GUEST COLUMN: MARIANN AALDA (DIDI; EDGE OF NIGHT)

Comin’ in from “The Edge”…

MARIANN’S MIDLIFE MAYHEM & MISCELLANY:

Catching Up With Lela Ivey (aka “Mitzi Martin”)

Dear Mariann:

It has been great reading your posts on the P&G Soap Blog over the last few months. I was a big fan of "Edge" during the time you were on the show and was very sad when it ended. It is so hard to believe that next year will be 25 years since the cancellation!

At least, however, we've had the chance to see you in a variety of other parts since the show ended. Too many of your talented co-stars have either passed away, retired or weren’t quite so lucky in their post-Edge acting careers. I particularly enjoyed the work of Joel Crothers and Dennis Parker and both passed away way, way, way too soon, as did the wonderful Irving Allen Lee (whom I remember turning up all too briefly on As The World Turns post-Edge).

I hope that sometime soon you can give us some updates on the actors that are still around and that we haven't seen on our TV or movie screens in awhile; e.g. Ernie Townsend, Ann Flood, Mark Arnold (amongst my other faves on the show). Soap fans have l-o-n-g memories and it would be great to hear more about these actors we fondly remember.

Continued good luck in your acting pursuits. I am a lawyer by trade and by day, and singer on the side, so I know how tough it can be to keep pursuing one's "art" while satisfying all of life's other demands.

Robert Wargo
Los Angeles , CA

* * *

Well Robert, as much as I can, I aim to please, so here’s an update on the wonderfully talented Lela Ivey, who played my roommate, “Mitzi Martin,” during my residency in Edge of Night’ s fictional town of Monticello -- and with whom I enjoyed playing many fun, comedy scenes. While she was in LA, we also participated in the sketch comedy troupe, Small-Breasted Women , together. Unfortunately, the troupe went…uhh, bust. Ba-dum-bump!

LELA IVEY

Photo: Lawrence Cosentino, Lansing City Pulse

In addition to acting, Lela is now a filmmaker, director and faculty member in the Humanities & Performing Arts Department at Lansing Community College in Lansing Michigan , where she grew up. You can find out more in this on-line interview with Lela at LansingCityPulse.com.

After a short introductory scene between “Jodi” (Kerry Emerson) and “Beth” (Sandy Faison) you can see Lela in a clip with a very recognizable, young “Desperate Housewife,” here!

Enjoy!

Mariann

www.mariannaalda.com

Mariann also blogs at : Lee Bailey’s Electronic Urban Report