Love Is a Many Splendored Thing

[DRW50]

I do like some of her super short cuts, I have to admit.

[Khan]

"So You Want to Be a Soap Star!"...

Looks like SoapNet weren't the first to think of the concept.

[DRW50]

Can't you just imagine that special day where Mikey Jerome tries to give Beverlee McKinsey acting tips.

[Khan]

Knowing BM, too, she'd let him prattle, wait a beat, then smile and say, "Well, thank you, Mr. Jerome, I'll certainly keep what you said in mind," all while giving him that look that was known to cut people dead.

[DRW50]

This is from a late December 1993 Weekly. Andrea talks a bit about LIAMST and Berrengers.

[DRW50]

I showed the episodes that are available to a friend of mine, someone who doesn't hate soaps but also isn't overly interested in them, and they really enjoyed them, especially the scenes of snappy banter between various characters like Tom and Helen, or Julie and her roommate. I wish CBS would market these, and some other old soaps - it could just be a quickly put together streaming thing of the episodes they have. Why not try it on Netflix?

Anyway, I know that Leslie Charleson stayed after Donna Mills and David Birney had left. What were the timelines on their various departures? She had, what, a few months with Veleka Gray and Michael Hawkins?

Bibi Besh was the only other Iris, wasn't she? Do you think Iris was an easier character to recast, or was Bibi Besch just very good at winning viewers over? It seemed like by the later episodes with Leslie, Iris had lost some of her fire, although she was still neurotic.

[ZoeTate]

Bibi had gotten pregnant (with Samantha Mathis) while on EON and after the baby was born, she didn't return but took the part of Iris. I think CBS may have handpicked her. That was January(?) 1971 I believe. Leslie left in December 1970, Donna was gone Sept 1970 and Birney June 1970 if I'm remembering correctly. A contigent of Edge fans wanted Bibi on EDGE because they liked her with Donald May, who had not quite yet achieved the super couple status with Maeve McGuire.

Bibi was very good at Iris - more grounded. She played big sister to Laura. I especially loved the friendship between Betsy and Iris. These two would sit around and dis the others, especially Helen who Iris didn't seem too fond of.

[DRW50]

That sounds like a lot of fun. I wish I could see it. I've seen nothing of Betsy.Your trivia on Bibi is fascinating. Imagine if she'd stayed on Edge and there'd been a big triangle between she, Maeve, Donald.

I was reading in a March 1970 Afternoon TV and someone wrote in saying they were no longer going to watch the show because of Mark having sex with Angel, and how could he do that to Laura, and the Mark/Laura relationship had been dragged out forever, etc. What did you think of Angel? She seemed very exotic in the photo I've seen of her - it was a photo Soap Opera Weekly had when they did an update on her in the late 90's. Other than that all I've ever seen of her is various soap magazines of the day saying she had to summer in Mexico or somewhere because of bad back problems.

[ZoeTate]

Well Suzie Kaye Stone was described by Diana Douglas in her book, as a constant pot smoker who never performed well. Or something to that effect. Angel had the hot story at the time of cancellation. Angel was dying, Peter was destroyed but I don't think anyone else knew except Betsy. It was heartbreaking. I think Suzie Kaye's popularity soared at the end. Angel had made tons of mistakes and felt she was being punished so the audience embraced her. To me, it was like a lot of Love Story inspired storylines -kill off 1/2 half of a loving couple. I mentioned Bill Prentiss, but would add Cindy Clark Matthews, Meredith Lord Wolek etc. We didn't get to see Angel pass away, so maybe they found a cure??

[Paul Raven]

[DRW50]

That's nice. Those old Afternoon TVs are probably the best soap magazines.

Do you know anything about the dying ballerina story I posted a few pages ago?

[saynotoursoap]

According to the writer, Suzie Kaye Stone was being written out, and Angel would have died had the series continued. This is one reason she was given cancer (very unusual at that time) rather than one of those vague soap illnesses in which she could have recovered at the 11th hour. It was a heartbreaking story and the turning point for Betsy, as Angel's fate convinced Betsy that she and Joe should marry and share their love since they had no promise of a tomorrow. The scenes with Betsy and Angel and Angel and Pete were very well written.

[ZoeTate]

Love that Donna/David cover. My God that was chemistry and they re-united three times after the end of LIAMST, playing a married couple on The Love Boat, Medical Center and two Naval officers on Hawaii Five O.

Does anyone remember Joan McMongale(sp) who played Holly McAllistar at the end? That actress was in about 100 commericals before, during and after LIAMST. She had a sort of soccer mom(they didn't call it that then) look about her, very wholesome, unthreatening but pretty.

[Paul Raven]

Don't think this has been posted

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Edited September 10, 2011 by Paul Raven

[Khan]

Why do I feel like the words "SCANDAL!" and "EXPOSED!" should be running underneath that photo of Donna Mills and John Conboy?