OLTL Tribute Thread

[NothinButAttitude]

(re: Lee Patterson) Well, that sucks. The stories that went on to give Clint could've been stories that they could've gave to Joe. But again, we would've probably never gotten Clint. It would've probably just had been better to do the cliche thing and put him in a coma for a few years, but that's the good thing about soap's past. Once you were dead, you were dead. 

(re: characters) I think at this point the networks are behind certain characters not being killed off. I don't even think it is the writers. But again, it is time to put a lot of characters (yes, veterans) out to pasture. There are four (2 on Y&R and 2 on GH) that can go at this point. Or change their positions at this point--meaning make them supporting characters. But Sonny and Jason need to go! Like any good mob boss should meet their fate by now b/c some young buck should be coming up the ranks trying to snuff them. That happens in real life or any good mob film. 

(re: Rauch) I didn't know he had an issue with Louise Sorel too. Jesus. Was this when she was on OLTL with him or when he was over Santa Barbara? Just icky. At lot of these networks should be happy about statutes and people not wanting to be blackballed b/c Hollywood would be in shambles over people suing production companies for putting them in precarious situations. 

(re: hiring pool) The entertainment industry has to be the one industry where you can do a p*ss poor job and still get hired again to do the same thing again. I will never understand why no one sees the good in hiring someone with a fresh pair of eyes, who also cares for the show. Recycling the same people will always result in them recycling the same character types and stories that didn't work on another show. 

(re: Dorian) Agreed. I also grew tired at one point of them making Dorian's whole existence about pestering Viki. I felt like after the Michael Malone DID story with Viki that Dorian grew past that. Yes, they could've had their quarrels here and there, but it became too much. Especially, once Carlivati got his hands on Dorian. This is why I felt Dorian would've probably been better back at this hospital at odds with Larry. Viki could've been involved in that too as she was on the board, but I think everyone was somewhat over their rivalry towards the end. I will give Carlivati props that the one thing he did was to create Langston, who softened Dorian.

 

[TheyStartedOnSoaps]

Actually Paul Rauch had nothing to do with Louise Sorel dismissal from Santa Barbara - Rauch & Sorel were enduring a long-distance relationship while Sorel was on SB (the first time) When the role of Judith Sanders came up on OLTL - Sorel took it so she and Rauch could be together in the same city. I don't know when they broke up - but after one-year Sorel left OLTL and eventually went back to SB

During her second-time around on SB the Dobsons returned to write the show and created a bizarre storyline where Lousie Sorel character became obsessed and sexually attracted to her sister's rapist! Sorel did not like that story at all and complained openly about it. But things came to head with the Dobsons when Sorel heard that Paul Rauch was named Executive Producer. Sorel went to see Jerome Dobson to voice her concerns (her ex-lover being the boss), and that meeting dissolved into a shouting match.

Sorel said she felt physically threatened by Jerome during the meeting. Jerome said Louise was being overly dramatic describing it that way. Nonetheless it was the Dobsons that let Louise go - while the Dobson's had many backstage squabbles with Louise - this meeting about Rauch was the final straw. And Paul Rauch hadn't even arrived in the building when this all went down!

Edited May 14 by TheyStartedOnSoaps

[vetsoapfan]

The fact that almost no one stays dead anymore after they've been "killed off" is a main reason why soaps have lost their emotional impact over the last several decades. DAYS is probably guiltiest of this gimmicky practice, with a huge number of characters coming back from the grave (hello, Marlena Evans and Melaswen), but all the shows have fallen prey to this cheap plot device. How emotionally affected can we become when we know the deceased characters in question will just pop back up eventually? Yawn.

Yep. Certain characters have long outlived their usefulness on their shows. TPTB may be loathe to eliminate them for various reasons, but all series need to change and grow over time. I'm not advocating instantaneous mass slaughter, of course, just occasional pruning.

The problem with rumors is that we will never know how much fact is mixed in with simple speculation. The rumors I read had nothing to do with Rauch firing Sorel from anywhere, but rather that bad blood had developed between them on a personal level.

This has been my point/criticism for decades. Not all new, outside talent is successful on soaps, but some first-time producers and writers have breathed new life into faltering shows and been a breath of fresh air. Michael Malone, during his first stint as headwriter on OLTL, faltered a bit at first, but grew to be quite effective in telling memorable stories.

Overall, I find Carlivati to be a low-brow hack who dumbs down all the shows he's written. I will give him kudos for using vets, however, even when the stories he gives them are dumb.

 

[NothinButAttitude]

@vetsoapfan At this stage, I still don't know why soaps keep doing the same idiotic tropes. I think we all discuss here ad nauseam how primetime and streaming dramas are capitalizing on the normal human experience--a concept soaps devised and excelled at. I don't get why they don't revert to the pre-Luke & Laura/Ice Princess era of soaps. Hopefully, The Gates will be the reset daytime needs. 

@TheyStartedOnSoaps I didn't know Louise dated Rauch and had a tumultuous history with the Dobsons too. I am now eager to hear what else there is out there about the Dobson, who seem to have been more difficult than what we know. 

[vetsoapfan]

The Luke and Laura/Rapist as Romantic Lead, and The Ice Princess/Sci-Fi crap really precipitated the erosion of the soaps. The networks were so hell-bent on trying to cash in on GH's enormous popularity at the time, they either didn't understand or didn't care how they were butchering the integrity of the daytime TV.

I wish The Gates had superstar writers at the helm, with a proven track record of success, but who's left? Almost all of the great scribes have passed away. I'd probably aim for a Nancy Curlee-led team and try to re-create the glory that was TGL in the early 1990s. (I know, I am dreaming in Technicolor!)

[NothinButAttitude]

Well now is the time for them to revert to normalcy. But they want to cling to the past, so whatever. 

With The Gates, I think Michelle Val Jean is going to do something special with her creation. I feel she's going to be the catalyst for change. 

[vetsoapfan]

I'm keeping my fingers, my toes, and even my eyes crossed, LOL. I'd love to be excited about a soap again, and find it a quality, mature, well-written production.

[janea4old]

On another thread, someone mentioned Erika Slezak being a guest on Linda Dano's podcast.  It was in August 2023.

Here's the link:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fLILqOsR5y5ZKFGpo10aS

Fairman summarized pieces of it here:
https://michaelfairmantv.com/one-life-to-live-erika-slezak-talks-prospect-park-clint-richie-in-with-linda-dano-podcast/2023/08/18/

[Marco Dane]

That's messed up a lot of the actors didnt get paid for there time on OLTL "2"

[TheyStartedOnSoaps]

Check out The Locher Room new show about Stand Up 2 Cancer - several actors take part - including Erika Slezak - her first interview since her daughter died

Though Erika was appearing on the show to talk about her Breast Cancer Storyline on OLTL - towards the end the host offers his condolences - and Erika cuts him off saying she doesn't want to talk about it

But she does make it a point to thank fans for huge amount of  cards and letters she has received, and to let the public know how she appreciates all the support she has gotten

But it is obvious she is still grieving and the last part of her interview where she briefly talks about it - is devastating. 

[DRW50]

I did watch yesterday (there were a number of OLTL alum involved). You could see how much Erika was struggling. Kudos to her for still being willing to appear.

[slick jones]

@Leoruby

 

Lieutenant Matthews (Helped with evidence pertaining to Kevin.)\

I did find a character named "Lieutenant  Matthew Miller"  from that time frame  He was played by Peter Kluge 

 

 

[DRW50]

This is a Soapnet backstage piece from 2002.

[Vee]

I've heard so much about those guys and other folks. I think maybe one went over to PP? Needleman? Not sure, maybe not. We don't always remember the crews these actors grow up with too.

[Paul Raven]

@DRW50 always interesting to see backstage stuff.

Farley Granger from his memoir 'Include Me Out' talks about getting into daytime on OLTL.

I began accepting guest-starring roles on episodic TV again. There were a
lot more opportunities, but if anything, the quality of the material and the
lack of time for preparation had gotten worse. I was not happy. My agent
knew how I felt and called to say that I had been offered a lot of money to do
a soap opera in New York. He said that many respectable New York theater
actors worked in soaps in order to make enough money to live decently in
New York and to be available to work in the theater whenever the right part
came along. I said that I needed time to think about it and accepted an offer
from the Seattle Repertory Theatre to play one of the leads in Noél Coward’s
Private Lives.
The production was a smash hit with both the public and the critics, and I
had the time of my life playing Elyot. When it closed, I returned to Hollywood
and episodic television, which seemed even more banal after Noél Coward.
When my agent said that the soap, One Life to Live, in New York was still interested
in me and had upped the money, I returned to New York. Bob stayed in
California.

I thought I disliked episodic TV, but the soap was worse. Soap acting requires
certain skills that I have never been able to develop: the ability to be a
very fast study, the ability to concentrate in the middle of complete chaos, the
ability to learn material that is the same but slightly different each day, and always,
the need for instant acting with little or no rehearsal or preparation time.
I have nothing but admiration for the many fine actors who have mastered these
skills. For young actors it is an invaluable technique to acquire for a limited period
of time. I couldn’t master any of these necessary abilities. It took me many
painful years and two additional tries to realize this.
At the time I thought, maybe my mind is going. Maybe my ability to memorize
lines has deserted me. I was able to memorize three plays simultaneously
for repertory and couldn’t remember three scenes for a soap. Maybe I had earlyonset
Alzheimer’s. I went to doctors, to hypnotists, to acupuncturists, to people who supposedly knew how to teach acting technique for soaps. Nothing
worked. I developed a spastic colon. My gut had always spoken for me when I
was unhappy and felt unable to do anything about it. I had memories of it
speaking out in meetings with Mr. Goldwyn, or at formal dinner parties in my
young movie star days, but this was getting more serious. I was in danger of
perforating my intestine.
One day, in an effort to stop the mental and physical pain, I just walked off
the set, went to my dressing room, got my things, and left the studio. I didn’t go
back. I didn’t answer my phone for days. I just slept. When I started to feel a little
better, I went to see Jay Julien. Jay handled everything. My colon stopped
complaining, and I began to feel whole again.