OLTL's Ellen Holly's Open Letter to Fans and Historians

[EricMontreal22]

That's precisely what I think as well.

Agreed--and that was my impression as well. She barely comes up in the coffee table book's story synopses.

[Paul Raven]

Ed and Carla's 1973 storyline

Ed Hall told Carla that he loved her and offered her time to ponder their situation. Carla felt she still needed more time to decide about Ed, but she was increasingly becoming more protective of him and felt they were very close.Carla was uncertain and afraid of committing herself to a future with a policeman like Ed because of fears and trauma from childhood. However, observing the compassion and patience Ed demonstrated with defiant teenager Josh, an underprivileged kid he was trying to save from delinquency and crime, she realized that he was just as patient and compassionate with her. She told Ed that she loved him and thought she could begin to be all of the things he wanted her to be. When Josh’s arm was injured, Ed surmised the injury came from strong-arming by a local street gang. He took Josh home to Carla for dinner.

Carla finally agreed to marry Ed. Jim offered to give the bride away, and the ceremony would be held in the Craig’s garden. Ed was very upset at his failure to get through to young, belligerent Josh West. Every friendly overture Ed made was met with resistance and distrust. Josh reminded him that he was “the man”, the “fuzz”. Ed became more disturbed and angry when he discovers that Josh was sniffing glue.

Young Josh West slowly warmed to Ed, getting over his deep mistrust of policemen. He began to establish a good relationship with Ed and Vinnie. However, Carla noted Josh’s antagonism towards her and asked Ed if he was planning to include Josh in their future. He answered that he had no plans for Josh, but he couldn't just abandon him.

Ed felt guilty about Meredith’s death when, in retrospect, he decided that he was too personally involved with the hostages to perform at his professional best. Carla helped him to resolve his feelings, but in deference to Larry’s mourning, they agreed to postpone their wedding until September

Anna and Cathy both received anonymous phone threats, warning them that Ed and Carla’s wedding day would never arrive. Josh informed Vinnie that he heard a word on the street that someone wanted revenge on Ed for the death of Earl Brock in the Llanfair hostage crisis. Later, while driving, Carla’s brakes failed, and she crashed her car. Vinnie discovered that the brakes were deliberately tampered. He and Ed ordered plainclothes guards for Carla, but kept it all from her so as not to spoil their wedding plans. Vinnie learned that Lester Brock, Earl’s brother, was an expert mechanic and recently released from a mental hospital. Joe recognized Brock’s picture as a patron at the diner where Wanda worked. He and Vinnie rushed there only to find Wanda had just thrown Brock out at knifepoint after he made crazy, threatening passes at her. Posing as a policeman, Brock phoned Carla, telling her to meet Ed at the jeweler’s in half an hour. She agreed to go, unaware that Brock was waiting for her with a rifle.

Carla arrived at the jeweler’s shop, but Joe, warned of her destination by Anna, pulled her out of range just as Lester Brock fired his rifle at her. Ed and his officers discovered Brock babbling incoherently to his dead brother. Brock believed that he had killed Carla, revenging Earl’s death, and was transported to an insane asylum. The ordeal over, Ed and Carla’s beautiful wedding was held as planned in the Craig garden. Hazel Scott, Carla’s aunt, performed a special song she wrote for the occasion. The wedding was perfect except for the absence of Meredith, whose presence was missed by all.

[Khan]

Which could be seen as a contrast to this whole notion of OLTL originally being about Carla Gray and her struggle for human dignity.

[EricMontreal22]

As well of course even if a character doesn't have a major story if you see them on a show regularly they still feel like they had more of a presence, but it wouldn't necesarily be one that would make the books. I get the impression Frank and Nancy were like that on AMC as well--it sounds like they did have a presence on the show when you read any mid 70s AMC lit, but they never really had a knock out story from what I can tell. (In All Her Children, from a 1974 interview, Agnes does admit that they deserve more story and mentions their first major one about to star--which Dan Wakefield makes a big point about not being about race--I think where Nancy wants a career or something)

[EricMontreal22]

It also should be pointed out that one reason OLTL did strong with demos from the start wasn't just Black viewers but young ones who weren't traditionallya big part of the soap audeince. I'd love to read that God of Darkness script--it sounds like a trip.

[Khan]

Knowing RC and FV, all this would have been played for laughs if they'd done it.

[Vee]

I've wanted to read Holly's "Black Chandeliers" script for years.

[SFK]

In her book, EH stresses at least a couple of times that Carla did not want to be white, she merely wanted the opportunities afforded to whites. The thing is, I really wish I could judge how accurately this was portrayed by the writers or if this is more EH's personal take on the motivations of her character. Hell, are at least the scripts archived somewhere??

[saynotoursoap]

I adore Ellen Holly, and I firmly believe that she and Lillian Hayman received a bum deal at OLTL; however, one thing should be pointed out. Ellen makes much out of the inequity of pay on the soap, and it appears that she blames that on blatant racism. Well, One Life to Live was notoriously cheap with all of its actors, at least in the 70s.

For example, George Reinholt accepted the role of Tony Lord on the show after being killed off of Another World in 1975. George was the hottest property in daytime, no question. He was the equivalent of Tony Geary today. George made $70,000 on AW. OLTL hired him at $40,000. Granted, he was a newcomer and made a good $10,000 over Ellen, but considering his stature and previous salary on AW, $40,000 was quite a step down for him. Substandard pay was also the reason that Doris Belack left the show in 1977, despite being an original castmember. GR and DB are both white, of course.

I am in no way excusing Ellen's salary, but the supposition that she was singled out and paid unfairly compared to her white castmates is not really accurate.

[Juliajms]

This is the part of her argument I find compelling:

I do think this sounds very shady, underhanded and unfair.

This is the part I find eye roll worthy:

Really? Involuntary servitude? Making thousands of dollars play acting she has the nerve to mention slavery and talk about plantations. That's known as over playing your hand. She lost me with that nonsense, but even so, I do think she was treated very unfairly and race played it's part.

[soapfave06]

Frank and Nancy seemed to have a recurring story on AMC. When I read recaps, they seem to be on once or twice a week or maybe every other week. Despite that, they had big story. When they were first introduced, Nancy became a social worker and they were involved in a child abuse story, they later divorced and were in a love quadrangle with Carl and Caroline, they didn't go to the backburner until they remarried and Jesse came into the story. I read an interview with Lisa Wilkinson and when she asked for more story, she was told they only have room for one leading black story. So Nancy's story happened off-screen as she remarried and left town.

[soapfave06]

Carla and Ed on OLTL were also involved in recurring stories after they married with Josh's adoption and Larry's arrest for Rachel Wilson's death 5 Llanview Hospital. Ed having to arrest Larry effected the friendship the Halls had with Jim and Anna Craig. I really wish I could see this storyline as something like this wouldn't be told on a soap today in-depth. Later, in 1977, Carla objected to Sadie's working as a maid in the Vernon home. That's all the story I know existed for Carla between 1975 and 1977 before the Jack-Carla-Ed love triangle.

[DRW50]

A few other Ellen articles here and I put one in the tribute thread earlier this month.

[John]

1)She negoiated her first contract over the phone with someone who she did not even know their name. That is a foolish choice that Ellen made

2) She didnt even go to an agent or lawyer to help her and she even says on that page that she would have. Well why didnt she. That was her choice.

However instead of taking responsibility for not doing her homework she shifts blame to Agnes Nixon. She also sees to have a conspiracy theory that since OLTL didnt cast her til three weeks before, it was all a gimmick. Its not uncommon for actors to be cast and needed the next day or week.

Im sorry but page 9 doesnt read racism to me, it reads as someone who is a novice, who had no idea what she was doing

[Juliajms]

But does that mean they had the right to take advantage of her because she is naive? It does seem shady to me that AN wanted EH specifically for the role and then sent some anonymous person to act as her agent in getting the part. Whether it was racism that motivated that action or greed, I think it was wrong. I also don't see how it is a conspiracy theory if AN herself said she wanted EH for the role, unless EH is somehow lying.

I do think racism is involved in her not having negotiating power in later years, but I think it's very hard to prove in this type of situation. It sounds a lot like the way people like Genie Francis feel they were given less consideration then their male counter parts on GH. It's very hard to prove (legally, I mean) that gender is the reason, but I still believe it.