Y&R: Old Articles

[vetsoapfan]

 

Wasn't there also some drama about Victoria Mallory needing some time off during her pregnancy, but TBTB did not want to give it to her? She had to be in a wheelchair except when she was on-screen?

[vetsoapfan]

 

He came across as very sweet and almost...noble, like Sam Groom as Russ Matthews on AW. I liked him a lot, but by the time McGillin took over as Greg Foster, the writing was on the wall and the original Brooks and Foster families were being phased out.

 

I was revolted that the show hired the worst of all Gregs, Wing Hauser, to play out the story about Liz Foster's death.

 

 

[SoapDope]

I noticed that Melody Thomas Scott NEVER mentions Wings Hauser in interviews. I wonder how they got along ?  I wish Melody could have played her marriage storyline with Greg with James Houghton in the role. They may have lasted longer. 

[Paul Raven]

I know JLB had a very difficult pregnancy and was in a wheel chair off set. I think that this was the time Victoria Thompson (and others? ) subbed for her.

 

Another role quickly recast was that of April. Janet Wood was replaced by Cynthia Eilbacher who had previously played Jodie, the teen runaway.

[vetsoapfan]

 

Yes, I remember this well. The show used long, flowing gowns to disguise JLB's condition. At least she said in the press that when she was pregnant and highly emotional, the crew was very protective of her and tried to soothe her nerves.

 

Lezlie Dalton also subbed for JLB at this time.

 

And speaking of the good old days:

 

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Edited October 22, 2017 by vetsoapfan

[vetsoapfan]

In 1973, actress-singer Mary Grover was originally hired to play Leslie Brooks on Y&R, and filmed a few weeks' worth of episodes. Bill Bell did not think she was ultimately right for the role, however, and Grover was let go before the show premiered, with all her scenes reshot with replacement Janice Lynde.

 

Mary Grover was pretty, and seems to be okay as an actress and singer, but I am glad that the show went with Lynde, who was mesmerizing in the role.

 

Here's a sample of Grover's work on stage.

 

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And here are some clips of Janice Lynde as Leslie:

 

 

Edited October 22, 2017 by vetsoapfan

[DRW50]

I wonder how many times Bell had the story of an orderly trying to rape a female patient...

 

How do you think Lynde would have done in the "4 L's" era?

[vetsoapfan]

 

Actually, an aggressive female patient also tried to abuse "Jane" (as Leslie was called in the asylum because the authorities did not know her identity), which was quite daring for the time. She even stole Leslie's food. I was terrified watching the storyline. never knowing if Leslie would be sexually abused or starve to death.

 

I hate to say this, but while I found Mallory to be beautiful, charming and a very talented singer, I did not feel her acting chops were strong enough to convey the character's deep and conflicting emotions. Leslie changed a lot when Lynde left and Mallory took over. Instead of being like a fragile fawn with deep, fiery emotion just below the surface, Leslie suddenly had less depth, less raw emotion, and came across as...pallid. Rona Barrett's Daytimers published a snarky comment about Lorie rather than Leslie being the new focus of the show, thanks to, "...Victoria Mallory's colorlesss portrayal of the part...."

 

When Mallory first took over the role, TPTB had her suffer a miscarriage after her husband accidentally hit her in the stomach with a heavy suitcase. Jon Michael Reed wrote in Daily TV Serials that Y&R was trying to build sympathy for the "new" Leslie by making the character lose the baby, but so far  it had not been really  successful.

 

All this to say that while Mallory was adequate in Four L-era, I think the storyline would have been more effective and dynamic with Lynde in the role. The men's conflict choosing between the passionate, exciting and vibrant Lorie Brooks, and the tepid, restrained and colorless Leslie Brooks was...hard to fathom.

[SoapDope]

Bill Bell redid the Leslie story in the 80's when Ashley was put in the mental ward as Jane Doe and one of her roommates a woman named Ruth stole Ashley's food and threatened her daily. The actress who played Ruth went on to Bold & Beautiful to play the homeless woman Ruth Ann that Stephanie lived with on the street when she lost her memory and was homeless.

 

The Ashley in the psych ward story introduced the character of Leanna Randolph Love (Barbara Crampton). She hated Ashley for marrying Dr. Steven Lassiter (played by SFT's Rod Arrants) and tried to poison her. 

[allmc2008]

Wasn't Lucas and lance a paralell to Lori and Leslie though?  Like, one being more sensual than the other?

[vetsoapfan]

 

Lance was more suave and sophisticated and had a laid-back, confident charm, whereas Lucas was less refined and had a quick temper, but was highly passionate and very loyal. Both men were quite appealing in their own ways, however, so choosing between them would have been pretty difficult. With Victoria Mallory as Leslie, the character lacked fire, substance and depth, so there was no real competition between such a restricted, colorless woman and Lorie, who was sexy, playful, witty, complicated, vibrant and fun.

 

I would have no trouble at all choosing between Jan Brady from The Brady Bunch and Mary Richards from the Mary Tyler Moore Show, or between George from Seinfeld versus Oliver Queen from The Arrow, LOL.

Edited October 23, 2017 by vetsoapfan

[Khan]

 

Poor Jan.  Always the bridesmaid.

[vetsoapfan]

 

"Everything's always Marcia, Marcia, MARCIA!!!!"

 

Put a sock in it, Jan.

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[kalbir]

Bill Bell took qualities from the Foster and Prentiss sons and used them on B&B for the Forrester sons: Ridge, a Snapper/Lance hybrid, and Thorne, a Greg/Lucas hybrid.

 

Funny that John McCook played one of the Prentiss sons and then the father of the Forrester sons.