One Life to Live Tribute Thread

[j swift]

Wasn't Dorian's line about her portrait prophetic?  It became such a signature part of the set design that it was interesting to note its origin and the fact that Victor "made" her get it painted.  That portrait traveled more than Karen and Larry on their honeymoon. 

 

Karen's wedding veil was - a choice.  I was surprised she could talk, let alone eat, with that thing tied under her chin.  It is funny to think that her desire for sliding glass doors set the stage for her to become a prostitute and the events that would effect the rest of her life.  I was also amused by the other fashion choices, with everyone wearing a hat and the number of bridesmaids, given that it was an at-home reception.  Also, Vinny's line about the cake cutting being a chauvinistic tradition seemed out of character, given his history of chauvinism.  BTW - who was the other little boy eating cake with Danny during the credits?

 

Dr. Will Vernon was creepy.  I'm sure that was not the intended subtext but his talk with Jenny, whom he knew was the object of his son's desire, gave me douche chills.  When he asked her where she would be at 40, I wondered if that meant he was 40 years older than her or was he supposed to be in his 40's.  Also, he seemed to have no concern for confidentiality given that he freely spoke about Cathy's therapy with Tony.

 

Personally, the recasts are jarring.  I kept having to remind myself of which one was Dorian, Karen, Tony, Jenny, Brad, Samantha, Cathy, and Will.  I started watching when Samantha married Asa and they all looked much different at that point.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by j swift

[victoria foxton]

The kid with Danny was the ill fated Brian Kendall. Who was Danny's cousin.

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Edited January 25, 2021 by victoria foxton

[Vee]

There's some great dialogue initially sketching out the rather broad but still progressive roles for Tony and Cathy in the '75 ep - the male chauvinist and the '70s conception of the liberated feminist. A bit amazed as intellectual a line as 'the dialectic of the movement' aired at 2(?) PM EST on a soap; would not happen today. Of course then Reinholt's Tony, who seems like a lot of fun up til then, compares Cathy to a Saigon hooker and forces himself on her. Sign of the times, I suppose. Dorrie Kavanaugh I'd never seen outside of her famous cameo on Dark Shadows, but she does read too old despite clicking with GR.

 

Carla and Anna are luminous. I always wanted Doris Belack to cameo as part of a revival of the Woleks.

[DRW50]

 

I can't remember where the magazine scans are but I think Kavanaugh and Reinholt both gave their own opinions on topics like feminism (and I think he also talked some about her) - they were pretty much as contrasting as what you get here.

[Paul Raven]

Bernie McInerney was an odd choice for Will as apparently under Farley Granger he was a bit of a player. Wasn't Bernie a quick recast after Farley left?

 They later replaced him with Anthony George who was more suave, although Will never had much story after that.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by Paul Raven

[Vee]

Jameson Parker is very cute and devilish as the OG Brad Vernon. I know him mostly from starring in John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, one of my favorite horror movies, a decade later. Very different from Steve Fletcher. Young Jackie Zeman is of course luminous. Jordan Charney as Vinnie #2 is very sweet with Viki.

 

This post-Fishburne Josh Hall (Todd Davis) has serious chemistry with Samantha Vernon, but of course we know that's the forbidden zone (though it seems Carla is sensing the same thing I am - did they play with that?). How nice to see Viki as Danny's aunt. Another forgotten character from a family I always wanted brought back.

The beauty shots are a rare thing to see these days, but I liked them doing the little moment of the Lord boys eating the cake. If soaps were on streaming today you could easily bring those back as little credits stingers, which of course all sitcoms do these days.

 

I don't have time to watch all of the second '77 ep yet but wow, is that Claire Malis as Dorian? They replaced Nancy Pinkerton in under a month.

Edited January 25, 2021 by Vee

[vetsoapfan]

 

I absolutely loved OLTL in the 1960s and 1970s. I had no idea these vintage episodes had even survived. Thank you for the heads up, and a big thank you to the uploader!

[slick jones]

Does anyone know how Sam and Nanette Wolek fit in to the family?  Possibly Jenny and Karen's father for Sam.  I haven't found a picture of Ruth Baker (Nanette), but I'm guessing mother?

 

[danfling]

I am watching the episode (I think that it is the first) of the wedding reception of Larry and Karen.

 

The actress playing Cathy Craig is NOT the one who played a brief role on Dark Shadows (and had played Tango on The Edge of Night).   This was Jennifer Harmon.   Ms. Harmon is a New Orleans native who began her career as the heroine (Chris Kirby) on NBC's How to Survive a Marriage.   She later replaced Dorrie Kavanaugh as Cathy.   (The late Ms Kavanaugh departed as she was editing a magazine and also wanted a career in opera).  

 

That is not Neail Holland, the actor that I remember best as Danny (and son of soap opera writers Richard and Suzanne Holland) in the role.  (It must be actor Eddie Moran.)    I was sure that Mr. Holland had played the role during the time that Karen was Danny step-mother.

 

One of the extras strongly resembles Ken Meeker (who later played Rafe Garrettson on the show) to me.   Did anyone else here notice?   I wonder if Mr. Meeker may have been an extra and later was cast as Rafe.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by danfling

[j swift]

It is fun to think of all of the cultural references that went into the 1977 episodes. 

 

After PBS's Six Wives of Henry the Eighth was broadcast in 1970 it created a renewed interest in Tudor design and fashion, including the 1977 hit song Greensleeves about Anne Boleyn, which may have been reflected in Karen's wedding headpiece.

 

Anne Morrow Lindbergh's diaries had been recently published causing a cultural discussion about the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, which may have had an influence on Viki's story.

 

Also, 1976 saw the culmination of the Patty Hearst trial and in 1977 her case was commuted by President Carter that created a public interest in the insanity defense used by women of wealth and privilege which may have been reflected in Cathy Craig's involvement in the Rielly's kidnapping.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by j swift

[danfling]

I think that part of Carla's feelings about Josha and Cathy may have had to do with class.   Carla was very upset during part of the time that her mother had neglected her to instead take care of members of the families for whom she worked.  Perhaps she was afraid that Josh and Samantha may have faced problems in that she was the daughter of a doctor and Josh had an impoverished background.

[Soaplovers]

The Dorian switch in 1977 must have been jarring for viewers since the character changed quite a bit.  Nancy's Dorian seemed calculating even if she was being genuine..while Claire's Dorian seeme more vunerable..and you believed she loved Victor in some odd way.

 

Cathy in 1975..likable and she had a good back and forth with Tony.  I do wonder how Dorrie would have played Cathy post her baby's death.

 

And wow... the original Karen was beautiful..but lacking much presence.  Judith Light made Karen an icon..imho

[j swift]

I'd never seen the prior Dorians, but my impression was that she was de-SORASed by the time she was played by Robin Strasser to be the same age as Viki.  The earliest Dorian seemed older and more mature than Viki and would not have be suitable as a romantic rival.

 

The scenes with the accountant in 1977 begs the question why Dorian was solely responsible for paying for her sister's care, when Melinda's husband Peter was still a working doctor?

Edited January 25, 2021 by j swift

[titan1978]

I will always love Robin’s Dorian, and I have seen so little of Nancy’s version.  But from what I have seen, this is a perfect description.  She always seems calculated and cunning, and very aware of everyone around her.  She’s a really fascinating actor to watch.

 

As a kid of the 1980’s soaps, it’s so great to see these classic episodes.  Especially OLTL, because while a central figure the entire story doesn’t revolve around Viki or her relatives like it did when I first started watching.  And as solid as the show was, just think with a few key recasts (Jenny, Karen), it really allows those characters to become incredible.

[Vee]

 

I was referring to the Cathy in the 1975 episode who was Dorrie Kavanaugh. Harmon is in the other two. I've seen Harmon in many other things and like her a lot.

 

 

It is credited as him in the closing credits, but who knows.