The Best Actors and Actresses on Soaps

[Paul Raven]

In the Oct 11th issue,the editors chose one actor and one actress from each show that they believed were 'the best'. The criteria was that these performers had to have an incredible range, move the audience whether the scene be major or a recap and be more than a one role actor.

See if you agree with the choices. For now I'll just list the names, but if you would like me to include the write up, just ask.

GL Lisa Brown (Nola) Chris Bernau (Alan)

KL Ted Shackelford (Gary) Michele Lee (Karen)

AMC James Mitchell (Palmer) Gillian Spencer (Daisy)

ATWT Judith Blazer (Ariel) Larry Bryggman (John)

AW Laura Malone (Blaine) Stephen Schnetzer (Cass)

OLTL Robin Strasser (Dorian) Robert S Woods (Bo)

Dallas Susan Howard (Donna) Larry Hagman (JR)

DOOL Deidre Hall (Marlena) Quinn Redeker (Alex)

GH Emma Samms (Holly) Anthony Geary (Luke)

FC Susan Sullivan (Maggie) David Selby (Richard)

LOV Patricia Kalember (Merrill) James Kiberd (Mike)

Y&R Jeanne Cooper (Kay) Eric Braeden (Victor)

DYN Pamela Sue Martin (Fallon) Jack Coleman (Steven)

CAP Constance Towers (Clarissa) Nicholas Walker (Trey)

EON Sharon Gabet (Raven) Joel Crothers (Miles)

SFT Maree Cheatham (Stephanie) Larry Haines (Stu)

RH Nancy Addison (Jillian) Malcolm Groome (Pat)

[DRW50]

I'd love to see the writeup but even this was great.

I wonder if they didn't want to pick too obvious of choices, otherwise some of the choices surprise me. Judith Blazer from ATWT? Laura Malone and Stephen Schnetzer from AW? I think Laura was great from what I've seen and I love Stephen but I'm surprised they didn't pick someone like Douglass Watson or Vicky Wyndham.

I agree with a lot of the choices. I'm glad Pamela Sue Martin got some recognition; she was so good in her first few years as Fallon, she carried much of the emotional weight of the show.

[quartermainefan]

Susan Howard, what a surprising choice for Dallas. She was great in her role, but at that time Linda Gray was really stepping into the front of the show doing all the heavy lifting.

and my avatar says I agree with their choice for AMC. James Mitchell and Gillian Spencer could do anything.

[DRW50]

I wonder if it's because Susan was more understand or the character was different, while Sue Ellen was by this time already starting to repeat stories.

[shadow]

Back then SOD used to do this every year. I remember a cover of their Best Actors with Patsy Pease, Judith Chapman, and Terry Lester who were all listed for that year.

[OldSchoolSoapFan]

I laughed when I saw they voted Malcolm Groome (RH) and Joel Crothers (EON). Groome was playing second banana to everybody else throughout 1983. Crothers was used as a support mechanism for Lori Loughlin (Jody) and nothing else. It wasn't until he was partnered with Sandy Faison (Beth Correll) that he had any kind of influence via his character Miles.

As you can see there were some missteps here on this list.

[YRBB]

Michele Lee over Joan Van Ark? Never!

Susan Howard is a fabulous choice for DALLAS, although it's a toss up between her and Barbara Bel Geddes, really. But it's the Oct 11 issue, so it's probably during BBG's hiatus, so it's only natural they chose SH.

But Pamela Sue Martin and Jack Coleman? I can kind of see the first because she was fabulous in seasons 1-2, before the writing made Fallon into a robot, but Jack Coleman? One of the worst, most insipid, robotic and lifeless performances I have ever seen? Ugh.

[shadow]

I think that was the year of the pill addiction, so yeah ML over JVA that season. I was not a fan of JVA, highly overrated imo.

[Titus Andronicus]

I haven't seen much from 1983, outside of a few Ridgecrest clips and the beginning of the Stalker storyline. Did Redeker's Alex Marshall do more than be comic relief at that time?

Somewhat of a strange pick, considering Doug, Roman, Neil, Stefano, and Tony were all more varied characters. I know there was a story between Alex and Marie in the early 1980s, but was Redeker really doing anything at this point?

[Paul Raven]

Here's what SOD had to say about some of the performers posters have mentioned.

Susan Howard

It's true that Donna Krebbs has the ability to be a weak character without much spice to her. But Susan has added respectability to the role and viewers can tell that Donna is someone who can stand on her own two feet through thick and thin. because of this strong quality, Susan has brought out, Donna is a well liked character; someone you could admire. Susan won herself a nomination for a Golden Globe and an Emmy for her fine portrayal in the Petrocelli series. She is a powerful actress who can probably play just about any role convincingly.

Laura Malone

In the more than four years she's been playing Blaine Ewing, Malone has skillfully steered her through significant personality changes and shifted Blaine from a 'bad' to a ''good' character.Consistently, Malone has acted her part with softness, sincerity and believability. Without much formal training, she possesses the ability to arouse sympathy and compassion. The triumph- over -adversity courageousness of Blaine stands out as a steadying force while AW casts about to find its current identity.

Quinn Redeker

OK, Quinn may play a bad guy, but he does it so well. It's not often that Alex Marshall gets to act nice, but the recent scenes comforting Marie have shown that Redeker is an actor comfortable with playing a variety of emotions. He's a veteran of more than 15 films including "The Electric Horseman and 'The Candidate". He's been on 'Starsky and Hutch','Barnaby Jones',"The Six Million Dollar Man' and was featured on Y&R. Marshall is the guy people love to hate and Redeker's talent is the reason why.

Jack Coleman

Everyone will admit that its difficult to take over another person's role and even more so, it's difficult to create your own identity. When Coleman took over the role of Steven, it was only a matter of time-short time-before he gained the audience's acceptance. . Still having to convince DOOL viewers he is not the Salem Strangler, Jack took the role and molded Steven into a loveable character,one whom viewers might empathize with. Aside from TV acting, Jack has had many roles in musicals and loves to sing. An ex-model, this young man has proven himself to be a great asset to television.

Joel Crothers

In the six years that Joel has played Miles, the character has been through a lot, and viewers rooted for him all the way. When Miles' job was wrongly taken away from him, when his wife was murdered, or when he's supporting his sister-in-law, Joel makes you want to right all that's against him. Among his credits are 'Dark shadows','Secret Storm', and 'Somerset'. When an actor can go from portraying a role in an Alfred Hitchcock production (Rescue Eight) and then make you laugh out loud, and weep real tears, its a credit to his splendid acting talent.

[quartermainefan]

Yeah, Jack Coleman was no Al Corley. He was a recast and he didn't get fired. I guess he was acceptable once you got used to him, but so what? That gets him a special citation as actor of the year?

[DRW50]

Thanks, Paul Raven. Could you tell us what they said about Patricia Kalember, Pamela Sue Martin, and Judith Blazer, and Constance Towers?

I guess they were just saying that they were proud of Coleman for managing to move on from the serial killer story on DAYS. I can understand that, and I can understand that it was good that he wasn't the flop Karen Cellini later proved to be as Amanda, but I don't think his Steven was ever all that likeable.

What they said about Laura Malone is very nice. Too bad AW didn't agree. So stupid to get rid of her, especially when they had few if any heroines in that age range.

I've always liked Quinn Redeker -- I know him mostly as Rex Sterling though.

[Paul Raven]

Patricia Kalember

Kalember brings a quiet charm to the role of Merrill Vochek, a woman torn apart by forbidden feelings. A skilled actress, Patricia is adept at conveying her confusion, pain, love, joy and anger in an emotionally gripping, yet understated manner. Patricia has appeared on stage in 'Front Page','Cyrano de Bergerac','All's Well That Ends well',and 'The Butler did It'. Additionally, she played a reporter on Texas. Patricia is one of Loving's best assets.

Judith Blazer

At first glance,Judith's burning blue eyes will intrigue an audience.Obviously, there's fire in her personality, so when Ariel is out for revenge, it's not surprising. But, when she truly falls in love with a man, as she has with Burke, the ice melts and a truly alluring, mature woman emerges. The hot and cold personality of Ariel exemplifies the dynamic acting talent of Ms Blazer. early on Judith was seen as an operatic soprano and appeared with many opera companies. She has performed at Carnegie hall in New York, as well as on the Italian stage. Her off-Broadway credits include the long running musical The Fantasticks and Oh Boy. Though Blazer's current role is her first telexvision spot, her magnetism has made her one of ATWt's best actresses.

Pamela Sue Martin

Blessed with sultry soft looks and a strong will for survival, Fallon has changed from a scheming, spoiled little girl into a mature woman with feelings and a conscience. The transformation happened before the viewers eyes, and Martin's talent and natural flair for acting made it all possible. At any given time, Fallon can be tender (when she's with her child) or briskly professional (during her dealings with La Mirage), making the audience aware of the interchangeable, and well developed art in Pamela's acting. it is obvious that not only has Fallon expanded her personality, but Martin too, has grown with her role , allowing us to see all different sides of this colorful character.

[DRW50]

Thanks so much for your work here.

Too bad Loving wasn't as fond of Patricia Kalember, huh? I guess Patricia proved SOD right in the long run.

SOD seemed to be big boosters for Judith Blazer. Do you know if she left ATWT willingly or was she fired? I wonder if she went on to anything else after ATWT. I see that she was on GL as Olivia Spencer's sister during the San Cristobel story. Don't remember much about her, or even the eyes. It was a thankless part (she was later killed offcamera and trashed for Jonathan's benefit). Odd that the show never considered bringing back James's sister.

Nice words about Pamela Sue Martin. She was a real asset to Dynasty in those early years. She wasn't as good later but the show still wasn't the same without her.

[Paul Raven]

Stephen Schnetzer

He's equally appealing as a lover and a fighter, and Stephen backs up his darkly seductive good looks with solid years of theatrical work , including DOOL (Steve) and OLTL (Marcello). changeable from moment to moment , Schnetzer an seem like a naughty little boy in one scene, an unrepentant business shark in the next. stephen brings his character of lawyer/publisher Cass to life by deftly overlaying a veneer of charm onto an obsessive soul. While Cass is more villianous than heroic, his cutthroat tactics barely cover a man who radiates a staggering fear of failure. Schnetzer is at his best portraying this very complex individual, whose unpredictability is directly related to his personal magnetism.