riveted to the screen during Victoria's coma. I never really imagined what was to come. Stupid me.

I kind of wish they'd have tried putting JLB and McCook back together on B&B (I know supposedly she was offered the role of Stephanie, but I mean after that) but then that would ruin Eric's image as dirty old man.

I really loved Tom Ligon on Oz. I know he was on ATWT too but I mostly remember him from Oz (my favorite part was when he pushed a guard down the stairs and then just deadpanned "Oops," or something like that). I was surprised when I learned he was on Y&R. I wish I could see some of that it sounds good. He sounds like what Tucker probably should have been.

I still remember how MTS had me riveted to the screen during Victoria's coma. I never really imagined what was to come. Stupid me.

If it wasn't for her (and Thad) that entire arc would've been meaningless.

It speaks to Y&R's misogyny that she, Beth (who was the only one who gave Colleen's death meaning) & Tonya are used as props while lesser talents are constantly frontburner.

I kind of wish they'd have tried putting JLB and McCook back together on B&B

There's always Margo (if LK wants to stay with Days) but B&B's already got a lot of older actresses (Steph, Jackie, Pam, Brooke, Taylor, Donna) to make room for another.

He sounds like what Tucker probably should have been.

Ligon was handsome (still is) with a very dry sense of humor & was a lot of fun compared to dimple chinned McCook.

Edited August 16, 201015 yr by DeeeDee

It's interesting because Y&R often seemed to be noticed or criticized for "young, beautiful" people, but they also cast some men who weren't the typical leading man (Ligon, Braeden).

I agree B&B is overrun with women in a certain age group at the moment. I don't think Gareis or Lesley Ann Down would be a big loss, and Flannery will likely leave eventually. Seeing Bauer or Lauren Koslow again would be good, I think they both had that great Bell style of acting which keeps you watching. Goodness knows Koslow is the only reason Kate is still around...

It's interesting because Y&R often seemed to be noticed or criticized for "young, beautiful" people, but they also cast some men who weren't the typical leading man (Ligon, Braeden).

Ligon was handsome but not movie handsome like Hallick & McCook but very good looking but you're right in that Braeden was atypical leading man (in terms of looks). He was Y&R's Barnabas Collins.

Seeing Bauer or Lauren Koslow again would be good, I think they both had that great Bell style of acting which keeps you watching. Goodness knows Koslow is the only reason Kate is still around...

I wouldn't mind them on B&B either but they would be used 6 months & tossed aside like anybody who isn't Brooke/Ridge/Taylor (Hearst & Brown should be gone soon).

Well I've thought of something and I guess this would be the place to ask, but how was Meg Bennett and her character Julia Newman received? I know that Bennett's has since made a career with soap writing and Julia made a couple returns most recently in 2002 but Julia intrigued me when watching some 1984 episodes of Y&R...her friendships with Victor and Nikki, independent etc. I wonder how much longer Julia would last had Bennett kept acting, if she'd end up as Victor's soulmate and doormat eventually eventually.

I also wonder when Braden started getting the gigantic ego. To watch 1980s Victor is a world apart even from 1990s Victor.

Edited August 17, 201015 yr by soapfan770

I wonder about that too. I liked what I saw of Julia in some of those clips where she was pregnant and trying to keep this a secret. It's a shame they brought her back just to claim she was still in love with Victor or whatever.

Ligon was handsome but not movie handsome like Hallick & McCook

Hallick and McCook....mmmm yeah!!!

And Ligon was handsome in his own right!!

Edited August 17, 201015 yr by OldSchoolSoapFan

Jaime looks a bit different there than later in her run -- healthier. Perhaps all the overwork made her too thin.

(Lorie recap, also by Joanne Douglas)

Will Lorie's Future Ever Be Bright Again?

To say that the sleek blonde blue-eyed Lorie Brooks has had a colorful past would be an understatement. Her topsy-turvy life has been marked by great triumphs and devastating lows - mostly a byproduct of her tempestuous romance with high-powered business tycoon Lance Prentiss. He is the only man Lorie has ever really loved, and she's often paid a high price for his love.

It all began when Leslie, Lorie's older sister, arranged a match between Lorie and Lance. At the time, Lorie was recovering from a traumatic relationship with a man who turned out to be her half-brother, and she felt she could never love anyone again. Knowing the loneliness Lorie was experiencing, Leslie introduced her sister to her good friend, the dashing Lance Prentiss. Since Lance's and Lorie's personalities were so much alike, Leslie was sure they'd hit it off.

Leslie's instincts proved correct, and soon Lorie and Lance were enjoying a full-fledged - and very glamorous - romance. Lance was a challenge to Lorie because, unlike the other men in her life, he tolerated her "games." Lorie couldn't manipulate this millionaire playboy like the others. Unable to resist a challenge, Lorie set out to bring the arrogant but intriguing Lance to his knees.

What Lorie didn't expect, though, was that Lance was an equally adept game-player himself. Whatever ploys she dreamed up, he returned in kind. Both teased and tempted each other at every opportunity, and they knew that whoever seduced the other first would emerge the winner. But one day their games ceased, because Lorie and Lance realized they were in love with each other.

Lance, ever the extravagant romantic, treated Lorie to the kind of courtship every girl dreams about. There were long-stemmed roses, bottle of champagne, flights to exotic locales in Lance's private jet. Although this was a heady, heavenly experience for Lorie, there was an important element missing: Lance would not make love to her! It was all part of the "game." Lorie would wait until her wedding day to consummate their love, but she wasn't going to make it easy on Lance. She'd make herself so sexy and desirable that Lance would be aching for her as much as she was aching for him.

Lorie was elated to have finally met a man who was her equal, but there was trouble ahead. Lance had another woman in his life! She was a woman he worshipped and adored above all else - his mother, Vanessa. Little did Lorie know that Vanessa would become her rival...her adversary for Lance's affections.

Vanessa loved her son passionately and devoted her entire life to him ever since he saved her from a fire that was accidentally started by her younger son, Lucas, many years ago. When Lorie met Vanessa for the first time, she was still wearing veils to mask the scars the fire had left on her once-beautiful face.

When Lorie and Lance wed in a small private civil ceremony in Las Vegas, she had no idea that Vanessa felt Lorie had destroyed her bond with her son. After a while, though, Lorie began to sense the evil thoughts that were swirling around in Vanessa's head.

Vanessa hated Lorie for taking Lance away form her, and although Lorie could have returned Vanessa's hate, she didn't. Instead Lorie felt sorry for her mother-in-law. Lorie believed that if she could get Vanessa to have plastic surgery, she would emerge from the operation a new, kind, and beautiful person. And Lorie reasoned that if Vanessa felt good enough about herself to make a new life for herself, then she'd no longer be so dependent on Lance for her happiness.

Lorie knew that the only person who could convince Vanessa to have the surgery was Lucas, who had fled home and taken to the sea because of the terrible guilt he felt over Vanessa's scars. Lorie vowed to find him and convince him to come back to Genoa City. She tracked Lucas down in Hong Kong and had little trouble persuading him to return home.

While Lorie was away, Vanessa was busy plotting a way to turn Lance against her. She had a private investigator purchase boxes and boxes of Lorie's second book, "In My Sister's Shadow," an autobiographical novel that detailed an "acclaimed concert pianist's" mental breakdown. That "acclaimed concert pianist" was, of course, Leslie! Vanessa knew that turning Lorie's book into a best-seller would create a chasm between her and Leslie and make Lance angry with Lorie.

Although Lorie was reluctant at first, she eventually decided to come out of the closet to promote her book, written under the pseudonym of S.M. Brand. Lorie felt there was no harm in doing so, because rather than being a putdown of Leslie, the book was a testimony to her sister's strength and courage in overcoming her bout with mental illness. How could Lance be angry with Lorie when people reading the novel would come away with respect and admiration for Leslie?

But the more popular Lorie's book became, the more protective Lance became of Leslie. Feeling great empathy towards her, Lance became Leslie's companion and escort during her concert tour. Whenever she weakened emotionally, he would fly out to be with her. During one of these visits, Leslie and Lance gave into their intense feelings for each other and made love. But they both agreed it wouldn't turn into an affair...it would forever be just one glorious moment in their lives. Leslie was aware that Lance still loved Lorie and wasn't ready to choose between them.

Sometime later, Leslie learned she was pregnant with Lance's child and so the moment they shared together could never be buried in the past and forgotten. Because she didn't want Lance to divorce Lorie and marry her out of obligation, Leslie decided she'd never tell him she was carrying his child. If one day Lance came to her on his own, well, at least then she'd know he really wanted her.

Although she was carrying Lance's child, Leslie married Lucas. Lorie and Lance were surprised by the marriage, but they didn't doubt that Leslie and Lucas loved each other. Nor did they doubt for a moment that Leslie was pregnant with Lucas' baby.

Vanessa, who'd had her plastic surgery by now, soon found out the truth, though, and made sure Lorie discovered it. Lorie could have let this devastating news destroy her marriage, but she wouldn't let Vanessa win. So, rather than collapsing under the strain, Lorie agreed to help Leslie and Lucas keep their secret.

It was not an easy path for Lorie to take. After Leslie and Lucas returned from their exile in Switzerland with their newborn son, Brooks, Lorie prayed she'd have the strength to keep the boy's true parentage from Lance. She knew she had to keep the truth from him if she wanted her marriage to survive.

Lorie fought as hard as she could to keep her marriage intact, but Vanessa was determined to unravel it and destroy Lorie and Lance's happiness. A woman who'd stop at nothing to get her own way, Vanessa threatened to take Prentiss Industries away from Lance unless Lorie divorced him! Knowing that he could never be happy without the business, Lorie was forced to end her union with Lance even though she loved him as much as ever.

Leslie tried to make a go of her marriage to Lucas, but she couldn't forget Lance - she was still so very much in love with him. Unable to deal with her feelings, Leslie wandered off to a strange town. After being mugged, she became totally disoriented and developed amnesia! Since Brooks needed a mother while Leslie was missing, Lucas entrusted Lorie with the child's care.

Since she was now raising Brooks, Lorie became very attached to the boy and began to think of him as her own son. Naturally Lorie was quite distressed when she received word that Leslie would be returning home and would probably want her son back. There was no way that Lorie could give Brooks up now. She was his mother in every way that mattered.

Since Vanessa would do anything to hurt Lorie, she encouraged Leslie to fight for custody of her child, pointing out that the boy should be with his real mother. Once again, Vanessa triumphed: Leslie (who'd regained her memory after a fall) decided she couldn't walk away from her son - she'd fight for custody of him. Leslie was crushed when, at the hearing, the judge decided that since Lorie had become Brooks' psychological mother, she should continue having custody of him. Lorie cried tears of joy! Now if only she had Lance, her life would be complete.

Vanessa, who learned she was suffering from an incurable illness, vowed she'd make certain Lorie would never have Lance again. She couldn't die knowing Lorie had her claws in Lance - the person Vanessa treasured most in this world. When Vanessa heard that Lance had asked Lorie to remarry him, she set out to put a permanent end to Lorie by pushing her over the balcony!

But first Vanessa had to convince Lorie she wanted to make amends with her after all the years of hatred and bitterness between them. She even pretended to be pleased that Lance was remarrying Lorie. On the pretext of wanting to discuss the wedding plans, Vanessa stopped by Lorie's penthouse one day and suggested they talk outside on the balcony. Suddenly Vanessa's weeks of "friendliness" evaporated and she lashed out at Lorie, warning her she'd never have Lance and Brooks to herself. As Lorie covered her face in horror, Vanessa jumped off the balcony and plunged to her death!

Soon after witnessing the tragedy, Lorie was arrested on suspicion of murder and was later indicted on those charges! The life Lorie once knew has been turned completely upside-down. She is now a virtual prisoner in her own apartment...totally out of control of what's being done to her. And since Leslie is caring for Brooke while Lorie is awaiting trial, she doesn't even have her beloved son with her to carry her through the agonizing days ahead.

What, we wonder, will become of Lorie and Lance's love? Will it be destroyed once she takes the stand to answer charges that she murdered his mother? And will Lance finally learn the truth about Brooks in the courtroom?

Since Vanessa left enough evidence behind to make Lorie look guilty ,and since Lucas is convinced Lorie killed his mother, it's doubtful that her future holds much happiness. Lorie may yet end up spending a long, long time behind prison bars!

Now, this - this - is Y&R. No crazy dopplegangers (sp?), attempting to take over people's lives. No sociopaths allowed to run roughshod over the authorities w/ little-or-no retribution or comeuppance for their crimes. No ridiculous, far-fetched stories about long-lost daddies, dirty cops (who are also long-lost sons/brothers), Australian cattle rustlers, or scions from wealthy families who faked their deaths b/c they knew Mummy Jill and Mrs. Chancellor wouldn't accept them being queer. Just good, old-fashioned, sexually tinged psychodrama. I weep for the Y&R of old.

Now, this - this - is Y&R. No crazy dopplegangers (sp?), attempting to take over people's lives. No sociopaths allowed to run roughshod over the authorities w/ little-or-no retribution or comeuppance for their crimes. No ridiculous, far-fetched stories about long-lost daddies, dirty cops (who are also long-lost sons/brothers), Australian cattle rustlers, or scions from wealthy families who faked their deaths b/c they knew Mummy Jill and Mrs. Chancellor wouldn't accept them being queer. Just good, old-fashioned, sexually tinged psychodrama. I weep for the Y&R of old.

Well, there was the amnesia thing... which was such a soap cliche by then... I HATED that. Actually, the endless quad of Lorie/Lance/Leslie/Lucas was pretty boring to me most of the time, only when you had confrontation with Vanessa did that whole SL gain my full attention.

Edited August 17, 201015 yr by alphanguy74