4 minutes ago, Bright Eyes said:

What a strange coincidence that one of the actors that played Robin, Ellen Weston, has just been announced as passing away a day after you posted about Robin's famous end.

I hadn't heard that. Sad. Have you posted the news in the GL thread?

Even though I never really cared for Ben and Maggie, I felt their elimination from the show was not completely necessary, although I suppose their story had run its course and was naturally coming to an end. I did not want the Bill/Maggie affair hanging over the Bauers forever. Bert had mellowed, and was no longer the shrew she had been, and it was time Bill grew up and became a responsible member of the family. Still, I always resist, on a mental basis, familiar faces disappearing.

Meta's reduction in screen time was TRULY disappointing to me, as I adored her. IIRC, she was the very first Bauer family member to be introduced to TGL, and I felt she deserved a place on the canvas, if only in a supporting talk-to capacity. (Sort of like Ellen Stewart on ATWT, when that character drifted into the background. I never wanted her to leave the show completely.)

Killing off Robin was a grisly thing to do, and I have always loathed that decision. Gillian Spencer was wonderful in the role. And with Robin's death, another member of Meta's circle bit the dust, weakening her ties to the canvas even further.😪

Even 60 years after the fact, I feel emotionally invested in the characters' fates, LOL.

The power of soaps!

2 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

Even though I never really cared for Ben and Maggie, I felt their elimination from the show was not completely necessary, although I suppose their story had run its course and was naturally coming to an end. I did not want the Bill/Maggie affair hanging over the Bauers forever. Bert had mellowed, and was no longer the shrew she had been, and it was time Bill grew up and became a responsible member of the family. Still, I always resist, on a mental basis, familiar faces disappearing.

Meta's reduction in screen time was TRULY disappointing to me, as I adored her. IIRC, she was the very first Bauer family member to be introduced to TGL, and I felt she deserved a place on the canvas, if only in a supporting talk-to capacity. (Sort of like Ellen Stewart on ATWT, when that character drifted into the background. I never wanted her to leave the show completely.)

Killing off Robin was a grisly thing to do, and I have always loathed that decision. Gillian Spencer was wonderful in the role. And with Robin's death, another member of Meta's circle bit the dust, weakening her ties to the canvas even further.😪

Even 60 years after the fact, I feel emotionally invested in the characters' fates, LOL.

The power of soaps!

Did they kill Robin because Gillian left for OLTL or were they already killing Robin anyway?

I agree that getting rid of Meta was a very bad idea, especially as they must have known Papa wouldn't be around much longer. It weakens the Bauers to just within a few years have Bert, Mike and Ed.

They shouldn't have written out both of Peggy's parents so completely.

Just now, DRW50 said:

Did they kill Robin because Gillian left for OLTL or were they already killing Robin anyway?

I agree that getting rid of Meta was a very bad idea, especially as they must have known Papa wouldn't be around much longer. It weakens the Bauers to just within a few years have Bert, Mike and Ed.

They shouldn't have written out both of Peggy's parents so completely.

I can't say for certain if Gillian left TGL for OLTL, although it is interesting that Bernard Grant (Paul Fletcher) also went from TGL to OLTL.

I've always wondered if Nixon "poached" some of her favorite actors and brought them over to her newer shows.

I missed Meta for the 22 years straight she was off the soap completely, and never forgot about her. To me, one of the only right decisions TPTB made on TGL in its declining years was reintroducing the character in 1996 and making her the matriarch.

10 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

I can't say for certain if Gillian left TGL for OLTL, although it is interesting that Bernard Grant (Paul Fletcher) also went from TGL to OLTL.

I've always wondered if Nixon "poached" some of her favorite actors and brought them over to her newer shows.

I missed Meta for the 22 years straight she was off the soap completely, and never forgot about her. To me, one of the only right decisions TPTB made on TGL in its declining years was reintroducing the character in 1996 and making her the matriarch.

Bernard seems to have little to do in his last few years - the show gave up on him and Johnny earlier than they should have. I guess in later years they would have had them fighting over a woman.

Even if the character's past was no longer there, I was very happy when they brought Meta back. As someone who knew nothing of the character, I still felt an immediate connection to her. If only they'd brought Trudy in too and had a proper Bauer expansion, but we take what we get, I suppose.

To think Ed Bryce was still alive around this time and I believe still active, so in another world we could have had Bill too.

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by DRW50

2 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Bernard seems to have little to do in his last few years - the show gave up on him and Johnny earlier than they should have. I guess in later years they would have had them fighting over a woman.

Even if the character's past was no longer there, I was very happy when they brought Meta back. As someone who knew nothing of the character, I still felt an immediate connection to her. If only they'd brought Trudy in too and had a proper Bauer expansion, but we take what we get, I suppose.

I lost my emotional investment in Johnny after Don Scardino was replaced by Erik Howell.

Scardino had this undefinable quality, a vulnerable "je ne sais quoi" aura that made him compelling. Much like when Jacquie Courtney was replaced by Susan Harney on Another World, the character's essence was altered negatively in the transition from the better actor to the new one.

By the time Paul and Johnny left Springfield, their departure did not have a crushing impact on me.

TPTB completely ignored Meta's past when Mary Stuart took over in 1996. Not a word was said about her husband Bruce Banning. Some sites listed him as deceased and others as divorced from Meta, but his actual fate was never mentioned on screen.

I do wish TPTB had reached out to Ellen Demming to bring Meta back home, but Stuart was a perceptive choice, considering her longtime history with P&G, and her place in soap fans' hearts.

I doubt that Gillian left GL for OLTL. I don't think the show hadn't been picked up when she departed. More a case of Agnes wanting to use some actors she's written for before and liked.

Ernest Graves was chosen for Victor also.

Whether Gillian's departure forced their hand and so they killed off Robin, or that was already the plan, who knows?

Robin only stayed 3 years in her subsequent roles on OLTL and ATWT, so it's a possibility that was the case at GL.

3 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

I doubt that Gillian left GL for OLTL. I don't think the show hadn't been picked up when she departed. More a case of Agnes wanting to use some actors she's written for before and liked.

Ernest Graves was chosen for Victor also.

Whether Gillian's departure forced their hand and so they killed off Robin, or that was already the plan, who knows?

Robin only stayed 3 years in her subsequent roles on OLTL and ATWT, so it's a possibility that was the case at GL.

Right, she never remained at any one soap for long. OLTL was lucky to hit the jackpot when Erika Slezak took over as Victoria Lord. (Their initial replacement for Spencer, Joanne Dru, just felt "off," and I was kind of relieved when she left.)

46 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

Right, she never remained at any one soap for long. OLTL was lucky to hit the jackpot when Erika Slezak took over as Victoria Lord. (Their initial replacement for Spencer, Joanne Dru, just felt "off," and I was kind of relieved when she left.)

Joanne Dorian, Michael Zaslow's first wife. Joanne Dru the actress was Peter Marshall's sister.

3 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Joanne Dorian, Michael Zaslow's first wife. Joanne Dru the actress was Peter Marshall's sister.

Bwahahahahahaha!

You are right.

Senior moment, as they say.

Too many historical names in my head.

Thanks for the clarification.🙃

2 hours ago, vetsoapfan said:

I can't say for certain if Gillian left TGL for OLTL, although it is interesting that Bernard Grant (Paul Fletcher) also went from TGL to OLTL.

I've always wondered if Nixon "poached" some of her favorite actors and brought them over to her newer shows.

I missed Meta for the 22 years straight she was off the soap completely, and never forgot about her. To me, one of the only right decisions TPTB made on TGL in its declining years was reintroducing the character in 1996 and making her the matriarch.

I am certainly Nixon did just that... Well maybe not "poached" exactly but, it just seems so plausible...

It's funny, as a teen in the 90s obsessed with AMC and to a slightly lesser degree OLTL (and Loving/City when it was on) I did keep an eye on GL when I was home from school (I taped the others) just because I loved the history of it (I had a used copy of Schemering's 50th anniversary book) and had found about a dozen episodes of the radio show on records from the library. Those episodes were from the early 50s (I think just before it went to TV?) and were all focused on Meta and her son Chucky who died on a camping trip with his father, and Meta's trial for the father's murder--I can still remember some of how effective it was to listen to, decades later, certainly more so from the random other radio soap episodes my library had (granted they didn't have any other long sequences like this--a 1930s GL episode, four Right to Happiness episodes, etc). (I know that these episodes are some of the most easily available of the radio show still now online.) So I remember when I found out Meta was returning to GL, it just seemed like such a brilliant idea (and one long overdue.)

We've discussed that Meta should have returned when Bert/Charita passed.

Agnes also grabbed Joe Gallison. who she wrote for on AW,Nat Polen, who she knew from ATWT, and Anthony Ponzini also from AW.

4 hours ago, EricMontreal22 said:

I am certainly Nixon did just that... Well maybe not "poached" exactly but, it just seems so plausible...

Right; even without confirmation, I've always believed Agnes procured talent from her other soaps, with whom she respected and wanted to work again. Considering the various gems she chose, I couldn't blame her.

4 hours ago, EricMontreal22 said:

It's funny, as a teen in the 90s obsessed with AMC and to a slightly lesser degree OLTL (and Loving/City when it was on) I did keep an eye on GL when I was home from school (I taped the others) just because I loved the history of it (I had a used copy of Schemering's 50th anniversary book) and had found about a dozen episodes of the radio show on records from the library. Those episodes were from the early 50s (I think just before it went to TV?) and were all focused on Meta and her son Chucky who died on a camping trip with his father, and Meta's trial for the father's murder--I can still remember some of how effective it was to listen to, decades later, certainly more so from the random other radio soap episodes my library had (granted they didn't have any other long sequences like this--a 1930s GL episode, four Right to Happiness episodes, etc). (I know that these episodes are some of the most easily available of the radio show still now online.) So I remember when I found out Meta was returning to GL, it just seemed like such a brilliant idea (and one long overdue.)

I had found various radio eps of TGL and other vintage radio soaps on vinyl records, way back in (I think) the 1970s. They had been put out by an excellent company called Radiola. I loved them so much, but the measly four eps we got per record were never enough to satiate me.

Fans struck gold when a huge number of episodes from 1950 (the year of Chuckie's death and Meta's trial) miraculously turned up. There were 90 (!!!) at first, which was astonishing to me (they survived!), but then even more appeared.

You are right: it was effective (and mesmerizing) to listen to them decades later. What a gift to TGL afionados.

Those initial 90 eps from 1950 were once online. I posted the link here at SON eons ago, but I have no idea if they are all still available. I know some are.

There were more TV eps of TGL from 1966 out there, too, than what we seem to have online today. I think I had 16...on Betamax videotape, LOL.

4 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

Right; even without confirmation, I've always believed Agnes procured talent from her other soaps, with whom she respected and wanted to work again. Considering the various gems she chose, I couldn't blame her.

I had found various radio eps of TGL and other vintage radio soaps on vinyl records, way back in (I think) the 1970s. They had been put out by an excellent company called Radiola. I loved them so much, but the measly four eps we got per record were never enough to satiate me.

Fans struck gold when a huge number of episodes from 1950 (the year of Chuckie's death and Meta's trial) miraculously turned up. There were 90 (!!!) at first, which was astonishing to me (they survived!), but then even more appeared.

You are right: it was effective (and mesmerizing) to listen to them decades later. What a gift to TGL afionados.

Those initial 90 eps from 1950 were once online. I posted the link here at SON eons ago, but I have no idea if they are all still available. I know some are.

There were more TV eps of TGL from 1966 out there, too, than what we seem to have online today. I think I had 16...on Betamax videotape, LOL.

198 consecutive episodes from 1950/1951 have surfaced. 32 consecutive episodes from 1966 have surfaced.

15 minutes ago, Reverend Ruthledge said:

198 consecutive episodes from 1950/1951 have surfaced. 32 consecutive episodes from 1966 have surfaced.

Yes, the cornucopia of eps from 1950/51 just kept on overflowing! I was orgasmic, LOL!

The first 1966 eps I got my hands on were on Betamax. A year or so later, I got two VHS cassettes, containing 8 eps each.

That must mean, at one point, I did end up with all of the 32 available.

I loved 1966.

Thanks for the into.