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Soap fan clubs in the 1980's


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From the December 17th, 1985 issue of Soap Opera Digest, the one with Peter Reckell on the cover by himself with a long interview about crazy fan encounters and how he didn't always seem appreciative of them, there's an interesting lengthy article about soap fan clubs, or more specifically fan clubs for specific actors. They go into great detail about the behind-the-scenes shenanegins that went on with the people who ran the Deidre Hall fan club. This article was done as a result of the recent Soap Opera Awards where Days of Our Lives swept the award show, as it usually did in the 80's. (The last page has a bonus synopsis of the most recent episode of "Dynasty"). It certainly would be interesting to think how those Soap Awards would've been distributed had their not been rabid fan clubs for certain shows and certain actors.

After reading this article, don't ya just wanna go to your nearest mall, set up a table with paraphernalia about your favorite soap or soap actor, and get people to sign up for a fan club?! ;)

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Fan clubs & fan events is a whole other word of shady dealings, backstabbing, lies, and scandal. I honestly wish i had the ability to make a documentary out of it. I seriously do not even know where to begin with the stories. I attend now more than anything to meet up with friends in town and watch the insanity that goes down. Days and GH are the most interesting. I have seen fist fights.

very interesting. Reckell is a very interesting actor - not at all like most of his peers, esp on days. He tends to like his private life private. He likes to come to work, act, leave. He is one of my favorites and has always been very nice to me and from what I have seen of him dealing with others, but he seems very uncomfortable with the situation.

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If you want to see the interview with Reckell, and Gray Bunny doesn't post it, I will within the next few days, just let me know.

As for fan clubs, I've never been a part of them, but you do hear bad things. Sometimes they seem OK - some of these old issues talked about the very detailed and loyal fan club Lane Davies had on SB (very detailed fan letters, etc.) and they still seem to be around in some form.

Erika Slezak also seems to be known for having a good fan club, as mentioned in the article.

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I figured someone might want to read the Reckell article. I'll scan it and post it tonight.

Reading this article, I don't think Deidre is the culprit, it's the people who ran her fanclub. But who knows. The only fanclub I've ever been a part of is Katherine Kelly Lang's back in 1998, but it was an online friend who signed me up so I don't know the procedure or fee. It lasted for 1 year I think.

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I was just going to say. :lol:

That was an interesting read. I'm kind of surprised that they'd put him on blast likethat/give him such a forum to respond.

I think he makes some very valid points, but I think the kind of soap fans he's talking about are too cray cray to even be seriously considered rude. They just don't get it

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