PAIR JUMPERS

In 1975, there was no hotter couple on daytime television than Another World's Steve and Alice. After surviving AW's definitive love triangle of Steve/Alice/Rachel (details here), the newly married couple was finally blissfully happy, even going so far as planning to adopt little ten year old orphan Sally. Alas, it was not to be. While on a business trip to Australia, Steve's plane went down and he was presumed dead. (Which, as we all know, doesn't really mean completely dead, just slightly dead. Not unlike Schrodinger's cat.)

The on-screen cause of Steve's death may have been bad tail winds, but the off-screen reason was an ongoing feud between actor George Reinholt and AW's Headwriter Harding Lemay. While Lemay had many complaints about Reinholt's acting and overall on-set behavior, the biggest bone of contention was their differing takes on Steve Frame's past.

When Reinholt assumed the role, he received no information on Steve's background. So the actor made up his own backstory, deciding that Steve had grown up in working class Pennsylvania and left to make his fortune -- just like Reinholt himself had.

When Lemay took over Headwriting duties at AW, he noticed that Steve had no established background and proceeded to give him one. Lemay decided that Steve had grown up on a farm with multiple brothers and sisters -- just like Lemay had.

When Lemay and Executive Producer Paul Rauch butted heads with Reinholt over the introduction of Willis Frame, one of Steve's many heretofore unmentioned siblings, Reinholt was fired. A few months later, his love-interest, actress Jacqueline Courtney was recast. (For the actors' take on what happened, click here.)

Almost immediately, One Life to Live swept in to hire both actors, creating the characters of star-crossed lovers Tony Lord and Pat Ashley Kendall in the hope that lightening would strike again and the duo would become as big of a sensation in Llanview as they had been in Bay City.

They did not.

Reinholt left OLTL within two years, complaining:

We created the biggest success on daytime on Another World, and Courtney and I saved One Life to Live from going off the air. But they're not grateful. They put me in a dressing room with three other men. They negotiate a contract with me that says they will give me a foot in prime time, but then they turn around and say, No, we'd rather pay you off and let you go. And that's what they've done. So they won't develop me as an artist, so why should I stay there?

Since 1975, several other soaps have attempted to reunite couples who'd been huge on other shows in the hope of mimicking their earlier success.

Mary Beth Evans and Stephen Nichols (Kayla and Patch on DOOL, Katherine and Stefan on GH).
Nancy Lee Grahn and Lane Davies (Julia and Mason on SB, Alexis and Cameron on GH).
Debbie Morgan and Darnell Williams (Angie and Jesse on AMC, Angie and Jacob on The City).
Laura Wright and Paul Anthony Stewart (Ally and Casey on Loving, Cassie and Danny on GL).

None of them were able to duplicate the previous coupling's success. (As always, in the interest of full disclosure, it is very difficult for a single actor associated with a character on one show to make an equally big splash on another show or as another character. Even daytime's biggest names, Genie Francis and Tony Geary couldn't stir up the same passions, separately, as Diana on DOOL or Ceara on AMC, or as Luke's cousin Bill on GH. But the task becomes even more difficult when it's a couple making the attempt.)

There are probably a few more examples I've left off the above list. Do you have a favorite example of Soap Opera Pair Jumpers?

SEX AND THE SOAP-Y

He started his career studying theatrical design at Virginia Commonwealth University. After graduation, he moved to New York, where he apprenticed with theatrical designers, then spent several years in Chicago designing sets, lighting and costumes for opera and theater. Although awards poured in, so did tiny paychecks, and he returned to NYC for his "first real paying job" as an art director for the NBC soap opera "Another World."

More here.

ATWT JUST WANTS TO HAVE FUN!

Cyndi Lauper comes to Oakdale!

Read Entertainment Weekly's coverage, here, and check out our exclusive photos of the big day, above!

PRETTY AS A PICTURE

It's summertime... and the cast of GL is sittin' pretty!

Check out our photos above!

FORESTER AMONG THE TREES

Nicole Forester (aka Nicole Schmidt) never expected to find herself on daytime television but now she is a star of “The Guiding Light” and has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy.

Forester, 35, who is the daughter of Boyne City couple Fred and Yvonne Schmidt, first appeared on the CBS show in 2005 taking over the role of Cassie.

“Cassie is a pretty tough cookie,” Forester said. “She’s very direct and passionate about her family and who she loves.”

Read the entire feature piece, here.

CARLY'S ALL WET

And Maura West (Carly) is an excellent sport.

Tune into As The World Turns next week for the why and how.

Meanwhile, check out this TimesUnion.com piece on another amazing West woman, Maura's 97 year old grandmother, Kathryn!

OOPSIE DAISY

Daisy gets a blast from her not particularly pleasant past when "G" (once again played by Kane Manera), Daisy's old boyfriend who ran down poor Tammy back in 2007, returns to Guiding Light on Monday, June 2.

This time around, "G" reconnects with Daisy... but also catches the eye of another young woman on the canvas.

The biggest surprise, however, may be "G's" secret connection to Springfield. Turns out he's related to someone already on the canvas -- and that somebody isn't too pleased to see "G." Or to see what "G" has turned in to.

Who is the mystery girl? Who is the mystery relative?

Tune into GL this summer and find out!

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

Comin’ in from “The Edge...”
MARIANN’S MIDLIFE MAYHEM & MISCELLANY: Life Happens While You’re Making Plans... You’ve To Go with the Flow

Memorial Day weekend was spent sorting through my mom’s belongings, deciding what to keep and what to donate; packing up my sister’s house on Long Island in preparation for her move back to Chicago in two weeks, and packing up my own stuff to put into storage in anticipation of a move into Manhattan at the end of the summer.

That’s not how it was supposed be.

This time last year, my sister’s household in Chicago was already packed up and on a moving van in preparation for her and my mom to join my sister’s husband in their new home in New York. Back in Los Angeles, everything I hadn’t sold or given away from my apartment was on its way to my sister and brother-in-law’s new home via parcel post in 28 boxes.

My sister had never lived outside of a 25 mile proximity to Chicago, and it had been more than twenty years since I’d lived in New York at the start of my career. This was going to be a great adventure!

But my mom’s health took a turn for the worse, requiring me to be more of a caregiver than I’d anticipated; my sister’s home in Chicago never sold, which meant that she and her husband were carrying two mortgages, and the exec who’d recruited my brother-in-law to his new position got transferred, which meant that the possibilities for advancement my brother-in law had been promised never fully materialized.

Seven months after the start of our great adventure, my brother-in-law was transferred back to Chicago and he moved back into their old home, leaving my sister to put their new house on the market -- before we’d even finished unpacking all the boxes still in the basement -- and to request a transfer back to Chicago where the position she’d vacated had already been filled.

Eight months into the great adventure my mom was hospitalized. Nine months into it, as we were planning to bring her home, we were thrust into planning her funeral and mourning her death.

Life happens.

Today’s column is number 26...which is equal to six months, or half of 52 weeks, which is equal to 12 months...or one year. We’re almost at the halfway mark (since I actually started writing the column just before the beginning of the year) in achieving the goals we established in our New Year’s resolutions.

It’s time for us to take stock of how far we are from where we want to be. And as your “tour guide” on this little journey, it’s time for me to give you an accounting of how well I’ve “walked my talk.”

A lot has happened that I hadn’t planned for. But that’s how life works. It would be easy for me to make excuses for my not being where I wanted to be by this point. After all, my mother just died; I have to move, again, and find a new place to live; my finances are funky due to a recent unanticipated $3,000 worth of dental work (only half of which is covered by insurance), and a really big (life-changing) deal which I thought would be finalized by now is still up in the air due to a couple of sticking points still being negotiated. It would be reasonable to cut myself some slack.

But then that would make me a “slacker.”

I’ve heard it said many times that the difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do the things that unsuccessful people aren’t....like not cutting themselves any slack just because everything doesn’t go according to plan.

When it became obvious to me that my mom couldn’t be left alone, I switched gears from focusing on auditions for soap operas and commercials to developing a career in stand-up comedy, which I could do at night, and working on my writing, which I could do at home during the day.

When mom died and the decision was made for my sister and brother-in-law to move back to Chicago, I had another decision to make as well: stay in New York; move back to LA; move with them to Chicago, or move to North Carolina to be closer to my son and daughter-in-law and my grandkids.

Sometimes things happen that interrupt your plans. Other things happen which can cause you to re-think and possibly change them. Despite the unforeseen circumstances, I chose to recommit myself to my goal of being a consistently working, income-producing actress. To that end, I thought going back to LA, where Iona Morris and I could produce and perform our show, “MOIST!” on weekends, with the hopes of nabbing a corporate sponsor, would be my best bet. In the meantime, income just from doing the show on weekends would be enough to support me while I auditioned for TV, film and commercials. Weeknights I’d hit the comedy clubs and hone my stand-up skills.

But before I left, I thought I’d give New York and daytime another shot by signing up for two workshops conducted by soap opera casting directors, Victoria Visgilio (One Life to Live) and Kate Martineau (As the World Turns) and booking another stand-up gig at Caroline’s.

Both Kate and Victoria were gracious and charming; I committed to staying in touch by photo postcard. The Caroline’s gig resulted in a nice piece of footage for me to post on YouTube.

Then life intervened, again, when a big time New York producer read our “MOIST!” script and told Iona and me that she laughed and blushed when she read it...and decided immediately that she wanted to produce it Off-Broadway.

For the last month, the lawyers have been hammering out “the deal.” And that’s where things stand at the moment...they’re still hammering. These negotiations are a lot more complicated than I’d ever imagined.
But that doesn’t stop the moving van from showing up next week.

So, I’ve decided to put my stuff in storage in New York and go back to Chicago with my sister to help her unpack and get moved in (again). No doubt I’ll also hook up with my old Edge of Night cast-mate, Jennifer Taylor, while I’m there, as well.

Then, it’s off to North Carolina, where I’ve been invited by my son and daughter-in-law to spend the rest of the summer hanging out with them and my grandkids. What happens after that is, for now, still up in the air.

I’ve also decided to go on “hiatus” from writing the column for the summer.

There’s been a lot of change in my life this past year. Writing this column has helped me put it all into perspective and focus on the positive. Hopefully, sharing my experiences have helped you to focus as well.

But, intuitively, I’m feeling the need to “rest up,” right now, for whatever is about to happen next. I am confident that I have been attentive to my goals and diligent in my plans. I feel assured that the soil has been appropriately tilled and that the seeds have been lovingly planted and judiciously watered. I need to relax, now, and allow them the time required to take deep root so they can grow tall.

Besides, as every good television executive knows, there’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned “cliff-hanger” in a season finale to bring the audience back the following season for the premiere episode.

So where will I be and what will I be doing in September?

Stay tuned....

...and stay strong!

XO, Mariann
www.mariannaalda.com

REMEMBER

As we enter the Memorial Day weekend, a look back at some of the soap opera (day and night) talent we've lost recently:

Beverlee McKinsey (Love is a Many Splendored Thing, Another World, Texas, Guiding Light, General Hospital)

Nicolette Goulet (Ryan's Hope, Search for Tomorrow, As The World Turns, Guiding Light)

Shell Kepler (General Hospital, Port Charles)

Stanley Kamel (Days of Our Lives, Rituals, Homefront, Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, General Hospital)

Charlton Heston (Dynasty, The Colbys, The Bold & Beautiful)

FACT CHECK

Stephan Glass made up his articles for The New Republic, Janet Cooke won a Pulitzer prize for a Washington Post story about an eight year old heroin addict (for the record, my husband flagged the tale as a fake the first time he heard it. "Why would a dealer shoot up an eight year old?" he asked. "Eight year olds don't have any money."), and James Frey enraged an even higher authority when his bogus memoir triggered the ire of Oprah.

But the fact that all of the above -- and more -- were able to get away with what they did for as long as they did comes down to a simple truth: nobody checks facts anywhere. Even the easy, take-you-a-couple-of-minutes-on-Google stuff.

To wit, from the very respectable Backstage.com, we get this tale of woe:

Even established actors are being forced to downsize. Talent manager Phil Brock told Back Stage of a married couple, each contract regulars on Guiding Light, who live in Los Angeles. They recently sold their cars -- a Land Rover and an Infiniti -- because they were spending $70 every three days on gas due to audition travel costs.

Let's parse this three sentence paragraph out in order, shall we?

There are currently no contract players on GL who are also a married couple.

Guiding Light tapes in New York, not Los Angeles.

Phil Brock works at Studio Talent Group. Here is their client list. While Brock represents a few former soap people (Jeff Conway, Tom Hallick, James Storm), none of them are currently under contract to any soap opera, and neither are their wives. (For the record, in the interest of being 100 percent accurate, I will concede that the BackStage story doesn't say this is a couple he represents, just one that he knows of.)

Even if we give them a second benefit of the doubt and decline to wonder what, if they are under contract to a soap opera, this mystery couple is driving to audition for (let's say its voice-overs and commercials), the fact remains, in just that one paragraph of a much longer article, someone is lying or someone isn't checking their work. Most likely both.

Don't believe everything you read.

THE FUTURE LEADING LADIES OF ATWT?

How long before Faith (Ashley Greiner), Natalie (Ellery Capshaw) and Sage (Allie Gornenc) take over Oakdale?

HERE COMES THE BRIDE

Jessica Leccia (Natalia; GL) and Brian Malloy were married on May 3 at the Gran Melia Resort in Puerto Rico. J

Joining Jessica and Brian were Guiding Light co-stars Murray Bartlett (Cyrus), Beth Ehlers (Harley), Ricky Paull Goldin (ex-Gus) and Caitlin VanZandt (Ashlee).

Congratulations to the happy couple!

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

Comin’ in from “The Edge...”
MARIANN’S MIDLIFE MAYHEM & MISCELLANY:
When Is An Understudy Not An Understudy?

Answer: When she knows she’s a star.

Last week I went to see a play which is currently running on Broadway. Two of the lead actors were out that night and their understudies went on in their place.

Watching them struggle to fully inhabit their roles, I was reminded of the story of Shirley MacLaine who, some forty years ago, was understudying Carol Haney on Broadway in The Pajama Game when Haney broke her ankle before the opening night performance and MacLaine had to go on in her place.

That was a quite a lucky break for MacLaine. After the glowing reviews came in the next day she was a star! From reading MacLaine’s bio online, though, one discovers that she always saw herself as a star.

Her early childhood dream was to be a ballerina. Because she was so tall, she frequently danced the male parts in ballet recitals. When she came to realize that her body type and the arches and insteps of her feet were ill-suited for ballet, she switched gears to acting, and after graduating from high school, moved to New York City (from Richmond, Virginia) with a goal of acting and dancing on Broadway.

In placement, she may have started out as an understudy, but in her mind, she was already a star...and that’s the powerful energy she brought to the stage.

Unfortunately, the two replacement actors in the show I saw had a self-conscious awareness that they were understudies...to the point that it felt that they were even apologizing to the audience for it in their performances.

Both were very capable actors, but their long list of credits couldn’t quite compensate for that little extra “spark” that was missing. It’s a spark that’s fueled by confidence. It’s a spark fueled by believing that when opportunity knocks, it’s better to give one’s own interpretive performance than an impersonation of somebody else’s interpretation.

Even in real life, it’s easy to get caught up in “playing the role” (of all-knowing boss, model employee, doting mom, perfect husband) the way we think it’s supposed to be played according to how we’ve seen others do it instead of trusting our gut and going with our own instincts. This keeps us in the mode of constantly trying to do something instead of just doing it. It saps energy from our spark. It dims the wattage of our “star” power. It stunts our growth and discovery of finding our own (new) way of doing things.

So, here’s something to think about as you go about your regular activities this week. Observe your approach to them and ask yourself these questions: In what ways have I been an understudy in my own life? Do I want to continue to play it “safe”...or do I want to become a star?

Have a great week!
Mariann
www.mariannaalda.com

MEANWHILE, DOWN IN MARCO ISLAND...

The actors, in Marco over the weekend for the Southwest Florida Soapfest, arrived Saturday morning at the Marco Island Center for the Arts to pitch in with a program called Art for Autism. The event paired the soap stars with children and young adults, many of whom have autism or other special needs... Sonny worked on a painting of a sailboat with "As the World Turns" star Justine Cotsonas before getting distracted and scurrying around the crowded rooms... Ewa da Cruz, who plays Vienna Hyatt on "As the World Turns," said she was touched by the experience.

Get the complete story, here.

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

Just last week, I sang the praises of PGP alum James Rebhorn, a man who gets hired to play the slimiest of the slimiest slime and then darn if he doesn't make the character not exactly likable but at least somewhat... understandable. When Bradley Raines took the stand in Springfield to explain why he beat and raped his stepdaughter, Rebhorn managed to make the man sound nuts... but sympathetic, too. Still trying to figure out twenty-plus years later how he did it.

Now comes this item from Hoosier country HeraldBulletin.com, which raves about their native son:
Rebhorn is continuing to add credits to his name.

From daytime television stints on “Guiding Light” and “As the World Turns” to prime-time television shows like “Law & Order” and “The Practice,” Rebhorn, an alumnus of Madison Heights High School, has dominated the small screen. He has also played large roles in Hollywood blockbusters like “Basic Instinct” (1992), “Independence Day” (1996), “The Game” (1997), “I Love Trouble” (1994), “Carlito’s Way” (1993), “Meet the Parents” (2000) and “Cold Mountain” (2003). Viewers can catch Rebhorn playing a judge in the new Tina Fey comedy “Baby Mama,” in theaters now. (Ed. note: IMHO, neither primetime nor the big screen have come close to showing what Rebhorn at the top of his game is capable of. They tend to cast him as The Bad Guy. No depth, no nuance.)

Also mentioned in the piece is multi-Emmy winner David Canary (Adam, AMC), who started his daytime career on PGP's Another World and Search for Tomorrow.

Check it out!

SPAULDING: THE NEXT GENERATION

(Caleb) Collins, a 6- year-old student at Laurel Elementary School, is a recurring character on CBS's afternoon soap opera, "Guiding Light." He plays James Spaulding, the son of Beth and Phillip Spaulding.

"It feels kind of weird when I see myself on TV," Caleb said. "How can I be here and there at the same time?"

Read the entire interview, here.

Fun fact: The first actor to play James' dad, Phillip, Jarrod Ross (black and white photo above), was also six years old when he assumed his role. Young Jarrod played Alan's (and Elizabeth's, and Jackie's and Justin's; get the whole story here) pride and joy for four years. In 1981, Phillip, whose voice was just starting to change, was shipped off to boarding school. Where, as things are wont to happen in Springfield and its neighboring towns, he returned a year later played by strapping twentysomething Grant Aleksander.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: TODD ROTONDI (EX-BRYANT; ATWT)

The small, Indy-film is about a man who gets his heart broken by a young woman and enlists the services of the heartbreaker — a specialist in making women fall in love with him before crushing their hearts — in the hope of regaining the love of his life.

Winchester native Alec Ward wrote the film, which stars Todd Rotondi, who also grew up in town.

More, here.

WOW, VAN ZANDT!

Art is imitating life on "Guiding Light" these days because CAITLIN VAN ZANDT, who plays Ashlee on the CBS soap, had lap-band surgery -- and there is no way the actress, who weighs more than 200 pounds, can shed the weight without her character doing the same.

ET was with the 22-year-old soap star as she began the process and we are with her two-and-a-half months later to show you her 30 pounds lighter.

Read the story and view the video, here.

MARCO, MARCO, MARCO!

Three daytime TV stars coming to Marco Island for the 10th annual Southwest Florida Soapfest this weekend have been nominated for Emmys.

Trent Dawson, Van Hansis and Tom Pelphrey are anxiously awaiting the 35th annual Daytime TV Emmy Awards on June 2.

Read an interview with Trent, here.

STRIKE A POSE: ATWT STYLE

Oakdale's Meredith Hagner (Liberty), Colleen Zenk Pinter (Barbara), Austin Peck (Brad) and Terri Colombino (Katie).

LAUDING LILLIAN

Tina Sloan (Lillian) is celebrating her 25th anniversary with Guiding Light this month.

Tina joined the show in 1983 as the abused wife of vicious sociopath Bradley (James Rebhorn -- who would go on to play an even more vicious sociopath on ATWT). Lillian was so cowed by her violent husband that she turned a blind eye to the abuse Bradley was also inflicting on Lillian's daughter, Beth. Bradley ended up raping his stepdaughter. (On ATWT, Rebhorn's character went a step further and raped his own biological daughter.)

Beth Chamberlin has played Beth on and off since 1989. She lauded Tina with the following:

“To say that Tina is the best TV mom anyone could ask for, doesn't begin to touch just how much she has meant to me over the years. She has protected me, mentored me, inspired me and prodded me (I occasionally need this). By her example, she has taught me to be a better actress, friend, and co-worker. She is gracious, elegant and vivacious. I consider it one of the great good fortunes of my life to have been put into her beautiful orbit.”

You can visit www.guidinglight.net to see a vintage Lillian clip in the Whats News section.

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

Comin’ in from “The Edge...”
MARIANN’S MIDLIFE MAYHEM & MISCELLANY:
40 Tips for Better Life in 2008

A friend of mine who’s been dealing with a serious debilitating illness for more than 20 years sent me this in an e-mail on Mother’s Day.

While his disease is life-threatening and he’s had a number of “close-calls” during this time, he doesn’t dwell on his disease and is one of the most joyful people I know. If he’s a follower of these 40 tips, maybe this is why!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. REMEMBER GOD heals everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!)

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door!

Onward!
Mariann
www.mariannaalda.com

GL GURU

His name is David Brandon, he is a producer, and he is Guiding Light's Emmy guru.

Read an interview with Kim Zimmer (Reva) or any other GL Emmy nominee and you'll hear about it: David is THE man to go to when picking out tapes to submit. Tapes that get you nominated.

Here, the expert speaks to Variety about the entire process:

"Guiding Light" producer David Brandon feels that the screening method is rigorous but worthwhile and ultimately benefits newer actors such as "Light's" Nicole Forester, who earned a lead actress nomination. By viewing the performances first hand, voters are marking off their ballot for actors that they've seen, rather than just based on the reputation of the thesp.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: ROSEMARY PRINZ (EX-PENNY; ATWT)

The woman who put the super in daytime's first supercouple, Rosemary Prinz, hits the stage.

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

Gina Tognoni (Dinah), Beth Ehlers (Harley), Nicole Forester (Cassie) and Elizabeth Keifer (Blake) cut loose with some prop grapes during a break in shooting.

What brings these four very different Springfield ladies to a mid-day picnic in the park? Find out next week, only on Guiding Light!

HOSPITAL HELPER

Colleen Zenk Pinter (Barbara; ATWT) was recently the guest speaker at a dinner hosted by Yale-New Haven Hospital to celebrate construction progress of the new Smilow Cancer Hospital.

Zenk Pinter is an oral cancer survivor and spoke about her personal experience and the expert care she received at YNHH.

She is pictured here with one of her treating physicians, Yung Son, MD, a radiation oncologist who also spoke at the event.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

ATWT's Emily (Kelley Menighan Hensley) with Tom Hughes (Scott Holmes), Chris Hughes (Dylan Bruce) and Casey Hughes (Billy Magnussen).

Nothing.

No reason.

Just some pictures.

EMMY-PALOOZA

B&B star and occasional director Susan Flannery (Stephanie) visited the set of Guiding Light for a hand's-on demonstration of the show's new production techniques.

There, she posed with GL star Kim Zimmer (Reva) and Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler.

Not counting awards won for Directing and Outstanding Show, the three Ladies above have ten acting Emmys between them (four for Flannery, four for Zimmer and two for Wheeler).

R.I.P.

An obituary for the late, great Beverlee McKinsey in The Chicago Tribute.

Info about her most famous character, Another World and Texas' Iris, here and here.

SING OUT, RON!

Ron Raines (Alan; GL) will join Kristin Chenoweth, Brian d'Arcy James, Harvey Fierstein, Sheldon Harnick, Sally Mayes, Phyllis Newman, Neva Small, and KT Sullivan to help Encompass New Opera Theatre celebrate the 80th birthday of legendary composer Jerry Bock with a Gala Musical Salute and Tribute at 6pm on Sunday, May 18 at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South, New York City).

Bock's Broadway credits include the shows Fiorello!, She Loves Me, The Apple Tree, and Fiddler on the Roof, all of which were written with Harnick.

For reservations and information, call 718-398-4675 or email encompassopera@yahoo.com

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

Comin’ in from “The Edge...”
MARIANN’S MIDLIFE MAYHEM & MISCELLANY:
This Just In...

In television journalism, this has been what would be called “a slow news week” for me. Usually something happens during the week that triggers a desire to write about it, but this week, I just didn’t feel “the fire,” so I’ve been sitting in front of my computer and staring at a blank screen for a while now trying to figure out what to write about, and I keep coming up, well...blank.

Usually, I’d at least have completed a first draft of my column by now and I’d be putting a polish on it and doing some editing and checking for typos before e-mailing it in. But this has been a pretty mundane and uneventful week. Let’s see...

...I helped my sister pack some boxes for her move back to Chicago. I spent a lot of time on the phone with Iona and our entertainment attorney on a project we’re working on but can’t make an announcement about till all the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted on the contract. (Trying to build a little suspense here :-).

Hmmm...maybe I’m a little melancholy about the fact that I’ve got a birthday this week and that this will be the first Mother’s Day without my Mom? Could that be why I’ve been feeling a little sluggish?

Wait, a minute, I just thought of something to write about!

Last Friday night, my sister and I went to see WEBEIME, a play which closed this weekend at NYC’s Negro Ensemble Company and which starred two former soap opera luminaries: Donn Swaby, who played “Chad Harris” on Passions, and Lamann Rucker, who played “Garret Williams” on All My Children and “Marshall Travers” on As the World Turns.

Watching the powerful performances from all eight members of this phenomenally talented young (mid 20’s to mid 30’s) black male cast, I couldn’t help but think about the difficulties they would have to face in order to sustain acting careers which would allow them to continue developing their artistry, much less allow them to make a living.

With a birthday looming, and being a couple decades their senior, I also remember thinking how fortunate I was to have already weathered that storm and to still be as passionate as ever about continuing in my career as an actor.

How did I manage to do that in an industry renowned for hardship and difficulty in achieving even a modicum of success? That’s simple: commitment....like committing to not walking away from the computer until I got at least something down on paper.

Yep, it’s pretty simple, but it ain’t always easy. So that’s the lesson I want to share with you in this week’s column...and now I’m going to bed.

Hang in there!

Mariann
www.mariannaalda.com

WORLD WITHOUT END

Sunday, May 4 marked forty-four years since Another World premiered on NBC.

The first soap to extend to an hour, then ninety minutes (then back to an hour), the first soap to cross a character over from one show to another (Guiding Light's Mike Bauer and his young daughter, Hope, temporarily relocated from Springfield to Bay City), and the first to launch a pair of spin-offs, Somerset and Texas, Another World, despite going off the air in 1999, continues to hold a variety of genre records.

Their classic triangle of Rachel, Steve and Alice set the standard for angelic rich girl fights social-climbing poor girl for self-made stud (with a good number of viewers rooting for the supposed bad girl), while Iris Cory practically defined the selfish, spoiled Daddy's pet.

Read all about Another World's glory days here, here and here.

Then tune in to the AOL/PGP Classic Soap Channel to watch the action for yourself!

MARJ ON!

Marj Dusay doesn’t think that "Guiding Light’s" Alexandra Spaulding is a villainess.

"She’s self-centered," Dusay said during a press conference for celebrities Friday afternoon in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church of Winchester. "She would do anything for her family — no matter what — and you can underline that."

Dusay knows whereof she speaks. In 1995, she won a daytime Emmy for her portrayal of Spaulding on CBS’ record-setting soap opera. (Ed. note: Marj has never won an Emmy for playing Alex. She was nominated twice for her guest starring roles on The Fact of Life.)

She is making several appearances in Winchester as part of the 81st Apple Blossom Festival and served as "Ambassador from the Nations" earlier that day at the coronation of Queen Shenandoah LXXXI Jaqui Rice.

Entire interview, here.

ATWT IN STRANGE PLACES

HARTFORD - House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, experiences plenty of daytime drama during debates at the Capitol.

But he took a brief break from legislative business yesterday to tune in to his son's live acting debut on a fictional soap opera.

Christopher Cafero, 19, who honed his acting talents at Brien McMahon High School, began his run yesterday in the first of six planned episodes of CBS' "As the World Turns."

Complete story, here.

THE NEWEST SNYDER MAN

Meet ATWT's Ethan.

Barely walking, already showing off his abs...

FAMILY PHOTO FUN

A picture of Guiding Light Vanessa's off-spring, Dinah (dad - Ross Marler), Bill (dad - Billy Lewis), and Maureen (dad - Matt Reardon).

Of course, this being daytime, no list of children can ever be confirmed complete. But these are the ones that we know of.

EMMY EXPERTS

Tom O'Neill, who writes over at Gold Derby, is considered an Emmy expert, thanks to his literally having written the book on the subject.

The LA Times printed his predictions for who will score nods at this year's Daytime Emmys. Let's compare his picks against the actual nominees.

BEST DRAMA SERIES
Tom's picks: "As the World Turns," "One Life to Live," "General Hospital," "The Bold and the Beautiful"
2008 Nominees: "General Hospital," "Guiding Light," "One Life to Live," "Young & Restless"

BEST ACTRESS
Tom's picks: Martha Byrne (Lily Snyder, "As the World Turns," CBS), Erika Slezak (Victoria "Viki" Lord, "One Life To Live," ABC), Bobbie Eakes (Krystal Carey Chandler Martin, "All My Children," ABC), Jeanne Cooper (Katherine "Kay" Chanceller, "The Young and the Restless," CBS), Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester, "The Bold and the Beautiful," CBS)
2008 Nominees: Maura West (Carly; ATWT), Crystal Chappell (Olivia; GL), Nicole Forester (Cassie; GL), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis; Y&R), Jeanne Cooper (Katherine; Y&R)

BEST ACTOR
Tom's picks: David Canary (Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler, "All My Children," ABC), Ricky Paull Goldin (Gus Atoiro, "The Guiding Light," CBS), Robert S. Woods (Bo Buchanan, "One Life to Live," ABC), Jerry Ver Dorn (Clint Buchanan, "One Life To Live," ABC), Scott Bryce (Craig Montgomery, "As The World Turns," CBS)
2008 Nominees: David Canary (Adam/Stuart; AMC), Thaao Penghlis (Tony; DOOL), Anthony Geary (Luke; GH), Peter Bergman (Jack; Y&R), Christian Le Blanc (Michael; Y&R)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tom's picks:Heather Tom (Katie Logan, "The Bold and the Beautiful," CBS), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane Miller, "General Hospital," ABC),Gina Tognoni (Dinah Mahrler, "Guiding Light," CBS),Kathy Brier (Marcie Walsh McBain, "One Life to Live," ABC),Catherine Hickland (Lindsay Rappaort, "One Life to Live," ABC)
2008 Nominees: Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily; ATWT), Heather Tom (Katie; B&B), Judi Evans (Bonnie/Adrienne; DOOL), Gina Tognoni (Dinah; GL), Tracey Bregman (Lauren; Y&R)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom's picks:
Grayson McCouch (Dusty Donovan, "As the World Turns," CBS), Ted Shackelford (Jeffery Bardwell, "The Young and the Restless," CBS), Rick Hearst (Rick Lansing, "General Hospital," ABC), William De Vry (Storm Logan, "The Bold and the Beautiful," CBS), Bradford J. Anderson (Damien Spinelli, "General Hospital," ABC)
2008 Nominees: Trent Dawson (Henry; ATWT), Daniel Cosgrove (Bill; GL), Brian Kerwin (Charlie; OLTL), Kristoff St. John (Neil; Y&R), Greg Rikaart (Kevin; Y&R)

BEST YOUNGER ACTRESS
Tom's Picks: Kirsten Storms (Maxie Jones, "General Hospital," ABC), Jennifer Landon (Gwen Munson, "As the World Turns," CBS), Brittany Underwood (Langston Wilde, "One Life to Live," ABC), Alexandra Chando (Maddie Coleman, "As the World Turns," CBS), Leven Ramblin (Lily Montgomery and Ava Montgomery, "All My Children," ABC)
2008 Nominees: Jennifer Landon (Gwen; ATWT), Rachel Melvin (Chelsea; DOOL), Vail Bloom (Heather; Y&R), Emily O'Brien (Jana; Y&R), Tamsin Sursok (Colleen; Y&R)

BEST YOUNGER ACTOR
Tom's picks:Van Hansis (Luke Snyder, "As the World Turns," CBS), Josh Duhon (Logan Hayes, "General Hospital," ABC),Jesse Lee Sofer (Will Munson, "As the World Turns," CBS),Tom Phelphrey (Jonathan Randall, "Guiding Light," CBS),John Driscoll (Henry "Coop" Cooper, "Guiding Light," CBS)
2008 Nominees: Van Hansis (Luke, ATWT), Jesse Lee Soffer (Will; ATWT), Darin Brooks (Max; DOOL), Tom Pelphrey (Jonathan; GL), Bryton McClure (Devon; Y&R)

So that's an expert's predictions vs. reality. How did you do on yours?