Monday: Julia Barr (Brooke; All My Children)
Tuesday: Linda Dano (Felicia; Another World)
Wednesday: Michael Malone (Headwriter; One Life to Live)
Maura West won the 2007 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress, thanks to Carly and Jack's brutal break-up scenes in 2006.
Emmy-winning script-writer Susan Dansby recalls putting the episode down on paper.
Susan Dansby: I lucked into writing the script where Jack would tell Carly he wanted a divorce.
Hands down, it stands out as my favorite episode ever because it is a perfect example of soap production at its best. I received a splendid breakdown written by Judy Tate, which fostered my script.
What did I add? The nuances of Carly and Jack's history: Jack's relationship with his mother and father; Jack's amnesia that led him to marry Julia #2; Carly's history of being "saved" by Jack, her constant lies, their kids, the push-pull of their attraction – it was all in there. Ever a fan, I wrote what I wanted to see.
Then, my script was brilliantly tweaked by editor, Courtney Simon; trimmed around the edges by the producers, superbly directed by Grant Aleksander, and performed by two consummate pros.
To say that Maura and Michael acted that day is like saying a Sequoia is a tree. Yeah, that's accurate. But what they did for those of us who loved those characters was gargantuan. By fully committing to each and every beat, they took us through an emotional maelstrom of betrayals, passionate reunions, dreams, disappointments, and the unimaginable – Jack walking out that door… and not turning back.
I shed tears as I wrote that script, but cried buckets as I watched it on air – with joy, admiration and gratitude. How lucky was I to get to do work I loved surrounded by a creative team that took my best and made it better? And Maura and Michael? What can I say? They're Sequoias.
Read more from Susan, Michael, Linda, and Julia, plus dozens of other actors, writers, produces, experts and fans at Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced ebook, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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