All My Children Returns To Its Grave! Cast Members Confirm Series Cancellation!
All My Children has been canceled again. Debbi Morgan took to Twitter to share the news with fans. "The show is not coming back. It's so sad & just a real bummer. I guess what really hurts my gut R all the positive proclamations I gave 2 all of U that we'd definitely coming back. I'm so very sorry 2c U disappointed yet again & believe me we feel the same!"
Morgan's co-star, Cady McClain took to her Facebook to address the reported cancellation.
"If you aren't hearing anything about the ending of AMC as we know it, it's really out of shock. I am also trying to allow [Prospect Park] to have the moment to contact all the actors and explain what is and has been going on with AMC, and then gather themselves to try and explain it all to you, the fans," McClain wrote.
The actress said they were told the show would return. Then, the cast was "very recently contacted and told that, with great regret, AMC won't be back online. Certainly hope springs eternal that we will yet again, spring from the dead,".
"Instead of going into the 'What Went Wrong' question, I think I'd rather focus on the gratitude I feel for having been asked to continue with the show," McCain wrote. "If I am still wanted as an actor on daytime, it is all because of YOU, the FANS."
In September, Los Angeles Times reported Prospect Park was shelving One Life to Live while its dispute with ABC raged on, but All My Children would return. Now, that's not happening.
The show, which ran on ABC for 41 years before its cancellation in 2011, was revived by The Online Network from April 29 until Sept. 2.
i miss Zarf
With contract negotiations with Billy Miller not going well, Daytime Confidential is reporting that Y&R is preparing for the worst by looking for a replacement, and that the recent casting call for Josh (Paul's relative) is really about finding potential candidates for the next Billy.
Sources say that the show is testing actors opposite Amelia Heinle (Victoria) today. Miller's current deal will reportedly expire next month.
The actor, who guest-starred on MODERN FAMILY this week, tweeted the news: "Thrilled to be on contract at #YR and excited for what is ahead for "Stitch" on @CBSDaytime @YRInsider @YandR_CBS #CBS"
La La Anthony will play LaKeisha Grant – childhood friend to Tasha St. Patrick (Naturi Naughto) and her closest confidant who is kept in the dark on certain aspects of Tasha’s life out of necessity.
Morgan will play Estelle, Tasha’s mom.
She will play Yvonne Fair, a singer in the James Brown Revue who recorded Brown’s “I Found You,” which later was reworked into his classic “I Got You (I Feel Good).”
Tontz was in Dallas in recent days and posted photos on her Instagram account including this one with the caption: "Gettin ma big sexy hurr on. @Dallas_TNT"
"Greetings all, well I finally got the official call, saying PP is not going forward with AMC 'at this time', left the door open a crack, hmmm! As disappointing as that news is, it was not a surprise. Just as they did the first time, PP chose to remain silent regarding their activities, and now that I've had some experience with them, I do believe that it was because Jeff [Kwatinetz, PP's co-chief] just kept on beating the bushes trying to raise the money, never willing to cry uncle. I am sad for all of us, from Jeff to all of you, but gosh I'm grateful for the chance we had to make something new and wonderful from our beloved shows. Maybe when more fans are computer-savvy, and go online for content as a regular habit, investors will feel comfortable putting money into what was a grand experiment, perhaps ahead of its time, and only time will tell. Take care of yourselves, my lovelies, sending love to you all!"
DAYS will host a wedding for resident gay couple Sonny (Freddie Smith) and Will (Guy Wilson) in the upcoming months. Peggy McCay let the big secret slip without the studio's knowledge during a fan event last weekend.
"Two young men on our show are getting married – two gay men. And we’re all celebrating," she said before being reminded by a co-star that the storyline has not yet been made public. "I shouldn't have said anything."
Video of McCay's comment has since been removed from YouTube.
GENERAL HOSPITAL star Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio) is returning to THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS as Colin Atkinson. Daytime Confidential first reported the news on Wednesday.
The news came as a surprise to GENERAL HOSPITAL head writer Ron Carlivati.
"Guys, I had no idea @tristanrogers was leaving. I found out last night. I now have 1 day to write him out of a big Feb Sweeps storyline," Carlivati tweeted on Thursday.
"Y&R is excited to have Tristan Rogers return to the show," a Y&R spokesperson told Soap Opera Digest. "We have an exciting story planned with him and Jess Walton [Jill] that will begin in early 2014."
Fans who have been upset that Rogers is departing his role as Robert Scorpio should know that Tristan first thanked his GH family by relating: “I’d like to thank Frank (Valentini) and Ron (Carlivati) for great storyline that kept Scorpio true to himself."
Then came Rogers second tweet which showed his enthusiasm on returning to Genoa City, when he expressed, "I’m stoked on Colin’s return to #YR in 2014 and delighted to once again be a part of the CBS Daytime family.”
Marvin Paige, a casting director who worked on films ranging from Breakfast at Tiffany's to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, as well as daytime soap opera GENERAL HOSPITAL, has died.
Paige, who was in his 80s, died Wednesday from injuries suffered in a car crash last month on Laurel Canyon Boulevard.
Ed Lozzi, Paige’s publicist, said the former casting director succumbed to his injuries at Cedars-Sinai.
Paige also did casting work for television series such as LASSIE, PLANET OF THE APES and LASSIE. His film credits included the movies Terminal Island, The Man Next Door, Sextette and the Woody Allen flicks Take the Money and Run and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask).
When he worked at GENERAL HOSPITAL in the mid to late 1980s, he often cast stars like LASSIE's June Lockhart and TOPPER star Anne Jeffreys.
According to Lozzi, Paige more recently worked as a “celebrity wrangler,” arranging for celebrity appearances at major awards shows and big events.
“Marvin Paige was the go-to guy for wrangling iconic celebrities to be involved with major events — either the Academy Awards, Oscar parties, Turner Classic Movies with Robert Osborne — it’s who you called,” Lozzi said.
Production company Prospect Park has expanded its lawsuit against ABC — from which it acquired the rights to “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” — to accuse the Alphabet net of borrowing “OLTL” characters in order to create a “mega-soap” merging that show with “General Hospital.”
In an amended complaint filed Wednesday, Prospect Park said it is seeking at least $95 million plus punitive damages from ABC. The producer also argued that it should not have to pay ABC licensing fees for the first seasons of the shows, which debuted in their new incarnations earlier this year.
“Unbeknownst to Prospect Park, at the same time the ink was drying on the licensing agreement granting Prospect Park an exclusive license for ‘OLTL’ through January 31, 2013, ABC insiders were developing a plan to create a mega-soap through the amalgamation of ‘OLTL’ and ‘GH,’ intentionally disregarding Prospect Park’s rights,” the company said in the complaint.
An ABC rep said the network has not been served with the amended complaint and could not yet comment.
Prospect Park first sued ABC in April, alleging the net killed off two “One Life to Live” characters and effectively killed off a third character to sabotage Prospect Park’s online resurrection of the show. ABC had previously called the suit “baseless.”
Prospect Park appears to have put the next seasons of “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” on hold pending the resolution of the ABC suit; cast members of “AMC” have indicated on Twitter and Facebook in the last week that the show has been canceled. The company said it has lost $30 million in out-of-pocket expenses in producing the first seasons and/or at least $95 million in lost profits.
Under the agreement with ABC, according to Prospect Park, seven “OLTL” characters were on loan to ABC’s “General Hospital.” Prospect Park claims ABC failed to consult with the studio on “GH” storylines involving them, which included characters Cole and Hope Thornhart dying when their car was forced off a cliff.
Moreover, Prospect Park alleged, ABC had planned to kill off those characters even before approaching the production firm about “borrowing” them for “GH.” Prospect Park also claimed ABC made changes to storylines of “OLTL” characters that it had never been given permission to borrow.
Prospect Park acquired the rights to the shows from ABC in 2011 after the Alphabet net canceled the soaps, which had each been on the air for more than 40 years. After hitting stumbling blocks with union negotiations and lining up financing, the studio began shooting in February at a soundstage in Stamford, Conn.
According to Prospect Park’s filing, the production company agreed to pay ABC $4.5 million per season for the rights to the first three seasons of “AMC” and $4 million per season for “OLTL.”
The new versions of One Life to Live and All My Children launched in April 2013 on Hulu and Prospect Park’s TheOnlineNetwork, with episodes also available for purchase through iTunes.
According to Prospect Park’s complaint, execs at ABC — one of Hulu’s owners — “instruct(ed) Hulu management not to offer Prospect Park the beneficial terms and arrangements that Hulu was prepared to provide and had provided to other less-popular shows.”
Less than a month after the debut of AMC and OLTL this spring, Prospect Park upset fans by announcing it would reduce the schedule for both shows from four eps weekly to two. The company said it made the change after viewers said they were having trouble keeping up with the faster pace.
As bodyguard to Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise, soap actor turned muscle for hire Sean Ringgold was closer to the family than anyone else. Protecting their lives at every turn, he had access to them at their most intimate and vulnerable moments.
But RadarOnline.com has learned that the family’s closest confidante may have been hiding a dark side: The Superior Court of New Jersey has commenced a grand jury investigation into allegations of rape against Cruise’s former right-hand man.
Ringgold — who also once worked for LL Cool J and Queen Latifah — could face a charge of “criminal sexual contact” in Hudson County, New Jersey, if the grand jury decides to indict him, a court official has confirmed. According to a subpoena obtained by Radar, that grand jury is now under way, but Ringgold continues to deny any wrongdoing.
According to another court document in the case, a criminal complaint obtained by Radar, the incident occurred on or around June 25, 2013. Ringgold’s alleged victim has spoken out exclusively to Radar to expose the man she claims sexually assaulted her.
“I have to make sure that he doesn’t do this again to someone else,” the woman — who we have chosen not to name for considerations of safety – said in an interview. “What if it’s just not me that he did this to? How many other girls could their be?”
The woman met Ringgold through mutual friends in the entertainment industry. “We were friendly and we knew each other and helped each other out when we could,” she explains. “In June, he invited me out to dinner.”
“It was supposed to be friends and business and talking,” she says, “and it turned in to something that was not that at all.” On June 28, the duo met up at an Olive Garden in Seacaucus, New Jersey, where the woman claims that Ringgold sexually assaulted her after dinner, as well as on the ride home.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by Radar, Ringgold allegedly did “commit criminal sexual contact … using physical force or coercion, specifically by pulling up the victim’s shirt, grabbing her right breast and putting his mouth over her left breast while stopped at a traffic light inside of his motor vehicle.”
Declining to get into specific detail about the still-horrifying attack, the woman claims, “He pulled behind a building to finish the job.”
“I don’t believe he drugged me, not at all,” she says of that fateful night. “The thing is, he said all the right things being a predator. The things he said were supposed to in some way keep me off my guard. Looking back, he was so smooth I have to wonder if it’s something he’s done before.”
As soon as the shock wore off, the woman was quick to take action. “I immediately decided to press charges,” she says. “The police knew within two days.” Notations on the criminal complaint show that Ringgold was arrested on July 2 and first appeared in court for the case on July 6.
As the case continues through the grand jury investigation, the alleged victim is going to public to make sure that the world knows about what she says happened. “I really didn’t want to do this,” she says. “He thinks any publicity is good publicity. But now I’m ready to talk.”
“My concern is all the traveling he does for work,” she says. “If he travels and he meets somebody, how many other girls could there be? The world needs to know about this.”
Ringgold’s attorney, Robert Rowbotham, did not respond to a request for comment. When approached by Radar, Ringgold, a former star of One Life To Live, strenuously denied all claims.
“No way, that’s out of control,” Ringgold said. “This person is obviously crazy. I have soap fans, they are a little crazy.”
Alluding to his famous clients, like Cruise, Queen Latifah, Ludacris and LL Cool J, Ringgold insisted, “The associations I have … you can really ask yourself that question. Do I look like I need to do that? It’s saddening to hear.”
The alleged victim, meanwhile, has moved into a safe location and says she has fears for her safety as well as that of her family.
“He is a big guy and he’s somebody who was running around in the streets,” she says. “I have not had any communication with him since the incident. I blocked him and changed my phone numbers and I’m moving to a safer location.”
She continues, “I need to move on and heal without being trapped by what happened.”
"I come from Film and TV so on my first day on set I wasn't completely clueless about everything. But THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL was different. You’re coming onto a show which consists of a cast which is now practically a family because they've been doing this for years."
NASHVILLE star Jonathan Jackson has landed him a record deal with Loud & Proud Records, according to Billboard.
"It felt like the perfect timing for everything," Jackson says. "The last decade, really, I've had an amazing time just working really hard developing a sound and continuing to write songs and play everything. So I'm really grateful for the time that we've been doing things independently, but at the same time it feels great to have this happen."
The former GENERAL HOSPITAL Emmy-winner plays Avery Barkley on NASHVILLE, a struggling musician trying to find his way in Music City.
Fifty years after it hit the air, ABC's General Hospital is still cooking with gas — but when a show's this hot it leaves us with burning questions! TV Guide called up head writer Ron Carlivati to get some answers.
TV Guide: Friday's episode (Nov. 8) had a whopper shock — Heather and Scott are Franco's parents! Uh, what are you smoking? Franco already has parents!
Carlivati: That idea was kind of floating from the first minute we ever put Roger Howarth [Franco] and Robin Mattson [Heather] together. As actors, they have such great chemistry and, as we know, their characters were tied to each other from the beginning, what with Heather being present at Franco's birth. Changing his parentage really solved a problem for us. We brought Roger back onto the show and he had great ties to GH history — Alan Quartermaine is Franco's father, Susan Moore is his mother and Jason Morgan is his twin brother — but they're all dead! So, after the dust settled, Franco had no real ties. We needed a richer, deeper well to draw from. This will tie Franco to two great legacy characters still with us today and now Scott's the D.A. with a son who's a reformed serial killer. It means Steven Lars is Franco's brother, so who knows what we're going to do with that some day? This also helps explain Heather's obsession with Franco. She's not just a psychopath. This takes her to another level. We found a moment in GH history where she and Scott could have conceived this child, so it all adds up. [Laughs] If you want it to, that is, and you're not one of those people who's looking to poke a hole in this. Because you know they're out there!
TV Guide: Is the Miscavige Institute for the Criminally Insane — the loony bin Heather keeps escaping from — a dig at Scientology?
Carlivati: [Laughs] No! Of course not! I love everyone, all Scientologists and everyone. It's a name that just...uh...popped into my head.
TV Guide: You've taken GH back to the golden age of soaps where the surprises happen on-air instead of being spoiled beforehand in the magazines. As frustrating as that can be for press peeps like me, I have to applaud it. Your ratings are up, up, up. How are you pulling off all this secrecy?
Carlivati: ABC has been very cooperative with me and [executive producer] Frank Valentini in terms of keeping secrets, though there are times when they say, "We'd really like to get some buzz going about so-and-so's return." But, as a fan, I like to be surprised. I love having my jaw drop open at the end of an episode. That's the way soap-watching was when I was growing up. There was no going on the Internet to find out who's coming back to the show, or who's hiding behind that Halloween mask. It's always a letdown when weeks before a big reveal everyone is trading the information on social media or you're reading about it in a magazine. I'm not going to make it easy for anyone to find out what's coming up.
TV Guide: You've ushered in a new way of soap writing by only using actors when you really need them, and that makes for a much better show. But then the fans of anybody you temporarily set aside get boiling mad. Is it a no-win situation?
Carlivati: It's really a constraint when you have a big contract cast and they all have their guarantees that need to be met. You end up putting people on screen just because they're getting paid, not because they have something important to do. And the result is audience boredom. Not only does this new way work better with our tighter budget, it makes for a better show when you have the freedom to rest a character.
TV Guide: Unless you're a Genie Francis fan. They're having cows because she disappeared from the show. Ditto with Sean Kanan's following. The Rebecca Herbst fans are steamed because she hasn't had a storyline in ages.
Carlivati: What's the point of seeing your favorites if they're not doing something crucial and interesting? Why not let someone else have the spotlight? Now we have a bunch of folks who are not on contract and they can pop in and out when we need them. It has allowed us to broaden our canvas of characters and pull from so many different eras of the show. But, yeah, it is no-win. People will complain because Anna doesn't have much to do. I'll say, 'Hang on, she's got a big story coming." But, then it's never like "Great! Thanks!" It's, "Well, then, what about Liz?" [Laughs] You can't win!
TV Guide: Well, what about Liz? What do you want to say to Herbst's fanbase?
Carlivati: I never watch a show just for a character or a couple. I watch it for the story, but I understand that's just my way of appreciating a show. There are people who are watching just for Liz. Sadly, you're putting yourself in a difficult situation if you're watching GH that way because you'll end up disappointed. Liz becomes very important as the Sabrina-Patrick wedding draws closer, and she'll figure in the A.J. trial, which will start soon. I'm sorry people are disappointed when their favorite is not in story. You can't please everybody.
TV Guide: What about Genie Francis? What happened there? Her exit was so abrupt.
Carlivati: I had to write her character off the show because it's my job, not because I wanted to. I don't make the contracts. I sit in New York and write the show. As I understand it, Genie came back to us on a short-term contract, which is what both she and ABC wanted. I was given her dates and worked with them the best I could. Genie had made another obligation before she returned to us, one that meant there were several weeks during the summer where she wasn't available to us. It made the most sense to have Laura's marriage to Scotty blow up and write her out where we did. We gave her this appointment and sent her back to Paris but we weren't saying that's the last you'll ever see of Laura. I love having Genie. I wanted Laura back on GH from the minute I came onto this show. I'm always open to having her back. Contrary to rumor, I assure you nobody got fired. Nobody got thrown under the bus.
TV Guide: What's up with Sean Kanan disappearing for so long, especially when his character A.J. is the prime suspect in the death of Connie?
Carlivati: We started that big murder story but didn't know at the time that everything would work out with Kimberly McCullough and that we'd get Robin back. As soon as that happened, we knew we had to put A.J. on hold because Robin's return to Port Charles would be big and impact nearly every character. We looked at A.J. and realized that his story could rest as he awaited trial. And, for the record, Sean Kanan was more episodes over his guarantee than any other person on the show, including Maurice Benard [Sonny], so he didn't lose money. Even resting him for all those weeks, he never fell under his guarantee.
TV Guide: Plus it's a lot more realistic to have a murder suspect sitting in the clink for a few weeks or months before the trial starts. In soaps, the trial usually begins 48 hours after the crime!
Carlivati: [Laughs] Well, don't hold me to that! When I need to be unrealistic and make a trial happen instantly, I'm going to write it that way! But, yeah, in the real world A.J. would be behind bars for a long time but there was only so much drama to be had from having characters wonder "How is A.J. doing today?" and sending them off to see him in jail.
TV Guide: The tone of GH is all over the place. You combine gutsy, reality-based drama like the Maxie-Lulu custody battle with off-the-wall goofiness that's straight out of Passions — from Obrecht running around in an Anna Devane mask to Heather freely going in and out of the nuthouse like it's Macy's. And somehow it all miraculously works!
Carlivati: Now that, to me, is the highest compliment. This is what a soap should be. If it's all about masks, then it's just silly. If it's all about real life and relatable angst, it can get dark and heavy and not fun to watch.
TV Guide: Any worries that you're overdoing it with the masks? First Faison faked being Duke, then Obrecht faked being Anna. If you make it seem like anyone can get access to these state-of-the-art Hollywood prosthetics, don't you risk losing audience trust? I mean, how do we know that's really Maxie?
Carlivati: [Laughs] Even the network said, "OK, can this be it for the masks?" when Duke had his confrontation with "Anna," but I gotta say they let me run with it and I have to respect that. No, we can't do it very often. In fact, we thought we were done with the masks with Faison but then it worked so beautifully to do it on the flip side with Obrecht. To me it was 100 percent worth it to see Finola Hughes playing Obrecht pretending to be Anna. But it was always meant to be a short thing. It's not like Obrecht will be running around taking over Anna's life for weeks and weeks. For now, that's it. The masks have served their purpose.
TV Guide: You are the only one among the current roster of soap head writers or exec producers who is on Twitter in a really big, immersive way. Valentini does have a bit of a presence but, beyond you two, it seems like the rest of them are hiding.
Carlivati: [Laughs] And I see the value in hiding! There are times when I'm, like, "What am I doing? Do not hit Send!" [Note: This interview took place before Carlivati's Twitter war with John Stamos this past weekend!]
TV Guide: You do seem to take offense on a fairly regular basis. Would you say you're overly sensitive to Twitter criticism?
Carlivati: People have different ideas of what constitutes criticism and, to me, "This show sucks" is not criticism. I will listen and respond very thoughtfully to someone who says, "I had a problem with this because of such and such..." That doesn't mean I'll change my plans, but that's completely valid. But, yeah, call me sensitive when someone says, "You're the worst writer and human being on the planet!" There are some very angry, very hateful people out there and who needs that in your life? I would never talk about people the way some of them talk about me. But the fun part of Twitter is really fun. It's a great way to interact with the fans, promote what we're doing, and really show my excitement about this show. The danger is that you're very accessible and people want answers to everything under the sun, and when I don't give them what they want they end up frustrated. Or they make up rumors and want me to refute them. I'm not going to do that. But I love checking out the Tweets while the show is airing and seeing how the audience is responding. "Oh, my God! Nikolas just found Robin!" There are also times when I feel the need to take a step back. But, for the most part, it's an overwhelmingly positive experience. [Laughs] As long as you know how to work the Block button!
TV Guide: Are you maybe making Twitter too important? It's still just a sliver of your total audience.
Carlivati: You're right. It's always a wakeup call for me when I encounter fans in other arenas, people who aren't on social media. I will often get a very different point of view about how the public is responding from the one I might get on Twitter, where there's a real pile-on mentality. I'll meet someone on the street or I'll talk to the girl who works behind the counter at my gym and they'll say, "Oh, I love that character!"— the same one everyone on Twitter seems to hate!
TV Guide: Does the Twitter noise ever mess with you head?
Carlivati: It does. When I first came on GH, people were in an uproar because Liz was comforting Patrick after Robin's death. I was getting an outpouring of hatred on Twitter for letting the character move in on this guy, when she was merely comforting a friend. It was absolutely insane! They were, like, "That hussy! She's trying to steal a man whose wife just died!" I have to say it made me gun-shy after that to put Liz and Patrick in a scene together.
TV Guide: 'Fess up! Aren't you glad that Prospect Park mess forced you to turn Todd, Starr and John into Franco, Kiki and Silas? This is a better show because you had to overcome that massive problem, right?
Carlivati: I have certain regrets because I had great things planned for those One Life to Live characters, things I'll never be able to make happen now. But so many good things were born out of this situation, like our entire Jerome story. We wouldn't have Julian or Ava, or all the complications resulting from their arrival in Port Charles. I don't know that we'd be introducing Sam's father or that Heather would be so prominent again. So, for all of that, I'm definitely grateful. God closes a door and opens a window — and we climbed right through it. Of course, we had no choice.
TV Guide: How was it, emotionally speaking, when you had to make such drastic and fast changes with the Llanview Three? Were you nervous? Scared? Pissed?
Carlivati: It was hard, job-wise, to write out three major characters all at once and then write in three new ones. Emotionally, it was really hard because I love those OLTL characters and I love that show, you know? And to suddenly find myself in this very, very awkward position that made it seem like I was on the opposite side of a show I love so much, well...I hated it. It's not a place I ever wanted to be.
Stamos responding to a fan asking if he would ever return to GH: "Never! I tried,they wanted me 2 play J.G. on drums with R.S. Legacy too important to me."
Carlivati: "I'm sure I will be shouted down by 1.3M people, but this is a total mischaracterization of what occurred."
Stamos: "was your big idea for me to play drums on jessie's girl with @RICKSPRINGFIELD at nurses ball?? yes or no?"
Carlivati: "Let it go, John."
Cynthia Watros returns to daytime on the number one soap, The Young and the Restless in a guest star story arc that hopefully will end up being much longer than anticipated! As soap fans know, Cynthia captivated audiences with her portrayal of Annie Dutton on Guiding Light! In fact, Watros collected the gold for her performances as a woman completely unhinged in her vendetta against Reva Shayne (Kim Zimmer) and that’s putting it mildly! Remember, the dead fetus?
Now collaborating once again with Y&R’s executive producer, Jill Farren Phelps, Watros is excited about her new daytime role as Kelly, a woman mourning the loss of her son who crosses path with Billy (Billy Miller) in a support group for grieving parents. Billy is trying to come to terms with the loss of his little girl, Delia. The question is, will Kelly turn out to be psycho just like Annie Dutton was in Springfield? Nobody plays that type of gal better!
On-Air On-Soaps chatted with Watros to give us a small preview of why she took the role, what we can expect, and what about all the original rumors swirling about that she was a possible replacement for Michelle Stafford in the role of Phyllis?
Cynthia on if she was aware of how much the fans were ecstatic upon hearing she was returning to daytime, and how unforgettable Annie Dutton was to Guiding Light:“I haven’t gone on any websites or anything, but I am so thrilled that they remember Annie, and that they loved her as much as I did. I loved playing her and loved Guiding Light and my whole experience there. I am so glad they remember me and Annie with fondness. That makes me really happy! I hope with Kelly, I can dive into some issues where I can have some fun like I did with Annie.”
Cynthia on why she is so good at playing twisted women like Annie:"I like playing psychos, but Annie wasn’t just crazy, and people could relate to her. She didn’t want to be crazy. She was a woman struggling with all these emotions: fear, sadness, anxiety, and all these things. She wanted love, and we all just want love."
Cynthia on her take on the role of Kelly:“She is a grieving mother who lost her son and she is in this supportive, grieving group where she meets Billy. She is taking a little hiatus from her teaching job because of losing her son. I think she’s just a woman trying to get back to some normalcy in her life.”
Cynthia on meeting and working with Billy Miller:“He’s so gracious and lovely and welcoming to me, which is nice when you enter into something like this. I kept getting lost at CBS while trying to find my way around to the dressing rooms and stuff, and Billy was very sweet to me. He goes, ‘Can I help you?’ I think I know my way now, but he’s lovely and he’s so good … and it’s so fun to act with him.”
Cynthia on what Y&R would have to do to entice her to stay longer than her current stint:“I told Jill Farren Phelps, that as long as she wants me and we can work around each other’s schedules, I would be happy to do whatever I can for the soap and be there as much as I can. I would love to work with her and the soap. I love playing all kinds of characters. If Kelly turns out to have hidden characteristics, I’d love to explore them!”
Cynthia on what is it about working with Jill Farren Phelps that makes her want to collaborate with the EP again in her acting career:"She’s a perfect combination of someone who knows what she’s doing, and she’s a strong woman. She’s been working in this field for a very long time, and she’s welcoming and warm. I think when I came on to Guiding Light I was such a newbie and so inexperienced. Jill just carried me through my first year and showed me the ropes and was very gentle. I have a very warm spot for her.”
Cynthia on the speculation that she was originally set to replace Michelle Stafford as Phyllis:“I think that is a subject I can’t really comment on … but, it’s interesting.”
Cynthia on why she decided to create a web series, Cynthia Watros Gets Lost based on the trials and tribulations of her life.“That was just a fun little thing that I did just to make fun of myself. I love comedy and it was easy to do, and on the web, you can do something in one afternoon and then post it and it’s so much fun to do. So those were just fun little shows that I put on when I had a little bit of down time.”
The beloved Eden Riegel, (Bianca) of All My Children, took to Twitter this afternoon to recognize that the show has one again been canceled. But in addition to relating her extreme sadness over the situation, Riegel chose to share with fans her favorite moments in AMC history as the groundbreaking Bianca, as she mourned the loss of the iconic show one more time and remembered the best of times!
Eden tweeted on the news of the demise of AMC, yet again: “Damnit. What a colossal shame! The show we all loved, that had such success online, dead again. Very sad I can’t return to my AMC family again and play the role I love so much. I’ll spend the day mourning and remembering the good times.”
Erika has decided to address allegations and quotes that appeared in Jeff Giles book, Love in the Afternoon- The Oral History of One Life to Live from former cast mate, Ellen Holly (Ex-Carla). In the book, Holly blames Slezak for her being fired from the series, and says that Erika used racial slurs against her! As you will recall, On-Air On-Soaps was the first to conduct a full length and in-depth interview with Giles on the OLTL tell-all!
On ErikaSlezak.com, Walter Miller introduces Slezak’s statement concerning Holly’s quotes by saying:“Several months ago Jeff Giles published a book entitled, Llanview in the Afternoon – An Oral History of One Life to Live. It is available digitally as well as hard copies that are printed-on-demand. There are things that Ellen Holly said in the book regarding Erika that are completely untrue and so we would like to clear this up so that you can know the truth. On November 7, Erika emailed the author of this book who quickly responded and agreed that he would edit the piece and allow Erika’s response and refutation of the lies. So, henceforth, in both the digital and hard copies, Erika will set the record straight, but if you already have either version of the book, please know that the quotes attributed to Erika from Ellen Holly, are absolutely not true.”
Erika asked we share her response to Ellen Holly’s allegations regarding OLTL’s 15th anniversary party at Tavern on the Green:“Let me begin by saying that never happened. I have never, in my entire life, used such language, nor would I have ever said that; especially about two ladies who I greatly admired and respected. I have no idea why Ellen has chosen to blame me for her being let go from One Life to Live. Not only is that an absolute fabrication on her part; it was never in the power of ANY actor or actress to make such a decision and anyone who has worked on One Life to Live would know that. We were owned and run by ABC; this was their decision alone. Furthermore, I would like to add that Ellen Holly was a wonderful actress, a beautiful woman and an essential and vital character on One Life to Live and there was nothing to be gained by her leaving the show. In fact I felt that her absence was detrimental to the show. Agnes Nixon had put together an amazing, multi-racial cast, which was groundbreaking at the time, and by losing two very important black actors, ABC was robbing the show of its diversity. I am very sorry that she has deluded herself into believing that I was in any way instrumental in her being fired, but more than that, I am appalled that she would accuse me of using racial slurs.”
Michael Fairman visited the set of NBC’s Days of our Lives to learn and discover how the stars of DAYS stay fit, how they look so beautiful on camera, what they eat, or what hidden talents they may have!
Casey Moss (JJ) shows us his guitar playing prowess and discusses playing the complex role of JJ Deveraux. Casey even shares his personal story about his struggles in high school through landing his gig at DAYS!
While Casey is not featured in Days of our Lives Better Living Book, because it was published before he began airing on the NBC soap, many of his cast mates are featured. However, if he were in the book, this is what he would have shared!
Guitar Playing with Casey Moss - DAYS Better Living with Michael Fairman Pt 2 from Michael Fairman on Vimeo.
Stephanie's party was filled with joy and tears as her loved ones celebrated her life with live Celtic performances and dancing. Stephanie revealed her plan to leave for parts unknown after the party, and the family was shocked to realize that it was the last time they'd ever see Stephanie alive. Stephanie said farewell to her family and traveled to Big Bear with Eric, who cared for her as her condition deteriorated. Liam comforted Steffy about her grandmother and offered her a key to the cliff house. Taylor was frustrated that patient confidentiality was prohibiting her from warning Bill and Brooke about Katie's plan. Sensing that Katie's plan was working, Taylor implored Brooke not to do to Katie's marriage what Brooke had done to Taylor's marriage to Ridge. Offended, Brooke smacked Taylor in the face. Though Brooke found Taylor's assertions to be absurd, Brooke heard stallions neighing when she accidentally got an eyeful of the naked and freshly showered Bill. Katie anonymously ordered takeout from Dayzee's and showed up in disguise to retrieve it. Taylor recognized Katie and followed her back to the hideout to implore her to return to her home before Brooke seduced Bill.
Marlena thought that Kristen had planned the meeting at the cabin to be alone with John. Marlena was furious at John for defending Kristen and that he believed that she was sincere. Brady told John that he was a fool to take Kristen's side, and that he should think about how his actions affected Marlena and his own marriage. Kristen discussed with E.J. her plan to help him advance his relationship with Sami. E.J. called Stefano and tried to make things right between them. E.J. told Sami that he was her new boss. Brady cancelled the church meeting so that he could warn Kristen to stay clear of John. Kristen was attacked in the park, and when Brady arrived to help her, he was knocked unconscious. Marlena erased a message on John's phone from Kristen, unaware that Kristen had called to tell John of Brady's accident. Hope told Nicole that Jennifer had not pressed charges against her and that the D.A. had dismissed the case. Daniel and the hospital staff welcomed Jennifer back to work. Jennifer and Daniel cleared the air and realized that they still had deep feelings for each, but each held back and settled for being friends for the time being. Will and Sonny met to clear the air. Will blasted Lucas for putting negative thoughts about Sonny into his head. Later, Will and Sonny made love for the first time. Gabi fainted and then learned that she was pregnant with Will's baby. Gabi told a shocked and surprised Will that he was going to be a father. Will and Gabi kept the news about the baby a secret from Sonny and Nick. Sami lied to Rafe and did not tell him about Gabi's news. Nicole couldn't believe that she saw Eric Brady in Horton Square. Later, she was shocked to learn that Eric had become a priest. Marlena told Roman that Eric was back in town. Roman, Marlena, John, and Sami enjoyed family time with Eric at the pub. Sami warned Eric to stay clear of Nicole. Nicole feared that E.J. would take revenge on her for lying to him about the baby. Eric found a lonely and depressed Nicole crying in the park. Eric asked Nicole to confide in him and to let him help her, and they left together to go back to the rectory to talk.
Carly called Dante to arrest A.J. Sonny confronted A.J. in jail. Michael learned that A.J.'s claims about Sonny were true. Monica put the mansion up as collateral so that A.J. could be released on bail. Tracy schemed to send A.J. back to jail and reclaim the mansion by telling A.J. that Michael had been hurt. A.J. cut off the ankle monitor and raced to the penthouse, thinking that Michael was in trouble. Sonny and Carly feared that they might lose Michael to A.J. Sonny offered to give Dante and Lulu money from the coffee business so that Dante and Lulu could have a baby via surrogacy. Dante made it clear that the money would be a loan, not a gift. Cesar Faison was revealed to be the man behind the Duke Lavery mask. The real Duke Lavery was being held prisoner in the same clinic as Robin. Olivia had an unsettling encounter with Faison disguised as Duke. Luke sent Robert to Port Charles to keep an eye on Anna. Lulu told Robert about Olivia's vision, so Robert enlisted Elizabeth's help to sketch a picture of the man that Olivia had seen when she had bumped into Duke. Robert and Elizabeth were stunned to realize that the man was Cesar Faison. Britt invited Patrick to spend the night with her at Metro Court. Patrick agreed but had a change of heart about sleeping with Britt because he felt disloyal to Robin. Britt assured Patrick that she would wait until he was ready. Sabrina and Elizabeth continued to look for financial backing for the Nurses Ball. Maxie was heartbroken when she realized that Spinelli and Ellie had been intimate. Maxie declared her love for Spinelli and asked him to make a choice between her and Ellie.
Ronan and Phyllis had an awkward official first date, and Phyllis realized that they might not be meant to be. Nick opened his heart to Avery and expressed how crazy he was about her. Avery feared that Phyllis would never accept Avery and Nick as a couple. Phyllis had a heart-to-heart talk with Jack and realized her marriage to Nick was over. Adam apologized to Chelsea for keeping secrets, and assured her that he chose her over Sharon. Chelsea wasn't convinced because Adam continued being obsessed with caring for Sharon. Noah met with Sharon and learned that she was seeing a therapist. Dr. Watkins diagnosed Sharon with bipolar disorder and prescribed medication to treat her. Sharon was concerned that medication would alter her personality. Noah took Faith to visit Sharon. Ronan told Phyllis that he thought Summer might be involved with whomever was cyberbullying Jamie. Phyllis told Nick about Summer's possible involvement with Jamie, but Nick defended Summer. Michael and Lauren realized their disapproval of Summer only made her more appealing to Fen. Summer reached out to Jamie, and Fen was jealous. Victor learned that Victoria had been kidnapped because Billy owed someone money for gambling. Victor took charge of the situation because he didn't trust Billy. Nick and Billy left together to pay off Eddie and get Victoria back. Victoria got Eddie to trust her a bit, but then he caught her trying to use his phone. Eddie pointed his gun at Victoria, ready to take her away from Billy. With Tucker's support, Jill suggested that she and Kay run Chancellor Industries together. Neil asked Leslie to work for Jabot. John appeared to Jack and said that he was worried about Jack. Jack refused to take any time to heal, even after Sarge said he wouldn't start rehab until Jack slowed down. Jack asked Phyllis to keep an eye on Adam for him. Phyllis made a toast to the new beginning of Newman Enterprises and also for her and Jack. Jack was in pain, but refused to let Phyllis know how bad it was. Christine found the video of Ricky killing Rachel, but Michael wasn't sure it was enough to exonerate Paul. Nina walked in on Paul and Christine kissing. Noah received a satchel filled with money from Adriana.
Monday ("Surprise Visit")
Shane and Kimberly visit Theresa, who is shocked to learn why they're in town.
Tuesday ("Nick Panics")
Nick panics when he learns Gabi is leaning towards turning down the modelling job in New York; Sonny gets upsetting news.
Wednesday ("Gabi's Blowout")
Gabi has a blowout with Will and Sonny regarding her decision about moving to New York; Eric is suspended.
Thursday ("Daniel and Nicole")
Daniel and Nicole kiss; Maggie tells Victor their marriage is in jeopardy.
Friday ("Jennifer's Confession")
Jennifer makes a confession to Eric; Jordan and Rafe share a tender moment.
Luke learns that Robert, Anna, and Duke have disappeared
Someone discovers that Robin is alive
Carlos has a warning for Sabrina
Franco threatens Heather's life
The outcome of the custody hearing threatens the relationships of everyone involved
Robin questions her right to butt into Patrick's life
11/18, Former lovers place blame on each other; Liam and Wyatt compete for Hope's attention.
11/19, Aly returns home to the Forrester family; Bill works to retrieve something.
11/20, Brooke and Katie try to rebuild their relationship; Hope and Wyatt have an unplanned encounter.
11/21, Mike Richards, Rachel Reynolds and Danielle Demski work with Thorne and Aly; Bill tries to make amends with Liam.
11/22, Aly gets bad news from Eric and Thorne; Quinn confronts Bill.
11/18, Nikki shares her plan with Paul; Adam worries about Kevin's desire to catch the hit-and-run driver.
11/19, Victor and Kyle engage in a game of cat and mouse; Paul and Christine want to help Michael.
11/20, Billy talks to Adam; Lily and Cane have an exciting evening.
11/21, Nick sticks up for Sharon to Victor; Devon's new ally has ulterior motives.
11/22, Adam and Chelsea plan for the future; Nikki prepares to tell the Newmans about Dylan.