Onscreen all the time and we liked it

[amybrickwallace]

Wow, I did not know that. That's unbelievable!

[carolineg]

Yeah it's crazy.  But when you break down her actual time on the show it was only 5 months and change a little less than 6 full months and you have to imagine MB and SBu and even early Dante approached those numbers at some point.  Vanessa rightfully wanted a lot more money and more time off because her son was a newborn and JFP said no and that's the end of that. 

[amybrickwallace]

She has always had the IT thing and tons of chemistry with her castmates (whether they be playing love interests, family, friends, adversaries). I thought it was a mistake for the show not to bring Brenda's sister Julia back full-time. I thought they worked well together and that Brenda needed more blood relatives around.

[carolineg]

I am sure we've had this discussion before, but I liked Crystal Carson/Julia.  I liked her with Bill (I know), Ned, and SK's AJ.  She fit well in her 1998 return.  I think CC retired from acting to teach in the 90's, but it's a role that was surprisingly never recast if that was so.  I am sure the show could have easily found someone to play Julia and someone that actually looked like VM's sister in the 90's.  She had enough connections and the show alluded to her knowing/dating OG Jerry Jacks back in the day. 

Also, how Cooper Barrett was not related to the other Port Charles Barrett's is one of the stupidest decisions ever by GH lol. 

[Franko]

This thread has me wondering when was the first Search For Tomorrow episode that Mary Stuart didn't appear in. You have to assume that to the 1950s viewers, she was probably a goddess.

[amybrickwallace]

I wonder if they thought that Brenda's sisterly relationship with Robin made Julia seem obsolete.

[carolineg]

Maybe, but Julia was older and so unlike Brenda.  She also disliked Sonny and 99% of Brenda's choices where Robin was more in awe of Brenda and S&B's #1 cheerleader.  Maybe Lois made her more obsolete due to her pairing with Ned and more grounded reality of Sonny and his life.  There were also characters like Katherine, Lucy, and Alexis that filled similar positions as far as careers and love interests in that age range. 

[amybrickwallace]

Those are all good points. It would have been nice to see Julia again post-1998, even if they couldn't get Crystal Carson.

[Vee]

They teased bringing back Julia a few years ago during the Fluke story - they mentioned Cartullo and other stuff connected to the Barretts. Fluke was intended to be Bill Eckert until Ron Carlivati got mad that the fans figured it out, so that was the Julia connection. When they junked the Bill reveal, out went Julia and the other Eckert ties like Jenny who might've turned up. Supposedly appearances by Carson and Cheryl Richardson (Jenny) and someone to play Sly were on the table.

Edited October 7, 2021 by Vee

[Taoboi]

I remember some of that. I did not know it was going to be that detailed.

 

WOW. 

[carolineg]

I remember they went as far as Sonny calling Brenda and asking her a bunch of questions about Julia/Barrett Industries.   I didn't know they were in talks with Carson and Richardson, but they were named dropped a lot, which made the whole thing entirely obvious to viewers since none of them (including Julia) had been mentioned in years.   I still wish we could have Sly.  He could fall for Liz.

[amybrickwallace]

It's hilarious that he got mad over that. It was so obvious!!!

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[titan1978]

I almost put Sheila & Lauren because in the early 1990’s when they were driving story I was all about both of them.  Lauren had basically three men involved with her and Sheila and was also kind of a bitch and I loved her.  Sheila was scary AF.

I also could watch Bev’s Alex, Roger, and Sherry’s Blake every day and never get tired of them.

[amybrickwallace]

She WAS the show, especially in the very beginning. Maybe the first time she wasn't in an episode is when she had a baby in real life?

[Paul Raven]

 Have always wondered about Mary and early Search.

I don't recall her mentioning any particulars in her book, but surely her contract would have stipulated a limit on appearances.

I imagine in the first few months she was on everyday, but once the show was somewhat established,Mary could have had some days off.

Remember there were only a few scenes per 15 min episode,so Marge and Stu talking about something and Patti sharing scenes with her grandmother could fill a show without Jo onscreen.