All My Children Tribute Thread

[DRW50]

[amybrickwallace]

La Lucci's still got it! What year was that article from? I'd say either '78 or '79.

[ellabelle]

Thank you so much for sharing that DRW50! Is this from SOD or another publication? Amy, I'm guessing early 1979? Tom and Erica married in late September 1978, and the article talks about a photoshoot with summer looks.

[DRW50]

July 1979 was the publication date - it was the last gasp of TV Dawn to Dusk. They also had a stock photo on part of the cover. I'll try to post it if I find it.

[amybrickwallace]

Thank you both! You know, I never saw any resemblance between Susan Lucci and Vicky Wyndham (though a lot of other people through the years have) until I saw that picture of Erica and Tom in profile on the beach. What a great shot, even though it's not in color.

[cassadine1991]

Makes you wonder what if the actresses switched roles

[amybrickwallace]

Well, Erica AND Rachel were both created by Agnes Nixon - and Agnes had created Erica before Rachel (even though AMC didn't go on the air until Rachel had been on AW for several years). I just don't see Vicky Wyndham as someone who would go through that many men like Erica did, and I can't see Susan Lucci playing the nuances and maturity that VW's Rachel had. Then again, Agnes wasn't writing for Rachel by the time VW was cast (Harding Lemay was), so it's fun to imagine what might have been had she been writing Rachel as played by VW rather than Robin Strasser.

[ellabelle]

Susan Lucci was and is Erica to me. I don't know that I'd feel the same way about the character if another actress played the part. I watched AW for bit in the early 90s, and I didn't feel any particular pull toward VW or toward Rachel. I started watching AMC around the same time, and I was immediately drawn in by Erica. So for me, a different actress would have changed everything.

[John]

Just watched some clips from 2002 with Sam Page as Trey Kenyon/Ben Sheppard. Wish they would have kept that character and actor.

Surprised they never brought the role back

[Khan]

I think that would depend on whichever qualities within VW that Agnes Nixon sparked to. Otherwise, I'm not so sure AN would have redeemed Rachel like Harding Lemay did.

[amybrickwallace]

Probably not, but it's always fun to imagine scenarios like that.

[AllMyDaysatGH]

They totally could've and should've brought him back around 2007/2008 (when his jail time should've ended). The dynamics between him, Kendall, David, Erica & Greenlee could've been fantastic.

[amybrickwallace]

Yet another missed opportunity.

[ellabelle]

I guess it depends on how you view Trey/Ben. If you think he was an abomination of a retcon who never should have existed because the idea of Vanessa seeing Richard Fields rape Erica and do NOTHING about it other than place her own baby for adoption was an unneeded horrific retcon to Erica's rape story, then maybe it's better to forget him. Would he have an interesting dynamic with Kendall, Greenlee, David, Ryan and Bianca? Sure. Is it worth it to explain to newer viewers how he came to be and why Erica hates him? I don't know. I'm undecided.

If they'd cast a different actor to play Jane Campbell's Ben in 2011, then it could have been interesting to find out that Trey/Ben was the one who caused the accident that killed Jane's daughter and that he'd been secretly working for David. To me, that would have been an interesting twist.

As far as bringing villains back though, I think ABC erred tremendously in never bringing back Marj Dusay as Vanessa. I'd have rather had her come back for a short stint than Trey/Ben. I'd have also welcomed back Michael Sabatino as Jonathan Kinder. I assume TPTB thought Jonathan was too similar to David Hayward, but I still think it would have been interesting to have him come back to PV at some point, bent on revenge against Erica, Janet and Skye. Heck, I'd have been fine with him coming after Erica and KC's Janet in the mid-2000s.

[danfling]

Didn't Agnes Nixon write for Victoria Wyndham when they worked at The Guiding Light on CBS?