September 1979 Soap Opera Summaries (Part 1)

Courtesy of French Fan at SON.

All My Children

Written by: Agnes Nixon and Wisner Washam
Produced by: Agnes Nixon and Bud Kloss

Frank invited Betsy to Donna's party after Nancy turned him down. Eddie took sexual advange of a drunken Brooke, but she later told him to scram. Charles and Mona laughed that Phoebe’s been acting the saint while she's secretly playing around with Langley. Phoebe had a fit when Paul announced he's divorcing Ann, who had flashing memories of him in the sanitarium while plotting an escape. Myra cried after overhearing Nina talking to her mother's portrait and Palmer warned Myra never to mention his wife to Nina. Kelly claimed she's suffering from narcolepsy but Myrtle and Joe knew better. Tom's surgery was successful. Brooke told Mark she's pregnant. Kelly had nightmares that Linc ditched her after Eddie squealed that she’s a speed freak.

Ann escaped from the sanitarium and arrived on Phoebe's doorsteps. Nina put her foot down about Cliff to Palmer. Chuck leveled with Charlie that there's no hope for Chuck and Tara, and Charlie returned to Washington. Kelly struggled to resist her pill habit while dating Linc at a posh social function where he ran into an old girlfriend. Phoebe agreed to invest in Langley’s oil deals. Phoebe kept Ann hidden although she realized Ann's still living in the past. Brooke admitted she's not absolutely sure she's pregnant, but wishes like all get-out that she were. Nancy and Frank argued about his abuse of visitation rights with Carl.

Brooke’s pregnancy test was negative. Erica was miffed to find Betsy giving Tom a hospital back rub. Benny and Edna returned from a honeymoon in the Poconos. Claudette laughed at Eddie’s notion that he can catch Brooke romantically. Langley's marriage proposal to Phoebe was prompted by his plans to get her money. Phoebe swore him to secrecy about keeping Ann hidden. Edna called Estelle a tramp when she spotted Benny and Estelle during an innocent meeting. Wally and Betsy warned Erica to tell Tom about her disco. Myra refused to do Palmer’s dirty work in keeping Cliff and Nina apart.

Ann disappeared after searching for Paul and overhearing him and Ellen discussing their romantic ties. Myrtle told Linc that Kelly was having a breakdown after Kelly went bananas in front of Linc. Kelly has had a bad drug reaction. Eddie was put out that Brooke is only interested in sex, not his love. Myra suggested Nina see Cliff when she's at school to avoid Palmer’s wrath.

Palmer hired detective Bernard Raab, who found Cliff's former girlfriend Janice Rollins in Chicago, then tempted her with money to help break up Nina and Cliff. Erica accused Betsy of having more than a clinical interest in Tom.

Another World

Written by: Tom King
Produced by: Paul Rauch

Eileen moved back with Rita and steered clear of Joey after admitting to Morgan that she had lost her virginity to Phil. Clarice tipped off Jamie that Elaine planned an abortion. He rushed to Blaine's side. Kirk's company is in financial straits and he urged Iris to persuade Mac to sell Cory Publishing. Kirk's detective, Murdock discovered that Janice had once been kept by a guy named Howard. Murdock continued tracking down dirt on Sylvie also. Frank wasn't enthused that Janice wanted him to write an article about the plight of Vietnamese children. Mike thought Karen was bonkers when she insisted that Ted was alive. Iris feared that Vivien would return to the farm after Viv's mother died. Larry decided to enter the police academy. Sally taunted Eileen about knowing about Eileen and Phil. Paul learned he can get an annulment if Rita knew she was barren when they married.

A very-much alive Ted kidnapped Karen, who realized he's bonkers. Iris threatened to squeal about June and Jeff unless June left Kirk free to dally with Iris. Sylvie was outraged that Kirk tracked down her sister Myrtle, since the ladies never saw eye to eye. Blaine and Sally became roommates. Sally plotted with Phil to get Eileen out of town while Joey’s working in Boston where he planned to check out Serenity House. Rachel was confused by Mac's jealousy of Frank and decided to spend a few days at the artist colony. Kirk conned Iris saying he only wants to help Mac's company. Jamie wants to be responsible for Blaine's baby but doesn't want to marry her because of Cecile. Murdock discovered a scandal surrounding the death of Janice's former lover. Charlie courted Ada now that she's rid of Fred.

Myrtle told Kirk and Sylvie that she’d reveal a secret about Sylvie to the highest bidder. June agreed to put up a divorced front with Kirk but only until he got Iris’ vote at the Cory stockholders’ meeting, then Kirk must dump Iris. Rita confessed about lying to Paul before their marriage about her infertility. He insisted the marriage must end because he loves Rose. Frank searched for an Asian child whose photo he carries. Mike and Ben rescued Karen from Ted’s mad clutches. Eileen insisted to Joey that Phil didn’t do anything to make her want to leave town. Kirk blackmailed Sylvie about her alcoholism and threatened to squeal to Iris if Sylvie continues to side with mac. Frank was upset that Rachel lent moral support to Mac over Kirk’s takeover schemes. Gwen assured Mac that Willis would stick by Mac if he puts Willis on the board of directors.

Phil pressed charges against Joey who beat him up after Sally told Joey that Phil had sexually conquered Eileen. Karen and Mike headed for a new life and a wedding in Florida while Ted was committed to a prison for the criminally insane. Kirk learned from Myrtle that Sylvie had been sent to prison where she gave birth. Sylvie returned to New York after saying goodbye to a tearful Iris. Joey skipped town after patching things up with Eileen. Jim overheard Sylvie threaten to kill Kirk if he ever harmed Iris. Ben followed Karen and Mike to Florida. Rachel refused to spend a night in Frank's bed.

Kirk left Iris at his mountain retreat not knowing June was there, too. June pulled a gun on Iris but she wouldn't kill her. She's going to wait for Kirk to destroy Iris.

As The World Turns

Written by: Douglas Marland
Produced by: Joe Rothenberger

Hester stood in the garage shadows as Grant borrowed Lisa's car. Grant was injured in an accident and suspected that Bennett had tampered with the brakes. Jay warned Matt not to get hung up on Melinda who is still married to Beau. Ian admitted to Barbara that he used her to get closer to Dana. Alex departed on business after he and Val returned from their honeymoon. Val reported a missing ruby stickpin, but Tom remembered spotting one of the wedding caterer's assistants, Sheila, guiltily hanging around Kate's room. Ellen's in a funk about Dan and Dee doesn't want to return to an out-of-town school. Marcia admitted to Jeff that Doug's lost interest in her and is bait for another woman.

Grant raged at Lisa for giving Ben nett a fake alibi. Ian claimed he's throwing in the towel and arranged a divorce meeting at a lodge with Dana. Sheila was arrested for theft and Tom was appointed her lawyer, although he admitted to Barbara he doesn't trust Sheila. Ralph lamented to Jay that he's sure Mary loves Don but she won't back out of marriage because she's too decent. Ralph began making Mary suspect he hasn't reformed from his playboy days. Tom got Sheila out on bail but the police found more jewelry in her locker. Valerie went to Ecuador with Alex, but will return, leaving him there on assignment until the spring. Dan prepared Emmy and Betsy for his death. Bennett realized Lisa's not sure she trusts him now.

Ralph saved Grant from a “fixed” elevator accident after Grant was knocked unconscious by a masked person. Bob and Dana realized that Dan tricked Dana into going to the lodge, although his lawyer already canceled out. Melinda began to enjoy Matt’s attentions. Tom asked Don to take Stella’s case since she reminded him of Natalie. Grant hired a bodyguart after considering that Bennett had put a contract on him.

Kim and the children moved in with Ellen and David while adjusting to Dan's death. Lisa moved into the Inn. Bennett accused Lisa. Ian presented Barbara with a contract to do his record album cover.

Bennett refused Lisa's offer to live in Oakdale giving her a week to return to the inn. Mary and Ralph broke off their engagement. Dan told Mary that they must face their feelings for each other.

Days Of Our Lives

Written by: Elizabeth Harrower
Produced by: Betty Corday & H. Wesley Kenney

Doug fell for Lee's sympathy act and offered financial support after he inherited Byron's estate. Julie refused to see Hope. Bill dined with Maggie during Mickey's absence. Linda hired an investigative firm to tail Stephanie. Julie promised to keep mum about Stephanie being Brooke unless Stephanie hurts Bob. Steve paid court to both Mary and Lee until he learned Lee is poor as a churchmouse. Alex flirted with Maggie. Amanda had pregnancy problems after learning that her baby will legally belong to Greg even if it's Chris' child. Jordan helped Julie psychologically at Linda's urging. Mary asked Bob to hire Steve. Don became a city councilman. Chris rehired Mike at Anderson’s thanks to Margo.

Amanda was rushed to the hospital and must have a therapeutic abortion. Simpson came for his canes with the smuggled diamonds, and Steve flared at Maggie for unwittingly selling one to Tom and one to Trask. Marie admitted to Tommy that she had a disastrous affair before she entered the convent. Julie reminded Jordan of a woman he once loved and lost. Alex let Stephanie know that he's aware of her real identity. Steve retrieved Tom's cane but Trask went to Europe, and Steve failed to convince Trish to give up her diamond supply. Lee gladly accepted Doug's invitation to live under his roof. Greg arrived and learned from Tom that Amanda may have a malignancy. Alex told Phyllis he's not the marrying kind. Donna returned from Hollywood. Julie finally saw Hope and realized the child isn't repulsed by Julie's scars.

Steve intimated that Maggie and Bill are up to no good after they dined together. Cathy Breton joined the hospital cafeteria staff. Greg agreed to divorce after Amanda had a hysterectomy. Jordan convinced Doug to leave Julie alone after she got hysterical because Doug bought her a house, which she refused to accept. Since Lee is moving in on Doug, Steve expects to be her partner. Marlena learned that Samantha has a kidney problem. Trish rebid her diamonds, them was threatened by Simpson. Trish asked Margo to return the diamond she had loaned Margo to pay Earle. Maggie found Simpson in the shop and a gunshot is fired. David asked Bob for a transfer because of Stephanie.

Maggie was questioned by the police after Simpson died of a gunshot wound inflicted during their struggle at the shop. Steve pushed for a job at Anderson Manufacturing. Phyllis warned Bob that Stephanie may be out to take over the company – and Bob. Jordan warned Doug not to contact Hulie who agreed to another skin graft.

Amanda returned to Chicago with Greg leaving a bitter Chris behind. Margo returned Trish’s diamond to her not knowing Earle had substitued a fake.

The Doctors

Written by: Elizabeth Levin & David Cherrill
Produced by: Doris Quinlan

Greta nixed Billy's marriage proposal and he skipped town. The cult moved into Lisa's hospital room while Steve and Carolee tried to convince Lisa to leave the group. Far Wind put a curse on Steve indicating that if Far Wind lost "a child" so would Steve and Carolee. Kim rubbed it in to Missy that Luke doesn't have a choice about Kim becoming a club partner since Evan would take him to court.

Stephanie came under the influence of Far Wind and the cult. Luke borrowed from a loan shark to keep Kim out as a partner. Matt fretted about a threatened nurses' strike. Steve and John tried to de-program Lisa. Nola couldn't stand living with Barney and moved back with Mona. Carolee was in the dark about Stephanie and didn't want Steven involved with Lisa's problems because of the cult's threats.

Viveca Strand, a hospital commission inspector, didn’t want to recommend Colin’s cardiac unit because of Hope Memorial’s financial problems. Kim left town after Luke and Nola bought the remaining share of the club. John lamented to Greta about his troubles with his wife; then snatched a kiss. Nola taunted M.J. by giving Colin a photo of Jessica, which M.J. realized is Colin’s child.

Maggie warned Greta not to get involved with John since he’s still married. Barney was injured when the stove blew up at The Medecine Man. Lisa manipulated Carolee and Steve into letting her recuperate in their home. Mike treated Mary Hopkins, an overworked housewife. Madison Memorial’s fate rests with Viveca’s recommendation to the governor on the hospital’s efficiency.

Steve gave Nola until the end of October to move out of Mona's house. Carolee and Bennett searched the rubble in a house vacated by Far Wind.

The Edge Of Night

Written by: Henry Slesar
Produced by: Erwin Nicholson

It was revealed that Tobias is really Mickey who assured Paige he didn't want to kill her. But, Mickey slashed Tobias and arranged with gang member Zack to set up Steve and Paige for a hit Sarah and Raven slapped each other around over Elliott, then Sarah warned Logan that his wife is cheating on him. Nola went on a bender after overhearing Owen tell producer Eddie that she's washed up. But, Owen finally consented to direct the horror flick with Nola as star. Logan asked Draper to arrange Logan's adoption of Jamie.

Owen spotted Paige kissing Brian and reminded Brian that Paige is his real sister, not his stepsister. Mickey (Tobias) shot Zach because Mickey truly loves Paige. Steve recognized Mickey’s gun as the one that Joey had when Steve killed him and realized that Mickey had switched a toy gun for the real thing. Logan went on a campaign trip but Raven claimed she had the flu so she could rendezvous with Elliott. Eddie admitted he's always loved Nola.

Raven blamed Geraldine for having Logan return unexpectedly and fiding Raven and Elliott in the sack. Cliff was jealous that Owen is sparking up to Deborah and telling her he doesn’t love Noa. Bill rehired Steve. Logan prepared to fight for Jamie’s custody after he called it quits with Raven. Owen and Eddie planned to film the horror film in Monticello. Brian told Paige they are brother and sister and she agreed to run away with Mickey (Tobias). Mike and Nancy learned that Margo arranged for Draper’s New York job cancellation.

Steve cornered Mickey who jumped out of a window to his death while trying to escape with the money from his South American gun-running escapade. Raven left for London after putting April and Draper’s names on an adoption form for Jamie. All charges were dropped against Paige who confessed that Mickey was really Tobias.

Actor Trent Archer arrived in town and Nola planned a pre-production party for "Mansion of the Damned." She's invited Deborah whom she knows Owen is seeing on the sly. April said she'd divorce Draper if he helped Logan get custody of Jamie.

General Hospital

Written by: Pat Falken Smith & Margaret DePriest
Produced by: Gloria Monty

Laura warned Amy not to get interested in Luke. Joe, Jeff and Steve headed for Mexico where Carol is hospitalized. Mitch told Tracy he couldn't live with her since the mob might hound him about Ted's death. Tracy spotted Mitch coming on to Susan. Amy blabbed to Scotty that Laura got a job at the disco. Alan found Amy admiring his house, then consoled her after learning her father had died. Monica and her unborn baby's condition improved. Dorrie told Howard it is over between them and packed her bags. Lesley investigated whether Mrs. Kakorian had a history of heart trouble.

Cal died but not before he told Jeff that Heather knows the truth about Steven Lars. Mrs. Grant realized the game was up and beat around the bush to Peter about knowing of an illegal adoption. It finally dawned on him that she was trying to explain that P.J. is actually Steven Lars. Anne won temporary custody of Jeremy who suggested she marry Jeff. She vetoed the idea although she's been drawn closer to Jeff. Luke comforted Laura about her stepfather's death. Laura and Scotty argued about her job schedule. Bobbie avoided one of her ex-johns who's a patient. Monica returned to Alan, although the baby may have heart problems.

Peter had a coronary after Mrs. Grant revealed the P.J. / Steven Lars story. Bobbie and Roy were upset when Barry Johnson recognized her in the hospital. Lesley’s reports on Mrs. Kirkorian’s previous ailment couldn’t be proved. Rick and Monica were forced to confide to Howard about their night together after Mrs. Kirkorian’s surgery. Luke and Roy worried they’d have to eliminate Mitch to prove their mob royalty. Joe admitted his love for Ann, who asked they married.

Dorrie returned to England. Bobbie told Jessie she had once be a hooker. Peter died before he could tell Jeff about P.J / Steven Lars but he left Diana a mysterious letter. Kirkorian refused the hospital’s settlement so Rick and Monica prepared for a court battle. Monica returned to Alan upon her hospital release and accepted Amy’s offer to move in and help out during her recuperation.

Alice blamed herself for Peter's death because she told him about P.J.-Stephen Lars. Diana made quick plans to take P.J. to visit her mother in Florida.

Lynda Hirsch on Soaps -- Gossip

Source: Creators.com

There is moving: "One Life to Live" is moving a few blocks away from its current studios. And there is moving: After 39 years in New York City, "All My Children" is heading to Los Angeles. ABC, which airs the shows, has given several reasons for the move. The network felt it needed more space. The L.A. digs will give the show twice as much room. The show is also going high definition, which is easier to do in L.A. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons is that it is easier to work with the unions in L.A. than in N.Y.C. While New York is desperate to keep productions in town, it is hard to do because of the cost. In primetime, many shows are produced in Vancouver because the American dollar is worth more over there. Yes, there still is one place where you can get a few cents more for your dollar.

In the job market, companies move all the time — many across the country, some out of the country. Just ask any autoworker. With moves, jobs are always lost. It will be the same with the moves of "AMC" and "OLTL"; cameramen, sound engineers and directors will be looking for work.

As for the actors, the folks at "OLTL" have it easier. The studio is just at a different subway stop or a farther cab ride. Not so the "AMC" thespians. They all have a major choice to make. According to Thorsten Kaye (Zach), they have been given one week to make the choice. Some of the actors can commute, but trust me, flying from New York to L.A. every week is not easy. I know; I did it for several years as a movie critic. Once a month — doable. When I had to do it every week — not so doable.

Actors are talking to real estate agents on both coasts. Buying in this market may be easy but selling not so much. Los Angeles and New York are truly two different worlds.

Nothing against L.A., but really, is life in a car? The weather may seem perfect, but getting anywhere is very imperfect. Unlike New York City, no one hangs out anywhere. Unless hanging out at the mall is one's idea of hanging out. In Manhattan, need to go somewhere? Hail a cab. Hail a cab in L.A.? A cabbie will drive by thinking you are doing some type of street performance. For some actors, the move will be good because they do not have to choose between going up for L.A. auditions and working their soap at the same time. For actors who love stage work. it is not so great. Los Angeles has two major theaters that usually produce touring company shows of major hits. In L.A., Broadway is the name of a now defunct department store. While there are some other theaters, most are small and many are in strip shopping malls.

When "AMC" moves in December, it means only two soaps will originate from New York City. Actually, only one — "As the World Turns" is produced in Brooklyn, N.Y. So that will leave "OLTL," which takes over "AMC's" old studio. Time was that every soap came from N.Y.C. ABC broke that tradition when it created "General Hospital." When the list of soaps produced in L.A. grew, a friendly rivalry started among actors on both coasts. The joke used to go: Want a great dressing room? Work on an L.A. soap. Want good acting work on one in New York? The dressing rooms are still better in L.A. The acting is now equal.

One "OLTL" performer who is officially going to be making the cross-town move is Robin Strasser (Dorian). The actress has signed a new contract. Strasser has agreed to another pay cut. Last time she signed a contract, she said she had to take 67 percent less. This time, she is not saying how much. She does say that everyone on the show has taken a pay cut, but she does not think they took the hit she did.

Lynda Hirsh on Soaps -- Q&A

Source: Creators.com

Q: It took me awhile, but I have grown very fond of the actress who plays Heather on "Young and Restless." When did she begin her acting career? — Robyn, Point Clear, Ala.

A: Vail Bloom, who plays Paul's daughter, Heather, and the girlfriend of the very confused Adam, has just gone from contract to recurring. Bloom, who has a degree in architecture from Princeton University, admits she is a latecomer to acting. "I was interested in acting, but I never really thought about it as a full-time career. My parents knew I had flirted with acting. They were insistent that I get a degree in a career that was not as risky. While I was in college and working toward my degree, I did get to do a lot of theater. When I made my choice to pursue acting full time, my parents were very supportive."

Q: How is Frank Dicopoulos dealing with the cancellation of "Guiding Light?" — Rene, Pittsburgh

A: He is crushed. Having been with show for almost 24 years, he really thought he would be with the show forever. The actor told us: "Even when other acting offers were on the horizon, I always chose to stay with 'Guiding Light.' I come from a working-class family. It was important that I stay in one place with my wife and children. The show has given me that chance throughout the years.

Because of 'Guiding Light,' I was able to be involved with a variety of charities. Through the years, the show listened to my ideas and used them in the show. Not all of them — some of my ideas weren't very good. One of my ideas was great. I suggested that Frank's dad come back from the dead. I felt it was important for the character to connect with his dad. So Buzz was created. To add to the luck, Justin Deas was cast to play my dad. What an honor and what fun to work with him all these years." Until the very end, he did think the show would survive in one form or the other. "Yes, there were times that the show lost its way. In the last year, it was back to where it belonged. I know some of the stories they had for the future. It is a shame the viewers are not going to get to see them."

Q: I am going crazy. Where have I seen the actor who is playing Mason on "As the World Turns"? — Janet, Toronto

A: Forbes March played Scott on "All My Children" several years back. He also played the tragic Nash on "One Life to Live." Nash, the one-time love of Jessica's life, died while having an argument with Jared. His current character, Mason, may create trouble for Noah and Luke. It appears that Mason, who is Noah's college adviser, plans to give his protege advice in his private life.

Soap Summaries: Week of August 2 through the 7th

Source: Creators.com

ALL MY CHILDREN: Jake and Amanda put their plan in motion by convincing David that Amanda can't have any more children. Amanda and Jake look forward to being a family once they "adopt" a baby and are able to bring Trevor home. Tad, Taylor and Amanda come clean with Opal after she spots baby Trevor at the house. Opal agrees everyone did the right thing in keeping David away from the baby but thinks Jake's plan has flaws. Taylor realizes that Krystal still loves Tad, but Krystal states she just wants him to be happy. After asking Scott to move into the mansion, Adam proposes to Annie. JR struggles to contain his anger and disgust when Adam announces Annie agreed to marry him. In front of Liza and Jesse, Kendall unburdens herself by confessing to having killed Stuart in a taped statement. Stuart's ghost appears in front of Kendall, telling her they can all be at peace. Zach gives an impassioned plea for leniency at Kendall's sentencing hearing. Scott also makes a statement at the hearing, invoking Stuart's memory as he tells the judge his father wasn't a vindictive man. At Annie's urging, Adam asks the judge to go easy on Kendall. Marian lays into Kendall and wants her to pay dearly for killing Stuart. Marissa is the unintended victim of Marian's quest for revenge against Kendall. Liza's heart breaks for Marian as she's led off to a psychiatric facility. Colby makes it perfectly clear she wants nothing to do with either Annie or Adam.

SNEAK PEEK: Liza rejects David.

AS THE WORLD TURNS: Damian offers Meg a consulting job. Meg and Lily shoot insults at each other over their love lives. Accepting the job, Meg falls into Damian's arms. Barbara's upset when she discovers Paul's been giving his fortune away — specifically, she's horrified that he would finance Emily's new paper. Paul invites Emily and Hunter to work on the paper from Fairwinds and to move in. Paul and Emily wake up in each other's arms. When Emily takes off for work, Paul is greeted by two men in white coats. Paul quickly learns that Barbara has had him committed for his strange behavior and is taken to the hospital. Emily sneaks Paul out of the hospital in a dog crate. Paul, hiding in the Fairwinds wine cellar, discovers James' old wine-tasting journal. Henry looks through Audrey's suitcase to find an envelope with obituaries and a journal entry that mentions the name Jay Stanhope. Henry becomes convinced his mother is a serial killer. Jay and Audrey are in cahoots. When Teri turns him down, Brad asks Janet to work on "Oakdale Now." Alison tells Casey she's concerned about Bob, and thinks he's having occasional memory loss. Bob instructs Alison to administer a specific dosage of a medication to Riley, which turns out to be too high. Unaware that Riley is really Adam, Tom asks him to move out.

SNEAK PEAK: A baby is missing.

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL: Still in shock from Brooke's appearance and her explanation of the recent events that took place, Ridge is torn about how to handle the situation. Stephanie and Donna go head to head when they each take opposite sides on Ridge's choices. Ridge takes the blame for the fiasco at his and Taylor's wedding. Stephanie confronts Brooke about the scene she had caused at the beach house, while Brooke has a few harsh words in return. Brooke returns from her leave of absence in order to begin a new chapter in her life. Taylor attempts to stay confident that Ridge will not succumb to Brooke's persuasiveness now that they are working together. Katie comes up with a new publicity campaign that she feels will save Forrester Creations. Unfortunately, Eric will have to make a few substantial sacrifices to proceed with the campaign, allowing Donna to become an object of male desire. Owen becomes territorial with Jackie when he notices some chemistry between her and Whip.

SNEAK PEAK: Bill is up to no good.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Daniel tells Lucas when Chloe wakes up, she and Daniel will be together. Lucas is unable to forgive Chloe. Victor pays Daniel's sky-high bail and tells Daniel why he thinks Kate tried to kill Chloe. Chloe has a slight beep of brain function as she whispers "Daniel." Arianna completes a drug deal with Troy. Philip learns one of his men has been shot. Bo and Philip go to the hospital where Carlo dies. Stephanie tells Philip he is not a bad man. Stephanie tells Roman she was right to break up with Philip but misses being in love. Roman assures her the right man is out there; she just has to let him in. Stephanie decides to give Nathan a chance, unaware that he is interested in Melanie.

EJ visits Grace's grave for the first time on her and Sydney's 6-month birthday and is infuriated when he sees the name "Brady" on her headstone. Nicole watches unseen as EJ smashes the old headstone and damns Sami. Chad and Kinsey reset their plan to break up Will and Mia, while Will confides in Mia he's upset about Chloe cheating on his father. Mia painfully admits to Will she's not a virgin and that Chad was her first lover. Will professes his love for her.

SNEAK PEAK: Sami and Rafe call it quits.

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Sam easily fall back into their comfortable, familiar pattern as they head south in their search for Michael and Kristina. Kristina remains consumed with guilt as she and Michael make their way to the Mexican border. Jerry informs Claudia he has no intention of calling off his search for Michael because he wants to use the boy as bait to get to Jason. Jerry comes to Michael and Kristina's rescue. Sam closes in on Michael and Kristina. Jax supports Carly's decision to have Michael move back in with them once he comes home. Sonny tells Claudia he wants her to come home. Dominic is shocked when he walks in on Olivia and Johnny in a compromising position. Alexis is arrested for the murder of Brianna Hughes. Robin sets out to prove her innocence. Ethan tells Rebecca he needs her in his life but she rebuffs his advances, stating she wants to see where things might lead with Nikolas. Spinelli shows up at the Scorpio family dinner to ask Mac for Maxie's hand in marriage.

NEXT WEEK: Maxie says yes.

GUIDING LIGHT: Phillip reveals to Alan that the owner of the cafe they've arrived at is the widow of the man who took his place in Vietnam. Alan goes into the diner and tells the man's son he knew his father. Phillip tells Alan he has a progressive and incurable disease. Phillip tells Ed that if he can't help him, he'll find help somewhere else. Shayne and Dinah wed. Dinah tells Mallet he can't turn Marina in because Dinah is the one who killed the man. Mallet warns Dinah that Frank knows she's the killer and says she's not safe. Dinah stops Shayne from planning the spontaneous honeymoon and admits the cops are after her because she killed the man she thought was Edmund. In the woods, Jeffrey, feverish and weak, talks to Reva's photo to keep himself going. Jeffrey collapses just before reaching a remote cabin. A man walks over to Jeffrey's lifeless body — it's Jonathan. Jeffrey comes to and warns Jonathan that Edmund wants to destroy everyone Reva loves. He explains that he needs to let Edmund think he's dead so he can get an advantage on him. Jeffrey tells Jonathan that he's doing a good job with Sarah. Jonathan gets a menacing call from Edmund.

SNEAK PEAKS: Edmund strikes.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Rex warns Schuyler to stay away from Gigi. Gigi offers Stacy money to get an abortion. Stacy accuses Gigi of being afraid that Rex will end up leaving her once the baby is born. Alone, Stacy collapses in pain after her and Gigi's heated confrontation. Realizing the baby is the only chance she has to hold onto Rex, Stacy decides not to tell him she suffered a miscarriage. Rex is furious when Gigi confesses she offered Stacy money to have an abortion. The tension mounts between Rex and Gigi when he admits he won't abandon his child, but they eventually end up in each other's arms, resolved to the fact they have a long road ahead of them. In front of Blair, Todd declares that he wants to be with Tea and only Tea. Nora locks eyes with Bo while sharing a last dance with Clint. Viki's thrown for a loop when Charlie suggests expanding their family. Asher and his boss, Serge, surprise Cole in his apartment. Serge plants a listening device in the apartment. John later tells Starr that she and Cole can't see or talk to each other until this assignment is completed. Layla defends Fish when Cristian wonders if he's gay.

SNEAK PEAK: Blair searches for Tea's secret.

YOUNG AND RESTLESS: Ashley tells Victor to give her some space because she needs to work out how he could be so cruel to her and her family and then say it was for her benefit. Paul is crushed when Nikki says she cannot marry him. Nikki admits to Victor that she is still in love with him; that he is the only man she has ever truly loved. Alone, Victor admits that he does still love Nikki. While waiting in the road at the ranch in the rain, Nikki is a deer in the headlights as Ashley's car comes barreling down the road and skids off the road. Adam admits to Heather he had a one-night stand with Rafe. Mary Jane is stricken when she realizes that Zapato ate her stuffed cat. Mary Jane drugs Jack's drink. Drunk and delirious, Jack makes love to Mary Jane, who he believes is Sharon. Daniel tells Amber that the reason they are breaking isn't because she slept with Deacon but because he can't take her constant lying. Billy tells Chloe that he can never forgive Jill for choosing Cane, a con artist, over him, her own son. Kay tells Jill that spoke to Billy on her behalf and asked him to forgive her. Kay also admits that she should have forgiven Jill years ago for everything that happened with Phillip because the truth was that her relationship with him was never as strong as Kay believed. Sharon is arrested for grand theft after she steals a ring that is identical to the one Nick gave to Phyllis.

SNEAK PEAK: A death in the family occurs.

Hall of Fame: Eileen Fulton

Eileen Fulton
2009 Soap Opera Hall of Fame Inductee

• Lisa Miller, As The World Turns
• Lisa Miller Hughes, Our Private World

Television's most famous villianess and the most popular soap star of the 1960s, Eileen Fulton was born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty on September 13, 1933 in Asheville, North Carolina; the daughter of a Methodist minister. Her father was a descendant of a long line of clergymen.

She majored in music and minored in dramatics at Greensboro College in North Carolina and made her professional debut in The Lost Colony, an annual presentation at Manteo, NC. While at Greensboro College, she received a Best Actress award for her performances in the productions of Candide and Thurber's Thirteen Clocks. In 1956, she moved to New York and studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. She came to New York with a two-fold goal: to make it as a singer and an actress.

While studying her craft, Fulton worked at Macy's, selling hats and occasionally modeling for photos used to illustrate the stories in True Confessions magazine. After a few small theater gigs and a co-starring role opposite Anne Francis in the 1960 film Girl of the Night where she played a girl named Lisa, she fell into the role with which she would forever be identified.

Fulton had auditioned for a part on the CBS soap opera The Brighter Day (ironically as a minister's daughter), but producers thought she would be better cast as Bob Hughes' social-climbing girlfriend on As The World Turns. The role was originally supposed to be temporary, but William J. Bell and Irna Phillips became intrigued by the charm and energy Fulton brought to the role, and began to develop the character. She has now played Lisa almost continually (with two notable interruptions) since May 18, 1960, almost 50 years; pretty impressive for a role that was originally intended to be temporary.

When the devious Lisa had Bob Hughes (Don Hastings) and his family under her thumb, outraged mail poured into CBS. By the time Lisa had taken up with shoe salesman Bruce Elliott (James Pritchett), Fulton had to hire a security guard to protect her from the overenthusiastic, sometimes violent fans as she made her way to the studio.

The character of Lisa has been put through some wild situations -- over three dozen lovers, married eight times, divorced three times, widowed four times (with her most recent marriage annulled), murder trials, rapes, amnesia, a Mexican mudslide, a phantom fetus. Through it all fans have always been transfixed by Fulton's refreshing originality, enormous vitality, and her flamboyant comedy style as she brings Lisa Miller Hughes Eldridge Shea Colman McColl Mitchell Grimaldi Chedwyn to life on their screens.

Fulton's portrayal of Lisa created the strongest prototype of its time for the daytime vixen; the character and actress were, in Fulton's first decades on As the World Turns, very popular (to the point where, in the late 1960s, Fulton had to hire a publicist, the first soap actress to do so). Her popularity earned her the title of daytime TV's most hated woman for a number of yeras, and when Daytime TV magazine debuted it's Reader's Poll in April 1970, she graced the poll as it's first ever Best Actress. She would go on to place in the Top 10 in the poll 58 times during the first 80 polls conducted and recorded by the magazine. Her last appearance in the top 10 was in 1977.

Among her fans through the years have been the famous such as Van Cliburn, Renata Tabaldi and Bette Davis who called Fulton "absolutely the most chic, best looking put-together woman I've ever seen."

Despite her popularity, Fulton's run has not been without controversy. During the late 1960s, after her onscreen son was SORASed from age 12 to 19, Fulton was noted for insisting it be written into her contract that her character could not become a grandmother, as she feared it would impede the glamorous, fast-paced storylines in which she was involved at the time. As a result, the actress received enormous amounts of "hate mail" when Lisa's onscreen daughter-in-law, Margo, had a miscarriage in 1986. (It is unclear whether the "granny clause", as it became known, was still in effect at the time.) Now in her seventies, Fulton no longer has the "granny clause" in her contract; her character has two sons -- a third son died a number of years ago -- and four grandchildren.

She left the show three times - first in 1963 to focus more on her stage career when she was replaced in the role of Lisa by actress Pamela King; in 1965 to bring her Lisa character to her own prime time soap spin-off, Our Private World (CBS's attempt to mimic the success of ABC's Peyton Place). On Our Private World, Lisa was written as a variation on the Bette Davis character in Beyond the Forest, a girl who pined for fun and freedom in Chicago. Our Private World lasted only thru the summer. Fulton returned to As The World Turns for ten weeks to wrap up the storylines begun on Our Private World. She then took a year off from the show to sing in various nightclubs and returned to the soap on January 16, 1967 as a new and glamorous Lisa. She left again in 1983 after a contract dispute with executive producer Mary-Ellis Bunim. In a burst of publicity, Fulton again returned to Oakdale in teh summer of 1984 as Lisa discovered the body of her fifth husband, Whit McColl, thus setting off another season of murder, mystery, and melodrama. During Fulton's 1983-1984 absence, the role of Lisa was played by Betsy von Furstenberg. The following actresses played the part during Fulton's temporary leaves: Lynn Rogers (1977-1978), Jane Powell (1991, 1993, and 1994), Maeve McGuire (1992) and Carmen Duncan (2004).

Although the character of Lisa is still appearing on the show, Fulton has been vocal about her displeasure at not being more prominently featured. Fulton was prominently featured in April 2006 during the show's 50th anniversary episode, and from January 2008 to August 2008, was roughly seen in at least two episodes per week. Her appearances have dropped off since then but she recently signed a new two year contract that will run through her 50th year on the show, 2010.

While working on ATWT, Fulton has remained very busy offscreen as well. Among other things, including the Broadway productions of The Fantasticks and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opposite her ATWT co-star Henderson Forsythe, Fulton has written two memoirs, How My World Turns and As My World Still Turns. She also wrote a mystery novel, called Soap Opera, loosely based on her experiences on As the World Turns as well as a series of six murder mystery novels including Take One for Murder about a soap opera star "Nina" and her detective boyfriend "Dino." Fulton is a talented cabaret singer and has sung in many top nightclubs around the country and starred in several one-woman shows.

She is an active supporter of many charities such as UNICEF, March of Dimes, Cerebal Palsy, Lupus Foundation, and Martha's Table, which benefits poor and homeless mothers and children. She has established a musical scholarship in her father's name at Brevarad College in North Carolina, and a Fine Arts Scholarship in her & her mother's names at their alma mater, Greensboro. She is also a women's right's advocate.

Fulton is a 1955 graduate of Greensboro College and was granted an honorary doctorate in 2005, on the 50h anniversary of her college graduation. She was the commencement speaker at Greensboro's graduation ceremony in 2005.

For her work on As The World Turns, she received one Daytime Emmy nomination for Supporting Actress in 1988. She also received the Lifetime Achivement Award from the Daytime Emmys in 2004. She was nominated twice for the Soap Opera Digest Awards: for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1996; and for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor/Actress to the Form of Continuing Drama who is currently on a Daytime Serial in 1986. In 1991, Soap Opera Digest awarded her with the Editor's Award.

She currently resides in Manhattan.

Some More As The World Turns Fan Art

More As The World Turns Fan Art from Steve Frame

Lynda Hirsch Summaries: Week of July 27 to July 31, 2009

http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/fashion-and-entertainment/lynda-hirsch-on-soaps/lynda-hirsch-on-soaps-summary-2009-08-01.html

ALL MY CHILDREN: Frankie, Angie and Jesse are devastated when Randi loses the baby. Zach sets Annie up to make it look as though she fired a shot at Adam and then slips off into the night unseen. Adam has Annie arrested, but Scott thinks she might be telling the truth when she claims someone set her up. Kendall is certain that she was the one who killed Stuart and has been repressing the memory. Jesse knows Zach framed Annie to protect Kendall and the two men tacitly agree to keep each other's secrets. Kendall tells Ryan she killed Stuart and confirms that Zach set Annie up to take the fall for her. Jake warns Amanda she can't keep running to Taylor's to see Trevor or else David might get suspicious. Taylor and Tad's talk about finding the right person to be with leads to a kiss. Krystal admits to Tad that she's bothered by the fact he's seeing Taylor but says she's happy for him.

SNEAK PEEK: Kendall is sentenced.

AS THE WORLD TURNS: Janet's little sister, Teri, comes to town, becoming Sage and Parker's nanny. Liberty returns from Chicago, claiming the internship program ran out of money. She admits to Parker she was fired for making too many mistakes. Brad learns Kim won't employ him without a co-host. He and Henry try to convince Kim to take Vienna back so Brad can work. Kim thinks the audience won't respond to Vienna anymore, but that they will respond to Henry. Henry leaps at the opportunity to co-host, but Brad helps him see that it would ruin any chances of him reuniting with Vienna. Henry dejectedly returns home, only to find a bouquet of flowers with an apology note. Henry's thrilled and thinks Vienna's returning to him, but when he opens the door, he finds it's actually his mother, there to help him recover from the loss of Vienna. Brad and Katie finally get their romantic alone time. Henry finds Audrey rifling through his things, certain she's after his money. He brings her over to Brad and Katie's to stay out of trouble, while he goes and has his account numbers and passwords changed. He gets back to his hotel room and sees it turned inside out, and is furious with Audrey — only it's not Audrey, but Vienna, who has comes back — at Audrey's insistence, no less. Henry makes love to Vienna. Meg admits Paul's been acting the way he did when she fell in love with him. Paul's grateful, but admits he's not going to have surgery to return his memories. Meg returns to Damian, upset over the fact that the new Paul doesn't want her. Damian says that Paul doesn't know what he is missing and the two begin to make love. Lily, Damian, Lucinda and Holden argue over whether Luke should work for Damian or Lucinda. Lily's increasingly uneasy with her feelings for Damian. Tom is worried Riley and Margo are having an affair.

SNEAK PEEK: Noah confronts Mason.

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL: Pam takes a fancy towards Whip and makes a drastic change to show him just how much. Stephanie and Jackie agree to put aside their torrid past and become friends. Taylor asks Stephanie to be her matron of honor. Eric questions Ridge about his feelings for Brooke and his intentions with Taylor. This line of questioning gets Ridge's mind swirling with wonder of where his heart truly lies. A visit from a relentless Brooke makes Thomas and Steffy fear that she may ruin everything between Ridge and Taylor. Unaware that Steffy has been intercepting her messages, Ridge confesses his hurt to Eric that Brooke hasn't tried to talk him out of marrying Taylor. Meanwhile, Brooke waits on the beach for Ridge to arrive for their happy reunion. She takes off on her horse to find him before he marries Taylor.

SNEAK PEEK: A wedding is interrupted.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Daniel is brought to the police station in handcuffs. Lucas learns Daniel and Chloe were lovers. Lucas continues his confrontation in jail with Daniel, refusing to believe Daniel's assertion that Kate poisoned Chloe while also framing Daniel.

Although Victor thinks Katie is the culprit, he does not want to hurt Phillip by painting his son's mother as a murderer. EJ questions Nicole about Sydney. Rafe tells Sami he crashed a car into a tree and the impact killed Emily. Rafe tracks down Meredith and it becomes clear that she feels there is more to the story of Emily's "accident." She insists that Rafe is hiding information and is completely responsible for her death. Rafe states he will not lose Sami because of his past, and goes home to her. Back at the Salem Inn, Meredith opens the door to the person who brought her back to Salem ... Stefano!

SNEAK PEEK: Stephanie comforts Phillip.

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sam questions the way Alexis is parenting Kristina. Alexis is stopped short when Sam reveals she thinks it's possible that Kristina might have caused Claudia's accident. Claudia vows revenge on the driver responsible for the crash that caused her to lose the baby. Michael decides he has no choice but to run away in order to spare his family any more anguish. A guilt-ridden Kristina tells Michael she's running away with him. Olivia admits to Johnny that she's known about Claudia's role in Michael's shooting for months and explains why she never told Sonny. Edward keeps Nikolas away from Rebecca. Rebecca rebuffs Ethan when he says he wants another chance with her. Lulu helps Maxie derail Spinelli as he's about to ask Mac for Maxie's hand in marriage.

SNEAK PEEK: Jerry's after Jason.

GUIDING LIGHT: Phillip reveals to Alan that the owner of the cafe they've just walked into is the widow of the man who took his place in Vietnam. Dinah and Shayne wed. Dinah tells Mallet he can't turn Marina in because Dinah is the one who killed the man. Frank tells Mallet he overheard Dinah. Mallet helps Dinah flee the country. Alan confronts Phillip about the fact that he's dying. Phillip admits his disease is progressive and incurable. Suddenly, Alan's demeanor shifts and he accuses Phillip of lying to him. Phillip is desperate to find a cure. In the woods, Jeffrey, feverish and weak, talks to Reva's photo to keep himself going. Jonathan finds a lifeless Jeffrey. Jonathan lays Jeffrey down and reassures Sarah that Jeffrey is a good guy. Jeffrey starts to come to. Jeffrey tells Jonathan he's not going home yet and is going to stay "dead." Jonathan gets a menacing call from Edmund.

SNEAK PEEK: Edmund makes a vow to Lara to make Reva's family suffer.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Stacy tells Gigi and Rex she is pregnant. Rex lets out all his anger over the fact Gigi felt she had no other option but to lie to him, despite how noble her intentions were. Gigi takes full responsibility for everything that's happened between her and Rex, even his sleeping with Stacy. Bo and Nora are locked in a kiss, unaware that Matthew is watching them. Matthew tries to blackmail Bo and Nora into signing the consent form for his surgery, threatening to tell Clint if they don't. Nora admits she's confused about her feelings for Bo when Rachel presses her. Nora argues she shouldn't hurt Clint by canceling the wedding when Bo hasn't come right out and said he wants to be with her. Tea tells Todd she won't be used as a pawn in his games with Blair and returns the key he gave her. Cole tells Ashe he is ready to deal drugs. Marty tells John she wants to move forward with him. Jessica thinks she has seen Nash.

SNEAK PEEK: A hellish wedding occurs.

YOUNG AND RESTLESS: Billy and Mac make love for the first time. Cane tells Lily that the oncologist was able to harvest a few eggs during her surgery and Lily is overwhelmed with joy. Cane promises to stay by Lily's side for as long as she wants him there. Jill brings Cane to Chloe's party and asks everyone to accept that Cane is going to be a part of her life. Jack starts to put the pieces together and realizes that Victor may be behind bringing Mary Jane to Genoa City. Nick and Phyllis renew their vows. Sharon admits to Jack that the baby isn't his; its Nick's. Billy reveals to Ashley that Victor set up Colleen so she would have to resign from the Newman board of directors. Ashley has a hallucination of Sabrina telling her that Victor is after her and her baby. Later, Victor finds a frightened Ashley screaming that Sabrina told her she was going to die because of him.

SNEAK PEEK: A tragic accident happens.

Hall of Fame: Don Hastings

Don Hastings
2009 Soap Opera Hall of Fame Inductee

• The Video Ranger, Captain Video and His Video Rangers
• Unknown Role, A Date With Life
• Unknown Role, Modern Romances
• Jack Lane, The Edge of Night
• Bob Hughes, As The World Turns
• Bob Hughes, Our Private World
• Writer, The Guiding Light
• Writer, As The World Turns

Television's first teen idol, Donald Francis Hastings was born April 1, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York.

Don started his show business career at the age of six when he accompanied his older brother Bob Hastings to the children's radio program in which Bob sang. When the producer heard that Don could sing too, he had Don audition for the program, Coast to Coast on the Bus. The exposure that Don received led to a part in the national company of Life With Father in 1941. Don toured with the company for three years and has acted ever since.

Don made his Broadway debut in the 1944 production of I Remember Mama.

After working sporadically in theater and television, Don turned to television full time in 1944, landing his first big role in 1949 at the age of 15. He played Captain Video's teenaged sidekick, The Video Ranger in the DuMont television series Captain Video and His Video Rangers, which ran from 1949 to 1955. In this role, he played one of television's first superheroes designed to appeal to young children. For every youngster lucky enough to have a TV in the early 50s, Don Hastings and The Video Ranger becamse their idol for six years.

He guest starred in a number of television series including Studio One and daytime dramas A Date with Life and Modern Romances.

From 1956 to 1960, he played the role of Jack Lane on the soap opera The Edge of Night, speaking the shows opening line on April 1, 1956. Since October 7, 1960, he has portrayed Bob Hughes on As the World Turns. In perhaps the most difficult role in daytime television, that of the sturdy, saintlike matinee idol, the actor has always infused the part with a brisk playing style and refreshing good humor.

Hastings currently holds the record for longest continuous actor in the history of television serials; he is second in line to co-star Helen Wagner in having the distinction of playing the same role for the longest period of time on television. William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow on the British soap Coronation Street is widely believed to be the record-holder for males, but Don Hastings has portrayed Bob Hughes for two months longer than Roache has played Ken. Neither actor has taken a break during their respective tenures. The Guinness Book of Records states that the non-continuous record is held by Helen Wagner, who has played Nancy Hughes on the same soap opera, As the World Turns, since April 1956. Wagner left between 1981 and 1985.

In 1971, under tutelage of Irna Phillips, Hastings began to moonlight as a dialogue writer for ATWT and later contributed scripts to The Guiding Light as well. He used the pseudonym J.J. Matthew, which combined the names of his children: Julie, Jennifer and Matthew.

In 1977, Don toured with co-star Kathryn Hays in the musical concert act, Hastings and Hayes on Love and later they both were cast members of an off-Broadway production of Algonquin Sampler.

Possessing a strong vocal talent, Hastings has performed on television on the shows Chevrolet on Broadway and The Ed Sullivan Show, as well as recording material for Columbia records.

In 1980, soon after a 1978 storyline in which Bob romanced Karen Peters on the series, Don married actress Leslie Denniston, the actress who had played the mysterious Karen. They live in New York state with their daughter, Katharine Scott Hastings (b. 9/23/82). Don also has two daughters, Jennifer and Julie, plus a son, Matthew, from a previous marriage. Don's hobbies include travel and golf.

Active in show business (on television) since 1949. In 2009, he celebrates two big milestones, his 75th birthday and 60 years on television.

In honor of his long years on As The World Turns and daytime, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys in 2005. He was given the Silver Circle Award, given by the Academy of Television Arts & Science, in 1993 for his many years of achievement in the television industry. Sadly he has never been nominated for a Daytime Emmy award.

Up Close & Person With Brian Gaskill

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Steve Frame's Fan Art

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Gallery 1

Where Are They Now: Steven Weber

Steven Weber (Kevin Gibson, As The World Turns; Sam Blue, Once and Again; Lloyd, Desperate Housewives; Graham Finch, Brothers and Sisters)

Source: Broadway World

BWW INTERVIEWS: THE PHILANTHROPIST's Steven Weber
Tuesday, June 9, 2009; Posted: 01:06 PM - by Joseph F. Panarello

There's something special about hearing the natural sound of human voices in the theater. They become a symphony of verbosity akin to a chamber ensemble performing in a first rate concert hall. There are nuances and colors that are to be detected without the aid of amplification. Such is the case with the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of THE PHILANTHROPIST which is currently on stage at the American Airlines Theatre. Prominently featured in the cast is Steven Weber whose voice carries so well that it seems like a clarion instrument in the divertissement of playwright Christopher Hampton's witty wordplay. Weber's voice is so mellifluous that it is obvious he's been trained to use it well on the stage.

Although he attended the famous High School of Performing arts in New York City, Weber credits his actual stage training to the State University of New York at Purchase. "I had several years of intensive and serious theater training with lots of vocal work and that's where I really had the bulk of my studies." He's very proud of the education he received at SUNY Purchase. "They have amazing facilities and great performance spaces up there. The theaters range from small black boxes to major ‘cathedrals' with thousands of seats and we put on plays like HEARTBREAK HOUSE and SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY, where we had to project our voices. In doing plays over the years, I've had to adjust per the requirements of each theater. The American Airlines Theater is deceptive. It's small and beautiful. It carries sound well in many ways but there are many pockets that your voice can disappear into."

Continuing with his discussion of the vocal skills he employs in this production, Weber talks about the challenge of playing a British character. "When trying to do an accent I found that much of my dialect got lost when I was trying to ‘project'. I made the decision to err on the side of being heard." For the record, no amplification at all is used in this production of THE PHILANTHROPIST. The "sound design" that is listed in the Playbill has to do with the music and sound effects that are used in the production. The actors' voices are not amplified in any way.

The actor is sitting in his dressing room before a Thursday evening performance. Casually attired in jeans and a blue t-shirt, Weber noshes on a spinach salad throughout the conversation. This is a man who knows how to "nosh": his father was a manager whose clients performed on the Borscht Belt and one just assumes that someone a Borscht Belt connection would certainly pass noshing skills down to his son. Weber's mother, who presently lives in Manhattan, was a cabaret singer and a Copa Girl. With a pedigree like that, is there any wonder that Weber would carve out a career for himself in the performing arts?

The actor is a familiar face to viewers of the small screen, having starred in the "Wings" sitcom, as well as such other television fare like the critically acclaimed "Once and Again" and "The DA". Yet, when meeting the actor in the flesh, one is taken by his affability, his intelligence and the sparkle in his azure eyes. These eyes gleam when lit by the fresnels on stage but reflect a thoughtful and sensitive man when Weber is engaged in conversation. The time in his company zips by and is filled with perceptive comments as well as modest assessments of his personal achievements. Through his father's show business connections, the young Weber did a few television commercials. The boy had headshots taken and before he knew it he went out for a bunch of auditions and booked several commercials. "In those days they were 60 seconds long and I've been actually trying to hunt them down to no avail. I've made direct inquiries to the advertising agencies that did them and they either don't have them or are disinterested. I remember doing a Gleam toothpaste commercial with Frances Sternhagen and it was a full minute long. That's incomprehensible by today's standards!"

Although Weber is proud of the experiences that SUNY Purchase provided, he never graduated. "I got cast in a PBS production of Mark Twain's "Puddin'head Wilson". Ken Howard, Tom Aldrich and a bunch of other great actors were in the cast. I'm terrible in it. Terrible, terrible, terrible. It was my first taste of professional acting and the treasures that went along with it were inestimable. I mean I had steak and shrimp every night and loved it." His first big theater gig was with the Mirror Reparatory Company. "It was a production of PARADISE LOST and I got to work literally along side of and become very friendly with Geraldine Paige and a cast of very talented character actors. It was pretty much an idyllic situation for me."

Weber also landed a recurring role on the soap opera "As The World Turns" however he didn't ‘recur' very long. "Julianne Moore and I played a couple, but after it became apparent that I was ill-suited to memorizing lines and stuff, my character took a bullet and I was fired. He previously appeared at the Roundabout when he did COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA with Shirley Knight. " I also did something in LA in 1987 or 88. It was a play called MADE IN BANGKOK which was written by Anthony Mangella. Zoe Wanamaker, James Cromwell and John Vickery were in that. It was my first taste of life out there. It was the next year or so that I got ‘Wings'. Thus began my legendary ascent to the middle," he remarked sardonically. "Wings" ran for seven and a half seasons. "Actually we expected to get cancelled every season or half season, I remember saying at the very beginning that this would be the happiest we'd ever be. The show was never a ratings favorite. Although compared to the numbers hit shows get today we would have been on top. We were getting more viewers than ‘American Idol' does nowadays and we were just good enough to give a boost to the higher profile shows like ‘Cheers' , ‘Frasier', and ‘Seinfeld' et al. In retrospect we were a good utility show. We stack up against and surpass many shows that are around presently. We had good, long, funny stories that were very well done. We also were the place that gave a lot of writers who are doing shows now their start."

Weber theorizes that what made "Wings" so endearing to many viewers was that it appealed to the Average Joe. "We dealt with basic, almost routine aspects of normal human beings. By that I mean we dealt with people who weren't particularly interesting. They were average people. That actually gave the writers a lot more freedom to write. The characters were given more breadth of detail, whereas with ‘Will and Grace' there was whatever social issues were overhanging and ‘Seinfeld' was almost hampered by its high concept to be obscure or odd in a way."

The actor has branched out into writing. "I wrote adaptations of a couple of Stephen King stories that filmed for ‘The Outer Limits' which was done in the 90's. I wrote and directed those. I also wrote a TV movie for Showtime called ‘Clubland' and it was a quasi-autobiographical story about my father and grandfather who were theatrical agents in the 50's. I wrote it and was able to act opposite Alan Alda. Brad Garret was also in it. It was a great experience for me. I find writing painful and lonely and I don't quite have the discipline for it." Weber does admit that he's become known for other writings as of late. "I'm a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and my writing there are leftist, cranky screeds that occasionally touch a nerve-- but more often than not the nerve that is touched is disgust on the part of people who can't stand my long, untethered metaphors and strangled syntax rather than my obviously left-leaning views. I've been called a ‘thesaurus-sucking liberal'. My response to that is ‘The only thesauruses I use are made in America and suck on thEm Lovingly.' Why not use five dollar words? I'm sick of saying ‘You know' or listening to people saying ‘You know' all the time. It makes me nuts. I have two little boys who are six and eight and my wife and I try gently to break them of that habit."
Steven Weber has been bold enough to step into the shoes of some very big names in his acting career. In 1997 he had the audacity to play the part Jack Nicholson immortalized in Stanley Kubrik's movie version of "The Shining". "I would readily take credit for having the guts to step into Nicholson's shoes if it was a question of that. It was more a case of being shallow and unaware. I got a call to audition for this and it really didn't occur to me that I was doing anything that was remotely sacrilegious because of the film's iconic status. I just auditioned without having Nicholson in my mind and got the role. I'm proud of most of it, although there are a few things I'd like to go back and re-do. Really, the specter of the Kubrik film didn't hang over the production at all. Mostly I think that was a good thing. The mini-series was done to fulfill Stephen King's real vision of the story. It was faithful to his novel but was hampered by the constraints of mini-series television. It was a fine experience for me. I didn't think-and perhaps I should have-that I was stepping into a role that people so closely identify with Jack Nicholson, and who I would pale in comparison to immediately."

Only a few years later, Weber found himself stepping into another pair of famous shoes but in a different genre. In 2002 he replaced Matthew Broderick in the Broadway musical THE PRODUCERS. "I had done a film called "Dracula Dead And Loving It" which was one of several not-so-great projects that I'd been involved in. The end result wasn't remarkable, at least perceptibly at the time (since then it's been on TV and it works much better on the small screen), There are great classic bits in it, though. Actually, it was an opportunity for me to work with several of my heroes: Harvey Korman, Peter McNichol and Mel Brooks. I'd worshipped Harvey Korman and loved Mel Brooks' 2,000 Year Old Man album ever since I was a kid. So I did that film and got to know these men. As years passed, we stayed in contact. Of course there was the massive triumph of THE PRODUCERS on Broadway, and when they were holding auditions to replace Nathan and Matthew, someone suggested that I should go for it. I thought, ‘Naw, that's ridiculous. Why should I audition? It's too much. It's in New York and I live in LA,' The only musical I'd sone was a limited run of HAIR in LA. for Reprise! And that was met with great response, but that was my one and only musical experience. Finally I was nudged into it by my wife and Richard Kind-who went on to play Max, although later in the run. So I figured that I had nothing to lose--even though on my way to New York I became terribly ill and developed a cold sore on my lip. I was a wreck. I think I was actually the last person they saw and somehow I got through the audition. I did "Till Him" and "That Face" and I didn't have a great amount of fear, which may have helped. I thought I wouldn't get the part but I did."

THE PRODUCERS turned out to be an incredible ten month adventure for Weber. "I'd never done anything on that scale of commitment before. Actors are a lot of things but on film and TV they're a bunch of pussies. In theater it's a different story. In the theater an actor is a soldier; you are in the infantry. You have to work. You cannot mess around; you can't throw hissy fits, you can't mess around and you can't give a half-assed performance. I learned invaluable lessons in the process. The biggest realization was how difficult it was to maintain your apparatus so you can sing and dance. I was proud of myself that I'd gotten dance-related injuries. I was incredibly proud of them! It was an amazing experience. Stepping into Matthew's shoes was great. I was encouraged to do some of my own things but in many instances I saw that I didn't have to because Matthew had already done them brilliantly so I incorporated those moments into my own performance."

When Weber was hired for THE PRODUCERS, he was paired with the brilliant British actor Henry Goodman who was replacing Nathan Lane in the show. "The producers had seen him do the London production of CHICAGO and he was reportedly sensational in that. I have no doubt he was. He was a respected actor and it seemed that the intent was to prove that the show itself was the star-- not its two flamboyant leading men. However things did not work out well in the beginning. After five weeks of rehearsal and a few performances, they let Henry go rather unceremoniously, replacing him with understudy Brad Oscar. They decided to keep me on although I'm sure there were moments when they felt they should scuttle everybody-myself included. I was lucky enough to be kept on and worked very hard with the result of having an amazing time."

Now Weber finds himself sharing the stage with Matthew Broderick in THE PHILANTHROPIST. Weber explains that he'd worked with director David Grindley at London's Old Vic, in a play called NATIONAL ANTHEMS. Also featured in the cast were Kevin Spacey and Mary Stuart Masterson. "We had a great time," remembers the actor, "It's a very interesting play and it was well-received by audiences. David and I developed a great working relationship. We kept in touch and after few years passed he actually mentioned that there was a role in THE PHILANTHROPIST that I could do. I said, ‘Just ask. I'll read for it. I'll do it.' As it turned out, I didn't have to read for it; David offered it to me. When I heard that Matthew was going to be involved I said, ‘Absolutely." It would be a pleasure to work with him. We'd only crossed paths a little bit during THE PRODUCERS but this has turned out to be an exceptional experience for me. It's great to work with Matthew, Jonathan Cake, Jennifer Mudge, Anna Madeley, Tate Ellington and Samantha Soule. This play was a big hit in England. It demands audience participation on an intellectual level. It was done at the Donmar Warehouse and it was performed in-the-round. If you put an audience around the play, then they are participating. Our current production is given a proscenium staging and it's rather like watching an oil painting, but it works. It's an interesting script."

According to Weber, the box office sales for THE PHILANTHROPIST are excellent and he credits that to word-of-mouth. "Our sales are up while critical successes have gone down the toilet. It's unbelievable to me. I guess it's saying that there is definitely an audience for this kind of drama. Not everything has to be on the level of a spectacle. This is an interesting play; not for everybody, but it shouldn't destroy the experience for that other demographic out there."
It is obvious that the audiences are enjoying Steven Weber's performance in THE PHILANTHROPIST immensely. At a recent matinee, there was a murmur of recognition when he was discovered onstage as the lights came up for the opening scene. Throughout the performance several theater-goers were observed leaning forward in their seats whenever he made an entrance. It certainly wasn't because they were straining to hear better. It's already been stated that Weber projects his voice effectively. Rather, it was probably due to the fact that he's become such a familiar face in movies and television that they relish the chance to share this theatrical experience with him without any artificial devices between them and the actor they feel very much at home with.

The Philanthropist is playing a limited engagement through June 28th, 2009. Tickets are available by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212)719-1300, online at www.roundabouttheatre.org or at the American Airlines Box Office (227 West 42nd Street). The Philanthropist plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m. with Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. www.roundabouttheatre.org

Lynda Hirsch on Soaps Q&A

Source: Creators.com
July 25, 2009

Q: When the character of Mallet came to town on "Guiding Light," didn't he have another name and a shady past? — Robert, Port Huron, Ohio

A: Yes to both. When Mallet came to town in the 1990s, he had the name Anthony Camaletti. The mob was after him so he changed his name to A.C. Mallet. The writers were doing a goof on the name M.C. Hammer. As a law enforcement member, he fell in love with police cadet Harley. Harley and A.C. headed to Florida. While in Florida, he had a few affairs. Harley came back to town without her husband. In need of cash in Florida, Mallet became a hit man for Griggs. Mallet wanted to distance himself from the mob so he returned to Springfield. Short on cops, he was rehired by the police. Once again, he fell in love with a trainee. This time, it was Marina.

Q: When Don Diamont first came to "Bold and Beautiful," his character had a very prominent story line. Lately, no one even mentions his name. What is the deal? Also, didn't the actor have a relationship with a well-known singer? — Alicia, Rockford, Ill.

A: "B&B" has a reputation for shoving new characters down your throat. Suddenly, they disappear. Last time Whip was on the air, he was everywhere. Then he married Brooke and he disappeared. Whip is now back.

Massimo, dad of Nick and Ridge, was all over the place; then he disappeared. That worked well for "Days of Our Lives." It allowed Joe Mascolo to return to that show as Stefano.

Back to Diamont's Bill: While he was off the canvas for a while, the show says in the next month or two he will have a powerhouse story line.

Nice news for Don Diamont, who saw his Brad character killed off on "Young and Restless" earlier this year.

For many years, Diamont and Gloria Loring, who co-starred with him on "Days of Our Lives," were an item. Loring played nightclub singer Liz Chandler. Diamont played the lowlife son of her on-screen husband Neil Curtis. Aside from her work on "Days," Loring was a frequent singing guest on Johnny Carson's show. Loring was previously married to Alan Thicke. Their son Robin Thicke is a hot recording star.

Q: Didn't Kim on "As the World Turns" have a son by John Dixon? — Carrie, Waltham, Mass.

A: Indeed. Andy Dixon was the product of that marriage. Andy was a key character on the show for years. Scott DeFreitas, who played Andy since he was a teenager, met and married Maura West (Carly) when they worked on "ATWT." The couple now have five children — one from her first marriage and four from their own. DeFreitas proposed to West in a most unusual and — for some — embarrassing way: He asked her to marry him on the Yankees fan-o-gram. The love of baseball first fueled their friendship. The couple shared the birth of their first child on the cable television show "A Baby's Story." As for Andy, about six years ago, he left town to get over his issues with alcohol. We never understood why the show axed the character or why they never brought him back.