One Life to Live News & Gossip
News for the week of 18-Aug-2008
John Bolger (Mayor Floyd, GH; ex-John Sykes) will co-star in a Broadway-bound musical of the hit movie Dirty Dancing!, playing Jerry Orbach’s character, Dr. Jake Houseman. The musical—to kick off in Chicago next month through January—will include deleted scenes from the movie. After Chicago, they’ll do Boston February 11-mid-April, Los Angeles May-July and then New York the start of autumn next year. It’s not the first time Bolger was acquainted with Broadway or Jerry Orbach. Bolger told EYE ON SOAPS columnist Media Ho (for an August interview) that he met the renowned Orbach while doing a guest appearance on one of several Law & Orders, before the great actor passed away. His first Broadway stint was as an understudy for three leads – Mark Linn-Baker, Scott Cohen and Matthew Arkin – in Losing Louie two years ago. Bolger was able to take Arkin’s place for a Wednesday matinee, which Linn-Baker made great note of to the audience after the play ended that day.
Kristen Alderson (Starr), 17, and John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex), 28, were two young daytime actors tapped to make it big in an August 10th New York Magazine feature, “Five To Watch, Rinse And Repeat.” They were among five selected by leading experts in the soap industry. TV Guide weekly soap columnist Michael Logan liked Lavoisier for his winning combination of looks, smarts and humor. “He’s hilarious and dangerous all at once.” Soap Opera Digest soap columnist Carolyn Hinsey cited Alderson’s having grown up on OLTL as an enticing attribute. “They know her. So when something happens to Starr—like her unwanted pregnancy at 16, for instance—it’s not just a soap character in trouble. She’s a member of the family.” Other judges who provided their top choices included soap blogger and Marymount Manhattan journalism professor Connie Passalacqua Hayman (pen name Marlena De Lacroix), and Knoxville News Sentinel TV critic Terry Morrow.
Back in 1979 (not 1968), TPTB decided to introduce the Buchanans to Llanview, in part to capitalize on the primetime success of Dallas. But originally, the Buchanans were to be introduced to the show as the Logans, until a last-minute change. Clint Ritchie (original Clint) wanted to keep his own first name for the role, so he went from Chris to Clint. Robert S. Woods would’ve been Bobby not Bo if he’d had a say. “Years ago, I said, ‘Why don’t you make his initials B.O., like this weird name that he’s embarrassed by?’ So it became Beaufort Oglethorpe, after [a Southern] general.” But as far as Woods knows, they only brought it up one time then never again, which he thought was a shame since he would’ve liked to have riffed off that. –Soap Opera Digest, August 19, 2008
John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex) coveted the director’s life. He’s interested in what a director must do to pull off an episode and wouldn’t mind shadowing one for a day.
A Martinez (ex-Roy, GH; ex-Cruz, SB) makes his way to Llanview August 28th as Langston’s uncle and an ex-con. Ray Montez has got something to prove and will be resourced as leverage. Other than that, Martinez isn’t at liberty to say. But traveling to New York City (from his home base in L.A.) to film OLTL could prove a bonus for the family man. One of his daughters, the eldest Devon, goes to Yale University, which isn’t far from Manhattan at all. He plans to commute bi-coast, until or if the role demands more.
Phil Carey reprises Asa for August 19 in scenes with his pal Robert S. Woods (Bo). It’s when they come to a new understanding and appreciation of one another.
Woods’ real-life son Tanner appears as Bo in his younger days, August 26. Brian Victor Johnson turns up August 22 as Asa in his younger days.
Ashley Wilkens appears as Starr’s ob-gyn assistant, August 20. Wilkens, a baby mama at 16, is an active participant in the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Maureen Mueller appears as Dr. Joplin, ob-gyn for Starr, as of August 20.
Jack MacGruder is an investigator named Simon, who shows up August 20 at Clint’s behest. Clint will sic Simon on Dorian on the sly.
Shawn T. Andrew takes on the role of Todd’s new bodyguard, August 25.
Ever since Jossip published a report on August 7th about Carolyn Hinsey’s firing from Soap Opera Weekly/Digest, the comment section has been overflowing with cheers, a few jeers, and lots of juicy, scandalous gossip—about Hinsey’s heavyhanded ways and about soap actors. At last count, there were 1,902 replies going. Everybody in the business—from columnists, fans and curious onlookers, to TPTB, actors, publicists and the like—have been glued to this page, checking frequently for updates in hopes of reading more scurrilous dirt. It’s like a bad car accident, guys, you just can’t look away.
Former Soap Opera Weekly“Critical Condition” columnist Marlena De Lacroix has responded to the Hinsey firing in her August 15th blog entry, “The Killing Fields of Soap Journalism.” De Lacroix basically quit doing her acclaimed column about 12 years after she started, because of Hinsey and her Digest Dames. Soap Opera Digest was put in charge of SPW and not much later, Hinsey was appointed as SPW’s editor, and that was that for De Lacroix. “Immediately, I knew that my critical voice, fiercely protected for years by SOW founding editor Mimi Torchin, was not compatible with the unhealthy political alliances the journalistically corrupt, bullying Digest Dames had made within the industry. So back in July 2001, I made my own personal comment on Hinsey and the SOD management: I quit.”
When the former and current but anonymous employees of SPW/SOD made their comments in reaction to Hinsey’s recent firing on the Jossip page, De Lacroix went through her own painful learning curve and realized she wasn’t the only victim. She acknowledged the following people as especially deserving of an award for all they were put through: “the funny and wonderful writer Alan Carter, SOW founding editor Mimi (with whom I worked on magazines as early as 1978), the super savvy publicist Frank Tobin, my column’s editor Robert Schork, and the many other staffers and industry professionals who suffered and/or fell after us.”
Best of all, De Lacroix reminded everybody that they were better off for the moving on. They moved on to better, more fulfilling jobs and continued to do good work despite the, um, roadblocks. IOW, “… all this pain taught me a lesson, one I frequently pass on to my college journalism students. Journalism is a competitive business. But while others may try to copy you, no one can replicate your talent or originality. Or take away your great love of what you do.”
Gossip for the week of 18-Aug-2008
A new girl in town named Elena will throw the high schoolers for a loop. On the surface, the Latina babe seems like a dream. But we all know what happens to dreams when they become nightmares. Casting is on the lookout for the right actress to play Elena.
TPTB like what they see evolving from Marty and Todd. They may even take it to the next level before she regains her memory. Like, all the way down the aisle.
Justis Bolding (Sarah) isn’t out of the woods yet. TPTB are not quite sure what they’re going to do with this character, especially if Sarah’s boyfriend Cristian should meet an untimely death if/when portrayer David Fumero bails.
One Life to Live News & Gossip, Copyright © 2008 Carol Banks Weber. Published by SoapZone.com / Jeff Jungblut. No part of this page may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be representative of SoapZone.com or its advertisers. Don't steal scoops.
