Thursday, January 15, 2009

THORPE FAMILY REUNION - ONCE REMOVED

When Emmy winner Michael Zaslow, who'd brought Guiding Light's multi-faceted uber-villain Roger Thorpe to life for many years, passed away on December 6, 1998 at the age of 56 due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, he left behind a wife, psychologist/writer Susan Hufford, and two daughters, Marika and Helena.

In 2004, 19 year old Helena passed away due to a drug overdose triggered by depression, and in 2006, Susan Hufford succumbed to cancer.

This left Marika Hufford-Zaslow, then in her early 20s tragically on her own.

In a happy update, the NYU Graduate School of Social Work student is currently an intern at Dorot, a Jewish not-for-profit, multi-service agency that extends a lifeline of support to the homebound elderly, and, on May 24, 2008, she wed Saxton Pope, whom she met when they were both RAs at Sarah Lawrence. The wedding, as planned by Marika and Saxton, was completely green.



One of the readers at their wedding was Sherry Stringfield, who played Roger's daughter, Blake, on Guiding Light from 1989 to 1992. Sherry's daughter, Pheobe, who is Marika's goddaughter, was the flower girl, and Sherry's son, Milo, was a ring-bearer.



Family friend Blythe Danner also read.



In 2005, Susan Hufford published Not That Man Anymore, a book Michael had started before his death. Marika continues to make it available in both print and e-versions through iUniverse.

6 comments:

SuperSage said...

Michael Zaslow is missed on GL. It was a shame he couldn't continue on the show until he was unable to do so.

Naphiah said...

Hi. I don't know whom to tell, it is December 6, Michael Zaslow's yarzheit, and by sheer happenstance, I am watching him in a Law and Order episode and looked him up and learned it's been 19 years since he left us. He remains a wonderful and comforting actor.

Unknown said...

Forever a fan and he'll never be forgotten!! There are very few men as eloquent he put the bar very high!!

Unknown said...

He was a gifted actor who brought nuanced layers to Roger, so I wrote a fan letter in 1974 and was surprised to get a reply. I still have it.😊

Unknown said...

Gone but never forgotten! 😔

Unknown said...

Such an extremely sad and awful way to go. And Marika to see her whole family gone. Thank God she has someone now.