New Genie Francis Interview

[yr9190]

Susan from what i know is a very proffessional actress and does not have time for any petty grudges.

I know that sexual orientation has nothing to do with it, Its just the fact of them being "private" that just makes me wonder about some of their personal relationships on the show. I think the whole sexual orientation junk is just an excuse to look down on them just because they don't like the same attention in the press that other soap stars receive.

[JaneAusten]

Look down on by who? Who is looking down on any of these people due to their sexual orientation?. I could care less about TG's orientation and I don't happen to find him very professional in some ways. That has zero to do with his talent. I don't happen to think Genie Francis whining all these years is productive or attractive either and that has nothing to do with her talent either.

[DRW50]

I think yr may have meant the rumors posted about one of the reasons Genie and Tony didn't get along.

[sheilaforever]

While they are both very talented and press shy, there is a major difference between Geary and Flannery: she is is a team player, he not so much.

Even if a story stinks, Flannery would go on say that her job is that of an actress not a writer. She has mentored several young cast members and is very close friends to many past and present B&B'er.

Geary in a way is self-entitled and if so. is good at what they do, I give them right to be that. It is clear that for him his work has to be what he wants: demamnding as actor and that refers to story and scene partner. IMO, he disliked Greg Vaughn 'cause Jonathan Jackson is one the few actors he truly respects and he hates Genie for stucking him in this eternal love story he has hated since at least the mid 90s. One cannot blame for wanting demanding material to work with (or a good scene partner which La Francis in contrast to Jane Elliott is NOT) but there are times where he could have handled press work much better.

[JaneAusten]

My apologies then I misunderstood

I don;t think it has anything to do with that. Not everyone has to get along and be best buddies. Does anyone know why Kristian Alphonzo and Peter Reckell didn't get along? And did it matter really in the end. I doubt the relationship had anything to do with why GF is not or was booted off of GH, They have a long history of valuing their male talent more like most of Hollywood does.

[JaneAusten]

As far as I am concerned Genie did NOTHING to stick him in any story. When did she become a writer or have any influence over what they wrote for them?. And if she was so bad for him why was it he felt he needed her back on GH after the Gloria Monty round 2 fiasco with the Eckerts. He can goto the writing team for that and the show who keeps Laura alive on canvas and in his story. He can't blame Genie for that. She's been off the show for 10 years.

[DaytimeFan]

THIS is the difference between Geary and Flannery. The B&B set is a very happy one, it's well understood that if new cast members don't make an effort to get along they won't last long. Flannery, as SheilaForever points out, takes people under her wing and welcomes everyone else. Being a private person doesn't mean you aren't friendly or good humored. Flannery is both those things.

Sheis also wise, she sees beyond the crap, just love her.

[quartermainefan]

This all sounds untrue to me. Now from not being close we get to he he hates her? And where did you get he disliked Greg Vaughan?

[Khan]

Huh-uh. They tried to grow a new generation of writers and producers, but the networks essentially drummed them into submission or out of the business; and really, in a roundabout way, Luke & Laura - or, more appropriately, the BFD we all made out of it - was one of the major reasons why.

Frankly, I don't think it was Luke and Laura's relationship or history that made the prospect of returning to GH so uncomfortable for those two. For Geary, at least, the bigger issue was all the viewer hoopla that grew out of it, as well as the pressure of living with it when it was happening in the early '80's and living up to it when they returned in '93. When you're actors who just want to do good, believable work, having practically the entire country hanging on your every word both in front of and away from the camera can be simply too much.

Exactly. Although I can believe the theory suggesting Agnes Nixon changed the intent of Ceara Connor in order to beat B&B to the punch with an incest story, I also tend to think this move was done because no one was taking GF all that seriously as a vixen on AMC.

Genie can put whatever spin she wants on it, but the truth is, her Y&R character is becoming a more traditional heroine, because the original intent of that character just wasn't working with her as the performer. I mean, why else are we talking about Patty again? Clearly, this is a move to soften Genie's character and let her do what she's done best -- i.e., play the poor, put-upon victim.

[Khan]

The stories themselves were redonkulous, but Luke and Laura's romance was the ultimate fantasy -- "good girl" Laura "saving" Luke from his own demons -- and I think that's why America glommed onto it the way they did. Plus, although there had been exceptions, no one of TG's type had appeared on television before, daytime or primetime. Luke was the type of character -- and TG the type of actor -- you'd see more often in contemporary films, which I think explains our endless fascination with him as well. Unfortunately, Luke and Laura couldn't go on saving the world forever, and their relationship couldn't be sustained on simple, domestic drama; and once she "softened" him emotionally, Luke lost the edges that made him such a phenom in the first place. The viewers didn't want it; Tony and Genie didn't want it; but the show just didn't know what else to do.

[Khan]

That's not the first time I've heard that. According to Tristan Rogers (I think), Scorpio often would tell Laura, "If Luke were here, he'd say....," or words to that effect.

True, Tony and Genie did not get along -- at least for awhile. Now, whether that was due to the enormous pressure they were under, or it was just a case of two personalities clashing, I guess that's up for debate. But for those who say Tony must not have hated Genie much if he told ABC he "needed" her, I think there's a difference between wanting someone back because you like working with them, and wanting someone back because you need to keep working and the fans keep asking for it, whether you actually agree with them or not.

[DeeeDee]

ABC can have her back.

Especially since

[JaneAusten]

[DeeeDee]

She's happy there now but so were so many others.

[R Sinclair]

There's "private" and there's "antisocial." Tony Geary is classically antisocial, not just private. I mean, hell. The man not only refuses to mingle with his castmates, he flies halfway around the world to get away from them six months a year. I know nothing about Susan Flannery (except I personally always found her a bit butch to play a name like "Stephanie" ), but from what you're saying, she's a private woman, but she can be socially engaging with her co-workers.