20 Years Ago Today

[Professor1985]

Twenty years ago today, we mourned the loss of fellow DARK SHADOWS star Joel Crothers from cancer (some sources say he died from AIDS complications) at the young age of 44. Let's remember him by his works and acting skills. Let's pray for his family.

[Fletcher]

Thanks for reminding us, Professor. 

One of New York's beautiful young actors who perished in the 80s.  What a scarey period.

We miss you, Joel.

[TERRY308]

Well said Professor1985.

[Charles_Ellis]

They just don't make soap leading men like Joel anymore.  Nowadays a soap "leading man" is a twentysomething model with no stage experience.  Sad, isn't it?  Today,  a guy like Tony Geary or other soap legends like George Reinholt, Jerry Lacy, Don Stewart, Donald May, or John Beradino wouldn't be able to get a foot in the door while these beefcakey GQ types instantly are offered leads!!!

[Barnabas'sBride]

I thought Joel Crothers was a solid actor. Though Joe wasn't a very interesting character, he did bring a level of realism to the show that I enjoyed during those first early Barnabas episodes. I was surprised by his performance as Nathan Forbes and thought he did well playing that role.

[michael c]

that is quite sad.

joe haskell was one of those bedrock characters that got the whole show off the ground.when early characters like him begin to depart it's never quite the same again.

[MagnusTrask]

Another soap actor characteristic these days besides being an underwear model type is a freakish memory capactity apparently.    Whenever I've seen contemporary soap scenes, everyone gets the lines just right, as if they'd had as much time to prepare as for a movie.      The acting and dialogue are uninspired and flat, but I don't see flubs.    I'd rather see inspiration and blown lines.

[Fletcher]

Interesting comment, Magnus.  I've never thought about it before, but youre right -- we don't see flubs on soap these days.

What's doublely interesting about that is that, apparently soaps no longer reherse before taping.  A few months ago, in an interview on SoapTalk (Soapnet's daily talk show) someone -- Jeanne Cooper, I think -- mentioned that soaps no longer reherse.  Most of the actors receive the scripts one day in advance, they go to the studio on taping day for one read-through around a table, then they shoot the show.  No rehersal, no traditional blocking, etc.   A VERY STRANGE way to run a railroad, if you ask me.

So, your comment about not seeing flubs on the air is intriguing.  I guess they just stop and re-tape any scenes with mistakes.  One can only imagine how some of these younger actors get through the day.  Whew!!

Of course scenes these days are MUCH shorter than they ever were during the glory days of soaps.  Today any scene is lucky if it is longer than 90 seconds long.  Back in the 70s, it wasn't unusual for a single scene to be 7 to 12 minutes long.   Hmmm.

[Nancy]

Interesting comment, Magnus.  I've never thought about it before, but youre right -- we don't see flubs on soap these days.

The soap scenes of today are shot until they are right.  If an actor flubs his or her line or something else goes wrong, the scene is reshot however many times it takes to get the scene right.  On DS, it was a one-take deal. No reshoots and very little editing for mistakes.  Believe me, actors still flub lines and props do fall down in the middle of a scene.  I've seen it happen and been in a scene when it happened.   Nowadays, editing and reshooting is easier on the budget due to technological advances.  If DS were shot like modern soaps, the flubs and drooping microphones would not have made it to the air.

Nancy

[MagnusTrask]

I thought there just wasn't time to do retakes, then or now, just because you're doing a new half-hour every day.    But I suppose if editing takes no time now, there's time in one whole day to do a few retakes.     Just thinking out loud.

Ironic that they get the mechanics so right now, yet decades from now, DS will probably have outlasted those shows, mistakes and all.

[Josette]

I was under the impression it was an expense issue.  Presumably modern taping capablities are easier and cheaper than the old ones, so they can do things over.

[Gerard]

I can't believe that it has been twenty years since he passed away; seems like just yesterday.

And on the other topic of flubbed soaps, it's fun to watch the blooper shows which will air the clips of the actors (and sets) and blowing it.  On a documentary dealing with Elizabeth Taylor, it was stated (and clips were shown to back it up) that she would flub one line after another while doing her guest appearance on General Hospital.  Whenever she was on camera, it was reshoot after reshoot after reshoot.  Kinda like that classic line uttered by Archie Bunker:  "Elizabeth Taylor!  She'd do anything to drive the world nuts."

Gerard

[BuzzH]

They just don't make soap leading men like Joel anymore.  Nowadays a soap "leading man" is a twentysomething model with no stage experience.  Sad, isn't it?  Today,  a guy like Tony Geary or other soap legends like George Reinholt, Jerry Lacy, Don Stewart, Donald May, or John Beradino wouldn't be able to get a foot in the door while these beefcakey GQ types instantly are offered leads!!!

Well put Charles, which I why I stopped watching soaps 20 + years ago.  They're complete crap!  All beauty but no substance!  What a bore!  

[Sandor]

My 2nd DARK SHADOWS episode was the one where Joe had gone off his rocker and attempts to kidnap little Amy.... so years later when I first watched the older episodes in syndication, there was Joel Crothers as Joe, seemingly normal and average. I was confused, but curious to see how Joe's mellowness would turn to crazed hysteria as the series progressed (he was perennially in the Collinsport hospital during 1968).  At the same time I was viewing DS reruns, Joel was on THE EDGE OF NIGHT - and while he'd aged well, I was never too crazy about his mustache. As for flubs, Joel was good at avoiding those - I never saw him glancing at the teleprompter, butchering his lines, or phoning in a performance. I think he had one "wardrobe malfunction" in 1795, but he was a consistently solid actor to watch. R.I.P., Joel.