How do you sum up 70 years of a soap opera? Why, start at the beginning of course, and in the case of the oldest of all daytime soaps (which began on radio), the theme was spirituality which may have decreased as time marched on, but there was always a subtle reminder of that light, whether it be through the fact that basically normal people could get through whatever struggle life challenged them with simply through their own inner strengths. Radio episodes and early kinescopes of the first decade of the show still exist, showing the development of the Bauer family (introduced late in the radio run a few years before it went onto T.V.) which established them as the core family. Even as their story lines decreased as other families joined the canvas (most notably the wealthy Spauldings and Lewises), they still remained the backbone of the original theme with some of the younger members of the family being important during the show's last decade.
I started watching in the early 1980's, switching channels from "General Hospital" during commercials to see if Jane Elliott (Carrie, "GH's" Tracy) was on, her split personality storyline extremely well acted and mesmerizing. When Beverlee McKinsey came on as Alexandra Spaulding in 1984 (at the same time I couldn't really bear "GH" all that much anymore), I became a full time viewer, and that year had one of my all time favorite camp story lines, the Barbados location shoot that featured the wonderful Carrie Nye as the sinister Susan Piper. Even in her second role as Caroline Caruthers, Nye made a bad storyline tolerable, even using the same gun she had used 20 years before as Susan.
During this time, of course, "GL" gradually became the Reva Shayne show, with Kim Zimmer on the front burner and on daily for years. Her supposed demise in 1990 allowed other actors to get some airtime, but that dwindled once she returned in 1995. Certainly, Zimmer is a great actress, and it was the producer's decision to showcase her, but other actors seemed to slide off the back-burner thanks to the dominating story lines Reva was given. But when these characters did get time in the spotlight, they shined, particularly Tina Sloan's kind but troubled nurse Lillian Raines, Peter Simon's melancholy Ed Bauer, and Ellen Parker's naive Maureen Reardon Bauer, culminating in a tear-jerking conclusion when Maureen was killed off after discovering Lillian and Ed's affair. The re-cast of Alexandra Spaulding with the magnetic Marj Dusay started off hopeful, but she was majorly wasted after the casting of Ron Raines as the third Alan Spaulding wrapped up the story of his attempts to take over Spaulding Enterprises. Fortunately, she would return on several occasions and was present for the final episode.
Being taped in New York meant that "Guiding Light" had access to some of the theater's best talent, and such distinguished actors as William Roerick, Maeve Kinkhead, Larry Gates and Chris Bernau (the original Alan) were cast. Sometimes story lines were wrapped up neatly, but like real life, the ramifications of those plot lines lead to new stories. This was very evident with the character of Roger Thorpe (Emmy Winner Michael Zaslow) whose actions affected practically every major family on the show. His "demise" in 1980 remains one of the show's highlights, and his return from the dead in 1989 opened up a whole new can of worms.
Forced by changing trends to keep with the times, "Guiding Light" became somewhat predictable in the late 1980's with the emphasis on youth. Early 1980's teen stories were planned out realistically with outstanding young actors cast as such characters as Tim Werner (Kevin Bacon, no less!), Morgan Richards, and later on, Philip Spaulding, Beth Raines, Rick Bauer and Mindy Lewis. While not all the young actors were blonde, bland and bad, it seemed for a while that the show had taken on an L.A. look. But "GL" had some pride in its past, continuously bringing back fan favorites from the past (Nola, Claire, Barbara, Josh, Billy, Holly, etc.) and for the most part providing memorable send-offs for actors on the show who had passed away. One poor exception was the death of Bert Bauer in 1986 who didn't manage to get an on-screen funeral with visits of family members and friends. Original cast member Charita Bauer deserved much better. But the deaths of the actors playing Henry and H.B. in real life were written in for their characters, and they made up for what the Bauer matriarch had not gotten. "GL" ended its 50+ T.V. run by bringing back many old favorites from the past for a send-off to the longest running program in broadcast history.
I started watching in the early 1980's, switching channels from "General Hospital" during commercials to see if Jane Elliott (Carrie, "GH's" Tracy) was on, her split personality storyline extremely well acted and mesmerizing. When Beverlee McKinsey came on as Alexandra Spaulding in 1984 (at the same time I couldn't really bear "GH" all that much anymore), I became a full time viewer, and that year had one of my all time favorite camp story lines, the Barbados location shoot that featured the wonderful Carrie Nye as the sinister Susan Piper. Even in her second role as Caroline Caruthers, Nye made a bad storyline tolerable, even using the same gun she had used 20 years before as Susan.
During this time, of course, "GL" gradually became the Reva Shayne show, with Kim Zimmer on the front burner and on daily for years. Her supposed demise in 1990 allowed other actors to get some airtime, but that dwindled once she returned in 1995. Certainly, Zimmer is a great actress, and it was the producer's decision to showcase her, but other actors seemed to slide off the back-burner thanks to the dominating story lines Reva was given. But when these characters did get time in the spotlight, they shined, particularly Tina Sloan's kind but troubled nurse Lillian Raines, Peter Simon's melancholy Ed Bauer, and Ellen Parker's naive Maureen Reardon Bauer, culminating in a tear-jerking conclusion when Maureen was killed off after discovering Lillian and Ed's affair. The re-cast of Alexandra Spaulding with the magnetic Marj Dusay started off hopeful, but she was majorly wasted after the casting of Ron Raines as the third Alan Spaulding wrapped up the story of his attempts to take over Spaulding Enterprises. Fortunately, she would return on several occasions and was present for the final episode.
Being taped in New York meant that "Guiding Light" had access to some of the theater's best talent, and such distinguished actors as William Roerick, Maeve Kinkhead, Larry Gates and Chris Bernau (the original Alan) were cast. Sometimes story lines were wrapped up neatly, but like real life, the ramifications of those plot lines lead to new stories. This was very evident with the character of Roger Thorpe (Emmy Winner Michael Zaslow) whose actions affected practically every major family on the show. His "demise" in 1980 remains one of the show's highlights, and his return from the dead in 1989 opened up a whole new can of worms.
Forced by changing trends to keep with the times, "Guiding Light" became somewhat predictable in the late 1980's with the emphasis on youth. Early 1980's teen stories were planned out realistically with outstanding young actors cast as such characters as Tim Werner (Kevin Bacon, no less!), Morgan Richards, and later on, Philip Spaulding, Beth Raines, Rick Bauer and Mindy Lewis. While not all the young actors were blonde, bland and bad, it seemed for a while that the show had taken on an L.A. look. But "GL" had some pride in its past, continuously bringing back fan favorites from the past (Nola, Claire, Barbara, Josh, Billy, Holly, etc.) and for the most part providing memorable send-offs for actors on the show who had passed away. One poor exception was the death of Bert Bauer in 1986 who didn't manage to get an on-screen funeral with visits of family members and friends. Original cast member Charita Bauer deserved much better. But the deaths of the actors playing Henry and H.B. in real life were written in for their characters, and they made up for what the Bauer matriarch had not gotten. "GL" ended its 50+ T.V. run by bringing back many old favorites from the past for a send-off to the longest running program in broadcast history.