Which plays into why I miss having guys like Mark Collier and (to a lesser degree) Thad Luckinbill on daytime. Easy on the eyes and can act what's on the page.

And in some cases (as with Collier, Luckinbill, Mark Lawson, John Loprieno, Cornelius Smith, David Fumero, Nathaniel Marston, Scott Reeves, Don Diamont, Chad Brannon) often grow into solid B (sometimes even A) story Leading men.

Edited June 10, 201213 yr by DeeeDee

However I will say with Wyndham, her performances became less and less restrained over time. Her Justine was an absolute embarrassment.

Lord, was it ever. I think her heart was there in the beginning. However, once it was clear how muddled the story had become (which was not right away, but certainly early in the game), either she believed her acting needed to be as outrageous as the material, or she went into over-drive in order to sell it, or she "sabotaged" her own skills in order to torpedo the damn business, or maybe even a combination thereof. No matter the reason, though, Justine/Rachel became a tremendous embarrassment to ANOTHER WORLD, one from which the show probably never recovered.

Edited June 10, 201213 yr by Khan

Charity Rahmer at number two? I don't think so. That ho is number one, or my name ain't Khan!

Seriously. Couldn't it be argued that she WAS effectively banned from daytime after appearing on DAYS?

And in some cases (as with Collier, Luckinbill, Mark Lawson, John Loprieno, Cornelius Smith, David Fumero, Nathaniel Marston, Scott Reeves, Don Diamont, Chad Brannon) often grow into solid B (sometimes even A) story Leading men.

James DePaiva is another example. After watching the 1987 OLTL episode from the Soapnet marathon earlier this year, it was apparent that he may not have started out strong, but when he learned, he learned VERY quickly.

Agreed that the P&G soaps had some great casting directors.

AMC had a good casting director, too, in Joan D'Incecco. She, like Betty Rea, cast more for uniqueness that an actor would bring to a particular role rather than merely their "look." Subsequently, as easy as someone like Cameron Mathison might have been on the eyes, I found Mark LaMura far more attractive because he had the total package: looks, intelligence and talent.

Seriously. Couldn't it be argued that she WAS effectively banned from daytime after appearing on DAYS?

Not just daytime. That girl was so lousy as Belle, I'm surprised SAG didn't post fliers at every casting office and session with her head shot and the words "DO NOT HIRE" printed underneath.

As one of my DAYS-following classmates once said, "If bad acting were a crime, then Charity Rahmer should get the needle!"

Edited June 10, 201213 yr by Khan

I will say this, though: after seeing Y&R while changing channels sometime ago, Yvonne Zima definitely gives her a run for her money. At least Charity put some emotion in her voice, Yvonne sounded like a robot. Her character was being questioned in court, and as soon I heard her monotone speech--I KNEW. I just KNEW it was the girl from Y&R I'd seen you guys talking about before.

At least Charity put some emotion in her voice, Yvonne sounded like a robot.

And not even a great robot, either, like Rosie on "The Jetsons." YZ sounds more like Teddy [!@#$%^&*] Ruxpin.

Nevertheless, even YZ, with her talentless, mistaken-for-sister-Madeline behind, didn't make me yell, "IS THIS BITCH SERIOUS?!," like Charity did.

Lord, was it ever. I think her heart was there in the beginning. However, once it was clear how muddled the story had become (which was not right away, but certainly early in the game), either she believed her acting needed to be as outrageous as the material, or she went into over-drive in order to sell it, or she "sabotaged" her own skills in order to torpedo the damn business, or maybe even a combination thereof. No matter the reason, though, Justine/Rachel became a tremendous embarrassment to ANOTHER WORLD, one from which the show probably never recovered.

When she defended herself to Michael Logan, she basically said that the material was [!@#$%^&*] and she had no other choice but to go way over the top.

Well, that makes sense. On the other hand, what if she had chosen to underplay the material? What might have the effect been on the storyline or her performance?

A lot of the AW cast had clearly given up by the last few years.

Anna Stuart was probably one of the only ones who still gave it her all, and even she said had the show not been canceled, she would have left anyway.

Edited June 10, 201213 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I think that some of them were never quite the same, in part because of bad material and too many production and writing changes, but I think some of the younger cast (Judi Evans, Lisa Peluso, Kim Rhodes) and some revived talents (Stephen Schnetzer, Ellen Wheeler) helped make up for it. Although the Cameron/Josie/Amanda and Matt/Sofia/Nick stuff was a black hole.

Well, that makes sense. On the other hand, what if she had chosen to underplay the material? What might have the effect been on the storyline or her performance?

I guess she may have seen that as Rachel times two.

Although the Cameron/Josie/Amanda and Matt/Sofia/Nick stuff was a black hole.

Frankly, most of the material generated for AW's younger actors were like agonizing pits of despair. For a long time before Chris Goutman's arrival, and the show seemed to make one last push for survival, it was as if AW, for its actors, was more about killing time, collecting paychecks, and waiting to see when (and not if) NBC would drop the old axe.

I agree, but I will say that when I go back and watch that era on Youtube I'm surprised at how much better it looks than I remembered, and the general likeability and warmth and talent sort of makes flat scenes work (eg, the boring Donna/Cass non-relationship, or Felicia spending AW's last few years treading water). The only stuff I can't really watch is the JFP era, because it's just a lot of endless, random aggression, but I do think that her improvements in the sets and lighting carried on for the last few years.

The only stuff I can't really watch is the JFP era, because it's just a lot of endless, random aggression, but I do think that her improvements in the sets and lighting carried on for the last few years.

"Random" is exactly the word I would use to describe the JFP era at ANOTHER WORLD. It felt as if the cast literally ran from plot point to plot point. Nothing was based in any sort of logic, and nothing had any real resonance either.

I was watching some stuff from around then and it was John yelling and yelling at Matt, and it was so offputting. JFP did a horrible number on his character - no wonder he turned down an OLTL role when she took over there.