40 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

It was so weird transitioning from Robert Milli to Nat Polen in the role of Jim Craig. The potential romantic future of Carla and Jim instantly disappeared (Polen was simply not a viable partner for her) and never even mentioned again in subsequent years.

Nat Polen was 20 years older than Robert Milli.

I imagine that recasting was done on purpose to erase any possibility of a romance. If Milli or a man of similar age was in the role, then viewers would be reminded of the romance and it seems ABC didn't want that happening. Maybe Agnes had the story approved on the grounds that once Carla's identity was revealed, there was no possibility of it being rekindled. 

8 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Nat Polen was 20 years older than Robert Milli.

I imagine that recasting was done on purpose to erase any possibility of a romance. If Milli or a man of similar age was in the role, then viewers would be reminded of the romance and it seems ABC didn't want that happening. Maybe Agnes had the story approved on the grounds that once Carla's identity was revealed, there was no possibility of it being rekindled. 

In her book, Ellen Holly is honest about her bafflement/disappointment over suddenly playing opposite an "old man," IIRC.

Peter DeAnda as Price Trainor

The men in Carla's life

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 20233 yr by Paul Raven

13 hours ago, Vee said:

I dunno who did all this work but someone seriously overhauled the Carla Gray Wikipedia page. There's a lot more detailed info on story than I've ever seen.

Bet they got it in under the wire for BHM!

I recall asking my mother about Carla, she was a teenager when OLTL premiered, and she said everyone (as in her and her friends) knew she was black.

From the Wikipedia page:

Quote

Holly insisted on a salary of $150,000 per year, twice the amount she made when she left in 1980, despite knowing that other actors on the program were making more than $1 million at that time.

Who, other than ES, was getting 1 million a year in 1980?

Quote

 

The marriage ceremony itself was broadcast on October 5, 1973. The wedding was also the first on-screen wedding of two African American characters on a U.S. daytime soap.

 

And we've had at least 10 more since!

6 hours ago, Darn said:

Who, other than ES, was getting 1 million a year in 1980?

I could see Jacquie Courtney possibly getting big money, although I wonder how many were getting a million on any soap back then.

Yeah, I'd need independent verification that Erika was making a mil by '80.

I failed to find the source, but IIRC Jackie Zeman was often cited as having one of the highest paying contracts on GH (she had a celebrity manager), and her salary was in the six figure range.

I doubt Jackie was making a million by 1980, though.

does anyone have oltl 2003-2007 episodes? Like a playlist on yt or somewhere else.

1 hour ago, Vee said:

I doubt Jackie was making a million by 1980, though.

Definitely not. I bet she had some good negotiating power after Genie then Tony left.

Found an article with this quote

Quote

Furthermore, according to both the NY and LA Times, Lucci was the highest paid actor in daytime television, making more than $1 million an episode

That's wildly unlikely. Erica was in at least 200 episodes a year, they weren't paying her 200 million.

Also found this discussion from 25 (!) years ago:

Quote

A _1990_ SOD inside report said the following:

Established stars like Tristan Rogers rake in *well* over $500,000 a year.

Who is the highest-paid performer on soaps? Apparently Susan Lucci, who earns $1.3 million a year for her work as Erica. In 1987, Lucci's salary first passed the one-million mark.

Lucci was probably making 2-3 million by 2000.

3 hours ago, Vee said:

I doubt Jackie was making a million by 1980, though.

Agreed, that's why I indicated the six figure range, and that would have been in the mid-80s

 

I'm pretty sure when Kin Shriner left GH for Texas it was stated his salary was around $300,000 which made him the highest paid soap star. Remember that is in 1980 dollars.

Back in 74 Rosemary Prinz negotiated for $1000 an episode for How to Survive A Marriage with a 3 day work week. So about $155,000 per year.

So no one would have been making a million in 1980.

 

 

On 3/8/2023 at 12:39 PM, DRW50 said:

I could see Jacquie Courtney possibly getting big money, although I wonder how many were getting a million on any soap back then.

On the 60-minute version of Another World, George Reinholt said that his contract guaranteed him $70,000.00 a year. Presumably, Jacqueline Courtney would have been receiving similar pay. When the stars transferred over to OLTL, Reinholt acknowledged that ABC would never go that high. For the 30-minute  One Life, Reinholt and Courtney received $35,000.00. Even that was allegedly much higher than what other actors were getting at the time, however, which created conflict. Erika Slezak acknowledged other performers wanted their salaries increased to be aligned with what George and Jacquie were receiving. That was in 1975. There's no way any actor on the show would jump to a million-dollar salary within five years.

Edited March 11, 20233 yr by vetsoapfan