Eric Braeden Sounds Off About the Writer Shake-up at The Young and the Restless!
He didn't mean to throw the Twitterverse into a tizzy. Many fans of The Young and the Restless were thrilled when head writer Josh Griffith had exited the show. One fan on asked Eric Braeden his opinion of Griffith's departure and Braeden tweeted back: "I'm very pissed off!!! Enough said!!!"That stunned a lot of folks who assumed the Emmy-winning actor — currently on the back burner like a lot of Y&R vets — would be doing cartwheels at the prospect of a change. TV Guide sat down with Braeden to find out what he's really thinking!
TV Guide: Here's your chance to clarify why you're unhappy with a writer change that has a lot of Y&R fans pretty damn pleased.
Braeden: What I really wanted to say is that I don't like change. We had just gotten used to this new regime at Y&R and suddenly there's another change, and I don't like it all! It's unsettling. So, yes, it pissed me off, though I was only responding to a fan. I had no idea my tweet would stir things up.
TV Guide: Had you developed a personal relationship with Griffith? Did that factor in?
Braeden: Not at all. I never have personal relationships with anyone in this business because I've seen too many people come and go.
TV Guide: So you did not feel a writer change was warranted?
Braeden: No! Our ratings are up! I know there are those who feel the veterans are not getting enough attention but that happens every summer, doesn't it? I've been at Y&R for 33 years and each summer I see them make the same egregious mistake of emphasizing storylines that are supposed to lure the mythical young demographic.
TV Guide: How are things with you and Y&R exec producer Jill Phelps?
Braeden: I'm getting along with her. She deals well with actors. She likes actors. As far as I can see she is very involved, very hands-on, which I like.
TV Guide: Do you think the next head writer should come from the current writing team?
Braeden: I don't give a goddamn where they come from, as long as you hire people who understand the characters and know the history of Y&R. It's that simple. We've got to keep this show No. 1.
TV Guide: You're working on your memoirs with author Lindsay Harrison, how's that going?
Braeden: To be honest with you, it's rough. Not because of Lindsay. I love working with her and she is an excellent writer. But I still feel like I'm putting my toes in the water. [Laughs] Right in the middle of a session with Lindsay, I'll ask myself, "Why the fuck am I doing this?" There is so much to cover, so much to wade through. I came from Germany to Hollywood where I was told by Universal Studios chief Lew Wasserman to drop my real name [Hans Gudegast] because no one with a German name can be a star in America, and I battled with that legacy for so long, so I think there's a story there.
Two-time Emmy winner Kimberly McCullough will return to General Hospital this fall as Robin Scorpio Drake, according to Soap Opera Digest.
According to GH executive producer Frank Valentini, and it won't be a blink-and-you-miss it visit, he assures; the actress has inked a contract.
McCullough left GH to pursue her career development goals as a director. The character of Robin supposedly died in February 2012 but viewers learned a month later the beloved character was very much alive.
McCullough has made appearances on the soap where Robin was being held prisoner in a hospital bed, until Dr. Obrecht took her away to parts unknown.
Since Robin "died" last year, her husband, Patrick, has been busy falling for Sabrina and impregnating Britt, at least he thinks he's the father of her baby. Robin's daughter, Emma, has also grown close to Sabrina, but hates "The Britch" with a passion because the beautiful doctor has been mean to her. She even (accidentally) threw her baby doll on the grill at the Fourth of July cookout.
"Robin is such an important part of the history of General Hospital," Valentini told Digest. "It will be so wonderful to see her come back and what that effect will have on the canvas."
This afternoon, Days of our Lives marked the official 40th anniversary of it’s long time series star Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Horton), with a surprise on set celebration for the Daytime Emmy winner and Salem favorite!
On-Air On-Soaps was at the festivities, and even had a hand at Suzanne getting shall we say,”punk’d”! While the cast and crew and media were gathering themselves on the NBC sound stage to honor Suzanne, we were sitting with her in her dressing room conducting a “40th anniversary interview”, to allow them time to congregate! Next, the cue over the PA system came that, “Everyone needed to be summoned to the stage … now!” With that, we had to tell Suzanne our “interview” was concluded for now, and we would continue it later! We next followed Suzanne to the sound stage with her having not a clue of the celebration that was awaiting her! Needless to say, she was overwhelmed!
After DAYS executive producer, Ken Corday made a speech in Suzanne’s honor, Suzanne then made a very touching speech in her own right to the crowd that had gathered. Her mom was also on set at the celebration. Next, Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie), the long time cast member of Rogers, asked for everyone’s attention and delivered a beautiful, often times emotional tribute to her co-star and friend. And for those who have followed DAYS and Suzanne’s career, you know of the ups and the downs and references made in Seaforth Hayes words below!
Susan Seaforth Hayes: “I’d like to say something from the cast about my friend Suzanne. We all knew when she came on the show she was a Broadway baby. So when she came on, she was not ignorant on how to behave, or how to be a professional. I would like to thank her for always being on time. I would like to thank her for always knowing her lines and having written down her blocking. And, for having mentored dozens of young performers and yes, she showed many of them how to do it. However, most of those kids are gone, and Suzanne is still here. On behalf of the wardrobe department, I would like to thank Suzanne for not changing sizes for 40 years! And Susan maintained her beauty and her health, perhaps at the cost of her private life. Suzanne has truly been married to this show. Her work has come first, and no time for other things. When regimes have gone by, she has sat in the outfields of the show for years at a time, and she never came to work with an attitude. She always came to work with a smile, and with grace. Suzanne is one of four actresses of Days of our Lives to have won an Emmy and that’s a big deal! I am not the only one who loves her. I know that America loves her and thinks of her as their sweetheart, because she stayed true and beautiful. I don’t want to steal Suzanne’s glory. I just want her to know, there are hundreds of people who adore you, and are so proud of you. ”
We knew this day would come. Last May, the soap community mourned the death of 84-year-old Jeanne Cooper, the great Emmy-winning star of The Young and the Restless. Now it's time to say goodbye to her character, Katherine Chancellor. In episodes airing Sept. 3 and 4, the citizens of Genoa City — past and present — will gather at Chancellor Park, a sprawling new set for the CBS soap, where they will pay their final respects to "the Duchess."
Among the stars returning for the flashback-packed tribute are Lauralee Bell (Christine), Tricia Cast (Nina), Patty Weaver (Gina), Adrienne Frantz (Amber), Beau Kazer (Brock) and '80s rock sensation Michael Damian (Danny) who will perform, "That's When I'll Stop Loving You." The ceremony will be conducted by Father Todd Williams, the recurring character played by Cooper's real-life son Corbin Bernsen.
"Katherine knew she was dying and made it clear she didn't want a sad event where everyone wore black and was miserable. She wanted a celebration and that's exactly what she's getting," executive producer Jill Farren Phelps tells TV Guide Magazine. "And Katherine being Katherine, she will continue to orchestrate things from on high — just as she always did on earth."
Letters from Mrs. C. to several top characters, including Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), Jill (Jess Walton), Victor (Eric Braeden) and Paul (Doug Davidson) will arrive soon after the news of her death. The contents of those letters, and the reading of Katherine's will a bit later in September, will "shake up the show in dramatic, drastic ways that will change it forever," Phelps says. "There's no greater tribute we can pay to Katherine, or to Jeanne, than to make sure their presence on Y&R will always be felt."
Phelps says Nikki's letter will trigger a major plot for Thomas Scott, "one that will haunt her character and pull in many players as we go into the fall. It's a real front-and-center story, the kind the fans have been asking for. Jill's letter sets up a mystery that will, at first, drive her absolutely crazy. Paul's letter from Katherine tells him to 'Follow his heart.' Christine also gets a letter but I can't talk about that one just yet." Victor's letter is also a big secret — but that's because he's not going to share it with anyone.
Chancellor Park will remain prominent in the scripts. "Our characters will go there a lot, sometimes talking to Katherine's plaque as if they're actually speaking to her," Phelps says. "It's another way we can keep her legacy alive." Having Bernsen take part in the memorial "helped us feel like we had a piece of Jeanne there with us," Phelps continues. "After the filming of his last scene, Corbin made the most beautiful, heart-wrenching speech to the cast and crew about how much Y&R meant to his mother, and how she had worked there for 40 years and filled up that big soundstage in much the same way our new Chancellor Park now fills it up. There wasn't a dry eye anywhere."
B&B is seeking an actress to play the contract role of Alexandra Forrester. She will be a Caucasian female, age 19-21 and is described as "Beautiful. Well Bred. Very Upscale and comes from money."
The pioneering first online seasons of the soaps “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” are wrapping up, with the producers saying that, as expected, they learned some lessons.
The season’s last original episode of “One Life to Live” airs Monday, with the season’s last original “All My Children” on Sept. 2.
The Prospect Park production company’s The Online Network (TOLN) says both will return at an unspecified date for a second season. The network says both have been successful enough for to justify continuing.
“We have tackled more business, creative and logistical challenges than most shows experience in a lifetime of production,” said Prospect Park co-founder Jeffrey Kwatinetz.
Reviving two canceled soaps with most of the casts intact was unprecedented — as was the gamble in producing them only for the Internet.
Kwatinetz and his partner Rich Frank said they expected to make adjustments on the fly, and the biggest one came a couple of weeks into the season, when the number of shows per week for each program was cut from four to two.
Since the shows run a half hour, this means only an hour a week of new programming.
In a statement, Frank and Kwatinetz said that’s all that most of the online audience had time to watch.
“We are finding that asking most people to regularly watch more than a half hour per day online seems to be too much,” they said.
They promised next season will have extra content and more interactivity.
As for this season’s wrapups, “One Life to Live” ends with the whole town of Llanville attending the Man of the Year dinner. “All My Children,” the producers say, will end by “wrapping up many of the season’s burning questions.”
Robert Gant, who is best known as Ben on QUEER AS FOLK, has been cast as David Sherman, the son of Katherine's lawyer, Mitchell Sherman.
He will air on September 11. David, like his father, is a lawyer and will gather Kay's friends and family together to discuss very important matters.
The talent agency representing "Young & the Restless" star Christel Khalil has countered her breach of contract suit with allegations of its own.
Responding exclusively to TheWrap, Mavrick Artists Agency's attorney, Max Sprecher, said that the actress's complaint is "all blue smoke and mirrors" and suggested that she does not want to pay the agency monies owed.
Earlier this month, TheWrap first reported about Khalil's breach of contract against her agents at Mavrick Artists Agency.
In her suit, she accused the agency of stealing funds and not sending her out on a satisfactory number of auditions. She says they even humilated her by sending the actress (left) out for a spot on her own soap opera, where she has worked for the past decade, even winning a Daytime Emmy for the role of Lily Winters Ashby.
Sprecher estimated that the actress owes the agency "in the ballpark of $20,000 in additional commission," and said she "doesn't want to pay it."
Mavrick's attorney pointed out that the dollar amount itself was not identified in the suit.
Sprecher said that Mavrick, which is topped by CEO Brad Diffley and President Erick Negri (right), only even received checks from two of Khalil's gigs -- the rest went directly to her manager. Of those checks, the talent agency contends they only took their legally-alotted 10 percent fee, aside from $290 that they kept to offset a separate payment.
He also refuted her allegation about being sent to a "Y&R" audition.
"There's no way in hell that she went out on an audition," Sprecher said. "That just couldn’t have happened. Do you think 'Young & the Restless' is so stupid that their casting office would have scheduled such an audition? It wasn't an audition -- it was a submission."
And even if a submission happened, it was simply an oversight as agents and their assistants are in a mad rush to beat out the competition.
"Have we all not made computer mistakes?'" the attorney asked. "These things happen and it's not a big deal."
He suggested that the dispute "should have been a private arbitration under the AFTRA rules that govern the actors and agreement between the actor and the Association of Talent Agents."
Now that it's public though, the agency says it is forced to address it head on. Its exclusive statement issued to TheWrap is below:
At Mavrick Artists Agency, we love our clients, and our mission and our passion is to grow their careers and the careers of our agents who represent these clients. We take the allegations in the lawsuit recently filed by former client Christel Khalil extremely seriously. Our policy at the firm has always been to put the welfare of our clients first; thus, we do not relish making any public comment on a dispute involving a present or former client and the agency.
However, the allegations in Ms. Khalil’s lawsuit have been reported by the media. The allegations constitute a meritless and misguided attack on the reputation of the agency and our dedicated employees. As a result, a response at this time by the leadership of Mavrick Artists Agency is warranted.
Ms. Khalil’s lawsuit was first reported by the online publication TheWrap on August 7, 2013.
TheWrap states that Ms. Khalil’s complaint alleges “. . . [Mavrick Artists Agency] essentially stole money from the actress above its 10 per cent commission.” TheWrap also states the allegation that “Khalil accuses the defendants of intentionally not paying her for a guest spot on ‘2 Broke Girls.’”
In response to the allegations in the lawsuit, Mavrick Artists Agency has never “stolen” a penny above its contractual rates for commissions due from any client. Also, the claim that Mavrick Artists Agency was involved in any intentional withholding of funds due Ms. Khalil for her guest spot on “2 Broke Girls” is not simply false -- it is absurd.
What is not disclosed in Ms. Khalil’s lawsuit is that the only dispute over commissions -- which arose after Ms. Khalil prematurely terminated the agency's representation -- involves Mavrick Artists Agency’s right to withhold a grand total of $290.00 in outstanding commissions due on another project. Mavrick Artists Agency also notes that during the year it represented Ms. Khalil, Ms. Khalil was paid directly by her employers (or through her management) on all but two isolated occasions when payment was made through Mavrick Artists Agency.
TheWrap article states that Ms. Khalil claims in her lawsuit that Mavrick Artists Agency (1) did not adequately perform because Ms. Khalil was “only sent on two auditions for series regular roles” during this year’s pilot season (emphasis added), and that Mavrick Artists Agency (2) acted improperly because the agency “sent Khalil out to audition for a role on her own show, ‘Young and the Restless,’ which collectively embarrassed, if not mortified” the actress.
With regard to the first issue, the number of auditions that Ms. Khalil went out on this pilot season is by no means a reflection of the competency of the employees of Mavrick Artists Agency. More importantly, the allegation is misleading in its limited reference to "series regular roles" and exclusion of the many other auditions scheduled by Mavrick Artists Agency during its representation. Regardless, the charge is absurd. Mavrick Artists Agency only profits by obtaining the best opportunities for its clients and booking the engagements. However, as any actor knows, there are no guarantees.
With regard to the second issue, Mavrick Artists Agency notes that although an overzealous agent may indeed have made an inadvertent mistake in a submission, our internal investigation revealed that Ms. Khalil was the one who pointed it out at the time it occurred and that she expressed no distress of any nature. To the best of our knowledge, the alleged "emotional distress and mortification" came up only after Ms. Khalil informed the agency that she wanted to leave the agency before the expiration of her signed agency agreements and that she intended to not pay the agency its continuing commissions as required by her June 2012 talent agreements.
In closing, the following facts should be noted. Ms. Khalil, a talented, Emmy‑award‑winning actress on the daytime drama “The Young and the Restless,” signed representation contracts with Mavrick Artists Agency in June 2012. In March 2013, she expressed a desire to leave the agency. Subsequent to her exit from the agency, she expressed a desire not to pay future commissions owed to the agency pursuant to the representation contracts she signed in June 2012. In order to avoid these commissions, Ms. Khalil engaged counsel and manufactured the spurious claims repeated in her complaint.
However, Ms. Khalil chose to ignore her obligations under her AFTRA union membership guidelines and the union-approved agency agreement that specifically requires arbitration pursuant to AFTRA’s Regulations Governing Agents (the “Regulations”) in matters such as these. Mavrick Artists Agency believes that Ms. Khalil chose an improper forum to pursue her grievance -- a civil lawsuit in California -- for the purpose of garnering publicity and as a vehicle to publicly embarrass and disparage Mavrick Artists Agency with false, misleading, vague, and conclusory statements.
The sensationalized and meritless claims in Mr. Khalil’s lawsuit constitute a de facto attack on the reputation of Mavrick Artists Agency, its employees, and its clients. As such, we have no choice but to respond with this statement.
Signed: Mavrick Artists Agency
Now this comes as a welcome shocker! In Carolyn Hinsey’s latest blog piece for New York City Brand Productions website, the home for now of Tainted Dreams, the upcoming series about the the inner-workings of a soap opera with a twist, Hinsey talks with beloved former Guiding Light star and now part of the “Dreams “cast, Grant Aleksander!
When speaking about the loss of Guiding Light (where Grant played “Phillip Spaulding”) going off the airwaves, Aleksander related that the shows late great one time producer, Paul Rauch was actually working on resurrecting it!
Grant acknowleged: ”Oddly enough, Paul was working on getting the show back on the air before he died. He had gotten pretty far with that, he was talking to big network executives. P&G was interested. When you look at what’s going on in Stamford right now (where AMC and OLTL have been filming), I don’t think P&G will just sit on a creative property if there’s a profit to be made.”
In a twist that would be right at home on a soap opera, General Hospital star Kirsten Storms, who plays vixen-with-a-heart-of-gold Maxie Jones on the legendary daytime drama, is married — and about to be a mom.
The news comes as a shock not only because Storms, 29, has battled endometriosis, but because the baby’s father is Storms’ former costar, Brandon Barash, who played Johnny Zacchara on the soap until last April.
“We’re having a little girl in January,” the proud dad-to-be — who also reveals that the couple secretly wed in June – tells PEOPLE exclusively. ”It’s been the most amazing couple of months of our lives.”
“We kept things quiet because of everything that can go wrong during the first trimester,” Barash, 33, explains. “Kirsten did have a rocky [time] and we were in and out of the hospital.”
It was a rough start to a very welcome surprise for the couple, he adds. “We talked about wanting to have kids and Kirsten was told she could try hormone therapy. It was pretty bleak as far as the probability of her being able to get pregnant … but then we got back from a trip to Amsterdam and discovered we were expecting. We calculated that we conceived the baby in [GH star] Tony Geary‘s guest room!”
With his wife now in her second trimester, Barash says he and Storms are beginning to prepare their daughter’s nursery as they share their happy news.
“A couple of weeks ago she wasn’t really showing, but now her curves have just taken over,” the actor says. “It makes me love her even more. It feels like a fairytale — we are so lucky.”
OMG! Fitness guru Richard Simmons, who helped all the gals of the seventh floor nurses station on General Hospital keep those figures lean and mean with aerobics classes back in the 80′s, and who made a return last week to GH, and returned for the Nurses Ball last April in scenes having a meltdown over Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring) is about to launch … his first music video!
The song titled, “Hair Do” was teased by Simmons on Twitter yesterday when he related, “My new music video HAIR DO debuts on Friday, but until then ..” and linked to this video on You Tube that has the lyrics and a faux-video game theme of Simmons new tune!
The lyrics include the chorus: “short, long, straight, or curly, get something cute, get something girly, short, long, straight or curly, get something cute, get something girly.” And one of the verses that goes like, “Oribe cuts hair and gave a blow to Penelope Cruz and sexy J-Lo, Alexandre De Paris brushed the hair of Hepburn and Jackie O with such care …”
Finn Wittrock who played Damon Miller, Tad’s son via Hillary on All My Children is set to star in a Angelica Jolie’s next film feature titled, Unbroken!
According to TheWrap.com, “Universal Pictures is backing the adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s bestselling book about the incredible true story of American track star Louis Zamperini. Jack O’Connell will play Zamperini, who survived a plane crash and a harrowing oceanic ordeal only to become a POW who was tortured in a Japanese prison camp during WWII. Actors Domhnall Gleeson and Wittrock, will play Phil and Mac, both of whom are stranded at sea with Louie on a life raft for 28 days when their plane is gunned down.
Jolie is producing with Matthew Baer, Erwin Stoff and Clayton Townsend, while Mick Garris will executive produce. Joel and Ethan Coen did the latest pass on the script, earlier drafts of which were written by William Nicholson and Richard LaGravenese. Production starts this fall, as the Zamperini tale runs into theaters on Christmas Day 2014!”
Wittrock has been quite busy since leaving All My Children! He recently wrapped Darren Aronofsky’s Noah and Akiva Goldsman’s directorial debut Winter’s Tale. Finn will soon be seen in Ryan Murphy’s HBO movie The Normal Heart and Showtime’s Masters of Sex.
E! is traveling the globe in the new eight episode half-hour series Party On, which heads to exclusive resorts and gorgeous beaches around the world to soak up the local party scene!
Hosted by The Bold and the Beautiful’s Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, each episode will focus on one glamorous location where Jacqui will spend 48 hours checking out the incredible vistas, tasting the delectable cocktails and cuisine, and trying out the often extreme activities that make each destination one-of-a-kind. Along the way, Jacqui will meet celebrities, jet-setters and local legends who will join her two-day adventure and keep the party going as she experiences the best of the best of each hotspot. The new weekly series will debut late 2013 only on E!
“Party On is a bold, fun VIP tour of the most sparkling party destinations on the planet,” said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President, Programming & Development, E! “We are excited to take viewers around the globe and behind the velvet ropes for fun in the sun at only the hottest, most elite vacation locales.”
Each episode will bring viewers a partier’s-eye-view of these sexy VIP vacation hubs filled with swimsuit-clad celebrities, popular local personalities and holiday makers who know these exotic destinations inside and out, and offer an all access pass to the best parties in town. And with Jacqui connecting to fans all over the world via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, the party will go global with exciting interactivity that will keep viewers in the middle of the action.
David Granger, of the production company Monkey Kingdom, said of Wood: “Jacqui is a brilliant host and we all see a wonderful opportunity to produce something very new and different given the high end glamour and sun soaked mischief that Europe has to offer.”
You’ve got to hand it to the friends of Xenu: they are a clubby bunch. Earlier this summer Michelle Stafford, a top celeb Scientologist, left her Emmy winning role on CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” after 16 years. No one knows why exactly. Stafford told the soap opera press she was “done.” Her role will likely be recast.
So what did Stafford leave for? To make a YouTube series with her Scientology pals. “The Stafford Project” so far is just two episodes, each around 9 minutes long. The “project” is a reality series in small installments, all about Stafford’s so called real life as a single mom of a baby delivered by surrogate.
But what “The Stafford Project” hasn’t addressed yet is that everyone involved in it is a Scientologist. No less than two of them actresses named Paige– Goodman and Long. They are all well versed students of L. Ron Hubbard. They write and produce the show with Stafford. Goodman (then called Paige Dorian) was ex-member Lisa Presley’s assistant and minder for eight years according to reports.
So far all the male actors are members of the cult, too– Sevier Crespo and Robert Filios, as well as actor Eric Matheny.
And they’re not alone. The composer of music for “The Stafford Project,” Holly Palmer, has a long list of Scientology courses under her own at www.truthaboutscientology.com
Stafford has been with Scientology since 1990, and has worked her way up to OTVII, which means she may have secret information about desert rendezvous with aliens. Stafford had been married several times on “Y&R,” kidnapped, tried to run enemies down with her car, but never got to play that story out. Maybe she will on “The Stafford Project.”
Ex-Scientologist and vocal critic Mike Rinder has an interesting take on Stafford’s peculiar exit from “The Young and the Restless.” He says it’s because Stafford would not work on the same show as another ex-cult member, actor Michael Fairman, who plays the recurring character of Murphy. http://www.mikerindersblog.org/voldemort-19-july/
Fairman left Scientology in the last couple of years because he didn’t agree with David Miscavige’s controversial leadership. “Y&R” also boasts at least one other Scientologist in its cast– Sharon Case, a milquetoast actress who’s been taking courses since 1986. Her character, also named Sharon, was recently diagonosed with bi-polar disorder in order to explain her sociopathic behavior.
Also read Tony Ortega’s excellent piece on Fairman who told him, “I kind of dislike [Tom Cruise] for what he has allowed to go on.”
"I have seen many producers and musical performers use the Kickstarter tool to share the experience of producing their project with their friends, family and fans. I can’t afford to finance this all by myself so I thought why not give this a try. I also saw that there was a lot of interest in me getting back out there and acting again via my Facebook page and my wonderful friends on there so I thought this would be a good way for me to get back out there as well. All the people that know my work from my daytime drama acting really want me to get back out there. This is me getting back to work."
Famous for both his signature shuffle and verbal sparring, boxer Cassius Clay quickly rose to fame in the '60s, becoming the world's best-known athlete - and eventually its most controversial. After joining the Nation of Islam and adopting the name Muhammad Ali, he was widely denounced for refusing to be drafted into the U.S. military, based on his religious opposition to the Vietnam War. Stripped of his title and banned from the sport, the self-proclaimed "Greatest" lost nearly four years of his boxing prime to legal battles. In 1971, his case for being a conscientious objector eventually reached the United States Supreme Court, rooted by tradition and conservative ideals with Nixon-appointed Chief Justice Warren E. Burger at its helm.
Upcoming HBO movie Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight, premiering October 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, goes behind the closed doors of the United States Supreme Court as its nine justices decide the outcome of Muhammad Ali's landmark appeal.
There's also a soap opera connection.
Thurgood Marshall argued “Brown vs. Board of Education” and was appointed to high-level positions by two U.S. Presidents before becoming the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court in 1967.
Age 62 at the time the case was argued and decided, Justice Marshall was also a big fan of daytime drama DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and his addiction to the show is depicted in Danny Glover's portrayal in the film.
The most frequently seen DAYS characters in 1971 were Tom, Bill, Laura, Mickey, Linda, Doug, Julie, Susan and Alice.
Marshall not only watched DAYS in his chambers, but arrived late at meetings because he had to see the end of an episode.
"He was kind of addicted to the soap opera, the DAYS OF OUR LIVES," Slovo said of Marshall. "He was known for being late. If the conference started before the soap opera ended, he had to wait and see the end. I'm not saying it was a daily occurrence but it is one of the features of his life, at this particular point in his life."
Michael's love live is in a bit of turmoil right now on GENERAL HOSPITAL, but it looks like things might get even more complicated in the very near future!
Remember that nurse, Penny, that Michael had a one-night stand with back in July? Well, portrayer Peyton McCormick posted on Facebook: "Penny is coming back to GH! Can't wait to go back to work!"
GH's policy is that they never comment on social media posts, so we'll still have to technically file this as a rumor for now.
THE 100 is a new sci-fi drama set to premiere mid-season on The CW, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, GENERAL HOSPITAL's ex-Kristina, Lindsey Morgan, has landed the recurring role of Raven in the series. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the human survivors living on a spaceship called The Ark send 100 juvenile delinquents down to Earth to see if it's ready to be re-colonized again.
Morgan's character, Raven, is "smart, skilled and fiercely determined," according to the official character description. "Upon learning about the 100, she is desperate to be reunited with her friends on the ground."
Libby, the short film that AS THE WORLD TURNS' Colleen Zenk (Barbara) starred in is an official finalist/selection of the Los Angeles International Film Festival LA Shorts Fest. In the wry and touching film, Zenk plays the title character, a woman grasping for one last bit of happiness before undergoing an operation that will change her life. "It's a beautiful little script," Zenk gushes. "And I love the other actor I worked with, whose name is Liam Mitchell. It's just a lovely script by a young filmmaker by the name of Jameson Locasio. He's won all kinds of awards."
But you don't have to worry about getting a ticket to the LA Shorts Fest (or finding your way to LA on top of that!) — you can watch the entire short film right here!
Robin’s Return - Many people on the canvas are either related to her or extremely close to her. Her return will be very satisfying. The Britt/Patrick/Sabrina story will explode in a giant way. Sabrina and Britt will have to deal with the real love story of Patrick and Robin.
Maxie/Spinelli/Ellie/Dante/Lulu -The baby is born and it is one giant mess. Nothing is really spoiled but they say that it will be a journey and they area looking forward to see who the audience will be rooting for.
Luke/Laura/Tracy/Scotty - Luke is on a quest to find a cure. Tracy is dealing with the fact the person she loves more than anything she has ever loved is dying. Scotty doesn’t take well all the extra time Laura is spending with Luke. Now with Luke being sick, Laura is feeling drawn to him more than ever.
Connie’s Death - This story will have the most ramifications for everyone on the canvas, but especially Michael, AJ, Olivia, Ava, Sonny, Carly, Sam, Daniel, Derek, and Alexis.
AJ/Elizabeth/Nikolas - Liz and AJ’s relationship is challenged when AJ becomes a suspect in Connie’s murder. This will open the door for Nikolas.
Michael/Kiki/Morgan - Michael will remain in their orbit as Sonny, Franco and Ava get more involved.
Carly - She will be drawn more into the troubles of her sons. She will also be involved more with Sam, Sonny, Olivia, and Franco too. Hints there will be a new man as well.
Franco - Post surgery Franco is very different and it is a hard adjustment for the citizens of Port Charles.
Obrecht - Her power will increase and she show she has more tricks up her sleave
Silas/Sam - Danny’s cancer has brought them closer together. Ava gets involved as she is still very much still in love with Silas.
Sharon/Nick/Avery:
Sharon plans to stop Nick and Avery's wedding from happening, and she will do it at all cost. Keeping the secret of the true paternity is a struggle for her. Her plan seems to be working for now but Avery is on to Sharon. She thinks that Sharon is taking advantage of Nick. JG says, "Sharon is in over her head and she may end up being her own worst enemy."
Adam/Chelsea/Dylan:
Chelsea becomes stressed out the more Adam is in her orbit. A health situation could lead Adam to finding out the truth about Connor. JG states that we should expect a major showdown once Adam finds out.
Victoria/Billy/Chloe:
Even though Billy and Victoria are back together, they're still facing obstacles....Victor and Billy's gambling addiction. Also Victoria is still unsettled about how close Billy and Chloe have become while they were separated. The three of them will be thrown into a very troubling situation.
Lily/Cane/Hilary:
Will the Winter's be able to stop Hilary from hurting them before it's too late?
Melanie:
She is determined to bring Adam down, but if she goes too far, her plan can blow up in her face.
Jack/Summer/Kyle:
Summer and Kyle's feelings haven't changed despite knowing they are siblings. This frustrates them a great deal. Jack tries to get closer to Summer but she's still confused about the whole situation. She finds herself overwhelmed by Jack's eagerness to develop a relationship with her. JG states that Jack has something up his sleeve that will surprise everyone.
Tyler/Abby:
The couple is off to a good start, but things start to get shaky when one of them wants the relationship to become more serious. The other is not ready to take that next step.
Hope and Wyatt team up in business leaving Liam as the odd man out.
Will Wyatt prove to be his father's son and win Hope's heart??
Quinn & Katie commiserate over their contempt of Dollar Bill.
Quinn sets her sights on Eric.
Quinn and Wyatt heal their relationship.
Quinn and Forrester Creations enter a business relationship.
The disapproval for Bill and Brooke's relationship creates a backlash.
Brooke Makes ANOTHER great attempt to redeem herself.
Maya finds herself single. Will Carter now have a chance?
Alex spotted a familiar face at the airport, but she and Edmund assumed that the person couldn't have possibly been Dimitri. Later, at Wildwind, the maid found a bottle of pills and gave them to Alex, who discovered that they were the same pills that Dimitri had taken. David had a sexual daydream about Dixie. Stuart decided to head to Pine Valley. Hayley told Arlene that she despised Arlene and had never loved her. Ryan and Adrian prepared to go to Chechnya, despite Gillian's pleas to stay in Pine Valley. Leo and Becca entered a swing dance contest at SOS after sharing a romantic evening together. Wade loaned Greenlee the money that she needed for IncredibleDreams.com, but Greenlee later regretted her decision to accept the loan. Erica continued her plans for Bianca's party and warned Edmund to steer clear of Alex.
Holden had Rose arrested for identity theft and informed Lucinda of the switch. Vicky's mother visited Jake and urged him to get on with his life. Hal comforted Carly after she learned of Jack and Julia's engagement. Cooley demanded money from Holden in exchange for revealing Lily's whereabouts. Rose came clean to Molly and asked her for help.
Morgan confronted Stephanie about what she had tried to do her and told her nothing was going to stop her from having her baby. Stephanie told Ridge that he had to tell Taylor the truth about Morgan. Taylor invited Morgan over for lunch and asked who her baby's father was. Amber went to court, and the judge told her to get a lawyer because she was facing serious charges. After court, Amber met an attorney named Sherman Gale who she let take her case. Kimberly told Bridget that Thorne and Brooke were involved, and Bridget went home and found them together. Brooke and Thorne told Bridget that they loved each other and that they were getting married. Eric told Bridget she could live with him and Stephanie. Bridget gave Brooke an ultimatum: her or Thorne.
Brandon and Sami learned from Angela that Roberto had not killed Franco. Nicole tried to tape a confession from Lucas that he had killed Franco after she convinced Lucas that he had assaulted her while in a drunken stupor. Lucas caught on just in time to not incriminate himself further. Victor revealed his "drug" plan to keep Sami under control. The Dr. Marlena Showwas a big hit with everyone except Hattie the waitress. Stefano was "interested" in Hattie. Nancy was caught up in "show business." Nicole teased Roman with information about Franco's murder that could win Sami custody of Will, and put Lucas in jail. Nicole learned Victor and Rex had out-scammed her, and was out for revenge. Eric got a dose of the real Nicole, and decided to end their relationship. Broke and in a jam, Nicole begged Greta to help save her marriage to Lucas. Lily decided to help Greta in more ways than one. Belle sought Marlena's advice after she was hurt, confused, and jealous over Chloe's indifference toward her and popularity.
Chloe fought off Helena's attempt on her life. Jax went to Paris in search of Brenda and discovered her on the street. Alexis was shocked to learn she was the Internet's latest pinup girl. Lucky told a drugged Elizabeth how much he really loved her, knowing she would remember nothing in the morning. Sonny was arrested on charges of drug trafficking. Edward and A.J. both saw Sonny's arrest as an opportunity to get custody of Michael. Alexis told Sonny he needed to marry Carly in order to prevent her from testifying. Jason returned home to Port Charles.
Reva and Josh clashed over custody of the children when Reva felt Josh's sexual behavior was setting a bad example for Marah and Shane. Josh struck back by reminding Reva of her sordid past -- and that she was afraid Marah would become like her. Billy thought he had Noah where he wanted him until Holly verified Noah's story. Marah took advantage of the situation and decided to make a play for her mom's boyfriend. Harley's family was less than pleased at her reconciliation with Phillip, especially Susan, who felt she wasn't happy with either parent and went to Buzz for support. Blake was devastated that Ross didn't want to marry her, and was rebuffed in her attempt to change his mind. Selena agreed to tell her story to Blake. Maria manipulated Danny and Michelle to her benefit. Rick admitted the truth about his fraudulent past to the hospital board, but later learned he had passed the medical boards and Claire had been lying to him for years. Rick decided she needed help, and made a decision not to implicate her to the board. Richard and Cassie told Dax and Edmund that they could conceive a child and heir. Cassie had a minor accident at the palace that played into part of Edmund's plan.
Asa had a dream that Max was shot. Daniel arranged a meeting with Rae, Sykes, Kevin, Max, and Skye at Crossroads. Todd threatened Skye to stay away from Max. Sophia thought she was falling in love with Antonio. Kelly was shot and rushed to the hospital. Joey blamed Kevin for Kelly getting hurt. Daniel told Rae that Max was her son. Todd threatened to take custody of Starr away from Blair. Will reached Ireland and sent letters to Sam and Jessica. Kelly opened her eyes. Cris refused to let Will talk to Jessica. Melanie informed Lindsay that Bo was returning home. Todd tried to figure out what to do with Nora. Rae told Max that Daniel said Max was her son.
Ivy overheard Ethan and Julian plotting to destroy Sam. Sheridan and Luis almost kissed, but Hank interrupted. Sheridan continued to wonder if she was responsible for the death of Luis' father. Tabitha realized she couldn't control Evil Charity, and she and Timmy needed to obey Evil Charity. Evil Charity had Timmy sabotaged Miguel's motorcycle in an attempt to kill him. The angel girl warned Grace that an event in Sam's son's life was about to change her life. Chad pressured Ethan to call off the wedding and expose his true feelings. Eve hypnotized Sheridan. During the hypnosis, Sheridan screamed, "I did it!" Theresa was devastated when she realized that Ethan was serious when he claimed he didn't love her and would still be marrying Gwen. Distraught, she hopped aboard her brother's motorcycle and rode. Sheridan told Eve that she had killed Luis' father.
Billy surprised Mac with a ring. Brock confronted Jill about her vendetta against Mac. When Dru feared her career was over, Malcolm helped console her by asking her to pose for some photos. Victoria admitted that she was considering meeting with Gary in an attempt to move on with her life. Ashley was crushed when Victor nixed any chance they had at reconciliation.
Monday ("JJ Eviscerates His Mother")
JJ lashes out at Jennifer after discovering her in an intimate moment with Daniel.
Tuesday ("Daniel Questions Kristen")
Kristen slips up about her secret, earning her an interrogation from Daniel; Sonny and Will receive Gabi's condemnation.
Wednesday
Sami comes to a decision about the plea bargain; Eric tries to interpret an unsettling dream.
Thursday ("EJ Fears He May Have Ruined Sami's Case")
EJ worries how he may have affected the outcome in Sami's case; Brady proposes marriage to Kristen.
Friday ("EJ Tries to Warn Sami")
EJ pleads with Sami to change her mind about the plea; Sonny and Gabi make peace, only to find themselves at war once again.
Monday (Derek start to Remember)
Derek recovers his memory, shedding light on his past; Sonny finds Connie with a gunshot wound and clinging on to dear life.
Tuesday (Franco is up on the Roof)
Ellie finds Franco on the roof, appearing as though he may jump
Wednesday (AJ is Interrogated)
Dante and Anna question A.J. in relation to Connie's murder, but he redirects their investigation to Tracy
Thursday (Derek wants to tell Sam)
Derek can't shake his desire to confess everything to Sam; nightmares of losing her baby plague Maxie.
Friday (Dianne tells AJ not to Confess)
Diane offers counsel to A.J., who's considering making a confession in Connie's murder case; Maxie begins breastfeeding the baby
Monday (Earth-Shattering Secret)
Rick learns a devastating secret; Eric chooses which son will lead Forrester Creations.
Tuesday (Maya Pays the Price)
Maya's terrible mistakes comes at a great cost; Hope and Liam are swept away by their new-found passion.
Wednesday (Startling Announcement)
Brooke and Bill make a startling announcement; Caroline brags about her relationship with Rick.
Thursday (Wyatt Gets an Earful)
Wyatt gets an earful about Bill from Katie.
Friday (Things get Physical)
Things get physical between Bill and Wyatt; Brooke hopes to repair her relationship with Katie.
8/26, Jill finds a gift from Katherine; Nikki turns to Paul for help.
8/27, Lily confronts Cane about the latest blog post; Michael pushes Alex to find Carmine.
8/28, Kevin and Paul rush to help Michael and Lauren; Faith's rebellion upsets Avery, but encourages Sharon.
8/29, Victoria assists Avery with wedding preparations; Victor is curious about Adam's mysterious secret investor.
8/30, Billy tries to comfort Jill as they are mourning the loss of Katherine; Chelsea struggles with shocking news.