Y&R: Old Articles

[yrfan1983]

Jeanne Cooper said in her memoir that she helped to defuse the situation. She told Bill Bell that if he fired EB and PB, that’d he had have to fire her too.

[will81]

I think it is creative tension, mixed with arrogance and taking things way too seriously. I don't think Peter had much respect for Eric from the beginning, since he used cue cards apparently (something Peter derided in an interview that was posted here a while ago) and I think Peter took his acting seriously, maybe too seriously.

He may have been the first actor to stand up to Eric, I would be interested to know how it all went down, because I am sure it would have started almost as soon as Peter turned up.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by will81

[soapfan770]

I seem to recall Bergman’s Emmy wins also provided a deep source of contention between the two actors. I can’t imagine that sit too well with EB, who had been nominated a couple times in the 80’s to see someone on the show steal his thunder.

As for PB he did mention  the work culture at Y&R was so different for him than at AMC it took some time to adjust to it. 

[kalbir]

@soapfan770 I chalk up PB's 1991 and 1992 Emmy wins to weak competition in the Lead Actor category. I was not riveted by his Emmy winning episode that was rebroadcast during the classics and the clips shown during the Emmy broadcasts those years.

It was posted here before that EB would not submit his name for Emmy consideration. He also didn't mention much about the Emmys in his book and I don't recall EB commenting in the soap press about the years he lost (1987, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004).

 

[YRBB]

Nvmd

Edited October 31, 2021 by YRBB

[BoldRestless]

Four days later, I wonder what happened to "tomorrow" haha. And the video link is dead!

[soapfan770]

@kalbirThanks and I agree, I thought Bergman was a bit over the top. Thanks for cleaning that up about EB and the Emmys sometimes it’s hard to separate fact from fiction on 30 year old scandals that's been speculated about since the days of Usenet lol.

[Paul Raven]

Yes I think it was a clash of approach.

Perhaps Eric, coming from primetime and movies  did feel as though he had more experience and should be accorded respect for that, and Peter was more about the here and now. 

Kinda like Eric - 'You know when I did a Barnaby Jones etc' ...

[YRfan23]

I always thought the main problem Bergman has with Braeden is Victor always “winning” he always makes a note of that when he does interviews.

[FrenchBug82]

I know Muhney is a hugely controversial actor on forums and he certainly had his own share of his issues but this seems to mirror a lot of how the similar conflict between him and EB started later on - the new guy who thinks he has the answers, the old guy stuck on his own ways and wanting "respect", the clash of egos and approaches to the job...
All these people have responsibility in the tensions generated but I suspect EB specifically is very rigid by nature and even more so as he established himself as a tentpole of the show and feels he has earned the right to have things his way.
This clashes with the guys who fancy themselves alpha males.
The male leads EB seems to get along with better seem to be the guys who don't care that much (JM, DD back in the day etc) or whose "performances" are in storylines EB is not directly involved in (like KsJ).

[Vee]

Alternately, there isn't a need for a both sides approach on an issue where one obnoxious actor turned out to be an (alleged) sexual harasser who is now blacklisted from daytime.

[FrenchBug82]

I wasn't litigating the specific issue of Muhney or try to both-side what happened later. Muhney's issues are well-known.

I was more interested in the fact the dynamic between him and EB - that they both described at the time long before he was even fired - was very similar to the speculated dynamic between PB and EB to try and suss out a pattern with EB. It is interesting to see in contrast with how well EB works with other actors.
 

Edited October 31, 2021 by FrenchBug82

[Franko]

It's weird to think what would have happened if Bell had fired Eric and Peter. Imagine another reboot playing out in the '90s.

For that matter, what would have happened to the guys? Suppose both wanted to stay in L.A. and/or soaps. B&B would be out, but surely GH, DOOL and SB would have jumped at either of them.

[FrenchBug82]

I could see Braeden playing a Cassadine but it is still hard to imagine tbh. I can't really imagine Bergman on GH or DOOL at all but I think he would definitely have found a job if he had returned to NYC. His acting style was a better fit for the NYC soaps.

[Vee]

Eric would've soared as an elder Cassadine when Guza was still around. It would be a major coup. But I'd have no faith in the 21st century GH serving him well for very long; he's wise to stay where he is.