All My Children Tribute Thread

[Paul Raven]

Regarding Ruth Warrick - Wasn't it the case that at first she was playing Pheobe too dark and was told to make her less threatening?

Watching her on Peyton Place as Hannah, she definitely not subtle in her acting, but that made it all the more fun to watch as she wailed against Ann Howard and threatened/cowered before Martin Peyton...

[EricMontreal22]

I can't find the quote now, but yes, Ruth says something about how someone involved (a director?) pulled her aside and basically said that she should want the audience to love to hate her--not just to hate her. 

[Pine Charles]

So was Erica’s accidental shooting of Kent  dictated by the actor’s firing, or was it intended all along??

 

Ruth explains it a bit differently.

The character was written as one to be feared, but Ruth wanted the audience to love her, so she played Phoebe as a daffy, delusional society matron.

The director told her she needed to play it mean, so she did.

But she stated that the character was eventually allowed to become humorous again (as we all know).

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Edited September 25, 2018 by Pine Charles

[danfling]

The show nearly replaced Ms. Warrick in the role of Phoebe with actress Halia Stoddard.

[EricMontreal22]

That's right--thanks for the correction!  Apparently (I found a quote) Ruth was taken aside by the director who pointed out that four major characters had already been recast at least once (Kate, Jeff, Ann and Lincoln) and she could be next-- (although I wonder if there was much of a threat--I don't think any of those actors had the pedigree that Ruth had).

Yes the Kent murder mystery, I have it on good authority, was done when they decided to let go of the actor.  Dunno why they didn't recast though I assume he was pretty popular (I'm never sure why they decide to recast or not--but of course often when an actor is let go for a reason like this the recast is NOT well received--look at Pierce, or Dimitri)

 

[Khan]

They had recast Kent Bogard once already.  Michael Woods was the original Kent, IIRC.

[EricMontreal22]

Ah had no idea, but that would make sense if they decided they might as well cut their losses...

[Pine Charles]

Well, I’m happy it played out the way it did.

It fit perfectly.

And Erica on the run/in prison is a very iconic storyline for the character.

[EricMontreal22]

Exactly.

[SoapDope]

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[ghfan89]

One of the episodes SL submitted for when she won her Emmy:

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[Jonathan]

 

 

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[victoria foxton]

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Edited October 2, 2018 by victoria foxton

[soapfave06]

I finally finished the Natalie in a well storyline and I love how Natalie feels betrayed and is through with Trevor and never wants to see him again. Usually with soaps they instantly reunite and move on. Natalie and Dimitri seem to be simple friends (so far) but I must say Trevor really grates as he disrespects Dimitri trying to get Nat back at Wildwind. 

 

With Natalie and Trevor being such a big couple I was also expecting a bigger "reunion" moment instead of him walking into her room at Wildwind. I was expecting a location sequence at the mansion or something spectacular. 

 

While I certainly consider Ron Carlivati hit/miss some of the elements to the conclusion reminded me of Ron's early OLTL- Timmy's random letter, Mimi's investigation, Natalie attempting to leave town on time and the slow build up. I love how it slowly involved a good portion of the cast. You never get umbrella stories like that anymore.

[EricMontreal22]

One of Nixon's last umbrella stories, really.  Of course it also led to so much other story (the whole Wildwind stuff including Edmund's parentage, etc, as well as the who killed Will murder, etc).  Wildwind itself in some ways was similar to what Nixon and Washam had done when Cortland Manor was introduced (same Gothic/Victorian story tropes, the mysterious housekeeper, etc--although Wildwind went into the whole Jane Eyre thing with the wife in the attic...)