GH: O’Connor/Van Etten OUT! Mulcahey/Korte IN!

[Paul Raven]

Not sure that would be financially viable. Maybe if they taped in 6 month blocks (2 eps a day) and went dark for the other 6 months?

[Errol]

The overwhelming reason soaps moved to hour-long formats is to cut back on costs to allow the network to get higher ad dollars for the more successful shows on the lineup. While I think 30-minute shows would work best in this day and age, that all depends on whether an international option is in place. Otherwise, it wouldn't be worth it. Most streaming shows are also full 30-minute shows or longer without commercials.

[Liberty City]

Per Beth Elhers statement when it was announced she was cut from All My Children:

❝ "After many conversations with AMC it was mutually decided that I would no longer play the role of Lt. Taylor Thompson and would not relocate my family to the West Coast," Ehlers told SOAPnet. "I was very proud to give a voice to Lt. Taylor Thompson and hope I conveyed the courage, sacrifice, and fortitude of the brave members of our military and their families. To my new friends and colleagues I met at AMC and ABC during these past 18 months, I wish you much love and continued success. And lastly, a big hug to my fans! I'll see you soon!" ❞

[Contessa Donatella]

Of all I have read about the network expansion I think this is the first time I've seen it expressed in terms of cutting costs. I mean the reason it was so popular was definitely because it allowed the network to get double the ad revenue they'd have gotten otherwise. And, taking one show & doubling it actually cost the show more in budget but it didn't cost as much as it would have to create a second show. I've got to think about this statement for awhile. 

[dragonflies]

I remember how nasty she was about JR Martinez ugh

[Contessa Donatella]

Well, in her defense, she was promised something that Pratt never even attempted to fulfill. 

[dragonflies]

There is no defense for her acting like a raging b*tch to someone who had nothing to do with anything regarding what story line she would or wouldn't get

[Darn]

And she was never to be seen again. Good riddance.

[Contessa Donatella]

Whatever. We don't recall this the same way at all, which is fine. It was a very screwed up time. 

[Mitch64]

Didn't Zimmer in her book say there was an actress with "big balls" who became a dark cloud...and alluded to it being Ehlers? The funny thing is, you could see it on screen, Harley went from the feisty everywoman to acting like a brittle shrew on screen, even as the head writer tried to make her the woman everyman on earth would fall in love with. I hope she got over whatever it was she was going through at the time.

[Liberty City]

YUP!

[Contessa Donatella]

Gosh, none of this has anything at all to do with the topic, but I didn't start us down this path but I'm not above contributing. 

There's a story during this time period of Beth & her entourage at a restaurant where her treatment of the servers & even the restaurant owners is one of the worst examples I've ever read of star entitlement & treating ordinary people as if they were put on earth to serve the star. Truly appalling & belonging in some tome called Soap Opera Babylon or such. 

 And, at the same time, I know someone personally, who was a journalist who thought of Beth as a friend & Beth stabbed them in the back. 

[janea4old]

Back to Patrick Mulcahey and GH --

Did he ever write for the character Lucky, and if so, how?

[Liberty City]

Mulcahey was with General Hospital through October 1999, so he was [likely] involved in the exit of Jonathan Jackson's Lucky. So, I assume this is from his tenure (where she was an associate head writer / breakdown writer / script writer):

[Toups]

Yeah let’s get back on topic, please.