Y&R: Old Articles

[Soaplovers]

 

I agree with that assessment of Jill.

 

I do recall when Jess Walton first took over permanently as Jill, she played Jill more like how Brenda had played her for at least the first year or two before gradually making Jill her own.  I don't think I could have bought Jess playing Jill in the 70s at least in the context of how the character was written back then.  She would have played a more gritty Jill, not the more demure version of early Jill..imho.

 

Years ago, there were episodes on youtube from Deborah's last days as Jill and Brenda's first day as Jill back.. from what I recall.. it was like night and day the portrayals.. that is.    Just like I bet on Ryan's Hope when Edwards left and IK came back as Delia (since Edwards was more venerable and elegant as Delia.. while IK (love her) was more like a bull in a china shop)... that there would have been a huge adjustment.

 

1982 was a year of transition for the show.  While the Brooks and Fosters (save for Jill) all departed in 1982, at least there was the Williams, Nikki/Victor, Kay/Jill, and  Jack/John there to stabilize things to an extent.

Edited October 17, 2017 by Soaplovers

[yrfan1983]

Anyone know exactly when Mamie debuted? I have a feeling that for awhile, she was referred to but not seen.  I noticed that happen in two of these "lost eps".  Same thing in the May '82 ep that used to be on YT, when Patty says Mamie was very welcoming after she moved in.

The first synopsis mention I see is after John and Jill's marriage, when Jill and Mamie argue over household finances.

[YRfan23]

I always thought Mamie was on since 1980 with Jack and the first John....though I guess her role extended as The Abbotts became more prominent.......

So I guess Jack basically  lived in the house all by himself (With Mamie) for almost a whole year before Jerry Douglas came on as John in 1982, haha
 

[yrfan1983]

I've seen some sources listing Marguerite Ray's debut as 1980. But the YR 25th book says 1982. Hmmmm

 

edit: here's MR's bio in her own words, and she says she was YR for 10 years http://oaklandtech.com/staff/centennial/2015/03/11/marguerite-ray-june-48/

Edited October 17, 2017 by yrfan1983

[SoapDope]

I always wondered why Marguerite Ray left/or was replaced. I liked her in the role. She was on the short lived Sanford in 1980-81 when Redd Foxx tried to revive his old sitcom. She made several appearances in the original Sanford & Son in the 70's as different characters.

 

I'm not sure they even showed the Abbott home or Mamie prior to 1982. I say the house set appeared when Jerry Douglas came on. Bill Bell was setting up the changes for the shows second decade and Mamie probably appeared around the time Ashley and Tracy show up. Someone on another board said that when John first mentioned his 2 daughters he referred to them as Tracy and Tiffany. BB must have changed his mind for some reason about that Tiffany name. I think Eileen Davidson said when she read for the part it was called "Tiffany".

 

 

Here is a current pic of Christopher Holder who played Kevin Bancroft.

 

[SoapDope]

Apparently that photo of Mr. Holder is not the most recent. Here he is in a trailer for a movie he did last year. He appears as Chef Alexander The Great starting at the 0:43 mark

 

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[yrfan1983]

^agreed, I bet BB had the Abbott house set built in spring '82 when he decided to expand the Abbotts past Jack. If Mamie appeared before that, it was probably a one-off.

[Khan]

Regarding how Christopher Holder looks today:

 

1) it ain't 1982 anymore; and

 

2) a new haircut and the proper makeup and lighting could do wonders.  (Just ask Melody Thomas Scott.)

 

Honestly, I wouldn't expect Holder to look EXACTLY as he did, what, over thirty years ago?  I'd just want him to be able to act the hell out of a potentially interesting storyline that connects with a part of Y&R's history.

[YRfan23]

Thanks, that was interesting to read, sounds like she did that interview around 97-98? since she says she left the show 7 years prior...

umm.....why is she saying Jeanne just died when she first joined?? does she mean Katherine....and that she joined when they thought Katherine died on the cruise, then met Felipe?

[yrfan1983]

^lol, yea, that made no sense

[soapfan770]

Just since we're on the topic of the early 1980's Y&R castings, has anyone ever seen clips of Brett Halsey as the original John Abbott? Just curious as to how he was in the role. His John is about as obscure at Bond Gideon's Jill (I was shocked a few years ago when clips of Melinda O. Fee as a temp Jill cast surfaced ever so briefly).

[vetsoapfan]

 

I was a daily viewer of Y&R back then, and I saw Halsey's portrayal of John Abbott. He did not last very long. I felt he was miscast from the start, like Erica Hope as Nikki Reed, Patricia Everly as Peggy Brooks and Bond Gideon as Jill Foster had been. Still, he was not awful. Y&R has cast many actors who were way worse than Halsey, LOL.

Edited October 17, 2017 by vetsoapfan

[YRfan23]

I hope you got a chance to view the 1982 shows!

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 I would love to hear your thoughts since you saw all of that goodness live back then! 

[SoapDope]

The 1982 episodes conjured up some long ago memories of watching the show back then. I didn't get to see it everyday with school etc...so I missed a lot of little details at the time. Lilibet Stern, Jamie Lyn Bauer, Meg Bennett and Victoria Mallory were actresses I never forgot from those days. 

[Paul Raven]

The Abbott house set did not appear until 82. There may have been something shown when BH was John but it seemed most Jack/Jill/John scenes occurred at the office or restaurants etc

 

Terry Lester mentioned in an interview that when he walked onto the Abbott set for the first time, he realised that a whole family and future had been set up.

 

I'm pretty sure Mamie came on around the time when Traci and Ashley appeared.

 

Brett Halseys GH episodes were on YouTube (still might be) and he is in plenty of movies and TV shows so it is easy to imagine him as John.

 

Deborah nailed Jill at that time. She never came of as a total villianess, more insecure and desperate.