Michael O'Leary Steaming Ahead
Former GUIDING LIGHT star Michael O'Leary talks about his new web series, STEAMBOAT.
Ian Buchanan Interview
Find out who is the man behind several historical roles, and how he perceives the highs and lows of his illustrious career.
Wisner Washam Interview
On Agnes Nixon: "She is a wonderful dreamer and I am a realist and that's one reason we worked well together."

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Anna Stuart: The WLS Interview Part Two

1 comments
In Part One of our interview with the outspoken and classy Anna Stuart, the soap legend shared her experiences and insights starting on THE DOCTORS, going to GENERAL HOSPITAL, then filling in for Maeve Kinkead as Vanessa on GUIDING LIGHT.  In this part, she reflects upon starting on ANOTHER WORLD, and how her own integrity, strength, and independence lent itself to bringing Donna Love to life.  

We Love Soaps: About a year after GUIDING LIGHT finished, ANOTHER WORLD came calling.
Anna Stuart: Yes. I had been eligible for unemployment, and I took it.  I was going to sign for my last check on the day that I had the audition for Paul Rauch.  Back in those days, the wardrobe department would let you borrow clothes for things.  GUIDING LIGHT let me borrow that pant suit with the wonderful fox fur throw for this audition.  Here I am, standing in line [wearing the outfit] at the unemployment office to get my check, and I can’t tell you the dirty looks I got.

So then I rushed off to the audition and I had to kiss Stephen Schnetzer.  I was auditioning for Felicia.  I went into the ladies room to gargle with Lavoris to make sure I was fresh.  And they called me, “Anna Stuart, where are you, we are waiting for you!”  I didn’t expect it, and I spilled the Lavoris all over my all white pant suit.  So here I am trying to cover the Lavoris stains with the white fur throw.  I walked up into the room and Paul Rauch never looked up, he never even looked at me.  He had a tendency to be sort of intimidating that way.  He had issues in that area.  I didn’t get that part, and that was that.  I didn’t want to do another soap anyway.

About three weeks later Paul Rauch called my agent and said, “We have a character in mind but it’s recurring, would she be interested?” I said, “Absolutely, if it’s recurring then I don’t have to make a commitment.”  So I started doing Donna Love as a recurring character, and the rest is history.  By the time they asked me if they can put me under contract, it was eight or nine months into the run.  The character had taken with the audience, so they had to pay me more money than they would have if they had put me under contract right away. 

OLTL's Evans & Claywell Respond To Rumors & Tactics

4 comments
False rumors have been spread about Brett Claywell and Scott Evans following their firing last week by ONE LIFE TO LIVE. While the actors were class acts at the GLAAD Awards, a nasty smear campaign started happening behind the scenes.

Soap Opera Digest spoke with Claywell about the rumors.

In response to the rumors that it was one actor's partying and the other's busy schedule that led to them being let go, Claywell laughs, "It's so false it's slander. Scott and I were nothing but professional and completely 100 percent dedicated to our work."

Claywell had more to say to Sara Bibel.

There was a column in TV Guide Canada that alleges that you two were written off for performance issues. I wanted to give you the opportunity to respond to that.

Scott informed me of that yesterday. It’s amazing to me that two people can put so much of their heart into a story that can be so passionate and serious and tell a story as honestly and as truthfully as we tried to and just open our hearts to the world and just try to make a difference, try and touch people and stories like this will come out that are absolutely, 100% false. I’d love for anyone to watch one day of any of the work we’ve done and tell me that Scott and I were not 100% committed to what we were doing. We were so dedicated to our work. It’s hurtful. I’m really offended that someone would make completely false claims. I’m angry. It’s slander.

It struck me that if you were being unprofessional, you probably wouldn’t have gotten an Emmy pre-nomination.

One of the last days that Scott and I worked together, the argument scene that just aired two weeks ago when I had the DNA test, we had all these scenes that were from different episodes, 41 pages of dialogue that Scott and I filmed in maybe an hour and a half. We work so methodically together and so well together. We would film scenes in one take like everybody does. You ask the directors we worked with. The fact that you can spend a year and a half pouring your heart into a story and one person with one article can try to bruise that reputation you have, it’s disheartening and it’s offensive.

Scott Evans responded on Twitter earlier today:

Such a bummer what all of this is turning into. I will continue to respect the decision but will remain unhappy with the tactics.

Meanwhile, fans are up in arms and have formed websites, planned rallies and are determined to let ABC know how they feel.

Marlena De Lacroix has weighed in with a new piece titled "Kiboshing Kish: Betrayal and Malfeasance" posted today.

We Love Soaps' Damon L. Jacobs wrote a great feature last week on the current state of Gays in Daytime. Read it here.

PREVIEW: Tonight's 90210 & MELROSE PLACE

0 comments
90210 and MELROSE PLACE are both new tonight on The CW. Here's a preview:

"Girl Fight" Season 2 Episode 14 - Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) enlists Ivy’s (Gillian Zinser) help in reducing the awkwardness with Liam (Matt Lanter) and the three decide to go on a hike, something Naomi has never done. Naomi discovers Ivy’s alterior motives and confronts her by pushing her face in the sand. Naomi, Silver (Jessica Stroup) and Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes) go shopping in the Palisades and run into Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Jasper (Zach Sherman). Jasper blackmails Annie with photographic proof of her hit-and-run, but she gives Jasper an ultimatum that puts her mind at ease.

NEWS: Nicholls, Landon, Branded Video, NY Tax Credit

0 comments
Jennifer Landon back to ATWT, Jesse Soffer too?
CBS Soaps in Depth is reporting that Jesse Soffer and Jennifer Landon will be returning to AS THE WORLD TURNS this spring as Will and Gwen Munson.

Tax credit plan could draw post-production film work to New York
In a 2010-2011 Executive Budget laden with massive spending cuts for myriad programs is a proposed $7 million new tax credit for post-production film work that some lawmakers are hoping will help stimulate the state's economy and create jobs.

With Web Video on the Rise, Brands Are Increasingly Creating Their Own Digital-Entertainment Properties
Today, brands are increasingly seeking to develop proprietary content and in some cases are becoming media producers on their own. This innovation is taking place on the web, and the key players producing original branded content come largely from outside of Hollywood's circle of A-Listers.

Asbury Park Celebrates Bill Chinnock with a Benefit Concert
Bill Chinnock died in March of 2007 after a long battle with Lyme’s disease. He won an Emmy in 1986 for the theme song “Somewhere in the Night,” which was used as the theme song for the daytime soap SEARCH FOR TOMORROW.

INTERVIEW: CORRIE's Sue Nicholls (Audrey)
On her 30 years on the soap: "It's jolly nice, too - it's the best job to have, especially in this day and age when there are no jobs anyway. Everybody wants to be in it so it must have something going for it! I've been so lucky and if I think back over the years all the people have been lovely and the stories have been hot. Being with Amanda Barrie was lovely, and of course Brian Mosley who sadly died - and it's thanks to Brian or whoever - if they hadn't married Audrey off to Alf, who knows I might just have been another tart with a heart passing through."

DAYS actress Shelby Young in Facebook movie
Production has begun on The Social Network. Shelby Young recently finished shooting her supporting role in the film.

Bob Guiney comments on divorce from Rebecca Budig
"It's been a really rough couple weeks recently ... we're thankful to have our friendship."

Julianne on Helen Wagner: "Still Giving Us Acting Tips"

2 comments
Last night Showbiz 411 spoke with Julianne Moore, who will making a one-day return appearance on AS THE WORLD TURNS on April 5 as Frannie Hughes.

Moore won a Daytime Emmy playing lookalike cousins on the show. She will only play one for the return. What happened to the other one? “I’m not in touch with her,” the four time Oscar nominee quipped at the Chloe premiere last night in New York.

She says she loved being reunited with her soap family, including 92 year old show matriarch Helen Wagner, who plays her grandmother. “She’s still giving us acting tips,” Moore recalls.

Moore stars in Chloe with another former AS THE WORLD TURNS actress, Amanda Seyfried.

RESULTS: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

0 comments
Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Indie Soap of the Week" poll for the week of March 7-13, 2010. ANYONE BUT ME finished in the top spot for the first time. Eight indie soaps aired one or more episodes last week. Check back on Saturday when this week's polling begins.


Watch/listen to last week's indie soaps:
- ANYONE BUT ME
- CHICK
- DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM
- DOWNSIZED
- JACLIFE
- TABLE OF CHOICES
- THE LIKE US SHOW
- THE STEPS

Today's Soap World Birthdays

0 comments
Harding Lemay* (Writer for ANOTHER WORLD, GUIDING LIGHT, et al) - 88
Erik Estrada (ex-Eduardo, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) - 61
Granville Van Dusen (ex-D.V., PORT CHARLES; ex-Keith, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 66
Lindie Van Eeden (ex-Karen, EGOLI: PLACE OF GOLD) - 32
Stephanie Gatschet (Madison, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Tammy, GUIDING LIGHT) - 27

*Press here to read the WLS Interview with Harding Lemay

Monday, March 15, 2010

More Scott Evans & Brett Claywell at GLAAD Awards

2 comments
Out spoke with Brett Claywell and Scott Evans on the red carpet at Saturday's GLAAD Media Awards and the two class acts spoke eloquently about their run on ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

Out: What are your thoughts on One Life to Live ending your storyline?

Brett Claywell: It was a journey we went on together this whole year, and we had no idea it was going to be received the way it was. I couldn’t have been more privileged to work with a better actor to figuratively and literally hold my hand through the whole process. There’s definitely going to be some sadness, but we really are proud of what we did. We’ve been boyfriends on screen, and now we get to just be brothers. If nothing else we told a great story and developed a new friendship.

Out: What was it like doing the groundbreaking sex scene?
Scott Evans: We didn’t know when we were shooting it that it was the very first one. Then afterward we heard all about the breaking of new ground, and we thought it was pretty cool. 



Out: Why do you think presenting a storyline like this one is so important on daytime TV?

Scott Evans: You’re reaching an audience that you normally wouldn’t reach. These are people who may not be watching primetime TV or might not be so in to what is going on in modern times.
Brett Claywell: We’re glad to celebrate the telling of a truthful love story in every day households in the Midwest and the south, and that’s important.

Evans is currently in Los Angeles auditioning.

New GOTHAM: Matt Crane Debuts!

0 comments
GOTHAM is back tonight with an all new episode. Among the story developments, Perry, played by former ANOTHER WORLD star Matt Crane, debuts at the Nicole Miller offices.

Anna Stuart: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part One

5 comments
When you look up the word "class" in the soap opera encyclopedia, chances are you will find Anna Stuart's picture.  This veteran has spent nearly 40 years blazing trails on daytime as confident, sexy, and sassy women.  She is currently starring in indie soap GOTHAM. But little is known about her off screen struggles, hopes, and disappointments.  Please read this rare interview to learn more about this fascinating and inspiring talent, and her life lessons learned along the way.  In Part One, Ms. Stuart recalls anecdotes from her early years on soaps, her reluctance to do daytime, and pressures of temporarily replacing Maeve Kinkead on GUIDING LIGHT.   

We Love Soaps: It is so wonderful to speak with you!  You played Toni on THE DOCTORS from 1971-1977.  How did that come about?
Anna Stuart: I got the initial audition, which I did not want to do, because there was no  way I was going to do a  soap opera.  I figured I would get the audition out of the way, but then I got a call back.  The day of the callback I happened to be shooting a commercial.  It was one of those horrible February rainy slushy days.  The commercial was downtown.  I got out too late to make the audition.  But my agent called them, they were running behind.  I ran out in the cold to make it, and then got the next callback.  By that time I was green with illness.  I had gotten sick from going out in this weather, I had 103 fever.  I was a mess.  That’s why I wasn’t nervous, I was so sick I just wanted to get it over with.  I later found out that P&G had wanted to cast somebody else, but Norman Hall [Director on THE DOCTORS] wanted me for the part. 

We Love Soaps: But you had decided you did not want to do soaps?
Anna Stuart: I wanted to do theater and films.  Things were different with actors then.  You actually went to acting school, you studied playwrights, you didn’t just have a pretty face and get put on camera.  Soaps just didn’t interest me.  So when I got THE DOCTORS, I didn’t really want it.  They talked me into it.  And then I got snared into working consistently, while doing theater on the side. 

We Love Soaps: What was it like to work on THE DOCTORS at that time?

AUCTION: 1993-4 VHS From Hillary B.Smith's Collection

0 comments
Hillary B. Smith kicked off a series of auctions two weeks ago to raise money for the Willie-Coppee Fund. The third item, another VHS tape from her personal collection from the year 1993-1994, went up for bid. Hillary calls this the "Wait Until Dark" sequence, where a blind Nora is terrorized by Todd (Roger Howarth) at the boathouse until Bo saves the day and rescues her. At the end of this tape, Nora agrees to defend Dorian against murder. This is your chance to own a piece of soap history and help our furry friends and their loved ones.

The Willie-Coppee Fund is a joint charitable endeavor between Smith and her good friend, television writer and multiple-best-selling author Lindsay Harrison, and services clients of the CA-based Sherman Oaks Veterinary Group. The fund was established several years ago to honor the memory of their beloved dogs, Willie (Lindsay's Bichon Frise) and Coppee (Hillary's Golden Retriever), and serves to discreetly assist pet owners who may be struggling with overwhelming veterinary bills. Endowments that assist pet owners are incredibly important in today's challenged economy, as countless individuals are unable to provide routine care and medically necessary services for their furry friends.

Full item description below.

Perform With Eileen Fulton On AS THE WORLD TURNS

0 comments
May 2010 will be 50 years since Eileen Fulton first debuted on AS THE WORLD TURNS. To celebrate the occasion the show is giving fans a chance to perform on the show with the daytime legend. Fulton is known for her amazing cabaret shows and fans are being asked to upload their best cabaret performance at CBS.com.

Upload a video of yourself singing "You Made Me Love You," "I Ain't Got Nobody" or "After You've Gone" and you could be in the running to appear on AS THE WORLD TURNS in a special tribute episode to honor Eileen Fulton's (Lisa) 50th Anniversary. One lucky winner* will head to New York to perform with Eileen on the show.

Get Started:
1. Upload your video between now and April 13th 11:59 pm PT
2. Return on April 14th to see if you made it to the Top Ten.
3. Vote on your favorite finalist. You and your fellow fans will determine which of the finalist wins the role.

NEWS: First Dot-com, Tradition Media Declining, Claywell

0 comments
First Dot-com Celebrates 25th Birthday
Exactly 25 years ago, on March 15 1985, computer manufacturer Symbolics, Inc registered the first .com web domain ever: symbolics.com. By today’s design standards, and considering how web sites looked back in the late eighties and early nineties, it’s quite decent, although a bit short on content.

Pew Report Shows Traditional Media in Decline
The Pew Research Center's annual Project for Excellence in Journalism "State of the Media" report reads like a grim epitaph of traditional media. National and local TV, newspapers and magazines have endured painful staff cuts as ad revenues continue to evaporate. And while new voices proliferate online and on TV, resources devoted to traditional newsgathering continues to shrink.

Brett Claywell on OLTL's GLAAD Media Award win
"Was a fun night. Would have thought they would have acknowledged our work at least, but not so. Oh well! We still won...I think..."

Kish fans continue to mobilize
The latest effort is SaveKish.com.

Alex Carter returns to HOLLYOAKS
The 27-year-old, who recently anounced his departure from EMMERDALE, is reprising the role of Lee Hunter, who he played between 2001 and 2005, as part of new producer Paul Marquess' shake-up at the soap.

INTERVIEW: EMMERDALE producer Gavin Blyth
"I think the past year has shown our intention going forward. I think the balance is there and it's right for what our audience want. It delivers for all sections of the audience and we haven't alienated any viewers at the expense of others. Any audience of any generation enjoys strong stories with good characterization. We don't have to specifically be writing for an older or younger audience. An intelligent audience can always enjoy watching any generation of character."

Pre-Order Ken Corday's "The Days of Our Lives"

2 comments
On May 4, Sourcebooks is releasing "The Days of our Lives: The True Story of One Family's Dream and the Untold History of Days of our Lives." This new book was written by DAYS OF OUR LIVES executive producer Ken Corday, son of creators Ted and Betty Corday.

Sourcebooks calls the title "an insider memoir" about the family behind the soap, adding that it will show fans "the true stories that drive the fictional ones they love on TV." They go on to say "it is about the family that believed in it, conceived it, and sometimes seemed to live it along with millions of viewers, as they struggled to emerge from nowhere to create and sell one of the most successful and enduring TV shows in history."

You can pre-order the book here.

Sourcebooks is also planning a coffee table-style illustrated book to celebrate the show's 45th anniversary for release in the fall, as well as a number of novels based on DAYS characters.

RESULTS: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

3 comments
Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Daytime Soap of the Week" poll for the week of March 8-12, 2010. DAYS OF OUR LIVES remained on top for the seventh straight week. ONE LIFE TO LIVE dropped out of the Top 3 for the first time ever. Check back on Friday when this week's polling begins.

GLEE Flashmob in Madrid

0 comments
Spanish television channel Neox recently organized a GLEE flashmob in a mall to promote the series in Spain. The cool video below is the result. GLEE returns in the U.S. on April 13.

PREVIEW: Tonight's ABC Family Soap Opera Block

0 comments
The ABC Family Monday soap block features all new episodes of SECRET LIFE and GREEK tonight.

Ricky is ready to fight for visitation of John and asks Ruben for his legal help. George gives Anne an ultimatum – he wants to be married by Leo and Betty’s wedding, which is just one week away. Grace and Ben spend a romantic evening at her house, while Adrian helps Amy enlist friends to make supportive video statements in preparation of Ricky taking her to court. Meanwhile, Ashley contemplates taking her relationship with Grant to the next level, on “I Got You, Babe,” an all-new episode of the hit ABC FAMILY drama series THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER, airing tonight (8:00-9:00PM ET/PT).

Today's Soap World Birthdays

0 comments
Brenda Scott (ex-Gina, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 67
Pricilla Garita (ex-Gabi, SUNSET BEACH; ex-Theresa, PASSIONS; ex-Rita, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Anita, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Kathy, ANOTHER WORLD) - 43
Eva Longoria Parker (Gabrielle, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES; ex-Isabella, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 35
Kellan Lutz (ex-George, 90210) - 25

Born on this day in 1913, longtime DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Macdonald Carey, who died on March 21, 1994.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

WE LOVE SOAPS TV #16 On Set at GENERAL HOSPITAL

2 comments
On Episode #16 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Stephen Seidel goes on location to the GENERAL HOSPITAL studio in Los Angeles and interviews several cast members including Maurice Benard (Sonny), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Lexi Ainsworth (Kristina), Jonathan Jackson (Lucky), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) and Julie Marie Berman (Lulu).



Watch GENERAL HOSPITAL weekdays on ABC and weeknights on SOAPnet.

You can also view this episode in three parts on the We Love Soaps YouTube Channel.

If you want to watch WE LOVE SOAPS TV on iTunes, you can find it here.

If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episoe of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- GENERAL HOSPITAL at ABC.com
- Maurice Benard Official Website
- Nancy Lee Grahn Official Website
- Nancy Lee Grahn on Twitter
- Lexi Ainsworth on Twitter
- Jonathan Jackson Official Website
- Enation (Jonathan Jackson's band)
- Julie Marie Berman Official Website
- Rebecca Herbst Official Website
- Renegade Reporting

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

NEWS: Robert Newman, Bierdz, Harrington, Crackle

1 comments
GUIDING LIGHT flickered one more time for fans at Mohegan Sun
Robert Newman believes soaps have reflected the reality of life over the years, particularly in the beginning. While it’s difficult to keep up with reality TV, Robert believes that giving viewers reality is "what (soaps) do best."

According to Newman, the whole business has changed drastically, "It’s hard for networks to justify the bottom line when they could shoot LET'S MAKE A DEAL with one host instead of paying 20 actors."

PHOTOS: Thom Biedz visits D.C.
Bierdz spent last weekend in Washington D.C. spreading the word of equality for all.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Former soap star Delphi Harrington
The New York Times takes a look at the former WHERE THE HEART IS star's apartment.

Music Review: "DAYS OF OUR LIVES" Soundtrack
Bottom line: this collection of music is much better than any non-fan might assume, but with two hours of music it’s difficult for any composer to stay on target continuously.

Crackle Sees Streams Soar
Original scripted online video isn’t dead. In fact, despite a shakeout in the space, producers continue to pump out new episodic projects. But the medium needs to show more signs of life if it hopes to reignite interest among major advertisers, insist digital buyers. A spark may have come in the past few months in the form of THE BANNEN WAY, an original project from Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Crackle.

It's March Madness Time: Join the We Love Soaps Group

0 comments
It's March which means college basketball is about to enter that crazy period known as March Madness. Once again We Love Soaps has a group that you can join on the ESPN Tournament Challenge site.

The winner of our group will receive a We Love Soaps t-shirt and our utmost respect!

To join the group and add your bracket, click here.

Scott Evans Talks About His Story Ending on OLTL

9 comments
ONE LIFE TO LIVE won the GLAAD Media Award on Saturday night as Outstanding Daily Drama for 2009. Star Scott Evans talked about the upcoming exit of Kyle and Fish from the show.

I think we told a fantastic story. Of course we feel like there's always more places it could go. We told an incredible story. It got a lot of great reactions, maybe one or two not so great ones from people who are closed-minded. Now we're done and moving on and I'm excited to see what's next in store for me.

The Week in Review: Most Popular Posts

0 comments

In case you missed them, here are the 15 most popular topics over the past week at We Love Soaps:

1.   VENICE: The Season One Review
2.   Gays in Daytime: We Have A Long Way To Go
3.   Gays on Indie Soaps: We Have Arrived!
4.   The End of Kish on ONE LIFE TO LIVE
5.   Michael O' Leary Steaming Ahead on STEAMBOAT, Part 1
6.   INDIE SOAP BEAT: March 11, 2010
7.   Michael O'Leary Steaming Ahead on STEAMBOAT, Part 2
8.   NEWS: Peter Reckell, Carlson, B&S Renewed, Univision
9.   50 Greatest Soap Opera Actresses: The Complete List
10. Scott Clifton Out at ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Williams Recurring
11. Drake Hogestyn Joins Cast of REALITY BYTES
12. Getting to Know REALITY BYTES Star Jered Allen
13. Tonja Walker Has Joined The Cast of REALITY BYTES
14. 50 Greatest Soap Opera Actresses: Honorable Mention
15. ONE LIFE TO LIVE Statement on the Kyle/Fish Exit

If you missed any of the latest episodes of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, you can watch them below.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE Wins GLAAD Award

7 comments

The 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards were held last night, March 13, 2010 at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. The event was hosted by Tony Award winner Alan Cumming.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE was named Outstanding Daily Drama, just days after announcing they are writing off popular couple Kyle and Fish.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS was named Outstanding Drama Series.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

0 comments
John Clarke (ex-Mickey, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 78
Tamara Tunie (ex-Jessica, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 51
Melissa Reeves (ex-Jennifer, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Jade, SANTA BARBARA) - 43
 

Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved We Love Soaps