As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

 

This was also the first I've seen of Paul. Santoro looked older in the photos of him I had (the article I posted here years ago seems to have disappeared - I'll try to find it again), although it's still pushing it to picture Pat Bruder in the matriarchal role (Ellen wasn't his bio mother but was still meant to be about 15 years older than him at least). He seems amiable enough here, even if he doesn't set the screen on fire. From some of my comments at the time I posted the article it looks like he agreed with Irna about the merits of the Paul/Liz/Dan drama. 

 

I agree that the material has a more personal feel; in the shorter clip you can believe Paul and Dan as brothers, Dan and Susan as having a complicated marriage, Dan's conflict over Betsy, etc. I guess it helps that Irna was so heavily involved with the dialogue. 

 

I wonder if there were ever any scenes of Ellen talking about Dan's paternity struggles in contrast to her never telling Dan (not until near the end of his life) about being his mother. 

 

From some old comments it also looks like Paul was killed off the week of December 4th.

Edited May 30, 2020 by DRW50

[DramatistDreamer]

Thanks @DRW50

I guess I'd better watch that video before it "vanishes".

 

Bumping this onto a new page.

[antmunoz]

Ellen has apparently put Alan in touch with Eileen. I. CANNOT. WAIT. 

 

Scott said Liza Minnelli was “trouble.”  Say it ain’t so!

[DramatistDreamer]

Eileen is deserving of a solo livestream. I hope she is free to talk about the good and the bad.

[DRW50]

 

The Rink was probably the peak of Liza's addiction problems. 

[antmunoz]

Remember when she was almost cast as Marie Green, a short-term role, on GL?  Tonja Walker did it instead. Oh, what could’ve been!

[John]

who was almost cast as Marie Green?

[robbwolff]

 

A friend who worked behind the scenes at the P&G shows reached out to Alan WEEEKS AGO and asked Alan if he wanted to be put in contact with Eileen. Eileen is not in great health; my friend (who is very close with her) said he's not sure she would be up for this.

[antmunoz]

I’m so sorry to hear this but I suspected she was not well. 
 

Liza was almost Marie Green. 

Please register in order to view this content

[gimmetoo]

If Eileen’s health is not great, I am fine with my memories of her from all the years she gave us on TV.

 

Don’t know Eileen personally, but she was an actress — and actresses generally care a lot about appearances.  We should respect that at 86, she has chosen to live her remaining days far away from the limelight.

 

And let’s keep in mind, Don Hastings is the exception. At his age, it’s a rarity to be as sharp, witty and with it as he is…and I bet his stamina is partially due to having married a younger wife.

 

I remember after Agnes Nixon had her stroke, she was interviewed on camera (with wonderful production values - no weak wifi in sight).  As much as I adore and respect Agnes, my preference would have been for her memoir and her many past interviews (when she was in great health) to have remained my final memory of Agnes.  She was a dynamo and a true trailblazer.  I prefer remembering her that way…

 

As much as we all love Eileen, Alan is being very gracious in not having her on...

Edited May 30, 2020 by gimmetoo

[Vee]

I find Irna's moral ethos fascinating - IIRC she identified with Kim somehow, yet punished so many characters (and actors) for far less. Was Kim made in her fantasy image of herself?

[DramatistDreamer]

Considering the fact that he was the only headwriter that I remember ever penning a story line in which a black man is shot dead by he police, I think that had he lived into, even the late 1990s, Marland would have written a full-fledged, all out story about a  resident in Oakdale who also happens to be a black man who is killed by the police and the fall out in Oakdale that happened as a result. Marland used to have a way of dabbling in certain storylines only to write full-fledged stories years later, perhaps when he felt that he would have a freer hand. 

[BetterForgotten]

Ruth Warrick gave some insight about Irna in one of her interviews. Irna had apparently been in love with a taken/married man all her life and he wouldn't leave his wife for her. She tended to identify with characters who reflected a similar scenario. Kim very much fit this mold for a long time. Topic starts about :45s in. 

 

Please register in order to view this content

 

[DRW50]

I wish that story was around to see - I think there's one episode available with Edith. They could have recast the character in later years, to further drama, but I suppose there wasn't much point since Ellen and Chris would have been the only people who would have reacted to her. I remember in Schemering's book he said Edith returned for Christmas appearances - I wonder what her last visit was (obviously they had to end before 1970). 

 

If anyone wants to see Ruth on GL, I posted a 1953 episode with her in the GL thread yesterday. 

 

Irna had so many fascinating contradictions and did try to break complex psychological ground. We hear a lot about stories she wanted to do but they wouldn't let her - we don't hear as much about stories she fought to do and managed to get on the air. 

Edited May 31, 2020 by DRW50

[Bill Bauer]

It's amazing how much Ruth Warrick remembers about a storyline so long ago! I contrast it with the interviews Alan Locher is doing on youtube where the actors don't seem to remember anything. Kathryn Hays didn't even remember that she played Leslie Bauer on GL!