[BeLieF]

The History of Marones (Part 4)

Meet the Marones

Oscar Marone

Family ties: nephew of Massimo Marone. Cousin of Ridge Forrester, Dominick Marone and Diana Carter.

Oscar (better known as Oz) was born and primarily raised in Atlantic City by his parents. After Oz's mother died when he was 15, his father moved the family to Vegas so he could own a major casino. Oz learned the casino business, and when his father died two years before Oz arrived in Los Angeles, Oz took over the daily operations. Unfortunately, he had trouble with mob operatives who wanted control over the casino. Oz arrived in Los Angeles with a business associate, and both were shot by a mob hitman. Oz was taken into the emergency ward without identification, and only his Uncle Massimo's number in his pocket. The first person he met was med student Bridget Forrester. Oz's business associate was killed in the shootout, but Oz survived a second attempt on his life, even after the hitman took Oz and Bridget hostage. Both escaped unharmed, and they began a tentative friendship.

Oz saw Deacon visiting Amber in the hospital, and recalled how years earlier, Oz and his father kicked Deacon out of Vegas for cheating in the casinos and stealing chips. Oscar told Amber that he and Deacon used to be good friends and Oz even got him a job at his father's casino, until Deacon started embezzling funds from them. Amber asked Oz to help her fight Deacon for custody of little Eric, but he refused. Instead, he planned on starting fresh in L.A. by trading in the casino business for the nightclub business. Oz bought Deacon's old hangout, The Lair, and turned it into Ozzz. He lined up Macy, then Deacon's wife, to sing on opening night. Mobsters pressured Oz for a piece of the club, but he refused. As payback, one sabotaged the chandelier above the stage and Macy was crushed during her performance. Deacon blamed Oz, and Oz blamed himself. He tried to make amends by opening the club for one last night and holding a fun-draiser and candlelight vigil for Macy and her family.

Despite Deacon's advances toward Bridget, Oz and Bridget grew closer and Oz proposed marriage. Bridget accepted. Oz took a job with Marone Enterprises, after impressing Massimo with his loyalty to the family and his determination to stay away from mob activity.

Source

[BeLieF]

The History of Darla Einstein

Delightfully Darla

For years, Darla Einstein was the wacky-yet-faithful sidekick of fashion diva Sally Spectra on B&B. Recently, however, Darla has stepped into her own spotlight. Take a look back at her transformation from window dressing to no-nonsense wife and mother.

1989-2002
During B&B's third season, Darla Einstein was introduced as Sally Spectra's faithful assistant. She was also the best friend of Sally's daughter Macy. Darla never had relationships with either of her parents; she was shuffled from one foster home to another as a child. As a result, she tends to have a very low opinion of herself, and she constantly worries that she will always be found lacking in some way. She has often covered up her insecurities with her loving and vivacious nature.

After a brief failed relationship with Bill Spencer, Darla had little to do (there was a crush and a one-time fling with Clarke Garrison) for many years, until winding up in bed with Thorne Forrester one night.

2003
Thorne was drunk and feeling that his relationship with Macy was over (again). A sympathetic Darla attempted to comfort him, and ended up having sex with him. When Macy and Thorne reconciled, Darla bowed out and never told Macy what happened. When she found out she was pregnant, Darla agonized and finally chose to have an abortion. However, Thorne found her at the clinic and talked her out of it — he wanted her to have the baby and let him and Macy raise it (Macy had recently discovered she could not have children). Darla was willing, but then Macy found out about Thorne and Darla and promptly ditched Thorne (again). Soon afterward, Macy took up with Deacon and married him. Darla decided to keep her child and be a single mother. By the time the baby was born, Macy was dead — she was killed in an accident at Oscar's nightclub. Darla and Thorne bonded over their grief, and over their child. They formed a special romantic attachment. Darla named the baby Alexandria, in honor of Macy's maiden name (Alexander). Thorne proposed marriage, and Darla happily accepted.

2004
Darla and Thorne were married in a beautiful ceremony. On the work front, Darla encouraged Thorne to push for a promotion at Forrester. He took her advice, and Eric and Stephanie made him president. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Thorne was at odds with Ridge (newly returned to Forrester after leaving Marone Industries) and Eric over the new, edgy Ingenue line. Darla was also at odds with Ridge, who wanted her to keep her mouth shut about family business and to stay out of things. Despite Ridge's attitude, Darla stood up and refused to let him continue to belittle Thorne. While in Thorne's office one day, printing out some photographs of Sally and her together for Sally's birthday, she sent the envelope on the desk while talking to Clarke, who was trying to convince her to steal the Ingenue line from Forrester. She didn't see Megan take her envelope (containing Sally's birthday photos) off the blotter and put it to the side and put the envelope with the Ingenue shots on the blotter. Darla accidentally gave the envelope to Sally, and Spectra knocked off the designs. Ridge, Brooke, Eric and Stephanie were furious, with Ridge verbally berating Darla in front of Thorne and the rest of the family. Darla ran out of the room in tears and went home to pack her bags, but Thorne stopped her, swearing that no matter what, he will always love her, and does not blame her.

The friction between Thorne and Ridge escalated until Thorne demanded that one brother leave the company. Eric and Stephanie chose to keep Ridge, and Thorne quit. Sally offered Thorne the presidency at Spectra Fashions, and he accepted. With Darla's support and encouragement, Thorne continued to stand up to both his parents and Ridge in both business and personal matters.

Source

[BeLieF]

Which ones do you want back?

Five B&B Characters We Want Back

Their stints in B&B's history were memorable enough for us to want a repeat performance. Read on and find out to whom we say, "Encore! Encore!" (and just how they could come back).

Bill Spencer (1987-94, 1997, 2000, 2003)
Before Massimo Marone came to Beverly Hills, the powerful tycoon-about-town was publishing magnate Bill Spencer, dad to the late Caroline (Ridge's first wife). On many occasions, Bill let Stephanie know that he was interested in more than just a friendship, but she always politely declined his advances. Since we've been dying to see Eric and Jackie finally get down and dirty, Stephanie could then turn to her old pal for comfort and more. But are his intentions honorable? Not when we find out that Bill's empire is going down for the count and a last-ditch comeback hinges on a tell-all book in the making about the Forrester family. He just needs to charm some juicy details out of an unsuspecting Steph.

Taylor Forrester (1990-2002, 2004)
Well, sorta. Since she died on-air, it would be a pretty unbelievable feat to bring her back. But what about a Taylor look-alike? Then, we can see the pretty face of her portrayer, Hunter Tylo, in daytime again. Now that Morgan has returned, we really don't think for one minute that she's a rehabilitated psycho. She must still want Ridge, so Morgan would naturally be plotting a marriage-buster to snatch him from Brooke. That's when Morgan could happen upon a wisecracking, obnoxious, peroxide-blonde tramp named Randi who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ridge's late wife. Once Randi is overhauled in Taylor's image, she promptly bedevils Ridge to the point where he needs to know everything about this woman — as in obsession! Brooke would not be amused.

Sheila Carter (1992-98, 2002, 2003)
She's always good for that sporadic crime wave, so we think it's time for another one. Her agenda this go-round? Massimo's millions. She didn't get the big ransom payoff after going to all that trouble of kidnapping Ridge in Puerto Vista (in 2003), but Sheila knows Massimo's Achilles' heel is his children. And remember, she gave birth to his daughter, Diana, whom we discover Marone has been searching for ever since he learned of her existence. Knowing this, Sheila shows up in L.A. — alone — and torments Massimo by demanding megabucks for clues to their child's location. This time, Sheila escapes with lots of cash, but unexpectedly leaves behind one important commodity — Diana. Which leads us to ...

Diana Marone (2003)
Okay, so she was only a toddler when we last saw her almost two years ago, but you have to admit that the spawn of Sheila and Massimo would be an intriguing wild card — especially when Diana shows up as a cute, spunky teenager. If Mass and Jackie reconcile, contending with the demon seed would provide yet another intriguing challenge to their marriage. Diana also has half sibs in Ridge and Nick, which would also be interesting dynamics to investigate further. But the one man we can see getting really worked up over the teen terror is Hector — when Diana sets her hormones for his naive son, Jimmy.

Whip Jones (2002)
This corporate shark-with-a-heart made an indelible impression during his all-too-brief run: falling for Brooke while posing as the dad of her baby. Whip may have a past with Brooke, but we think that he could fare better with her daughter, Bridget. Of course, Nick would have something to say about that, but isn't that what an intriguing triangle is about? After all, there has to be great chemistry between the adversaries, as well, and scenes with soap stalwarts Jack Wagner (Nick) and Rick Hearst (ex-Whip) would practically write themselves. The only trouble is that we would only settle for Hearst, who now plays Ric on GH, to reprise Whip, so we'll have to be very, very patient.

Source

[markon73650]

slightly off-topic question: are there really seasons in US-soaps? Don't they run continuously without any summer break, do they?

[Dippit]

Yes they do run continously...but some publications still refer to the period July to July as being a seperate season.

[aidodub1]

One reason alone to watch "one life" is to see the very talented and muti Emmy winner Heather Tom(ex Victoria,y&r),a fantastic actress-she's up for the emmy this year for her part on one life after getting about 10 noms over the years for her work on "y&r".

[BeLieF]

The US soaps run continuously. Sometimes a season can mean, from its first episode to a year later and carry on that way. Some class them as a normal year, January to December, for example. But they are on TV for most of the year. Only taking breaks when its an event, like christmas or new years and again when its a sporting event. B&B and Y&R take a 2 week hiatus when the cast and crew are on holiday and theres no filiming taking place, this usually occurs in July, if not the summer. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by markon73650

slightly off-topic question: are there really seasons in US-soaps? Don't they run continuously without any summer break, do they?

[BeLieF]

US soap fans: Who do you think will win in each catergory for the 32nd Daytime Emmys? And the nominees are...

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

MARTHA BYRNE (Lily Snyder)
As the World Turns (CBS)

SUSAN FLANNERY (Stephanie Forrester)
The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)

NANCY LEE GRAHN (Alexis Davis)
General Hospital (ABC)

KIM ZIMMER (Reva Shayne Lewis)
Guiding Light (CBS)

ERIKA SLEZAK (Victoria Davidson)
One Life to Live (ABC)

KASSIE DEPAIVA (Blair Kramer)
One Life to Live (ABC)

JULIET MILLS (Tabitha Lenox)
Passions (NBC)

MICHELLE STAFFORD (Phyllis Summers Abbott)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

MICHAEL E. KNIGHT (Tad Martin)
All My Children (ABC)

ROGER HOWARTH (Paul Ryan)
As the World Turns (CBS)

JACK WAGNER (Dominick Payne Marone)
The Bold And The Beautiful (CBS)

STEVE BURTON (Jason Morgan)
General Hospital (ABC)

GRANT ALEKSANDER (Phillip Spaulding)
Guiding Light (CBS)

CHRISTIAN JULES LEBLANC (Michael Baldwin)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

NATALIA LIVINGSTON (Emily Quartermaine)
General Hospital (ABC)

ROBIN CHRISTOPHER (Skye Quartermaine)
General Hospital (ABC)

CRYSTAL CHAPPELL (Olivia Spencer)
Guiding Light (CBS)

HEATHER TOM (Kelly Buchanan)
One Life to Live (ABC)

ILENE KRISTEN (Roxanne Balsom)
One Life to Live (ABC)

JEANNE COOPER (Katherine Chancellor)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

JEFF BRANSON (Jonathan Lavery)
All My Children (ABC)

CAMERON MATHISON (Ryan Lavery)
All My Children (ABC)

TYLER CHRISTOPHER (Nikolas Cassadine)
General Hospital (ABC)

RICK HEARST (Ric Lansing)
General Hospital (ABC)

JUSTIN DEAS (Buzz Cooper)
Guiding Light (CBS)

GREG RIKAART (Kevin Fisher)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Younger Actress In A Drama Series

ALEXA HAVINS (Babe Chandler)
All My Children (ABC)

EDEN RIEGEL (Bianca Montgomery)
All My Children (ABC)

JENNIFER FERRIN (Jennifer Munson)
As the World Turns (CBS)

ADRIANNE LEON (Brook Lynn Ashton)
General Hospital (ABC)

CRYSTAL HUNT (Lizzie Spaulding)
Guiding Light (CBS)

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Younger Actor In A Drama Series

JACOB YOUNG (JR Chandler)
All My Children (ABC)

SCOTT CLIFTON (Dillon Quartermaine)
General Hospital (ABC)

TOM PELPHREY (Jonathan Randall)
Guiding Light (CBS)

DAVID LAGO (Raul Guittierez)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)

MICHAEL GRAZIADEI (Daniel Romalotti)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Drama Series

ALL MY CHILDREN (ABC)
Julie Hanan Carruthers, Executive Producer
Ginger Smith, Producer
Karen Johnson, Producer
Casey Childs, Producer

AS THE WORLD TURNS (CBS)
Christopher Goutman, Executive Producer
Carole Shure, Senior Producer
Vivian Gundaker, Producer
Kelsey Bay, Coordinating Producer

GENERAL HOSPITAL (ABC)
Jill Farren Phelps, Executive Producer
Mary O'leary, Producer
Carol Scott, Producer
Mercer Barrows, Producer
Michelle Henry, Producer
Deborah A. Genovese, Coordinating Producer
Charles Pratt, Jr., Consulting Producer
Robert Guza, Jr., Consulting Producer

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (CBS)
William J. Bell, Executive Producer
John F. Smith, Co-Executive Producer
Edward J. Scott, Supervising Producer
Kathryn Foster, Producer
John C. Fisher, Coordinating Producer

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team

AS THE WORLD TURNS (CBS)
Hogan Sheffer, Head Writer
Jean Passanante, Co-Head Writer
Christopher Whitesell, Associate Head Writer
Charlotte Gibson, Associate Head Writer
Paula Cwikly, Associate Head Writer
Frederick Johnson, Associate Head Writer
Carolyn Culliton, Associate Head Writer
Courtney Simon, Associate Writer
Judy Donato, Associate Writer
Lynn Martin, Associate Writer
Judy Tate, Associate Writer
Susan Dansby, Associate Writer
Meg Kelly, Associate Writer
Elizabeth Page, Associate Writer
Melissa Salmons, Associate Writer
Craig Heller, Associate Writer

GENERAL HOSPITAL (ABC)
Robert Guza, Jr., Head Writer
Charles Pratt, Jr., Head Writer
Elizabeth Korte, Associate Head Writer
Michael Conforti, Writer
Michelle Patrick, Writer
Garin Wolf, Writer
Mary Sue Price, Writer
Michele Val Jean, Writer
Susan Wald, Writer
Michael J. Cinquemani, Writer

GUIDING LIGHT (CBS)
David Kreizman, Head Writer
Ellen Weston, Head Writer
Donna Swajeski, Co-Head Writer
Jill Lorie Hurst, Writer
Christopher Dunn, Writer
Lloyd Gold, Writer
Kimberly Hamilton, Writer
Brett Staneart, Writer
David Smilow, Writer
Penelope Koechl, Writer
Royal Miller, Writer
Gillian Spencer, Writer
Casandra Morgan, Writer
Joyce Brotman, Writer
Eleanor Labine, Writer
Tita Bell, Writer
Danielle Paige, Writer

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (CBS)
Kay Alden, Head Writer
John F. Smith, Head Writer
Trent Jones, Co-Head Writer
Jerry Birn, Writer
Natalie Minardi, Writer
Jim Houghton, Writer
Marc Hertz, Writer
Joshua S. McCaffrey, Writer
Janice Ferri, Writer
Eruc Freiwald, Writer

[BeLieF]

Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team

ALL MY CHILDREN (ABC)
Conal O'brien, Director
Casey Childs, Director
Angela Tessinari, Director
Andrew Lee, Director
Michael V. Pomarico, Director
Barbara M. Simmons, Associate Director
Shirley Simmons, Associate Director
Anthony Pascarelli, Associate Director
Terry Walker, Associate Director
A.J. Gundell, Associate Director
Jerry Pilato, Associate Director
Rusty Swope, Stage Manager
Penny Bergman, Stage Manager
Martin Fritz Brekeller, Stage Manager

GENERAL HOSPITAL (ABC)
Joseph Behar, Director
Grant Johnson, Director
William Ludel, Director
Scott Mckinsey, Director
Owen Renfroe, Director
Christine Magarian, Associate Director
Ron Cates, Associate Director
Penny Pengra, Associate Director
Peter Fillmore, Associate Director
Ronald C. Cates, Associate Director
Dave Macleod, Associate Director
Kathy Ladd, Stage Manager
Craig Mcmanus, Stage Manager

GUIDING LIGHT (CBS)
Bruce S. Barry, Senior Director
Jo Anne Sedwick, Director
Brian Mertes, Director
Susan Strickler, Director
Matthew Lagle, Director
Tracey Hanley Bryggman, Associate Director
Ilene Frankel, Associate Director
Natasha Kreizman, Associate Director
Adam Reist, Stage Manager
Ann Vettel, Stage Manager
Joseph Willmore, Stage Manager

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (CBS)
Michael Denney, Director
Kathryn Foster, Director
Noel Maxam, Director
Sally McDonald, Director
Marc Beruti, Associate Director
Christopher Mullen, Associate Director
Robbin Phillips, Associate Director
Jennifer Scott, Associate Director
Tom McDermott, Stage Manager
Herbert A. Weaver, Jr., Stage Manager

[BeLieF]

Maybe BBell could use these gold rules by another US soap legend

1) Watch the show (The Powers That Be).
2) Learn the history of the show. You would be surprised at the ideas that you can get from the back story of your characters.
3) Read the fan mail. The very characters that are not thrilling to you may be the audience's favorites.
4) Be objective. When I (Douglas Marland) came to ATWT, the first thing I said was, what is pleasing the audience? You have to put your own personal likes and dislikes aside and develop the characters that the audience wants to see.
5) Talk to everyone: writers and actors especially. There may be something in a character's history that will work beautifully for you, and who would know better than the actor who has been playing the role?
6) Don't change a core character. You can certainly give them edges they didn't have before, or give them a logical reason to change their behavior. But when the audience says, "He would never do that," then you have failed.
7) Build new characters slowly. Everyone knows that it takes six months to a year for an audience to care about a new character. Tie them in to existing characters. Don't shove them down the viewers' throats.
8) If you feel staff changes are in order, look within the organization first. P&G does a lot of promoting from within. Almost all of our (ATWT) producers worked their way up from staff positions, and that means they know the show.
9) Don't fire anyone for six months. I (Marland) feel very deeply that you should look at the show's canvas before you do anything.
10) Good soap opera is good storytelling. It's very simple.

Courtesy of Soap Opera Digest, 4/27/93