OLTL Tribute Thread

[Vee]

I've seen that one somewhere. I don't know why I thought that was Trish Van Devere as Meredith above - is it definitely Sharon Laughlin's Viki?

I've actually never seen this shot that I know of:

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[Goldensoaps]

Yes…..this is Viki…..you can check with the other picture….it is Sharon

[MissPalmer]

Yes!! It's the first Viki!!!

[danfling]

I wonder why both of the actresses who played Viki were pictured together?

 

Could this picture have been made during the period of auditioning for the roles?  I recall that Ellen Holly (as Clara) did not appear onscreen until the second month of the show.

Edited August 18, 2023 by danfling

[Paul Raven]

I'm going to have to disagree. I believe that is Trish Van Devere in the photo with Agnes.

She does resemble Sharon Loughlin. Maybe too closely and that was one of the reasons she was dropped.

I doubt very much an actress who was dropped from the show before the debut would be posing happily with her replacement.

No I think this is an early promo shot of the leading ladies of the show.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Paul Raven

[Vee]

It is, Laughlin is definitely not in that group shot. That's Gillian Spencer and Lynn Benesch next to Agnes.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Vee

[Paul Raven]

Lynn Benesch...I didn't even think of her. When did Lynn replace Trish?

[vetsoapfan]

Yes, that is definitely Lynn Benesch in the B&W photograph with Agnes Nixon standing behind the actresses.

Benesch took over the role in 1969.

 

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[Goldensoaps]

Let’s see….in the pic with Agnes….the characters are Anna Craig, Viki 2 (from episode one), Meredith Lord(Lynn B.) and Carla in 1969.

In the promo card that appears in that book, we can see the first Viki (S. L.) with Vinnie Woleck (Anthony P)….as it is a promo card we can see different pics of OLTL from 1968!

Here we can see the first Viki (Sharon L) with A Ponzini….at least she should have taped several scenes as Viki Lord

Edited August 19, 2023 by Goldensoaps

[SFK]

In her book, One Life, Ellen Holly gets the names mixed up and identifies the first Viki as Trish Van Devere. While I didn't know the correct name of the actress (Sharon Laughlin) when I read the book back in '96, I knew this was an innocent mistake as I was familiar with early cast lists from Robert LaGuardia's Soap World. At any rate, Miss Holly wrote that Laughlin had taped episodes and appeared in on-air promos for OLTL before the show first aired.

[Goldensoaps]

And are we completely sure that Gillian was at OLTL from episode 1? Maybe she started some episodes later…..and this could change OLTL history!!!!!!

[Vee]

Yes.

[Paul Raven]

Variety review from July 17 lists Gillian Spencer in the cast.

[SFK]

I read that Viki's (Gillian Spencer) first scene was in the first episode, appearing on the terrace outside of the French doors of the library at the Lord mansion (the name Llanfair not being used until sometime later).

[Soapsuds]

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