Folks, I just have to share that that image (see title and today's slide show) is just PERFECT for my day, my week, my month and my lifetime.

kiss kiss,

G.

I personally felt the Woodard recast did the most damage because Peter Turgeon, no doubt through no fault of his own, just did not capture the audience's sympathy in the way Robert Gerringer did in that role.  Gerringer was perfect as the family MD (those of you who are over 45 may recall that now mythical being of once-upon-a-time) way out of his depth determined to find out the truth.  Turgeon came across more as a schoolteacher or adjunct professor.

If Gerringer had been able to play out the ending of the Woodard story, I think this would have been recalled as the most shocking moment in DS history.  It would have been on a par with[spoiler]Barnabas attacking Carolyn in the throes of his accelerated aging, which as it stands must be the most horrifying scene in the show's history.[/spoiler]

G.

That's an awesome photograph of Mr. K.  ROWRRRRRRR!  Reminds me of the friend to whom I loaned Daughters of Darkness who commented upon returning it, "was he ever in Seventies porn?"  He found him quite the stud...

Isn't that Kathy Cody in that mirror?  If folks want to see more stuff along the lines of that wallpaper, they should check out James Lileks' "Interior Desecrations" gallery (the book makes a great Yule gift, btw) here:  http://www.lileks.com/institute/interiors/index.html.

cheerio,

G.

What fabulous photos!  I love that suit on Frid.  Edmonds must have been quite envious!

And what a wonderful casual shot of Lara Parker and Humbert Allen Astredo together at the glorious height of Nicholas Blair's Reign of Evil!

I can only dream that there's a shot of Grayson in there somewhere...

G.

Hooray for Love at First Bite!  She made it!

Happy Happy!

I think the motif of the Peter and Vicki love story across the centuries may have been inspired by a movie I've never seen with Leslie Howard called Berkeley Square, from the early 1930s.  I don't think it is available in any format, however.

Berkeley Square has the distinction of having been H. P. Lovecraft's favorite film, as well.  (His most deeply cherished desire was to live in the 18th century.)

I know I've posted about this before...

G.

mscbryk, I thought what you wrote about Burke as the forgotten hero of the show was very interesting.  He was so central to Art Wallace's original concept, but at this stage of the game, when the old chestnut of a new DS gets trotted out, we NEVER hear fans discuss what should be done with Burke, who should play him, etc.

Even less remembered by fans is my candidate for Vicki's fiance, Frank Garner.  Apparently Conrad Fowkes' request for a raise led to DC ordering the character to be written out of the series, according to reports of Mr. Fowkes' statements at the last Festival (I missed him, unfortunately).

I first encountered Burke Devlin in one of those silly "Marilyn" Ross novels.  At the time, I assumed that Devlin was a creation of Ross.  It wasn't until 1976 and the airing of the original Barnabas storyline in a local syndication market that I got to see the Anthony George version of Burke.  I think my first exposure to the Mitchell Ryan characterization (apart from brief clips on the original Ressurection of Barnabas Collins MPI videotape) was in the late 1990s when a mysterious, kindly gentleman sent me a package of 1966 tapes from his remote estate in the countryside.

Like Adam, Burke was a character defined initially by a pronounced streak of monomania.  Unlike Adam, the writers actually allowed Burke to grow and change.   Perhaps the character was too realistic for the "wild and woolly" tone of post-1795 DS.  Had he remained involved, his romance with Vicki would have at least given Moltke a little more to do than stare at Cassandra and complain that she didn't understand.

I do love this scene where Burke and "Miss" Hoffman are talking turkey in the drawing room.  There's such an old boys night out atmosphere in the way that scene is written and played.  This was in the era of Anthony George, who was a friend of Grayson Hall's in real life.

G.

Last weekend I happened to be viewing some scenes from the shows from the week that chronicled Amy Jennings' arrival at Collinwood.  Grayson and Joan had several scenes together; Grayson in one of my favorite dark blue suits of hers, and Joan in a regal power red number accentuated with a magisterial gold brooch.  Not for the first time, I reflected how much I have enjoyed watching these two divas mulch scenery together on the show (though a waggish friend of mine insists that their contrasting acting styles makes the experience similar to "a 78 played alongside a 16 1/2 rpm speed disc"--this analogy will be lost on younger viewers, alas).

I think my favorite of their scenes together comes during the Leviathan era--I've written about it too many times to repeat myself again, but it involves a somewhat tacky gold shopping-bag with something special Liz has tucked away for everyone's favorite houseguest...

Anybody else care to share their favorite Joan/Grayson scene here?  The technologically advanced should feel free to add photos!

G.