Victoria Principal worked as an entertainment agent in the 70's before Dallas, when she signed on to play Pamela Ewing she had them remove the clause that allowed CBS the right to consent and profit from her outside projects, which is why she was able to do whatever she wanted outside the show and retain full control of her image and career, she knew her contract inside and out and was the only actor on the show doing commercials and movies of the week, at least in the early years of the show.

I've said before how I thought VP was one of the smartest actresses working in primetime (Donna Mills being another). I haven't always agreed with her choice of projects, but (cosmetic surgery and divorce nightmares aside) I do admire her ability to control her own "brand" in a largely male-dominated medium.

Victoria Principal is very, very smart.

If I was the HW at GH, I would tell Tony Geary to shove that contract where the sun don't shine. He's not even important to the show anymore, and could leave without any fanfare.

If I was the HW at GH, I would tell Tony Geary to shove that contract where the sun don't shine. He's not even important to the show anymore, and could leave without any fanfare.

Agreed!

Back in the 70s or early 80s, Susan Lucci demanded the first day of school and her children's birthdays off. She was apparently the first person who'd ever asked ABC for that, and she's said they teased her about it, but they gave it to her.

I thought Tom Eplin's P&G contract was actually something that backfired on him when AW was cancelled? Wasn't it set so that he would still be paid for four years out whether AW stayed on the air or not, but P&G had the contract under their production company. So they basically forced him to go to ATWT as Jake because he was under contract for the company and not for AW specifically..I was pretty sure several cast members at ATWT said he did not enjoy being there but had to be.

Of course, Jensen Buchanan's helicopter ride to-and-from the studio is amusing, it wasn't something she DEMANDED was it? Didn't she put it out there as something that she felt they would never agree to so she could just leave the show and then *poof* they said yes (because the show was desperate at the time for ratings).

But with JB's P&G contract and ATWT...she also tried to go onto GH and P&G forced her to come back to ATWT because she was under contract with them, right? So she must have had a similar contract to Eplin whereas it was to the production company and not the show, AW, specifically.

Sandra Ferguson said she asked for a lot when AW tried to get her to return in 1998, as she assumed they wouldn't meet the demands. When, to her surprise, they did, she decided to return.

I was told that Carly was supposed to be the person to hit Jake on the road, but Tony decided it s/b Luke.

If anyone should have hit Jake, it should have been Helena Cassadine. That might have provided new layers to the otherwise ridiculous Spencer/Cassadine feud.

Of course, Jensen Buchanan's helicopter ride to-and-from the studio is amusing, it wasn't something she DEMANDED was it? Didn't she put it out there as something that she felt they would never agree to so she could just leave the show and then *poof* they said yes (because the show was desperate at the time for ratings).

I think actors include ridiculous clauses all the time in their contracts in the hopes of gaining leverage during negotiations with TPTB. It's like, "Let's put it in my contract that I can't work any day with the letter 'y' in it so I have something to lose in order to get them to agree to more money." If that makes any sense, lol.

Sandra Ferguson said she asked for a lot when AW tried to get her to return in 1998, as she assumed they wouldn't meet the demands. When, to her surprise, they did, she decided to return.

Never underestimate the power of a show that's on the brink.

Edited April 16, 201213 yr by Khan

That explains so much about Geary & Luke, what he deems OOC and what the fans deem OOC are two different things. it seems that what he thinks is OOC for Luke is in character and what alot see as OOC for Luke it's actually in character for him

A blind item in a soap magazine from 1976 or 1977, talked about an actor who really wanted to leave his soap, yet they were working hard to keep him. He began demanding more and more money, and they went along. He decided to go way out, and ask them to pay his agent's fees. To his shock, they agreed. He then gambled and asked them to retroactively pay his management years of earnings. This was too much for the network, and they let him leave.

I don't think this was a part of his contract, but Tony Geary always said that if they fired Jackie Zeman from GH, he would walk. Now, eventually they DID fire her and yet he stayed...So I don't know if they had a falling out, or what.

I don't think this was a part of his contract, but Tony Geary always said that if they fired Jackie Zeman from GH, he would walk. Now, eventually they DID fire her and yet he stayed...So I don't know if they had a falling out, or what.

They never had a falling out and are still close...and my understanding is that, allegedly, Zeman was kept around on contract for as long as she was only because of the calming effect she has on Geary. She was going to get the axe in 2002 with Bobbie going nuts and attempting to kill Jensen Buchanan's Melissa Bedford R.N....but that storyline was dropped (as was Buchanan). Zeman stayed on contract till 2007 and hasn't had a GH episode since 2010.

They never had a falling out and are still close...and my understanding is that, allegedly, Zeman was kept around on contract for as long as she was only because of the calming effect she has on Geary. She was going to get the axe in 2002 with Bobbie going nuts and attempting to kill Jensen Buchanan's Melissa Bedford R.N....but that storyline was dropped (as was Buchanan). Zeman stayed on contract till 2007 and hasn't had a GH episode since 2010.

I never heard about that story for Bobbie killing Melissa. Thank God that didn't happen. That's beyond insane. I wish Geary would do something to get her back but if he didn't get her there for the intervention, I don't see it happening now.

I remember reading an interview with Laura Wright, and her contract was kinda sweet when she came aboard GH. If Carly didn't work out (should Sarah want to return...not Tamara), they would create a role for her with the same pay as well as any other perk she had in the contract. LW decided that she didn't want to sit with GL and go through the negotiation process again so she asked her agent to give ABC a call to see if anything was up over there. She wasn't seeking Carly but was asked to audition for it.

ANDREA

Agnes Nixon remarked that in 1973 all Richard Hatch (ex-Phil Brent) wanted to stay with the soap opera after his initial contract was a movie of the week deal in his contract. The network disagreed and Hatch walked. I think it workef out for the better on both sides. Hatch became an 80's sci-fi idol. AMC got the amazing Vietname draft story, and the re-ignition of the Chuck/Tara/Phil triangle taking them well into 1979. We also got the awesome Nicholas Benedict, who I believe was even emmy nominated for his role. He was the perfect hero in my eyes.

Not that this was in his contract, but in 1997 Vincent Irizarry (ex-David Hayward) refused to sign a contrac with AMC after a very succesful 3 month run because his daughter with ex-wife Signy Coleman were west coast based. Tptb at AMC wanted him so much, they arranged for Signy to audition at GL for the recast role of Annie Dutton. The rest is history so to speak. Signy had a run on the East Coast soap, and Vincent would become an AMC veteran. His family was NYC based, even during his runs at Y&R and AMC West.

I know Susan Lucci (ex-Erica) got a car service to take her back to Garden City every night. I do not know if it was ABC or her own. Even Ray MacDonnell (ex-Joe) was often spotted taking the subway to work. Richard Van Vleet (ex-Chuck Tyler) would have to bus in from New Jersey, and was often times solicted by real life prostitutes that wanted Dr. Tyler to save them from the streets just as he did Donna.

Lynn Herring (ex-Lucy) and Jon Robert Lindstrom (ex-Kevin) were both still on contract with GH for the first three years of PC. Had the spin-off failed, they had it in their contracts that they would be shipped back to the mother ship. I do not know if Kin Shriner (ex-Scotty) had a similar deal.