All My Children Tribute Thread

[danfling]

to Dr. Neil Curtis:

 

Lydia Hannibal (Chris Hanold on Ryan's Hope) auditioned for the role of Angie when Debbi Morgan was leaving the show.   it was said that she was ALMOST cast, but was not in the end.

 

Agnes Nixon was quoted at the time of Ms. Morgan's departure that she had great plans for the character of Angie for the upcoming year.   I think that she must have changed those plans because Ms. Quartermain did not have all that much storyline.

[Jagger1966]

I remember Lydia Hannibal on RH.  I'm sure she would have made a decent Angie, but I bet she would have been just as underused as she was on RH.  I also remember one of the soap magazines suggesting her as a recast for Sheila Price on One Life To Live, but I never saw her in anything else after RH.

[danfling]

I think Shelia #2 was beautiful and , unfortunately, used much less that Shelia #1 had been.

[You're Soaking in it]

Yes, Stephanie E. Williams...  recast for both Valarie Pettiford as OLTL's Dr. Sheila Price, and Laura Carrington as GH's Dr. Simone Hardy.  In both of those cases, I think she was better than Quarterman was for AMC's Angie. But just like with Quarterman & AMC, I also think Williams' interpretation over-simplified both characters. There was hardly a difference between her Simone and her Sheila. Her predecessors each brought things special and unique to their characters. Quarterman did the same thing for Angie: water her down... but even more so. Not bad acting... just not Angela (nor Simone, nor Sheila).

[SFK]

I think the actress (lightskinned, braids) who replaced her as Simone did a lovely job with the part, she's actually the Simone I saw and remember the most from watching in high school.  Then again, I'm guessing she was given stronger material, the divorce, dealing with young Tommy.

My memory of SQ's Angie is of a rather generic, "safe" performance.  A tough situation, I'd love to hear what she thought about her days with AMC.  She didn't strike the chords we were used to with Angie.  Debbi's voice and face are so distinctive, it's hard to buy Angie in anyone less than a clone, which as history has shown us on soaps, rarely works either.  I loved SQ on Hanging with Mr. Cooper though, she emerged vividly, there was no shadow of Dawnn Lewis cast over her in my view.

[Soaplovers]

Some roles shouldn't be recast... Angie was one as we saw with the brief recast after Debbi Morgan quit.. and then Natalie in 1992 after Kate Collins left and she was replaced by Melody Anderson.. who was sweet, warm and gentle... traits I wouldn't have used to describe Natalie.

[You're Soaking in it]

 

Felicia Bell. And yes, she was very good. Her Simone was basically a more evolved version of Laura Carrington's. She had a confidence and a warmth that had been missing in Williams' version. Actually, same goes for Williams as OLTL's Sheila: there was an insecurity and defensive vibe that hadn't been there when Valarie Pettiford played her.

 

I also liked SQ on HWMrC... It actually seemed really natural for her. Maybe being allowed to create her own character gave her more freedom to show what she can really do as an actress. 

 

 

Melody was a good actress and competent performer. I remember really enjoying her "Cape Fear" scenes with John Wesley Shipp's Carter. 

 

BUT... you're 100% right, she was just not Natalie.

Edited April 7, 2018 by YurSoakinginit

[SFK]

Anyone remember the movie Speed Zone? Lol  I watched it a million times in the 6th grade.  That's where my great memories of Melody Anderson lie, she and Shari Belafonte burning down the road in their high tech Ferrari.  As said, a lovely actress, just not Natalie.  She could have been a great Laurel.

 

My mom had a little TV on her desk at work and she said she was moved to tears when Melody's Natalie saw the angel at the top of the tree.  That was probably the highlight of Melody's tenure on the show.

[You're Soaking in it]

 

Interesting that you mentioned Laurel. Kristen Jensen, the first Laurel that came before Felicity LaFortune took over, originally read for Natalie's recast.

[amybrickwallace]

 

I feel the same way. She was very adept at playing comedy and did well in the sitcom format.

[SFK]

 

Oh that's interesting.  We've discussed it before, but the leap from Kristen to Felicity  was quite a big one, so physically different. 

[amybrickwallace]

I know Felicity LaFortune was a fan favorite on RH, so how did AMC fans react to her?

[LeClerc]

I have a feeling (and believe I read at one point) that McTavish was sort of living vicariously through Felicity LaFortune's Laurel, with Jack and Trevor fighting over her, etc. There was a strong physical resemblance...

[amybrickwallace]

 

Hmmmm...interesting. 😨

[You're Soaking in it]

 

I can't believe that has never occurred to me before!

 

So would it make even more sense that Laurel was then shot and killed on live TV after Lorraine Broderick returned as head writer? 

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Edited April 9, 2018 by YurSoakinginit