As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

 

I think so, yes.

 

I didn't really know a lot about Ellen's past when I started ATWT, but I still appreciated her and her being dumped was another sign 'my' ATWT was gone. She had such a good dynamic with Emily and Susan that always enriched their relationship, which it needed with the more one-note KMH playing Emily.

[JarrodMFiresofLove]

Going back to the credits at the end of the August 1984 episode, it's easy to get a sense of cast overhauls. Namely because the actors are listed in order of seniority, not alphabetically.

 

So at the top of the list we have long-time people like Don Hastings, Henderson Forsythe, Patricia Bruder, Larry Bryggman and Kathryn Hays (Eileen Fulton is temporarily off screen but of course would have had special billing at the end.) These are the ones originally hired in the 60s and 70s. Then after Hays we have Frank Runyeon (Steve) who had only first appeared in 1980.

 

After Runyeon the next person in terms of seniority is Jacques Perreault (Frank Andropoulos) who hasn't been on the show more than a few years. He's followed by Linsday Frost who had only started a year earlier as a recast Betsy in 1983. So a person with only one year on the show is 8th out of 35 cast members. This indicates there must have been a huge cast purge in 83 (probably to make room for the McColls).

 

Interestingly we have Colleen Zenk listed after Lindsay Frost. I think this is because Zenk took some time off in 82-83 to make the movie "Annie" for John Huston. So she probably lost some of her seniority-- she first appeared in '78 and should really be listed after Kathryn Hays before Frank Runyeon. Following her is Hugo Napier who is soon to depart as Gunnar, then Brian Bloom who also hasn't been on the show very long. After him is Kate McNeil (billed as Kathy McNeil who plays John's current wife Karen) then we have Robert Lipton (Jeff Ward). Lipton started in 1978 so he should also be billed above Runyeon but maybe he took some time off like Zenk. He will soon go on recurring and make sporadic appearances in 1985 and 1986.

 

After Lipton it's all people who have been hired by Mary-Ellis Bunim in 83 and 84.

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by JarrodMFiresofLove

[Soaplovers]

 

I do agree that KMH softened when she acted with Ellen... and I also missed Emily/Julie's friendship since that friendship gave Emily an actual girlfriend and showed that Emily could care about someone other then herself.  I never thought Emily's friendships with Carly/Rose were as satisfying as her friendship with Julie was.

 

And Ellen had a very colorful past in the 50s/60s... and settled down by the 70s as a talk-to and a worried mom of both Annie/Dee.  The Dobsons were the last writers that truly gave David/Ellen a story of their own that sadly was cut short in late 1982/early 1983.  The only other times that Ellen got meaty material was in 1989 when Ellen/David were talkign about how far apart they'd gotten with him being gone all the time.. and finally in 1991 when David was killed off.  It's a shame between 1991 and 1996.. she was just a talk to (although she had quite a bit to say about the invitro procedure.. and a rare time Ellen/Susan's claws came out toward one another).

[DramatistDreamer]

I came across the bio of D.W. Moffett who played Kim's therapist Dr. Chapin (in the aftermath of the Doug Cummings murder) and the show should've kept him on.  He has aged nicely!

http://www.dwmoffett.com/

[Wendy]

 

He was also the male lead to Marcy Walker's female lead in the failed show, Palace Guard, in the early '90s. (The show Walker left Santa Barbara for. In which the late Stephen J. Cannell [writer, maybe-creator(?),  and/or producer of PG, I think!] acted as "Channing's" chauffeur to whisk "him" out of SB.)

Edited June 29, 2018 by Wendy

[slick jones]

 Woody  Hutchinson came to town with his son Hutch. Woody was portrayed by Daniel Ziskie, Hutch was Judson Mills

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[P.J.]

 

I know Jennifer found out, and that John knew, but was Bob and Kim's ONS like "public knowledge"? 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

 

I'm not sure about Bob & Kim--it seems as only when Sabrina showed up in Oakdale did people put two and two together.  I know that Barbara had feelings about it and everyone told her to sit on them. By this time, people were less sympathetic toward Barbara for all of the stunts and tricks she had pulled the previous year.

 

Bob and Susan's affair definitely became public knowledge and once it did, Susan's reputation suffered more fallout than Bob's did.  Granted, Susan was already seen in a negative light. Bob really only had to deal with Kim, while Susan had to deal with everyone, with the exception of John and Emily.

Edited June 29, 2018 by DramatistDreamer

[JarrodMFiresofLove]

 

Thanks for the info about Woody. It's funny how this comes flooding back. I hadn't thought about the storyline with Mary-Woody-Hutch-Linc in a long time. If not for Lisby Larson and the impression she made in the role, it would have been mostly forgettable.

 

*****

Random survey-- so I am curious...which of Marland's characters do people feel did not make much of an impression? A few of his flop characters, at least in my opinion, include:

 

ADELAIDE FITZGIBBONS -- some businesswoman that Lucinda and Kirk interacted with in the late 80s...the first actress was not very memorable, the recast was slightly more adequate. The only reason I remember this character is because I love the name Adelaide. I think if they had brought someone dynamic and charming in like Patricia Barry or Constance Towers, the character would have worked.

 

CAROLYN CRAWFORD -- Leslie Denniston was largely wasted in this role. She'd been used so well on Guiding Light in the mid to late 80s. But on this show, she kind of fizzled. I think it's because Marland didn't really flesh the character out. She was mostly just an obstacle for Frannie.

 

EVAN WALSH -- incredibly dull given he was Lucinda's half-brother, but played by such an attractive actor. During Marland's reign this show hired a lot of hunks that fit the working class mold (like Holden, Caleb, Linc and Hutch). But Evan was a sexy upper class type. However, I don't think Marland knew how to write the upper class as well as he could write the lower class or middle class. So Evan was very one-dimensional. Probably the only reason he lasted as long as he did was because actor Greg Watkins looked like something out of the pages of GQ. Here's a photo of Watkins in his prime:

 

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by JarrodMFiresofLove

[Soaplovers]

Evan was just hot

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  I do agree that Marland didn't know how to write Evan and I think the actor infused the character with charm and sexiness.  He lasted about two years or so after Marland's death..and I noticed he got better writing.  He/Connor had great brother/sister chemistry... yet even his magnetic personality didn't help make Courtney likable (only can do so much I guess).

 

I think Taylor Baldwin (Casey's doctor ex girlfriend) didn't make much of an impression.  I don't recall her even being on the show (and my mom watched it quite a bit in the mid to late 80s) only reading that she was on for a year or so.  From watching old episodes, she made a play for Casey than tried to date Tom Hughes when Margo/Tom were on the outs with Lisa interfering to make sure that didn't happen.  The actress was cute, but lacked any sort of personality.

 

Laura Simmons... not sure if it was due to the performer, story, badly written character, or the writers strike.

 

 

[Khan]

 

He's STILL hot, if you ask me.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Recently, I watched an episode on You Tube where Taylor Baldwin tells Casey something like "You better get used to it Casey because I'm going to be around for a long time" and I thought "No you're not". 

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[SoapDope]

It seems like I remember Greg Watkins having some sort of accident in the late 90's that kept him from working for a while. Am I remembering right or was that someone else ?

[Soaplovers]

 

You're remembering it correctly... in fact, while he was recovering.. the show decided to write his character off, but he did come back to tie things up when he was recovered enough.  It was a shame he was let go.. he and Maura West had chemistry (not romantic.. but more like partner in crime type of chemistry).

 

 

I know people here didn't particular care for the Dobson's version of ATWT (and I think they made the fatal error in trying to update the show too quickly... as opposed to GL where they gradually updated the show during their 4+ year stint).  What would you say was a character they created that had lasting impact on the show?

[Mitch]

I think that the problem with Evan was also..he walked into a room and the walls caught fire from his flaming! I obviously have nothing against gay guys as I have been with one for over 20 years...but it just kills me when they have a really gay guy who can't play straight to save his life...(Marty West..I am talking to you...) and they have them mooing over women! Though I thought the kid above who played Hutch was queeny too, but he is straight ???

 

Aunt Mary was so boring. It was another long lost Mommy of Marland's tired old storyline. Only this time we didn't care about Hutch or Mary so it was no Lily/Iva thing. If they had made her Aunt Mary and a high riding slut that would have been fun..(I think Marland was going for that Aunt Mary was an attractive sophisticated woman but more fun if she was just a non shamed whore!)

 

Poor Taylor was just plain..and this is mean..homely...No sex appeal so she was no threat as a vixen..(though Scot Holmes Tom was so boring and sexless they might have made a good couple!)

The interview with Fulton is hilarious as she acts like she liked the Dobsons...when she left the show in a huff they were the headwriters!

 

James Stenbeck of course!!!