OLTL Tribute Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

Yeah, I knew it didn't start out having anything to do with the American South! Good to point it out, tho'. My problem is the way it turns out. And, it's really not something of significance. It only rises to the level of "pet peeve". But, there really are people who believe, because they heard it or thought that's what they heard, for just one example, that Southerners are so stupid that they eat dirt. There's also a bias against rural people & lo & behold the South is largely rural.

[teplin]

Let me echo the thanks for this episode. I believe this is just before AW went to 90 minutes and inserted a lot of new characters (and a lot of filler). I found myself switching to OLTL during AW commercials and the actors/characters featured in this episode made me linger a fair amount in Llanview the next couple of years. 

[DeliaIrisFan]

I was very sorry to hear about Michael Malone.  I never got to see his first stint at OLTL in real time, but the rich and deeply personal remembrances that folks have posted demonstrate it was something special.

Vee's side note about Claire Labine's efforts at OLTL reminded me that was the exact same time Malone was hired at AW, 25 years ago.  Having been an AW fan as a kid and drifted away in the year or so before that, I remember being excited to read about Malone's experience, and looking forward to seeing what he would do with the show.  By all rights, if those two formidable writers had been left alone to tell their own stories at their own pace, that should have been an historic time for both shows.

I don't doubt that there still would have been some fans of each who didn't care for the material at all.  That might well have included me when it came to Malone's AW if he'd succeeded in remaking it to the extent he did OLTL in a way that wasn't what I expected AW to be.  Although, based on Victoria Wyndham's 25th anniversary episode, I suspect there would have been enough to hold my interest.

If things had gone differently behind the scenes at AW and/or OLTL back in 1997, it also could have been so much fun to experience that soap era with access to the internet, and the ability to have meaningful discussions in real time about where stories might be going (well, it was still the internet, but at least there was no Facebook or Twitter).  Alas.

[Planet Soap]

Why did Malone leave OLTL the first time? There was a noticable quality drop after his departure in 1996.

[Contessa Donatella]

But there was Usenet & Prodigy & Delphi & AOL & CompuServe & GEnie, and they all had active, thriving soap groups. AW already had a significant presence on the young web with Eddie's AW Home Page & with individual actors having fans run pages for them. And, we were in touch with Victoria, too. It was an amazing time to be a fan activist united online even though it was painful to be fighting a losing battle.

I was on RATS & RATSm & RATSa & RATSc & was the Asst. Mgr. of the Delphi Soap Opera Forum & we hosted Charles, Victoria, Lisa Peluso, Martha Bryne (ATWT) & I cannot remember who else in chats. And, I hosted Sunday night chats for fans of AW at 8 & SB at 9. (Rec.Arts.Tv.Soaps. Misc)

[danfling]

While appreciating the etymology of the terms "going south" or "went south," the fact remains that many find it insulting and offensive.    The term should never be used by speakers or writers who are considerate of others.

[cassadine1991]

Was this Elaine Princi’s last episode as Dorian?

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[Contessa Donatella]

I've never been so emphatic about it. I think I need to develop this as my own, too.

[Joseph]

By the date yes! January 18, 1993, Robin would be back in a Month

[TEdgeofNight]

It would seem that Elaine was quite sad in these scenes, having been blindsided that she was fired.

[SFK]

Hearing Streisand sing Phantom during that Cassie and Andrew montage, my how times have changed on soaps.

This was a little before I really got into the show and it’s interesting looking back at these characters, a significant number of them would be recast, heading into some of the show’s biggest storylines.

@DRW50 probably has it, but I remember my mom getting her SOD in the mail around this time and there was an Elaine Princi interview re: her firing and Robin’s return. I would love to read it, just sort of skimmed it at the time.

Speaking of Dorian, Miss Erika was kind enough to answer my question in her latest fan club interview found at erikaslezak.com. As the relationship between Viki and Dorian is my all-time favorite, I hoped she’d share with us some of her memories working with the various actresses in the role. Shoutout to her fan club president, Mr. Walter Miller.

http://www.erikaslezak.com/Aug22.pdf

Edited August 30, 2022 by SFK

[Vee]

Thanks @SFK.

Erika's newsletters are always very cozy as well as very candid - probably because the newsletter has largely managed to stay under the radar of press attention all these years, with the exception of the Dena Higley flap. I don't agree with her about everything re: the online show, but I understand her viewpoint and I do agree it was only five minutes ahead of its time (and that the management had no idea what they were doing). Anyway, her newsletter is always a delight.

[titan1978]

Thank you for posting that @SFK!

Now that I have seen more of Nancy Pinkerton I do love her Dorian.  But Robin did embody that charm that made Dorian fun to watch as Erika said, even if she was truly screwing Viki over.

[Joseph]

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[SFK]

@Joseph this is a very interesting way of introducing the character given Robin’s claim that Paul Rauch’s original idea was to replace her with Louise. 

Louise looks great here, love her in that icy mod ensemble.