Friday, February 27, 2009


MINDY'S MEME

Mindy comes home to Guiding Light on Friday, March 6. (To catch up on her history, click here.)

But you don't have to wait until then to find out what Billy's princess has been up to since decamping Springfield for Paris.

Like so many other successful young people these days, Melinda Sue Lewis has her own Twitter account: http://twitter.com/melindasuelewis

Click on the link above to get real-time updates from Mindy as she prepares to attend her 25th High School Reunion. Find out what Mindy is thinking, feeling and planning to wear -- not mention whom she is secretly hoping to run into.

Those with their own Twitter accounts (sign up at www.Twitter.com it's free!) can even talk directly to Mindy, and have her answer back!

Show your cyber-support for Guiding Light and the character of Mindy Lewis -- and get an exclusive preview of the Four Musketeer reunion to come!
A CALL TO ARMS

Yesterday, within minutes of each other, I received two different As The World Turns reader requests.

One for a spoiler photo of Paul and Emily...



And one for a pic of Luke and Noah.



Enjoy!

(Obviously arms and their myriads of uses is a big upcoming theme of the show... On another note, anyone wonder why Noah has to wear a suit and tie to come to work while Luke gets away with jeans and a hoodie? Oh, wait, I remember -- Luke's the boss. He can do whatever he wants. And people say soaps aren't realistic!)

Thursday, February 26, 2009


DOCTOR, DOCTOR


Paul Fitzgerald returns to Guiding Light as Reva’s doctor, Colin McCabe, on Wednesday, March 4.



Looks like Reva is in good hands, now.
A GL QUESTION

I realize there's supposed to be global warming and all, but, seriously, doesn't Grady ever get cold?

It's snowing, man. Button your shirt!
BABY MAMA DRAMA: ATWT



Now that Vienna has volunteered to be a surrogate mother for Katie, Brad is obviously quite into the arrangement.



Henry, however, not so much...



Only next week, only on As The World Turns!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: JAMES GOODWIN (EX-KEVIN, AW; EX-JOHNNY, GL)

James Goodwin made his daytime debut on Guiding Light in 1986, playing long-lost Bauer cousin Johnny. Johnny had been unwittingly involved in a drug smuggling ring in Europe (as you may have guessed, there was a beautiful woman involved) and when Alan Spaulding learned Johnny's secret, he thought it would only be fair to have Johnny do a little smuggling for him. (Alan is very big on hiring people with experience.) Eventually, Johnny became engaged to Roxie Shayne. When Johnny faced dying from cancer, however, Roxie suffered a nervous breakdown and was sent to Switzerland for treatment. Johnny next became engaged to Chelsea Reardon. The two faced down a crazed stalker, but when Roxie showed sign of recovery, Johnny returned to his earlier love and left town.

In 1991, Goodwin resurfaced on another PGP soap, Another World. There, he played Kevin Anderson, a DA with a mysterious connection to Jake McKinnon.

Kevin went off to jail two years later, and the actor who brought him to life went on with his career. Today, the PGP Classic Soaps Blog finds out: Where is James Goodwin now?



PGP: Do you remember your audition for Another World? Whom did you audition with? How was the character described to you? Did you know, going in, that Kevin would turn out to be Jake's brother, and did that color your performance?

JG: Actually, I never auditioned for Another World. I had been off of Guiding Light for about six months and I received a call from my agent stating that a former writer from Guiding Light, Melissa Salmons I believe, was curious to know if I would be interested in playing the part of the assistant D.A in an upcoming trial. I was told it would be short term for about six months, but could turn into something more. Well, it turned into something more once I said I was interested, and they signed me to a two year contract with no specifics as to the direction of the character. However, when I would have scenes with Tom Eplin they would tell me: There is some bad blood here, but we can’t tell you what it is about. So yes, there was some color, but it was totally fabricated on my part, until it came out that I was his father’s bastard son.

What was interesting is that I was working with Judi Evans (Paulina), who had been my screen test partner at Guiding Light, but left the show before Johnny Bauer showed up in Springfield. Let me tell you, that girl knew how to screen-test the new talent. I am blushing just thinking about it.

PGP: What is your favorite storyline or scene from your time in Bay City? Do you keep in touch with any of your former co-stars?

JG: There were a series of scenes that took place between Lorna and Kevin when their relationship was just beginning, that is the most memorable. They went for a weekend in the country and were breaking down each other’s emotional barriers, which ended in a great montage of scenes beginning in an old fashioned copper bath tub to…need I say more. It was beautifully directed and really solidified the two as a romantic couple on the show.

I have not kept up with anyone from the Bay City area, but am always happy to see when Alicia Coppola (Lorna) has a new project. She is on the verge of greatness, I am sure. It was always a pleasure to work with Alicia and Linda Dano (Felicia). They could pick up a script that morning and give an Emmy award winning performance in a matter of hours. What a gift.

PGP: Since Kevin was the DA, you often had a lot of legalese and speeches to wade through. What's harder to get through, that sort of technical dialogue, or a virtually wordless love scene?

JG: I have always been a hopeless romantic, so I would say the love scenes were a no-brainer for me. And most of the lawyers I have met out in the real world were actually frustrated thespians, so I have to say those weren't so bad either.

PGP: Prior to AW, you were Johnny Bauer on Guiding Light. What was your first soap experience like? How did you get used to memorizing all of that dialogue?

JG: I was very fortunate to have been able to come to New York City with a job right out of grad school. I had a “League” audition at Julliard School with grads from ten other M.F.A. programs across the country. After the audition, I returned back to Dallas, but Betty Rea (casting director extraordinaire) had contacted an agent I was considering for representation to see if I would be willing to audition for Guiding Light. I had no funds to be flying back and forth for "go-see" auditions. The agent called and said they would fly me in to screen test. They didn't have a role in mind, but would send some sides for the current character "Simon." I flew in the day before, stayed at the Plaza Hotel, took the subway (wrong direction at first, heck I grew up on a farm -- what did I know?) to the studio. I filmed the screen test with Judi Evans (then-Beth) which was capped off by a kiss. No one was saying "cut" so I proceeded to remove her top. Then they yelled cut. I walked out not sure how things went, but called in to my agent an hour later at the corner of 80th and 8th Avenue and was told I had a part. It wasn't written yet, but I had "a" part. I yelled at the top of my lungs. But, of course this being New York City, no one paid the least bit of attention. A few weeks later I was told the character’s name was Johnny Bauer, and the rest is history. Memorizing dialogue was never a huge issue for me. But you do get even better over time.

PGP: Johnny's most memorable story was about his battle with cancer. First, he considered committing suicide. How, as an actor, did you get into Johnny's frame of mind for those scenes?

JG: One of the producer’s at the time, Kathy Chambers, was a cancer survivor and we had a lot of heart to heart talks. I also read Elisabeth Kubler Ross’s On Death and Dying. This book dealt with the five stages of grief once you have been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. I think Johnny’s suicide attempt is what finally made him accept the fact that he was dying and at that point I believe he "let go and let God."

PGP: Afterwards, Johnny decided to use holistic medicine. Did you do much research on the subject? Do you feel like that story, which also included the healing power of community prayer, was ahead of its time?

JG: I had a terrific movement instructor in graduate school by the name of Jim Hancock, who had the gift of healing people with his hands. I don’t mean in a “miracle” type scenario, but he helped people let go of the emotional pain that was held within their bodies, which I believe can lead to ailments. So I knew a lot about the mindset behind where they were taking the story. I was also aware of people being healed by eating macrobiotic diets. I knew there was some validity to this. I was also caught up to some degree in the spiritual movement at the time. It was my belief then and it is my belief now that one needs to be open to all avenues available to them, medical or holistic. I understood the story they were trying to tell, but I didn't want people to think that this was the one and only way to healing. I felt we needed to be responsible to our audience and make sure they were using all avenues to heal themselves. I was grateful however that they went in this direction as I was told later they had originally planned to let Johnny die!

PGP: Where do you think "Johnny" and "Kevin" are now? More importantly, how would you answer the question: Where is James Goodwin now?

JG: Well, I believe Kevin is probably out of prison for trying to kill Carl Hutchins and is a community advocate for the coal miners where his father worked.... Johnny helped Roxie recover and they are now living happily ever after with their three children in Oklahoma, Roxie's home state.... I am now living in Austin, TX with Michelle, my wife of 25 years, my sons Zane, a sophomore in genetic engineering at St. Edward’s University, and Ben, a Junior in High School, and my two Welsh Pembroke Corgis, Oscar and Ellie. I now perform on a regular basis at the Zachary Scott Theatre (zachtheatre.org) and am currently performing in the World Premiere production of Steven Dietz’s Shooting Star which runs until April 5. Although acting is my hobby now, it is what gives me true joy. I have been very fortunate to have found a home in a cutting edge theatre deep in the heart of Texas. I met a lot of terrific people during my years in daytime and am grateful for having had the experience.



To learn more about Shooting Star, click here. (Goodwin is pictured above with co-star Barbara Chisholm.)

And to watch Kevin Anderson in action, check out the episodes of Another World now running on Hulu.com!
FROM BOSNIA WITH LIES

Lev Gorn and Uma Incrocci play Mr. and Mrs. Kovac, a couple who give Guiding Light's Mallet and Dinah trouble in Bosnia on Wednesday, March 4.

Gorn previously appeared as Anatoly on As The World Turns, Dushinsky on Law & Order, Anton on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Pravsha on Brotherhood.

Type-casting, anyone?

He also lists under the Special Skills section of his resume: French kissing.

Incrocci has appeared in the independent film Slapstick World of Childcare.

Sounds like Dinah and Mallet are in for an interesting time in Bosnia!
ACTOR APPEARANCE: AS THE WORLD TURNS

Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily), Jon Hensley (Holden), Michael Park (Jack), and Martha Byrne (ex-Lily) are scheduled to attend the Inaugural Angels for Hope Gala on Friday, May 29 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at The Estate at Florentine Gardens, which is located at 97 Rivervale Road in River Vale, NJ.

Angels for Hope is the first major fundraising event to be held on behalf of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Bergen County.

Guests will enjoy a night of fine dining, cocktails, music and dancing along with a unique live and silent auction.



Tickets are $200 each and seating is limited. Please reserve early.

Please visit
www.stjude.org/angelsforhope for reservations.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009


ATWT: PREGNANT PAUSE

Henry has a new business idea. Click here to find out what inspired it!
ATWT: PARENTAL CONTROLS



As everyone in Oakdale picks sides over who is going to be Johnny's one and only father, does anyone remember about the one and only mother he's ever known?



Bet Johnny remembers.

Then again, maybe he's got other things on his mind... (oh, kids today, so plugged in...)



Stay tuned for this most unusual family reunion, only on As The World Turns!
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: ASHLEY PELDON (EX-MARAH; GUIDING LIGHT)

Ashley Peldon made her GL debut in 1989 as Reva and Josh's daughter, Marah Shayne Lewis. Previously, the then-four-year old had appeared opposite Bette Midler in Stella and Diane Keaton in The Lemon Sisters. She stayed on the show for two years, leaving in 1991 when Josh, devastated by Reva's death and unfulfilled by his new relationship with Harley, took off for Europe with Marah and Shayne in tow. The actress went on to appear in feature films, television movies of the week and primetime series. The PGP Classic Soaps Blog caught up with her to answer the question: Where is Ashley Peldon now?



PGP: How old were you when you got into show business? What was your first job? Do ever remember a time when you weren't acting?

AP: To answer your last question first, I cannot recall a time when I wasn't an actress. I started in the entertainment industry when I was just three years old so any memories from before then are just fuzzy remnants of baby bottles and cribs! :) My first job ever was with Bill Cosby in a Jell-O commercial. It was exciting for that to be my first experience, though I have to admit, my recollection is from the perspective of a three year old who got to eat delicious chocolate pudding in the commercial!

PGP: You were the youngest actor ever signed to a daytime contract. What do you think it was that made you such a hit as Marah? What are some of your earliest memories of being on GL?

AP: The thing that made the character of Marah popular is the same thing that makes all characters popular -- great fans! The soap opera fans were so supportive, vocal, and loyal that it made me as a tiny four year old feel very welcomed and loved by an audience that had been enjoying this show for so many years already. Some of my early memories on Guiding Light consist of Robert Newman and Kim Zimmer, who played my parents on the show. I also remember a specific scene where I had to impersonate Elvis's voice in a school scene. Now, at my age I had no idea who Elvis was so I just remember my mother doing it for me and thinking how silly it was that someone actually spoke that way. It sounded like a cartoon character to my young ears.

PGP: Marah went through some very dramatic things. She was kidnapped, she lost her mother, Reva. How did you prepare for your big scenes?

AP: Well, I remember our director, Bruce, came to me and kneeled down while describing what was going to happen in the intense "Reva's death" scene so I wouldn't be afraid. Then Robert held my hand as we walked on the long pier and he spoke to me very gently. Funny enough, I fondly recall one of the kidnapping scenes because I got to eat butterscotch ice cream during the scene, so you can see, I was very traumatized. ;)

PGP: What was it like to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy? (Ed. Note: Ashley was nominated in 1991 for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Daytime Drama along with DOOL's Charlotte Ross as Eve, GH's Kimberly McCullough as Robin and Y&R's Tricia Cast as Nina. Another World's Anne Heche took home the trophy for her roles as Vicky and Marley.)

AP: It was an honor to be so young and appreciated by the Emmy academy. I realize more and more the older I get what an incredible experience it truly was. I still have the tiny dress I wore in pink tulle with gold and pink lace and satin.

PGP: After leaving GL, you appeared in "Child of Rage," a TV movie, as a very, very disturbed little girl. As a young child, how did you get into playing such a complex character?

AP: So much of this depends on the kind of parents you have as a child actor and I was unbelievably fortunate to have great ones. My parents took turns breaking down the script with me and going over it scene by scene so I could understand what was happening. It impacted me deeply how this little child had gone through so many horrible things. I understood it was based on the true story of a little girl, so I tried to feel her impulses, compulsions, needs, and anger while separating them from me. To get into character, I used to act out the scenes with my Barbie dolls. This way, I could not only learn my lines, but also work out and transfer the feelings I needed to build during a particularly difficult scene. Also, it allowed me to work on the scenes without internalizing any negative feelings so once the cameras stopped rolling, I was able to put the character away in my mind and go back to feeling like myself. The on set actors were also very careful to always call me by my real name when the cameras stopped rolling.

PGP: You were a regular on "The Mommies." How is doing a primetime series different from doing a daytime one?

AP: The first thing that strikes me as the most different is the presence of the live studio audience in primetime television. My sister had done tons of theater and Broadway work in New York and had a lot of experience with live audiences. At the time I did not, so it was really my first foray into that arena. Also, in primetime, you get a whole week of rehearsals before taping whereas in daytime, you get your script often the night before you shoot.

PGP: On "That 70s show," you were "Young Kitty." What was your process for playing a younger version of an existing character?

AP: What a fun experience that was! First off, Debra Jo Rupp, who I portrayed, was such a cool lady and she worked with me to get her famous laugh just right! Once I heard I was getting the role, I started watching all of the re-runs I could find! Plus, what made it even funnier was that while it was That 70s Show, my character, being a flashback, took place 20+ years earlier than that, so I got awesome 50's garb!

PGP: What are you working on currently?

AP: Like every dedicated actress, I couldn't wait to direct! Recently I had the really enjoyable opportunity to direct two different theater productions here in Los Angeles. The first was a comedy called "Publicityville," written by R.J. Colleary, a television writer of many primetime series and the second was to help raise money for the Writer's Fund during their strike last year. It was fun directing Bonnie Somerville and Melissa Sagemiller in the project. Both were incredible learning experiences for me and also they were invaluable as an actor to really understand for the first time all of the hard work, pressures, and commitment it takes to pull a whole production together. I also am starring on two separate web series, one for MTV and the other for one of the former writers of Everybody Loves Raymond. Additionally, I have a film in the festival circuit right now called "Float" and I'm always hard at work at my all natural and organic perfume company that I own and operate called Starring…! Fragrances.

PGP: Have you tuned into GL in the years since you left to see what Marah has been up to?

AP: Yes, I do still continue to tune in now and then. I also get great fan letters that fill me in on what the Marah character has developed into over the years. I'm honored to have been a part of Marah's origins.



PGP: Do you have a message you would like to send to your fans?

AP: Absolutely! I want them all to know how much I appreciate their continued support over the years. It's a wonderful, very rewarding industry, it's true, but of course, it's not without tough times too. so I am very grateful to know that they are out there rooting for me. Keep the mail coming, I still read them and they often make my day! Fans can always reach me at my perfume site, which is: www.starringfragrances.com or through www.peldon.com .

Monday, February 23, 2009

GL: VISITING DAY

Guess we can feel pretty certain that Phillip isn't in solitary confinement...







Springfield jail: You never know who'll drop by next!
ATWT: PHOTO PREVIEW

Meg is getting over Paul....



Paul is getting over Meg....



Everyone should be happy.

Right?

Right?
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: JOHN O'HURLEY

Mike Parker
– You cut your acting teeth in soap operas like “All My Children” and “The Edge of Night.” (Ed. note: John also appeared on Loving as a villain who made a deal with the devil to escape death -- and his only slightly less evil twin brother, on Y&R as Cricket's long-lost father, on Santa Barbara as one of four grown up orphans out to destroy the Capwells, and on ATWT and GH as a more mundane sort of guy. While on SB in the early 1990s, O'Hurley was married to actress Eva La Rue. One of his foster brothers on that show was played by John Callahan. Callahan and La Rue married in 1996 after co-starring on AMC, and divorced in 2005.) What kind of training did that provide to you for your future career in the entertainment business?

John O’Hurley – I started in opera and Broadway then went down into television. The high pressure of doing soap operas is that you have a lot of words and a short time to get them out. They move very quickly. You have to develop a short term memory that you have to pick up the dialog very quickly. But the second you finish you can’t remember a blessed word. I remember there was a glitch one day and we had to re-shoot a scene and I couldn’t remember a single word.

More here.

Friday, February 20, 2009

MAKE YOUR OWN ATWT FLIP-BOOK!











And to find out what's really going on, tune into As The World Turns next week!

(A note about images: Over the past few weeks, pictures from this site have been popping up way too frequently on other sites. This is not allowed. All of the images are copyrighted. They belong to their photographers and can not be used without permission. If you wish to reference these photos on your site, please post a link. Do not copy the pictures. If this goes on, we will not be able to continue posting them.)
GREY HAWK IN!

Gil Rogers returns to Guiding Light on Wednesday, February 25 when Hawk drops in on Reva's surprise baby shower...



And snatches some quality Lillian time over the fruit plate!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

COOPERSPECTIVE





















RIP: Henry Cooper Bradshaw (1994-ish - 2009)

HENRY'S HAIKU

Henry pens a poetic ode to Vienna's un-pregnant state as, well, really only Henry can. Read it here.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: ROSALYN SANCHEZ (EX-PILAR; AS THE WORLD TURNS)

She left the island at 21 to study acting in New York. Shortly after arriving in Manhattan, she landed a gig as Pilar on "As the World Turns."

"More than anything, it was a big accomplishment," Sanchez says of the role. "I didn't speak English really well, and I enjoyed it because I got along with Shawn Christian, who was playing my boyfriend. You only have one take, and it's so technical."


More here.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

OH, MINDY!

Krista Tesreau returns to Guiding Light as Mindy Lewis on Friday, March 6 for her 25th high-school reunion. Mindy and Beth reminsice about the good times... and the not so good.

Mindy and Beth first met when the girls shared a hospital room at Cedars. Mindy faked a fall from her horse in order to get Phillip's attention. Beth was there after yet another beating from her stepfather, Bradley.

Mindy was Phillip's date for the prom, and Beth went with Rick. But even then, Phillip and Beth couldn't keep their eyes off each other, and ended up being named King and Queen of the dance. It was at Mindy's 18th birthday party that Phillip found out about Justin, not Alan, being his real father. When Phillip discovered that Mindy had known the truth too and kept it from him, he dumped her. A vindictive Mindy blabbed to Bradley that Phillip and Beth were secretly seeing each other, and a deranged Bradley raped his step-daughter.

Phillip and Beth ran off to New York, with Rick and Mindy in hot pursuit. Mindy fell for Rick, and Phillip and Beth made plans to marry on Valentine's Day 1984. But then, Mindy discovered she was pregnant with Phillip's baby. Rick offered to marry her, but Phillip -- after his own experience with way too many daddies -- refused and wed Mindy himself. The marriage ended when she miscarried, but by then Rick had moved on to Reva's kid sister, Roxie.

Mindy would go on to marry Roxie's old boyfriend, Kurt, who died in an oil rig explosion, have an affair with Roger Thorpe while he was married to Alexandra Spaulding, and marry and divorce Alex's long-lost son, Nick.

Mindy was last seen in Springfield in 2004 for Phillip's "funeral."