As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

Here I was, coming to ask about how many years Bob did his Thanksgiving toasts and this news hits.

Shockingly sad news of Lisa Brown's passing. May she R.I.P. May her family and loved ones be comforted in their grief.

We're losing these soap opera icons and it stings that P&G didn't even bother to set aside an official platform where fans could come together, look at high quality episodes and clips without worrying about them being taken down. How long would it take to put up an official PGP YouTube channel? We have unofficial social media for ATWT with less than 10K followers, a fraction of the actual fanbase. And what we're left with is mostly grainy clips, that, if we're fortunate, will include some of the actors' best work.

We have to wait for next year's Daytime Emmy awards and hope that whomever produces the 'In Memoriam' segment will remember and use the proper photo.

Our talented ATWT alums are not being celebrated as they should while they are here to receive their flowers and it just doesn't sit right with me.

[DramatistDreamer]

It's incredible how often this soap gets mentioned in pop culture over a decade after it left the air. Despite the fact that P&G acts as if they would rather the show vanish from the planet, the name is seemingly on the tip of many people's tongues.

@Vee I thought you would appreciate this reference to FPS rates in this Vulture article regarding the ranking of movies starred by Will Smith.

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[Vee]

I saw The Hobbit in 48 FPS/HFR out of curiosity and wanting to support advances in technology, despite having next to no interest in more of those movies. The entire thing ended up looking like a bad cosplay convention in that state and I've never bothered with high frame rate since.

[DramatistDreamer]

Man, does this ever conjure some crazy imagery, but with the length of some movies, I can sort of understand the desire to play with rates. Now I'm more curious to look into why Lee took that risk. 

[Vee]

I think some filmmakers are just frankly overly enamored of new tech that the film doesn't always work well with. Maybe someday HFR will be ready but it's not now.

[DramatistDreamer]

I think I am going to blame Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, at least where Ang Lee is concerned.

[Soapsuds]

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[Soapsuds]

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[Paul Raven]

Was just thinking about Ellen Lowell Stewart and the number of people close to her that died.

1. As a young woman, she lost her father Jim suddenly.

2. Then she marries Tim, the father of her child but he dies leaving her a widow.

3. Then Betty Stewart, adoptive mother of her son dies

4. Her best friend Penny's husband Jeff dies in a car crash.

5. David's housekeeper Franny dies and she is accused of murder.

6. Her stepfather Doug dies suddenly.

7. Penny's 2nd husband Neil dies

8, 9, 10.Daughter in law Liz, and stepson Paul both die and a few years later her son Dan passes away

11. She is widowed for the 2nd time when David dies.

probably a few more could be included. Ellen probably had a selection of black outfits at the ready.

[Soapsuds]

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/as-the-world-turns-alums-live-interview-scheduled/?fbclid=IwAR32GDUBoqHHqiAOZldPw81F2M7uD741-LzvnqWIitWZx_5ODVwSn-Z1img

[Mitch]

I always thought they wrote poor Ellen as a dud and Bruder could have done much better with the character..especially with her wild past.  Was she preggers and gave the baby up on screen..if she was a widow why give the kid away? Also, how did she get into David's orbit...and how did Frannie die and was she murdered by someone else? I always thought they should bring back a relative of Frannie, maybe a son to date Dee or Annie (instead of the dreaded Porny Brad) or grandson to date Betsy...or have someone become the Stewarts maid and its her granddaughter gaslighting Ellen. So much history there but poor Ellen was always a dud.

[Bill Bauer]

 

You forgot her mother Claire. 

[Bill Bauer]

Yes, she was pregnant and gave the baby up on screen. She didn't want to give the baby (Dan) up but was pressured to by Judge Lowell because she wasn't married to the father (Tim Cole) at the time. He was married to someone else. So she gave the baby up for adoption. Tim subsequently got a divorce and married Ellen but died soon after from leukemia. It was only after Tim's death that Ellen decided to try and get her baby back. David and Betty had adopted Ellen's baby. That's how she got into David's orbit. She tried to get Dan back from David and Betty. Betty died from pneumonia and then Ellen married David. So, she married her baby's adoptive father. Franny Brennan, the Stewarts housekeeper, threatened to tell Dan that Ellen was his real mom (she was hiding that fact from Dan). So Ellen killed Franny by bashing her over the head with a paperweight. 

Edited December 2, 2021 by Bill Bauer

[Mitch]

Wow...slutting around with a married guy..did she even love David or was it just to get the kid..and then killing someone! She sounds worse then Lisa at her height of bitchiness!  Meaning I think I would have liked her. She could have made such an interesting character and she was just a dull frau.  I can't believe during their little annoyance with each other that Ellen didn't bring up that Lisa was a slut and Lisa could say "Well honey, I never MURDERED anyone!" and the Ellen slap her...making Kim and Bob rattle their tea cups! I know, a bit too intense for Marland and polite Oakdale. They should have at least given Ellen a wistfull air or a temper.

[DramatistDreamer]

Once the show shifted Ellen into grandma status, her character seems to have become very staid. By the time Steve and Betsey became a couple, it seemed as though the character of Ellen had pretty much faded into the background.