Friday, July 13, 2012

50 Greatest Soap Couples: #44 Phil & Tara From ALL MY CHILDREN

COUPLE: Phil Brent & Tara Martin
SHOW: ALL MY CHILDREN
RANK: 44
PLAYED BY:
Phil: Richard Hatch, Nick Benedict, Jordan Charney
Tara: Karen Lynn Gorney, Stephanie Braxton, Nancy Frangione, Mary Lynn Blanks
YEARS: 1970-1979

STORY:
When ALL MY CHILDREN premiered in 1970, Tara was attending Pine Valley High along with Phil, Chuck Tyler and Erica Kane. Tara and Phil fell in love and started talking about marriage but a series of complications, including Phil's adoption (devious Erica spilled the beans), his adopted father Ted's death, and subsequent amnesia, tore them apart.  Tara ended up dating Phil's best friend, Chuck, instead.  When Phil returned to town he fell in love with Tara all over again.  They slept together (causing in a pregnancy the ultimately led to Little Philip aka Charlie Brent being born) but Phil left for Vietnam after being drafted.  When he returned (after being MIA) Tara and Chuck was married and Phil turned to Erica eventually marrying her.   In 1976 Phil and Tara finally married.

IMPACT:
The love story of Phil and Tara, along with Chuck and Erica, helped to put ALL MY CHILDREN on the map throughout the 1970s.  Agnes Nixon crafted a beautifully complicated romance that took years to play out and fans rooting strongly.   Their son Charlie would factor into story over the next two decades of ALL MY CHILDREN.

CLASSIC CLIPS:
- Tara talks to Joe about growing up, grows closer to Phil, and gets married
- Erica Kane wants the last laugh with Phil & Tara

Read more about the Phil & Tara love story here.

Share your thoughts on Phil and Tara in our Comments section below or on our message board.

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1 comment:

  1. Oh Phil n Tara I loved them so!It was never the same after Richard Hatch left.

    ReplyDelete