All My Children Tribute Thread

[danfling]

As I recall from that time, Mr. Frank (Dr. Jeff Martin) and his wife Ms. Blanchard (Mary Kinnecott Martin, R. N.) made the mutual decision to move to California and to leave their show All My Children at the end of their contracts to appear.

Jeff and Mary had been slated to adopt Tad Garner (Matthew Anton), but, upon hearing these plans, the show changed the storyline to have Dr. and Mrs. Joe Martin adopt him.   (This was, of course, after Ruth and Joe had married.)  

I don't know if Ms. Blanchard's contract ended before Mr. Frank's did or if they expired at the same time, but the show killed off Mary and kept Dr. Jeff for several more months.  Mary was shown after her death several times as her character's ghost, so, either her contract was still valid or she returned to the show after her contract had expired.

The pair did leave the show, and Susan Blanchard was cast in the primetime ABC comedy series Mr. T and Tina.   I think that people predicted that the show would be a hit, but it was not and was off the air by January of the next year.   Ms. Blanchard later became the spokewoman for Leggs Pantyhose.

I don't remember any regular roles on any television series for Mr. Frank.  As far as I know, his first primetime series was Filthy Rich.    He later appeared for one season on the CBS primetime serial Emerald Point, N. A. S., which was created by Esther and Richard Shapiro.

The producers of Filthy Rich later produced Designing Women (all three of these shows aired on CBS), and Charles Frank became one of that show's directors.   (Jack Stauffer, the original Chuck Tyler, appeared on an episode that Mr. Frank directed.)

 

After Dr. Jeff Martin left the show, Mary's sister Betsy (Carla Dragonetti) came to Pine Valley.   Dr. Jeff Martin later returned (The role had been recast with Robert Perault as Dr. Martin #3.)  James O'Sullivan became the fourth actor to play the role, and Jeff married Dr. Christina Karras (Robin Strasser), and they left town.

When Dr. Jeff Martin later returned to town (played by Jeffrey Byron - who had just been written off One Life to Live as Richard #3), it was said that he and Christina had divorced.

[Paul Raven]

There was another Jeff at one point in the 80's played by John Tripp.

They seemed to want to continue this character but the actor/storylines never seemed to gel.

And of course John James later played Jeff.

[janea4old]

Charles Frank later appeared as astronaut  Scott Carpenter in the movie the Right Stuff. 

Charles Frank and his wife actress Susan Blanchard Frank later moved to his hometown of Olympia Washington.  Either Charles or both Charles and Susan worked (or helped in some way) at the theater department of the local community college (I think he taught some classes and they were both on the college Foundation board, something like that.)  They have sponsored scholarships to students in the arts. He is listed as "Charlie Frank" on the college website.

2014-2015 scholarship funds donated
"Frank Family Endowed Scholarship in the Arts: 
thanks to Charlie and Susan Frank and the Frank Family"
https://spscc.edu/sites/default/files/imce/alumni-donors/foundation/2014-15-Scholarship-booklet.pdf
 

He's still looking good. Current pictures of the board:
https://spscc.edu/foundation/board

Charles and Susan also contribute to the local youth chorus and the city arts theater, etc etc etc.

Edited December 29, 2022 by janea4old

[danfling]

I remember when John Tripp replaced Jeffrey Byron as Dr. Jeff Martin.   Tad and Hillary were not seeing each other, and Jeff asked Tad (over a meal in a restaurant) if Tad would mind if he (Jeff) were to ask Hillary for a date.

I think that the show was obviously headed toward a Tad-Hillary-Jeff triangle, but the character of Dr. Jeff Martin was dropped.   It was said that he had moved to California (where Tara was also residing with Jim and Katie/Kelsey).

[ghfan89]

 

[j swift]

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@Vee If this happened I wonder if the first words out of Althea's mouth would have been, "What's the deal? The last time I saw my daughter she was an Australian cabaret singer."

Haha - also I don't know how to quote a post from another thread without it being a screenshot - dm me if there's an easier way to make such a lame joke.

[Vee]

I honestly have no recollection if the rumor was it was a flashback or she would turn up alive. I just recall there was some major soap star rumored to be playing her that may have hit the mags, I think it was someone from P&G or Sony/NBC and IIRC someone brought it back up a couple years ago.

[j swift]

Also was Althea a Chandler?  I don't recall that she and Adam were married at the time of Skye's conception.  Although I remember that he was quick to accept both Skye and Hayley as his kids, probably because that pre-dated DNA tests.

[danfling]

I seem to recall that Althea was referred to as "Adam's first wife."    My memory could be wrong.

[Paul Raven]

By the time the 80's rolled round you could be pretty sure that a dead or missing spouse was mentioned, they were going to turn up at some point.

i'm sure the only reason Althea never showed up is that the network didn't want a new female character over 40.

[j swift]

Also, Adam was introduced with "Rebecca" inspired story of a relative in the attic, so he didn't need more women haunting his relationships and Skye #1 was such a dud that I'm certain they never thought she would last as long as she did, so she hardly needed a mother.

Edited January 5, 2023 by j swift

[Jonathan]

Happy 53rd birthday, All My Children! The show premiered on January 5, 1970.

[allmc2008]

How the hell was that like Rebecca?

[j swift]

AMC

For years, Adam kept Stuart locked up in the West Wing of the Chandler mansion. When Erica discovered him, Adam's secret was out. Stuart began as an evil entity. Erica was living with Adam, and occasionally a "bad" Adam would appear and try to hurt her. As we found out later, it was really Stuart, who was being kept hidden. Joanna, the housekeeper, had convinced Stuart that Erica was evil and had to be stopped. Of course, he was never really mean, just misled.

Rebecca

The second Mrs. de Winter (Joan Fontaine) is somewhat overwhelmed however when, after their honeymoon, they return to his vast estate, Manderley. She not only has to deal with a huge house and numerous servants, but also with the dour and domineering housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Dame Judith Anderson).

I've always thought it was common knowledge how often AMC stories and characters were inspired by classic films, but as Voltaire said, "common sense is not so common anymore." I guess the same is true for common courtesy and respect.

Edited January 6, 2023 by j swift

[Darn]

Was Erica ever consistently referred to as "Mrs. Husband Last Name" during any of her marriages? I notice on soaps that no matter how many times a woman is married she immediately starts being referred to by her latest husband's last name.