I liked how he "came out," poor dishrag Iva, who apparently had no gaydar, was hot for him, and he had to come out to her, while sophisticated Babs was all, "And could you tell me something I didn't know???" I remember reading articles about Starcher at the time proclaiming his hetero ness, but was he or wasn't he in real life? I did hate that Hank had an offscreen boyfriend (annoying always refered to as "Charles,") and that he was dying of AIDS. But I think a offscreen was all Marland could do and a lot of gay men were dying back then.

I do think he was the first gay "male," on daytime TV, the rest were as you said confused and women, (not quite as yucky somehow for the audiences at the time.) I was kinda annoyed that AMC went all .."Look we have a gay man, we are the first," when it came years later (and played by the hot, but stiff and not believeably gay.

I knew Hank was the gay the first time I saw him. This was before i started reading soap mags with spoilers. I loved how Barbara didnt give a damn that he was gay. It would have been great had Paul been gay and younger Luke made a play for him. It would have been great to have seen Barbara and Lucinda go at it again. I think Charles did make one appearance at the end of Starcher's run. At the time I don't think viewere were ready to see a gay couple on tv. This was the 80's. Look at all the actors from Dallas that were gay in the 80's and not out.

He was impossibly hot, especially for back then, when everyone on TV didnt looked "ripped." But he was so out of place in Oakdale, where everyone else looked normal, (and no one is like "WOA where the hell did you come from Mr. Shirtless!" and he couldn't act to save his life. Didn't the strike come and they revealed him to be a psycho? I wonder what Marland's intentions for him were (well, I know what personally his intentions were but the character.) Wonder what he looks like now and what he is doing.

My favorite Margo. I heard HBS has a problem with other actresses, but she had the best chemistry with guys...(though her and Craig were a little "too," close holding each other, uh,Craig, thats your sister you freak!) Dolan never had the ummphh and warmth that HBS had. Sad as it is, I remember that dumb stock footage of the Parthenon to show we were in Greece.They showed it practically every scene!!!

Tyler was hot..he has the look of a young Silbermann.....lol.....I dont think he did anything else after his soap gigs. I too would like to find out what happened to him.

My favorite Margo was HBS. She did get on some of the females nerves....rumors were she was a prankster on set and CZ didnt like it very much. Scott Bryce has said he still keeps close contact with HBS. I thought they made the perfect sister/brother combo.

Edited December 29, 201014 yr by Soapsuds

Robert Tyler info....which isnt his real name

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0878891/

The first gay character on soaps who was sure of their sexuality was Lynn Carson on AMC in 1983, played for a few months by Donna Pescow. Hank was the first gay man.

Marland initially was going to have Hank leave after learning he had HIV, but he decided it was too grim for both Hank and his partner to have HIV/AIDS, so he just had Hank leave because Charles was ill.

Marland never let anyone say anything bad about Lily, unless they were bad or "misguided," themselves. In the good old college TV room when ATWT was on, the dorky joke when someoene walked in was to say, "But how does Lily feel about this??" or in a super serious tone "How is Lily today???"

Or how the entire town would literally STOP dead in their tracks to celebrate Lily's August birthday. *eyeroll* I loved DM, he was a wonderful storyteller, and probably the BEST I've ever seen at balancing and timing stories. But DAYUM, he had a blind spot as big as the Sun for Lily and MB. To the point where all his other ingenues (who were arguably just as talented as MB) got NOTHING for story unless they managed to get out of Lily's teen/young adult circle. Lily was almost as bad as Y&R's Cricket in the "every man falls in love with them" department. I remember loving John's newfound son Duke simply because he refused to kiss Lily's ass. If Michael Louden had been as conventionally hunky as say Shawn Christian, no doubt Duke would have been one of Lily's victims too.

Or how the entire town would literally STOP dead in their tracks to celebrate Lily's August birthday. *eyeroll* I loved DM, he was a wonderful storyteller, and probably the BEST I've ever seen at balancing and timing stories. But DAYUM, he had a blind spot as big as the Sun for Lily and MB. To the point where all his other ingenues (who were arguably just as talented as MB) got NOTHING for story unless they managed to get out of Lily's teen/young adult circle. Lily was almost as bad as Y&R's Cricket in the "every man falls in love with them" department. I remember loving John's newfound son Duke simply because he refused to kiss Lily's ass. If Michael Louden had been as conventionally hunky as say Shawn Christian, no doubt Duke would have been one of Lily's victims too.

Cricket was much worse than Lily. I didnt mind all the Lily love by Marland. Duke....sigh....I thought he was hunky....not in your conventinal way....but I floved him. He was a very unique character. I was sad to hear of his passing..Michael Loundon.

From the December 1976 Daytime TV. The second page has the top cut off - the line says "A love of humor and fun things like"

Cricket was much worse than Lily. I didnt mind all the Lily love by Marland. Duke....sigh....I thought he was hunky....not in your conventinal way....but I floved him. He was a very unique character. I was sad to hear of his passing..Michael Loundon.

Louden died?? Of what. I hated Duke (like John or Oakdale needed another long lost son,) but wow, that's weird that he died. Wonder why they never brought him back(to be, edgY I am sure!)

There were some tabloid reports of how he died...I'm not really sure if they were true or not. Here's his entry at the Blog of Death.

http://www.blogofdeath.com/archives/001155.html

Didn't think Steve was still there by 1987.

These ads are cheesy but also a lot of fun. It's nice to remember when P&G and CBS still gave a damn.

Didn't think Steve was still there by 1987.

These ads are cheesy but also a lot of fun. It's nice to remember when P&G and CBS still gave a damn.

Your right, they are cheesy but a lot of fun! Also, can you believe they showed so many characters of all ages, with even Nancy Hughes being featured. They would never do that now.

Funny too, how Hensley who was the stud of that era, really looks "natural," and not super cut steroid type...he actually had the body of a real farm boy. Amazing how we have come to a different weird idea on soaps and pop culture on how "hunks,' should look.

Your right, they are cheesy but a lot of fun! Also, can you believe they showed so many characters of all ages, with even Nancy Hughes being featured. They would never do that now.

Funny too, how Hensley who was the stud of that era, really looks "natural," and not super cut steroid type...he actually had the body of a real farm boy. Amazing how we have come to a different weird idea on soaps and pop culture on how "hunks,' should look.

Yes very cheesy and Jon Hensley so hunky getting undressed wow...hot

my own self-awareness. I realize everyone else is kind of that way, too. I always know I should be easygoing, but I always know when I'm not. When I see myself winding up or getting frantic or nervous, instead of going with it, I say, now just take a breath - it's a conscious thing. But I really am easygoing in some ways because I'm a slow person. I like to sit and talk to people or read or think. I don't dash around one thing after another, and get myself going. I just kind of take my time, very slo-o-ow..." She drags out the words to illustrate. "But there's a lot going on inside!"

It's logical to wonder, at this point, if Judith can be termed ambitious. Again, her impish humor and childlike ability not to take herself too seriously, keep her honest.

"In my fantasies, I'm ambitious. I have a tendency to be very lazy. I'm really a dreamer. I know I should be running here and there and making phone calls and doing this and that. I know I should be studying my voice and my dance and hustling my agent for interviews - that's all ambition. I am ambitious because I want an active career that will keep me going and keep me busy in a lot of areas. To get all that, you have to work at it."

She takes a deep breath. "Now, executing that..." And she dissolves in laughter, explaining that she tends to procrastinate.

"And if I really worked on my skiing, if I really worked on my tennis, I know I could be good," she adds, taking it one step further. "I love tennis, and I'm a terrible player! It's very discouraging. You've got this great big racquet and you can't understand why you can't hit this great big ball over this little low net on this great big court! It just can't be that difficult! I'm strong and I'm athletic and coordinated, and it should be easy!"

And with her knack for seeing things as they really are, she has pinpointed the frustration of countless amateur tennis buffs.

Judith cries as easily as she laughs, but she seems to handle it well.

"I'm very, very emotional, and I just have to learn to live with that. And emotion is certainly part of your talent. I thank God for my emotionality, because my highs are wonderful! It's a very sensual kind of thing. I can look at a tree or a leaf or a flower and just be thrilled by it. But then I get black and very depressed. But since I know it's going to happen, I don't worry about it. I say, OK now, you're really down, but this is just part of you and you'll get over it.

"It's easy for me to be open. I meet a group of people and someone says, 'How are you?' and I say, 'Oh, it started about 20 years ago...!'" She's laughing again, mocking herself. "I tell people what's going on when they don't really care! I open up to everybody...but the openness is good."

People like this usually leave themselves wide open and are hurt. But sensitive and vulnerable as Judith seems, there's a thread of strength and insight that protects her.

"If you look a little deeper into what people say or do, if you don't take it at face value, you usually find the reasons why. Then you can come back with a smile and not hostility."

It's an admirable philosophy, simple, yet not always easy to follow, though Judith doesn't seem to have any trouble.

Dieting, however, is another matter, despite her slim figure.

"Oh, it's a terrible effort! Diet food is dreadful! This is not a recommendation - but what I do is I eat whatever I want, which consists of a lot of pasta, potatoes, cream causes, butter on my vegetables and everything I love.

"Then I gain weight and then I just don't eat! So instead of eating a little salad with no dressing," she makes a disgusted face, "I just try to occupy my mind with other things and go on a starvation diet!"

She laughs as she describes her frantic avoidance of restaurants when the diet's in progress, but is soon back to talking about good food, and other things that make her happy.

"And French fries! That's one good thing about New York - they make the best French fries! Every time I've ordered them here, they've been wonderful!

"And the beach and the ocean make me happy...And swimming, and my friends...I have the most beautiful friends in the whole world!"

As she ponders the simple joys of life, she confirms an opinion already formed - that there is, indeed, a child living inside Judith McConnell.

"Amusement parks make me happy! I can't wait to go to Coney Island - I know I'll never find anyone to go with me. I can't wait to go on the roller coaster! No one likes them but me! I'd go on repeat rides!"

Somehow the picture of Judith McConnell on a roller coaster, hair flying, skin glowing, lips parted, and eyes shining with excitement, seems to capture the very essence of her personality. People who can appreciate and savor all the special moments in life, no matter how small, are rare and wonderful.

She'd be a fabulous person to go on vacation with...in fact, Judith, when are you free?

G.P.

The same person who kindly put up some of Steve and Betsy's wedding has shared more of that timeline. Starting in late December they began putting up 3 or 4 clips. Here's their wedding reception, or part of it. I'm not a big fan of Steve and Betsy but it's nice to see more of Tucker, with the dancing, and Heather, and various people having fun. What a hideous dress on Maggie! It's also cute to see Andy here as a child being annoyed by strangers, when he would be aged only a year or two later. I still can't get used to that other woman as Lisa though.

This is part 1 of an episode that has 4 or 5 clips, after Betsy was "killed" in a car crash to facilitate the recast. So the show never tried to make viewers think Betsy was dead? That was a smart move.

There's also another part of a 1984 episode.

The same person who kindly put up some of Steve and Betsy's wedding has shared more of that timeline. Starting in late December they began putting up 3 or 4 clips. Here's their wedding reception, or part of it. I'm not a big fan of Steve and Betsy but it's nice to see more of Tucker, with the dancing, and Heather, and various people having fun. What a hideous dress on Maggie! It's also cute to see Andy here as a child being annoyed by strangers, when he would be aged only a year or two later. I still can't get used to that other woman as Lisa though.

This is part 1 of an episode that has 4 or 5 clips, after Betsy was "killed" in a car crash to facilitate the recast. So the show never tried to make viewers think Betsy was dead? That was a smart move.

There's also another part of a 1984 episode.

Yes, we always knew she was alive, wish more shows had done that. The question is, why not just have a recast Betsy instead of going through all that plastic surgery amnesia stuff?

I don't remember who was trying to shoot who, and why Margo and Maggie didn't just tell them!

Betsy Vonwhatever was a terrible Lisa. She subbed for Fulton in 81 or something when she was sick, and they brought her in as a recast. Lisa was boring and wimpy and way too "to the manner born," during her time. Fulton would always give that gross guy playing Whit the evil eye when he was trying to boss her around, but BVF's Lisa just did whatever he said. They were going to kill her off but Fulton said she would come back (I tend to think that Fulton sometimes exagerates, I couldnt see them killing Lisa off at that stage of the game, the show was too silly and lighthearted back then to kill a beloved character off...Wagner had left the show but Nancy was still kept alive and they could have killer her off with a heart attack.) Which reminds me, whatever happened to "Aunt Charmagne," I LURRVED her and how she would get BVF;s snobby Lisa in an uproar.

God, the Steve actor was bad!

Flove the second clipe of Betsy's accident. Those were the days that stories were better than the theme music...lol. I actually thought Meg Ryan was horrible on that episode...lol