We Love Soaps

Anna Stuart: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part Three

2010-03-17T16:58:00.011-04:00

In Parts One and Two of our interview, the beloved Anna Stuart shared with us her origins in daytime on THE DOCTORS and GENERAL HOSPITAL, as well as difficult choices she has made in order to live her life with integrity and authenticity. In Part Three, we review her years at ANOTHER WORLD, including leaving and coming back, and working with three of the Marley/Vickys.

We Love Soaps: Did you feel more comfortable playing Donna on ANOTHER WORLD than playing Toni on THE DOCTORS or Gina on GENERAL HOSPITAL?
Anna Stuart: No. It just lasted longer. And she went through a lifetime in that role. Having babies, having deaths, having grandchildren. I never had another character that was that long. If I had I’m sure that character would have been through stuff as well.

We Love Soaps: What was it like to have your creation replaced by another actress when you left the show in 1986?
Anna Stuart: I left the show. My intention was to go to California and work. They kept calling me every few months and asked if I wanted to come back. I didn’t really know Phelice Sampler’s work, but she was very miscast to play this part. And the press was very unkind about that. They were brutal about it. So they kept calling me, asking me to come back, and I said, “No!” Finally, after two years, I said, “Okay, I’ll come back. I’m not having fun, and I want to buy a house in the country, and I need the money to do it.”

We Love Soaps: How did it feel to come back into the role?
Anna Stuart: It felt great. I knew who this person was. After two years, there was even more that had gone down in her life.

We Love Soaps: Did you ever see Donna as villainess or a mean person?
Anna Stuart: Never. No. Villains don’t seem themselves that way. And If I ever had to play a real villain or a murderer or anyone like that, I would never choose to go head on into it as twirling my mustache, so to speak. You go totally the opposite and it’s more interesting. And more believable.

We Love Soaps: Why did Donna do things or say things that result in other people being hurt?
Anna Stuart: Well, I don’t know if you have had a halo over your head your whole life. I have spent most of my life with at least one of my feet in my mouth. You say hurtful things, you do hurtful things that you don’t intend to do. Or, if you happen to be in a personal relationship where you are fighting for your life, you say hurtful things to try to get the upper hand back. I think anything Donna might have done was self-defense. All of us are trying to muddle through it at the end of the day. We do the best we can. Some of us try to be very conscientious about doing better, and some of us just kind of go along.

We Love Soaps: I recall that the way you could have Donna eloquently say something that sounded so sweet, yet was actually so mean, was one of the keys to loving Donna through the years. What were some of your favorite stories?
Anna Stuart: I had the most fun when she and Michael [Kale Browne] were rediscovering each other. They had so many wonderful capers. This is when soaps had money to do things. I remember we were marooned in a rainstorm in this old abandoned mansion. We got wet, and soppy, and giggled a lot. There was another time when I was up in the hay loft and I fell right through this hole that was up there that I didn’t know about. I fell down into more hay, and it was more laughing and giggling and joyfulness. That was a lovely time. I loved when I started discovering that I had these babies. That was a huge thing. And the relationships I had with the women who played my daughters, I had wonderful relationships with all three of them. We could almost anticipate what the other was thinking, we had a lot of vulnerable stuff to do.

We Love Soaps: There were rumors in the '80s that Donna was going to revealed to have given birth to triplets instead of twins.
Anna Stuart: I vaguely remember that, but it’s real vague.

We Love Soaps: What was it like to work with Ellen Wheeler when she started?
Anna Stuart: Ellen was brand spankin’ new. She was more the Marley character. She was very soft and vulnerable, sort of afraid. And then she had to do Vicky. And something happened to her when she had to do Victoria . She popped out. She put those clothes on, she put those high heels on, and all of a sudden, she was Victoria. And then that freed her up to be Marley. She grew so much in both of those parts. She was just wonderful.

We Love Soaps: In her book "Call Me Crazy," Anne Heche writes a beautiful description of you “walking down the hall like the second finale of a firework display on the fourth of July.” What was it like working with Anne, given she had already been there nearly two years when you came back?
Anna Stuart: Again, my reputation had preceded me. She was all ready for me to come in. She was not able to work well with Phelice either. She and I had more of a similar energy and dynamic in our mutual eccentricities and our passions. We are both very passionate people. We go at things passionately. When she works as an actor she goes in 300 percent. She was always so hungry to learn more and to do better. She came from a very traumatic childhood and upbringing. She put all of that, all of that pain and passion into whatever part she did.

We Love Soaps: And then Jensen Buchanan came in. What was that relationship like?
Anna Stuart: That was very different. She wasn’t a child when she came in, so to speak. She was an older character, more mature, and Vicky and Donna had a different relationship by the time Jensen came in. Jensen was more like Grace Kelly. She was much more contained and quiet. And I mean inner quiet, she was a very quiet actress. She was wonderful. Obviously she was totally different from Anne. Anne was a like a big labrador puppy. And Jensen was more of a mature labrador. She was more the grown up version. As I said, I love what each and every one of them brought to the characters.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Come back for Part Four in which Anna discusses Donna’s relationship with Matt, how she felt portraying a woman going through menopause, and her dissatisfaction with the show by the end. Plus, how did she cope with unemployment after ANOTHER WORLD? Come back to find out! Until then don't miss a second of Anna's role on GOTHAM.

Damon L. Jacobs is a Marriage Family Therapist practicing in New York City, and the author of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve". He is re-imagining a world without "shoulds" at www.shouldless.com.

NEWS: Many DAYS Returns, Shaughnessy, Alfieri, Claywell

2010-03-17T16:09:00.002-04:00

DAYS OF OUR LIVES reveals returnees that will visit Alice Horton
Characters from the past will come back for a day (sometimes more) to visit an ill Alice. Among those who are reportedly returning to Salem are Jaime Lyn Bauer (Laura Horton), Roark Critchlow (Mike Horton), Maree Cheatham (Marie Horton), Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Horton), Mary Beth Evans (Kayla Johnson), Patsy Pease (Kimberly Brady), Christie Clark (Carrie Brady), Melissa Reeves (Jennifer Horton Deveraux), and Lisa Trusel (Melissa Anderson).

Charles Shaughnessy returning to DAYS OF OUR LIVES
An NBC rep says Shaughnessy will appear on the soap for 10 or so episodes as Shane Donovan, though that might expand. He starts taping the week of March 22 and begins airing in a couple of months.

INTERVIEW: OLTL's Brett Claywell (Kyle)
"I in no way feel like anyone should have to oppress who they are. The talent that one human being has to play a role is in no way affected by their sexual orientation. And I think the more actors who come out and say they are gay or lesbian will only continue the progress being made towards wider acceptance that they are gay or lesbian."

STUDY: Facebook, Google and Yahoo! are Top Sites While Watching Big TV Events
Americans are getting into the habit of going online while watching television, with 10% or more of viewers visiting social networks, searching the web and browsing content during major TV events.

Victor Alfieri joins ALL MY CHILDREN
Alfieri (ex-Giovanni, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Franco, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; Gianni, PASSIONS) has joined the cast of ALL MY CHILDREN as a fashion photographer who crosses paths with the ladies of Fusion.

Tracey E. Bregman and Christian LeBlanc in Reba McEntire video
The video previous reported is now available at CMT.com.

President Obama Praises National Broadband Plan

2010-03-17T15:35:00.000-04:00

The FCC unveiled its National Broadband Plan on March 16 and today President Obama weighed in saying the plan will provide foundation for sustained prosperity.

America today is on the verge of a broadband-driven Internet era that will unleash innovation, create new jobs and industries, provide consumers with new powerful sources of information, enhance American safety and security, and connect communities in ways that strengthen our democracy. Just as past generations of Americans met the great infrastructure challenges of the day, such as building the Transcontinental railroad and the Interstate highways, so too must we harness the potential of the Internet. Expanding broadband across the nation will build a foundation of sustained economic growth and the widely shared prosperity we all seek.

I commend Chairman Julius Genachowski, the Commissioners, and the FCC staff for their hard work in developing the National Broadband Plan.

My Administration will build upon our efforts over the past year to make America's nationwide broadband infrastructure the world's most powerful platform for economic growth and prosperity, including improving access to mobile broadband, maximizing technology innovation, and supporting a nationwide, interoperable public safety wireless broadband network.

ANNOUNCING: We Love Soaps Weekend May 21-23, 2010

2010-03-17T12:23:00.005-04:00

We Love Soaps is proud to announced the very first "We Love Soaps Weekend" at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, New York. The event will take place May 21-23, 2010.

Stars confirmed to attend are GUIDING LIGHT's Michael O'Leary and Robert Newman, AS THE WORLD TURNS's Colleen Zenk Pinter, and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Bree Williamson and BethAnn Bonner. The soap stars will also be performing (singing/stand-up) in shows on both Friday and Saturday nights. More talent will be added soon (subject to change).

For those who would like to attend the entire weekend, here are the room accommodations: Check in Friday and check out Sunday at Noon. Five-course dinners on Friday and Saturday, hot breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Entertainment included as well as a chance to mingle with soap stars. $249.00 per person double occupancy + tax for the entire weekend. To view all the resort amenities, check out VillaRoma.com.

If you would like to only attend dinner and a show on just one of the nights, you can purchase a ticket for $59. Dinner and a show for both nights is $99. If you want to only attend one show (minus dinner), you can for $25 per night.

More details on the purchase of the individual tickets will be posted soon. If you are interested in stay at the resort for the entire weekend, book your room today.

The New Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center: Redefined and Redesigned

The new Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center provides the ideal getaway, special event venue or meeting place for families, social groups and businesses alike. Located in Callicoon, N.Y., just two hours from most parts of the Tri-State and Capital Region, the redefined and redesigned resort offers an easy, scenic escape with a variety of amenities and customized packages to meet virtually any need.

The popular resort is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and recently completed a $27.3 million construction of the new main hotel facility. The new Villa Roma boasts almost 400 rooms and suites and a variety of amenities, including a 600-seat ballroom, sophisticated lounge and dance club, 150-seat café, a 30-person Jacuzzi and a new outdoor water playground. The hotel is architecturally exquisite and has a stunning interior design.

Guests at the new Villa Roma can also enjoy its five pools, indoor tennis and fitness center, 1,000-seat night club and show room, 18-hole championship golf course (recently awarded a four-star ranking by Golf Digest), arcade, bumper-boat pool, go-cart track, horseback riding, spa and salon, gift shop, bowling facility, supervised children’s programs and more. The redesigned and redefined hotel offers a variety of fun activities for adults, children and families year-round.

Additionally, its beautiful grounds, club house and catering facility, outstanding cuisine and unmatched service make the newly redesigned hotel the perfect place to host a wedding, special event or corporate meeting. Villa Roma can accommodate events from 10 to 700 people and offers 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, high-speed Internet access and the latest in audio/visual presentation technology.

Call 1-800-533-6767 for additional information or visit VillaRoma.com for a virtual tour and complete list of amenities and services.

CBS Pre-Empted Thursday/Friday, Join WLS Bracket

2010-03-17T10:19:00.002-04:00

As is the case every year, the CBS soaps will be pre-empted on Thursday and Friday for first round games in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. For those who love soaps and basketball, there's still room in the We Love Soaps Tournament Challenge group. You can join here.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

2010-03-17T05:27:00.001-04:00

Sloane Shelton (ex-Loretta, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Elaine, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW; ex-Harriet, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Mildred, LOVERS AND FRIENDS) - 76
Patrick Duffy (ex-Stephen, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Bobby, DALLAS) - 61
Lesley-Anne Down (Jackie, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Lady Sheraton, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Olivia, SUNSET BEACH; ex-Stephanie, DALLAS) - 56
Oliver Macready (ex-Romeo, GUIDING LIGHT) - 38
Amelia Heinle (Victoria, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Mia, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Steffi, THE CITY/LOVING) - 37
Natalie Zea (ex-Karen, DIRTY SEXY MONEY; ex-Gwen, PASSIONS) - 35

NEWS: Brett Claywell, SyFy Effect, MI MARIDO, Sorensen

2010-03-17T00:44:00.002-04:00

INTERVIEW: OLTL's Brett Claywell (Kyle)
"I haven't been very vocal throughout this whole process. I needed to take some time to compose my thoughts. Emotionally, it has beaten me up a little bit. I'm okay. This isn't my first job and it's not my last. Every story has an end. As an actor, you understand that.

"I became a part of something bigger than myself, and from now until the day I die I'll be supportive of the movement. For the rest of my life, not just for the gay community, I will do everything I can in every way I can for those who are suffering injustices. I do believe that this is one of the huge injustices. Until we as a nation recognize that all men are created equal, the words that we're founded on, I'm going to fight."

Syndication Ratings: Gavelers Rule Sweeps
The results of the February sweeps period (Feb. 4-Mar.3) are in and Nielsen gave its most favorable verdict to the court shows, the only genre in which every strip was up over last year's syndicated sweep ratings (and one of the cheapest to produce).

General Mills adds Latin flare to online shows
Nestled on CTV.ca between online episodes of DEGRASSI and ALL MY CHILDREN is a new tongue-in-cheek Spanish soap opera created by General Mills as a lighthearted break for female consumers. The show, called MI MARIDO, MI ANGEL (My Husband, My Angel), was created by Cossette for the Old El Paso brand. Fjord, the agency's media division, worked with CTV to have it listed at CTV.ca as a regular show. Three episodes were made, but if there is enough positive response to MI MARIDO, Pawziuk said new episodes could be created.

Upfronts 2010: Syfy Touts ‘The Syfy Effect'
The network is pitching a new advertising metric, which it calls "The Syfy Effect." It is essentially a new sales-marketing initiative that aggregates results from other metrics, including brand recall and program engagement, and pairs it with interactive testimonials from advertisers and viewers.

NEIGHBOURS star James Sorensen quits soap for army
NEIGHBOURS star James Sorensen is quitting the popular Australian soap to follow a new career path, it has been revealed. Sorensen's co-star, Jordan Smith (Andrew), has now said that the soap star is to sign up as a new army recruit. Smith told TV Week: "He's really serious about it. It's just something he really wants to do. He's been training really hard, but I wish he'd stay. He's become a really good mate. I've told him he's going to get shot on his first day, but he's adamant he wants to go!"

HOT STORIES: Kristina Accuses Ethan on GH

2010-03-16T23:37:00.002-04:00

Kristina named Ethan as her attacker on Tuesday's GENERAL HOSPITAL. Sonny, obviously, did not take the news well and pulled a gun on Ethan. Catch up on this hot story below.

ABC Considering Midday Newscast?

2010-03-16T22:06:00.002-04:00

The New York Observer's Felix Gillette reports that ABC News execs have been considering a "midday news and lifestyle program that would be one part GOOD MORNING AMERICA, one part THE VIEW.

How ABC stations would fit the new show into their daytime line-up remains unclear--and it's still a strong possibility that the project will fizzle out long before it ever makes it onto the air. That said, according to our sources, ABC News executives have had preliminary discussions with internal and external candidates about what a midday news show might possibly look like.

Two names rumored for the gig: Ashleigh Banfield, who MediaBistro reported recently joined ABC News with a vague set of future responsibilities, and Tamron Hall, who's been a prominent dayside anchor on MSNBC. MSNBC had no comment. ABC SVP of creative development Phyllis McGrady is said to be overseeing the project.

Anna Stuart: The WLS Interview Part Two

2010-03-16T18:45:00.012-04:00

In Part One of our interview with the outspoken and classy Anna Stuart, the soap legend shared her experiences and insights starting on THE DOCTORS, going to GENERAL HOSPITAL, then filling in for Maeve Kinkead as Vanessa on GUIDING LIGHT. In this part, she reflects upon starting on ANOTHER WORLD, and how her own integrity, strength, and independence lent itself to bringing Donna Love to life.

We Love Soaps: About a year after GUIDING LIGHT finished, ANOTHER WORLD came calling.
Anna Stuart: Yes. I had been eligible for unemployment, and I took it. I was going to sign for my last check on the day that I had the audition for Paul Rauch. Back in those days, the wardrobe department would let you borrow clothes for things. GUIDING LIGHT let me borrow that pant suit with the wonderful fox fur throw for this audition. Here I am, standing in line [wearing the outfit] at the unemployment office to get my check, and I can’t tell you the dirty looks I got.

So then I rushed off to the audition and I had to kiss Stephen Schnetzer. I was auditioning for Felicia. I went into the ladies room to gargle with Lavoris to make sure I was fresh. And they called me, “Anna Stuart, where are you, we are waiting for you!” I didn’t expect it, and I spilled the Lavoris all over my all white pant suit. So here I am trying to cover the Lavoris stains with the white fur throw. I walked up into the room and Paul Rauch never looked up, he never even looked at me. He had a tendency to be sort of intimidating that way. He had issues in that area. I didn’t get that part, and that was that. I didn’t want to do another soap anyway.

About three weeks later Paul Rauch called my agent and said, “We have a character in mind but it’s recurring, would she be interested?” I said, “Absolutely, if it’s recurring then I don’t have to make a commitment.” So I started doing Donna Love as a recurring character, and the rest is history. By the time they asked me if they can put me under contract, it was eight or nine months into the run. The character had taken with the audience, so they had to pay me more money than they would have if they had put me under contract right away.

We Love Soaps: What did you understand about Donna when you first started playing her?
Anna Stuart: She was very wealthy. She was intimidated by her father, and not very accepted by him. Her mother had died and had loved her and been very supportive of her. She had one of those mixes, not unlike me, of being very willful and forceful, and she was very, very vulnerable. Very vulnerable. She had a very delicate place in her. Lots of neuroses that she played out lots of way. I was on the show all together for 16 years. In the course of the show I changed, and I changed the character as well.

I was supposed to be a southern bell as I grew up. That didn’t work out too well. I was supposed to marry someone doctorish or lawyerish and be socially prominent and do that southern thing where you do the right social class, you entertain and socialize with the right people, you belong to the country club, you dress the right way, and blah blah blah. I didn’t do any of that.

We Love Soaps: Why not?
Anna Stuart: It wasn’t my thing. I came out leaning to the left. I was always off center. I was always attracted to the bad boy. I wasn’t interested in the guys who had the resume and the money. I was always more interested in the people who were more creative and usually had some of the bad boy in them. I didn’t care about all the dogma of it, I didn’t care about the structure. I didn’t care about being inside that box. It wasn’t appealing to me, it was too confining. I wasn’t very popular in high school, I didn’t date. I went off to New York, with my parents support, when I was 19, and I never looked back. I was out of there. My parents would bribe me to come home to be a secretary. I said I’d rather die.

We Love Soaps: You’ve really had to break out of ascribed societal roles.
Anna Stuart: It’s not even that I had to. It’s just that’s what I continued to do. But I had to pay for it.

We Love Soaps: How?
Anna Stuart: Different ways. I came to New York and started living with someone. That didn’t go over too well with my family, I sort of had to keep that hidden. They didn’t want a scandal. When they found out I was living with someone they didn’t communicate with me for quite a long time. I wanted my parent’s approval, yet I had to go my own way. It all came out in the wash. They accepted the fact along the way that I had a very different lifestyle from how they anticipated for me. Now it’s a very different kind of relationship.

We Love Soaps: How were you able to break out of those roles that said you “should” do things in certain ways?
Anna Stuart: I went back and forth. I tried to do things a certain [traditional] way. Then I would burst out because it didn’t work. The necktie was too tight around my neck. When things are just in people, they are in there, and you follow the path. If you don’t, then you pay for it every day of your life. There’s always a little voice that says, “You didn’t honor who you were. You didn’t do what you wanted to do.” You get to the end of your life and say, “I didn’t do it.” Look at the movie Revolutionary Road. It’s about a couple in the 50s. The husband [Leonardo Dicaprio] settles and the wife [Kate Winslet] can’t live that way in the suburbs. She’s too creative. He was creative too but he settled.

We Love Soaps: As a therapist I often see people in this position of settling, who then suffer long term depression or drug and alcohol abuse.
Anna Stuart: Listen, I’ve spent my whole life doing things I didn’t want to do. I’m not saying that I’ve marched along being Katherine Hepburn. Not at all! But I’ve spent my life trying to do the things I want to do, to psychologically be the person I’ve wanted to be. I’ve spent my whole life in that effort.

We Love Soaps: Who is it you want to be now?
Anna Stuart: At this point, I’m not marching with big loud noisy drums. It’s not like that anymore. Now it’s more quiet. When you peel the layers of an onion, you peel it, peel it, peel it, and you get down to a little place. It’s all about going to the quiet place within you. In that quiet place you can do anything. You can be angry, you can be sad, you can be all those things without judgment on yourself. It’s about trying to stay in your center. It’s easy to be holy in the temple, so to speak. But when you go outside of there, how do you live in the world? How do you keep yourself quiet in the world so that you can be who you want to be.

For instance, my fellow, who I’ve been with for 12 years, who I adore, snapped at me about five years ago. It’s not like him, we don’t do that. But he was being really ugly. At one time I would have been intimidated and felt that I wasn’t good enough. I would shrink away or get an attitude. But instead, I walked back in the room and I said, “Who do you want me to be that I should think it’s okay that you are dealing with me like this right now? Who would you like to be?” It wasn’t aggressive. I was grounded in my center. I was in a quiet enough place that I could speak with reason and not have to do battle.

We Love Soaps: That is wonderful. It takes much strength not to respond to attack with attack.
Anna Stuart: Attacking back is fine, as long as it’s clean. As long as it’s not below the belt.

We Love Soaps: How did he respond to that question?
Anna Stuart: He was like, “oh.” He got it. I spent my whole life around alcoholics, and I was in Al-Anon and went to Al-Anon meetings for a very long time. I learned how to detach with love in many instances. You learn a lot in those rooms.

We Love Soaps: I think this inner process you describe helps me to understand more my love for Donna Love all those years. I saw her struggling to maintain the balance between marching to her own drum, and doing what her father Reginald expected of her in those early years.
Anna Stuart: And she was a very sexual woman. She always had the affairs with the gardener, with the horse groomer, with the people that were more working-class. That’s what Michael Hudson was.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please come back for Part Three when we discuss the three major Vicky’s (Wheeler, Heche, Buchanan), favorite Donna moments, and how she felt about Donna’s recast in the 1980’s. Until then don't miss a second of Anna's role on GOTHAM

Damon L. Jacobs is a Marriage Family Therapist practicing in New York City, and the author of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve". He is re-imagining a world without "shoulds" at www.shouldless.com.

OLTL's Evans & Claywell Respond To Rumors & Tactics

2010-03-16T17:44:00.005-04:00

False rumors have been spread about Brett Claywell and Scott Evans following their firing last week by ONE LIFE TO LIVE. While the actors were class acts at the GLAAD Awards, a nasty smear campaign started happening behind the scenes.

Soap Opera Digest spoke with Claywell about the rumors.

In response to the rumors that it was one actor's partying and the other's busy schedule that led to them being let go, Claywell laughs, "It's so false it's slander. Scott and I were nothing but professional and completely 100 percent dedicated to our work."

Claywell had more to say to Sara Bibel.

There was a column in TV Guide Canada that alleges that you two were written off for performance issues. I wanted to give you the opportunity to respond to that.

Scott informed me of that yesterday. It’s amazing to me that two people can put so much of their heart into a story that can be so passionate and serious and tell a story as honestly and as truthfully as we tried to and just open our hearts to the world and just try to make a difference, try and touch people and stories like this will come out that are absolutely, 100% false. I’d love for anyone to watch one day of any of the work we’ve done and tell me that Scott and I were not 100% committed to what we were doing. We were so dedicated to our work. It’s hurtful. I’m really offended that someone would make completely false claims. I’m angry. It’s slander.

It struck me that if you were being unprofessional, you probably wouldn’t have gotten an Emmy pre-nomination.

One of the last days that Scott and I worked together, the argument scene that just aired two weeks ago when I had the DNA test, we had all these scenes that were from different episodes, 41 pages of dialogue that Scott and I filmed in maybe an hour and a half. We work so methodically together and so well together. We would film scenes in one take like everybody does. You ask the directors we worked with. The fact that you can spend a year and a half pouring your heart into a story and one person with one article can try to bruise that reputation you have, it’s disheartening and it’s offensive.

Scott Evans responded on Twitter earlier today:

Such a bummer what all of this is turning into. I will continue to respect the decision but will remain unhappy with the tactics.

Meanwhile, fans are up in arms and have formed websites, planned rallies and are determined to let ABC know how they feel.

Marlena De Lacroix has weighed in with a new piece titled "Kiboshing Kish: Betrayal and Malfeasance" posted today.

We Love Soaps' Damon L. Jacobs wrote a great feature last week on the current state of Gays in Daytime. Read it here.

PREVIEW: Tonight's 90210 & MELROSE PLACE

2010-03-16T16:34:00.001-04:00

90210 and MELROSE PLACE are both new tonight on The CW. Here's a preview:

"Girl Fight" Season 2 Episode 14 - Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) enlists Ivy’s (Gillian Zinser) help in reducing the awkwardness with Liam (Matt Lanter) and the three decide to go on a hike, something Naomi has never done. Naomi discovers Ivy’s alterior motives and confronts her by pushing her face in the sand. Naomi, Silver (Jessica Stroup) and Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes) go shopping in the Palisades and run into Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Jasper (Zach Sherman). Jasper blackmails Annie with photographic proof of her hit-and-run, but she gives Jasper an ultimatum that puts her mind at ease.

Adrianna and Gia’s (Rumer Willis) friendship continues to develop when the two throw a pity party for themselves. Silver (Jessica Stroup) and Teddy (Trevor Donovan) toy with the idea of trying to make a relationship work. Ryan (Ryan Eggold) meets free-spirited Laurel (guest star Kelly Lynch, THE L WORD) at a bar, but soon they move to her car so they can get to know each other even better. A surprise visitor shows up on the Wilson’s doorstep.

Rob Estes, Lori Loughlin, Michael Steger and Tristan Wilds also star. Fred Gerber directed the episode written by Rebecca Sinclair and Jennie Snyder Urman.

"Stoner Canyon" Episode 14 - exy Drew Pragin (Nick Zano) moves into Auggie’s old apartment and immediately clashes with Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen). She becomes even more upset when he shows up at the hospital as the newest resident. Riley (Jessica Lucas) asks Ben (guest star Billy Campbell) for a job, which infuriates Amanda (Heather Locklear), and David (Shaun Sipos) receives life-changing news from an unexpected source. Meanwhile, Ella (Katie Cassidy) makes an unrealistic demand of Jonah (Michael Rady) that backfires.

Seith Mann directed the episode written by Caprice Crane.

NEWS: Nicholls, Landon, Branded Video, NY Tax Credit

2010-03-16T10:38:00.001-04:00

Jennifer Landon back to ATWT, Jesse Soffer too?
CBS Soaps in Depth is reporting that Jesse Soffer and Jennifer Landon will be returning to AS THE WORLD TURNS this spring as Will and Gwen Munson.

Tax credit plan could draw post-production film work to New York
In a 2010-2011 Executive Budget laden with massive spending cuts for myriad programs is a proposed $7 million new tax credit for post-production film work that some lawmakers are hoping will help stimulate the state's economy and create jobs.

With Web Video on the Rise, Brands Are Increasingly Creating Their Own Digital-Entertainment Properties
Today, brands are increasingly seeking to develop proprietary content and in some cases are becoming media producers on their own. This innovation is taking place on the web, and the key players producing original branded content come largely from outside of Hollywood's circle of A-Listers.

Asbury Park Celebrates Bill Chinnock with a Benefit Concert
Bill Chinnock died in March of 2007 after a long battle with Lyme’s disease. He won an Emmy in 1986 for the theme song “Somewhere in the Night,” which was used as the theme song for the daytime soap SEARCH FOR TOMORROW.

INTERVIEW: CORRIE's Sue Nicholls (Audrey)
On her 30 years on the soap: "It's jolly nice, too - it's the best job to have, especially in this day and age when there are no jobs anyway. Everybody wants to be in it so it must have something going for it! I've been so lucky and if I think back over the years all the people have been lovely and the stories have been hot. Being with Amanda Barrie was lovely, and of course Brian Mosley who sadly died - and it's thanks to Brian or whoever - if they hadn't married Audrey off to Alf, who knows I might just have been another tart with a heart passing through."

DAYS actress Shelby Young in Facebook movie
Production has begun on The Social Network. Shelby Young recently finished shooting her supporting role in the film.

Bob Guiney comments on divorce from Rebecca Budig
"It's been a really rough couple weeks recently ... we're thankful to have our friendship."

Julianne on Helen Wagner: "Still Giving Us Acting Tips"

2010-03-16T09:51:00.003-04:00

Last night Showbiz 411 spoke with Julianne Moore, who will making a one-day return appearance on AS THE WORLD TURNS on April 5 as Frannie Hughes.

Moore won a Daytime Emmy playing lookalike cousins on the show. She will only play one for the return. What happened to the other one? “I’m not in touch with her,” the four time Oscar nominee quipped at the Chloe premiere last night in New York.

She says she loved being reunited with her soap family, including 92 year old show matriarch Helen Wagner, who plays her grandmother. “She’s still giving us acting tips,” Moore recalls.

Moore stars in Chloe with another former AS THE WORLD TURNS actress, Amanda Seyfried.

RESULTS: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

2010-03-16T09:14:00.002-04:00

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Indie Soap of the Week" poll for the week of March 7-13, 2010. ANYONE BUT ME finished in the top spot for the first time. Eight indie soaps aired one or more episodes last week. Check back on Saturday when this week's polling begins.

Watch/listen to last week's indie soaps:
- ANYONE BUT ME
- CHICK
- DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM
- DOWNSIZED
- JACLIFE
- TABLE OF CHOICES
- THE LIKE US SHOW
- THE STEPS

Today's Soap World Birthdays

2010-03-16T09:02:00.001-04:00

Harding Lemay* (Writer for ANOTHER WORLD, GUIDING LIGHT, et al) - 88
Erik Estrada (ex-Eduardo, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) - 61
Granville Van Dusen (ex-D.V., PORT CHARLES; ex-Keith, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 66
Lindie Van Eeden (ex-Karen, EGOLI: PLACE OF GOLD) - 32
Stephanie Gatschet (Madison, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Tammy, GUIDING LIGHT) - 27

*Press here to read the WLS Interview with Harding Lemay

More Scott Evans & Brett Claywell at GLAAD Awards

2010-03-15T22:30:00.001-04:00

Out spoke with Brett Claywell and Scott Evans on the red carpet at Saturday's GLAAD Media Awards and the two class acts spoke eloquently about their run on ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

Out: What are your thoughts on One Life to Live ending your storyline? 
Brett Claywell: It was a journey we went on together this whole year, and we had no idea it was going to be received the way it was. I couldn’t have been more privileged to work with a better actor to figuratively and literally hold my hand through the whole process. There’s definitely going to be some sadness, but we really are proud of what we did. We’ve been boyfriends on screen, and now we get to just be brothers. If nothing else we told a great story and developed a new friendship.

Out: What was it like doing the groundbreaking sex scene?
Scott Evans: We didn’t know when we were shooting it that it was the very first one. Then afterward we heard all about the breaking of new ground, and we thought it was pretty cool.   

Out: Why do you think presenting a storyline like this one is so important on daytime TV? 
Scott Evans: You’re reaching an audience that you normally wouldn’t reach. These are people who may not be watching primetime TV or might not be so in to what is going on in modern times.
Brett Claywell: We’re glad to celebrate the telling of a truthful love story in every day households in the Midwest and the south, and that’s important.

Evans is currently in Los Angeles auditioning.

New GOTHAM: Matt Crane Debuts!

2010-03-15T20:06:00.003-04:00

GOTHAM is back tonight with an all new episode. Among the story developments, Perry, played by former ANOTHER WORLD star Matt Crane, debuts at the Nicole Miller offices.

Anna Stuart: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part One

2010-03-15T15:51:00.008-04:00

When you look up the word "class" in the soap opera encyclopedia, chances are you will find Anna Stuart's picture. This veteran has spent nearly 40 years blazing trails on daytime as confident, sexy, and sassy women. She is currently starring in indie soap GOTHAM. But little is known about her off screen struggles, hopes, and disappointments. Please read this rare interview to learn more about this fascinating and inspiring talent, and her life lessons learned along the way. In Part One, Ms. Stuart recalls anecdotes from her early years on soaps, her reluctance to do daytime, and pressures of temporarily replacing Maeve Kinkead on GUIDING LIGHT.

We Love Soaps: It is so wonderful to speak with you! You played Toni on THE DOCTORS from 1971-1977. How did that come about?
Anna Stuart: I got the initial audition, which I did not want to do, because there was no way I was going to do a soap opera. I figured I would get the audition out of the way, but then I got a call back. The day of the callback I happened to be shooting a commercial. It was one of those horrible February rainy slushy days. The commercial was downtown. I got out too late to make the audition. But my agent called them, they were running behind. I ran out in the cold to make it, and then got the next callback. By that time I was green with illness. I had gotten sick from going out in this weather, I had 103 fever. I was a mess. That’s why I wasn’t nervous, I was so sick I just wanted to get it over with. I later found out that P&G had wanted to cast somebody else, but Norman Hall [Director on THE DOCTORS] wanted me for the part.

We Love Soaps: But you had decided you did not want to do soaps?
Anna Stuart: I wanted to do theater and films. Things were different with actors then. You actually went to acting school, you studied playwrights, you didn’t just have a pretty face and get put on camera. Soaps just didn’t interest me. So when I got THE DOCTORS, I didn’t really want it. They talked me into it. And then I got snared into working consistently, while doing theater on the side.

We Love Soaps: What was it like to work on THE DOCTORS at that time?
Anna Stuart: It was my first show. I had such a great time. It wasn’t live, but it was close. You did not stop. They didn’t do takes. They had an announcer, they taped from beginning to end. If you had to stop it was like threat of death. If you didn’t get it right then you’d better make it up.

We Love Soaps: Did you ever have to do that?
Anna Stuart: Well we had cue cards. But I really didn’t like them. They were distracting for me. But we had two guys, one on either side of the camera. They would have these big cardboard things with the lines written on them. Their finger would wag as they would go down the thing, so in the corner of your eye you could see the line they were pointing to. Elizabeth Hubbard had her whole acting style around the cue cards. She would sort of shake her head and look over in one direction. She made it so that it was very much a part of the scene and it didn’t look like she was looking over.

There were so many wonderful stories, they are endless. David O’ Brien [Steve Aldrich], who was one of the leading doctors on the show, was very dependent on the cue cards. Somehow they got the wrong scene. So he’s looking over at the cue cards and they are not in his lines. He simply turned around and looked in the other direction with his back to the camera. It was very cute.

When I left THE DOCTORS I said, “That’s it, I don’t want to do any more soaps.” And then the phone started ringing, “Would you come out to California and do GENERAL HOSPITAL?” I said, “No! Go away!” They bugged me for two months. My agent came to me. I said, “Okay I’ll do it for a year, just one year or not at all.” So I moved to California. I played Gina [from 1977-1978].

We Love Soaps: What was Gina like?
Anna Stuart: Gina Dante was a gynecologist. Toni was a lab assistant. Both characters were young, intelligent, strong but vulnerable women with a sense of integrity. That was the basis for both of those characters. In fact, the same writers wrote both of those characters.

We Love Soaps: Is that why you ultimately agreed to join GENERAL HOSPITAL.
Anna Stuart: No. It was because I was badgered to death. And I had just split with my husband. So I thought a year in California would be okay and I could get my foot in the door out there. Armand Assante came onto the show and played my husband. We became great buddies.

We Love Soaps: After a year on GENERAL HOSPITAL, what happened?
Anna Stuart: I got ill, actually. Without going into gory detail, it was something I needed to deal with. I stayed in California because the doctors were there. I stayed there and ended up not working for three years. It wasn’t cancerous or life threatening, just something I had to deal with. At the end of that period of time when I finally got myself back together, I got a call from New York [in 1981]. They called and said, “Will you please come and replace Maeve Kinkead [Vanessa Chamberlain] on GUIDING LIGHT? She’s going on pregnancy leave for six months.” I said, “Okay!”

We Love Soaps: Did you know Maeve at that time?
Anna Stuart: No. I just saddled up, came to New York, and did GUIDING LIGHT.

We Love Soaps: What was that like for you to walk into a roll that you knew was someone else’s and was going to be short term?
Anna Stuart: Absolutely terrifying. I remember one day in particular I had tremendous scenes. The character was integral to the whole show. It was a great character. I remember having all these very emotional scenes with my father played by Bill Roerick. I didn’t really know her, she wasn’t inside of me yet, I didn’t know who she was. I did a couple of scenes, came back to my dressing room, and had on this beautiful white pant suit with a white fox-throw. I sat there, looked at myself in the mirror, and I freaked. I just dissolved into tears. Sobbing, make-up running, dripping down onto this beautiful fox-throw, saying, “I don’t know who she is, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” I fully expected them to knock on the door and fire me. And i had to get myself back together and go onto the studio floor and do these scenes. I was in a panic for a couple of weeks.

We Love Soaps: Why so much pressure for a role that was temporary?
Anna Stuart: When an actor, or at least certain actors, do not know who their complex characters are, and that actor cares about their work and cares about being truthful in the part, they want to do it justice. It’s not just about saying words and putting facial expressions with the words. That’s my bar, that’s my criteria for Anna. Not too long after I had a scene with another one of the bitchy characters. There was something in that scene that made me snap and say, “Ah! That’s who she is!” From that point on I had something to grab on. From then on I felt really good and was able to go forward.

We Love Soaps: Did anyone there try to help you find the character?
Anna Stuart: I’m sure there was, but I really can’t comment on that. Daytime is a very difficult place to find help. It’s so hurry up...hurry up. It’s not like you can have a meeting with your director and your producer and sit there in between the scenes. I may have had a little bit of help but not anywhere near what I needed. But I was fortunate enough to find what I needed to go forward.

We Love Soaps: Did Maeve Kinkead ever acknowledge your hard work?
Anna Stuart: I don’t have a memory of that. I just know that Maeve is a lovely, lovely woman. She must have thanked me for keeping her character warm. But I don’t recall having a sit down about it.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please press here for Part Two of our interview in which Anna Stuart discusses her personal background, and how she has broken out of traditional societal roles to become the actress and human she is today.

Damon L. Jacobs is a Marriage Family Therapist practicing in New York City, and the author of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve". He is re-imagining a world without "shoulds" at www.shouldless.com.

AUCTION: 1993-4 VHS From Hillary B.Smith's Collection

2010-03-15T15:50:00.001-04:00

Hillary B. Smith kicked off a series of auctions two weeks ago to raise money for the Willie-Coppee Fund. The third item, another VHS tape from her personal collection from the year 1993-1994, went up for bid. Hillary calls this the "Wait Until Dark" sequence, where a blind Nora is terrorized by Todd (Roger Howarth) at the boathouse until Bo saves the day and rescues her. At the end of this tape, Nora agrees to defend Dorian against murder. This is your chance to own a piece of soap history and help our furry friends and their loved ones.

The Willie-Coppee Fund is a joint charitable endeavor between Smith and her good friend, television writer and multiple-best-selling author Lindsay Harrison, and services clients of the CA-based Sherman Oaks Veterinary Group. The fund was established several years ago to honor the memory of their beloved dogs, Willie (Lindsay's Bichon Frise) and Coppee (Hillary's Golden Retriever), and serves to discreetly assist pet owners who may be struggling with overwhelming veterinary bills. Endowments that assist pet owners are incredibly important in today's challenged economy, as countless individuals are unable to provide routine care and medically necessary services for their furry friends.

Full item description below.

This is another video tape from the personal collection of Hillary B. Smith, unprofessionally but earnestly homemade by a friend of hers – Hillary’s scenes and only Hillary’s scenes from “One Life to Live.” It’s imperfect and a true vintage tape, which is to say it hasn’t improved in quality as the years have gone on. But Hillary personally screened it before offering it for sale and assures you that it’s thoroughly watchable and a real treasure for Nora/“One Life to Live” fans.

This is a one-of-a-kind item. We’ve made no copies to list again in the future, and it will arrive with a handwritten note from Hillary to help guarantee its authenticity. Again, if you’re a fan of Hillary’s, and/or of ONE LIFE TO LIVE you’ll enjoy every minute of this video tape.

It's 1993 and into 1994. It begins with what Hillary calls "the 'Wait Until Dark' sequence, in which Todd (then Roger Howarth) terrorizes Nora, who's blind, at the beach house. By the end of the tape Nora has reluctantly agreed to defend Dorian against a murder charge.

Approximate running time: 6 hours, 15 minutes.

Bid here.

Perform With Eileen Fulton On AS THE WORLD TURNS

2010-03-15T15:50:00.000-04:00

May 2010 will be 50 years since Eileen Fulton first debuted on AS THE WORLD TURNS. To celebrate the occasion the show is giving fans a chance to perform on the show with the daytime legend. Fulton is known for her amazing cabaret shows and fans are being asked to upload their best cabaret performance at CBS.com.

Upload a video of yourself singing "You Made Me Love You," "I Ain't Got Nobody" or "After You've Gone" and you could be in the running to appear on AS THE WORLD TURNS in a special tribute episode to honor Eileen Fulton's (Lisa) 50th Anniversary. One lucky winner* will head to New York to perform with Eileen on the show.

Get Started:
1. Upload your video between now and April 13th 11:59 pm PT
2. Return on April 14th to see if you made it to the Top Ten.
3. Vote on your favorite finalist. You and your fellow fans will determine which of the finalist wins the role.

NEWS: First Dot-com, Tradition Media Declining, Claywell

2010-03-15T11:16:00.000-04:00

First Dot-com Celebrates 25th Birthday
Exactly 25 years ago, on March 15 1985, computer manufacturer Symbolics, Inc registered the first .com web domain ever: symbolics.com. By today’s design standards, and considering how web sites looked back in the late eighties and early nineties, it’s quite decent, although a bit short on content.

Pew Report Shows Traditional Media in Decline
The Pew Research Center's annual Project for Excellence in Journalism "State of the Media" report reads like a grim epitaph of traditional media. National and local TV, newspapers and magazines have endured painful staff cuts as ad revenues continue to evaporate. And while new voices proliferate online and on TV, resources devoted to traditional newsgathering continues to shrink.

Brett Claywell on OLTL's GLAAD Media Award win
"Was a fun night. Would have thought they would have acknowledged our work at least, but not so. Oh well! We still won...I think..."

Kish fans continue to mobilize
The latest effort is SaveKish.com.

Alex Carter returns to HOLLYOAKS
The 27-year-old, who recently anounced his departure from EMMERDALE, is reprising the role of Lee Hunter, who he played between 2001 and 2005, as part of new producer Paul Marquess' shake-up at the soap.

INTERVIEW: EMMERDALE producer Gavin Blyth
"I think the past year has shown our intention going forward. I think the balance is there and it's right for what our audience want. It delivers for all sections of the audience and we haven't alienated any viewers at the expense of others. Any audience of any generation enjoys strong stories with good characterization. We don't have to specifically be writing for an older or younger audience. An intelligent audience can always enjoy watching any generation of character."

Pre-Order Ken Corday's "The Days of Our Lives"

2010-03-15T09:57:00.004-04:00

On May 4, Sourcebooks is releasing "The Days of our Lives: The True Story of One Family's Dream and the Untold History of Days of our Lives." This new book was written by DAYS OF OUR LIVES executive producer Ken Corday, son of creators Ted and Betty Corday.

Sourcebooks calls the title "an insider memoir" about the family behind the soap, adding that it will show fans "the true stories that drive the fictional ones they love on TV." They go on to say "it is about the family that believed in it, conceived it, and sometimes seemed to live it along with millions of viewers, as they struggled to emerge from nowhere to create and sell one of the most successful and enduring TV shows in history."

You can pre-order the book here.

Sourcebooks is also planning a coffee table-style illustrated book to celebrate the show's 45th anniversary for release in the fall, as well as a number of novels based on DAYS characters.

RESULTS: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

2010-03-15T09:10:00.000-04:00

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Daytime Soap of the Week" poll for the week of March 8-12, 2010. DAYS OF OUR LIVES remained on top for the seventh straight week. ONE LIFE TO LIVE dropped out of the Top 3 for the first time ever. Check back on Friday when this week's polling begins.

GLEE Flashmob in Madrid

2010-03-15T08:56:00.000-04:00

Spanish television channel Neox recently organized a GLEE flashmob in a mall to promote the series in Spain. The cool video below is the result. GLEE returns in the U.S. on April 13.