Y&R: Old Articles

[Darn]

It's crazy how important the score was to Y&R. They managed through acting, directing and the music to make scenes like Dru signing a modeling contract thrilling, tense and dramatic.

 

 

[Aback]

 

Was the video posted somewhere?

[soapfan770]

Has anyone been following this channel, love these keep popping up! Complete with 1970s flashbacks!

 

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[mikelyons]

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 Jack forces Jill to present Dru with a modeling contract, much to Jill's chagrin. Olivia confides in Neil about tests. Christine gets an offer from her law firm as Michael makes an unwanted advance.

[Faulkner]

Jerry Douglas really looked better the older he got. He certainly “freshened up” around the eyes.

[DRW50]

Sorry if this was already posted.

 

(boy did I get a good laugh when we heard the part about what happy campers the actors were)

 

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[will81]

Yeah they actually wrote it into the show. In 1986 John has his eyes done. It is in the German episodes posted. 

[will81]

@allmc2008 Here is the video. I put this together quickly using the few clips I have found online over the years. I am pretty sure Jess subbed the day Jill went to Kay's and argued with Phillip about his birthday, as Brenda's Jill mentions at the beginning

 

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Here is an article about Brenda's departure and Jess' arrival

 

 

 

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Edited April 17, 2020 by will81

[YRfan23]

Thanks!  great to see that video again! and for that article! YES! they confirmed Jess's first airdate as June 19, 87! I knew that was it! 

[will81]

I guess she had two Jun 19 and Jun 24, though I guess Brenda technically never came back once Jess was hired.

Edited April 17, 2020 by will81

[DRW50]

I remember that original video. I wish I'd saved it. The cuts from Jess to Brenda to Deborah were so precise, and that "tornado watch" was hilarious in the context of what tornadoes both Jill and Brenda were. 

 

I guess this was before they officially made her Jill since they keep saying "played today" instead of "now played."

 

I'm not sure I have any mixed feelings over a recast that are stronger than my mixed feelings about Jill. The role wasn't sustainable with Brenda by that point, and I have so many, many wonderful memories of Jess' Jill (she was the first Jill I ever saw, and took me through many stories where I fought Jill's corner against all the hypocrites of Genoa City, and I still love her to this very day), but even in those last scenes there's something about Brenda's Jill that grabs me and reminds me how much the essence of the character will always be with her.

[will81]

Yeah I never saved the version with Deborah in it.

 

From the story bits and pieces I have, I think Brenda was out sick with a real medical issue, but due to previous dramas Bell and others thought she was grandstanding and replaced her with Jess, this may have been where the story from E! True Hollywood story came from, that Brenda turned up for work one day to find another actress in her dressing room. Though they show a picture of Deborah in reference to the story, I wonder if it actually happened when Jess came on. Hence why they kept announcing Jess until Brenda was officially fired. 

 

Brenda had lost most of the subtlety to her performance by around the time or just after Who Shot Jill? played out. She always had some high melodrama in her performance, but it was much more grounded in 83/84. Once Jill was kicked out of the Abbott home, Brenda really let loose. I still like her through most of 1986 though. Jess brought the grounded aspect back and balanced it with some of Brenda's camp. I really liked Jess until the late 90's, when Jill just seemed like a gumpus all the time.

 

Brenda, no matter how flawed her performances were, was the only Jill to carry the history of the character with her. You could feel her hatred of Katherine and still see sometimes the young girl she was at the beginning of the show. If Brenda had toned it down more instead of going full camp, she would be the only Jill for me.

[YRfan23]

I'm glad we have gotten to sample all the Jills, but Jess definitely has her stamp on the role, even if she's suffered the most from the bad writing the past 15 or so years...but she's always gonna be Jill to me, and she definitely gets the role, as if she has played her for the past 5 decades. I always appreciate getting to see Brenda ham it up on all those old episodes....I just wish we got more 70's material with her, when she really was nuanced. 

Edited April 17, 2020 by YRfan23

[DRW50]

 

Oh I didn't like the late '90s and onward writing for Jill at all but I've already gone over that too many times...

 

When those clips popped up on YT, I was surprised to see that Brenda did play some layers in the shooting story and the divorce battle with John. The ridiculousness and campery and the ludicrous wardrobe choices seemed to kick into high gear after that point. It's too bad this is what many remember of her.

Edited April 17, 2020 by DRW50

[will81]

Yeah the second divorce from John felt like the end of Jill. There were many stories from 1995 - 1997 I wasn't fond of at all. I'd say the 2nd golden age of Y&R really was 1983 - 1994 for me. I love 98/99 but not as much. I'd call 1995 - 1999 the silver age, haha

Edited April 17, 2020 by will81