I was thinking about the character of Diego Santana/Umberto Malzone, and I wonder if someone could clear up a few things for me. 1996/1997 is not my strong suit for ATWT (then again, it wasn't a strong suit for the show in general). 

 

First of all, what's up with the two names? Was Umberto Malzone his birth name and did he change it to Diego Santana? I think in the few episodes I've seen from around that time, I've always heard him referred to as Diego Santana? 

 

Also, since Pilar Domingo is his sister, how does it work with the last names? Are they full siblings or half siblings? Do they share a mother, but have different fathers? Was this ever even clarified on the show, or was it left intentionally vague?

 

I also have never known that any actor other than Bronson Pickett played the role (as I learned from Slick's Cancelled Soaps Cast Lists thread). Was Rick Gianisi in the role only very briefly? Or was it a younger actor who portrayed the character in flashbacks?

 

Thanks in advance! 

Compared to the last years of ATWT... 1996 wasn't as bad in comparison... there was a lot of potential... just the wrong writers to make that potential come together.  Culliton's year long stint ended in January 1996 right around the time of the airplane crash causing Damian to be persumed dead, Samantha to be blind, and Margo to suffer from PTSD.

 

However, there was some positive threads during 1996... Little Casey's kidnapping.. that led to weeks of tension between Hal/Margo/Tom.. with Hal's hot headed daughter Nikki wanting Adam to be told... with Nikki/Margo not getting along.  The only downside was once it was revealed.. there wasn't any fall out and it was dropped.

 

Lisa's public takedown by John Dixon was memorable and made sense... what followed didn't make much sense with that weird Martin character.. that had a youthful romance with Lucinda.. but nothing was followed up on in regards to all of that.  

 

And bringing on Ryder was a good move since he was the biological son of Grant Colman/Joyce Colman.. yet hardly any mention of that.. nor do I recall any scenes with him and Lisa.  Just a pointless teen triangle with Dani/Nikki.... damaging a good friendship between the two characters before Dani got ushered out of town.. and Niki/Ryder vanished to backburner land.

 

There were some likable moments and potential in 1996... just not the right group in charge to follow through on that potential..imho.

Richard Culliton wasn't a perfect HW by any means, but he seemed to be the last HW to "get" ATWT.

I will say that about Culliton as a HW - clearly, his strengths are writing scripts, but he has a lot of passion for the genre and even if the stories didn't always work, his passion still showed when he was a HW. Whether that be at AW, ATWT, AMC, or even GH. 

35 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

Lisa's public takedown by John Dixon was memorable and made sense... what followed didn't make much sense with that weird Martin character.. that had a youthful romance with Lucinda.. but nothing was followed up on in regards to all of that.  

A great scene made even more memorable by those monitors, not everyone has forty years of pictorial evidence of during an epic takedown.

 

36 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

And bringing on Ryder was a good move since he was the biological son of Grant Colman/Joyce Colman.. yet hardly any mention of that.. nor do I recall any scenes with him and Lisa.  Just a pointless teen triangle with Dani/Nikki.... damaging a good friendship between the two characters before Dani got ushered out of town.. and Niki/Ryder vanished to backburner land.

Until you mentioned it, I had no recollection that Ryder was the son of Grant and Joyce; too bad he didn't inherit his father's George-Hamilton-like-tan.  I love the classic scene from 50 Years in Soaps when Lisa refuses to attend Joyce's wedding.

You know, I get that no teenaged boy wants to be called "Teddy," but "Ryder" had to be one of the STUPIDEST names any character on this show ever had.

7 hours ago, Khan said:

You know, I get that no teenaged boy wants to be called "Teddy," but "Ryder" had to be one of the STUPIDEST names any character on this show ever had.

Was Teddy short for Edward or Theodore?

Either way  call him Eddie or Theo over Ryder or even Ted...

You know, I have no idea what "Teddy" was short for?  That's a good question.

 

"Eddie" might have been okay.  "Theo" reminds me too much of Theo Huxtable, lol.  And Ted, although it would make the most sense, comes across as too preppy for the kind of teenager Ryder was supposed to be.

 

35 minutes ago, Khan said:

You know, I have no idea what "Teddy" was short for?  That's a good question.

 

"Eddie" might have been okay.  "Theo" reminds me too much of Theo Huxtable, lol.  And Ted, although it would make the most sense, comes across as too preppy for the kind of teenager Ryder was supposed to be.

 

 

If you remember the pilot episode of The Cosby Show, I believe Vanessa once referred to Theo as "Teddy".

Theo being the much cooler iteration of all of those versions of the name.

Edited May 18, 20196 yr by DramatistDreamer

I apologize if these have been posted, but here are some 1980, 1981 and 1982 episodes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Rex Smith (ex Darryl) and Melinda Culea (A-Team and Knots Landing) in the 1980's version of The New Love America Style

 

 

13 hours ago, Dax7000 said:

I apologize if these have been posted, but here are some 1980, 1981 and 1982 episodes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh wow! I've never seen Linda Dano as Cynthia Haines. I've never seen these classic gems on youtube before. All this soapy goodness. and Dr Joyce Brothers too.  Thanks Dax7000.

Edited May 22, 20196 yr by victoria foxton

Thank you! I don't think I've ever seen them before either. I wonder if someone related to Pat Bruder is putting up episodes? 

No apologies needed @Dax7000.  Just from looking at a few seconds of the first video, my guess is that it's unlikely that these have been posted before.

I've been wanting to see some never before uploaded ATWT episodes from the 80s and you delivered!   I can't wait to have the time to dig into these!

 

Thank you!

Edited May 22, 20196 yr by DramatistDreamer
Ugh, I didn't need to edit after all.

Wow! Those early 80’s episodes are a great find. Thanks for posting them!