Daytime United

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Ben Cross (ex-Barnabas, Dark Shadows) - 60
Florencia Lozano (ex-Tea, OLTL) - 38
Daniel Cosgrove (Bill, GL/ex-Scott, AMC) - 37
Paul Leyden (ex-Simon, ATWT) - 35
Jack Krizmanich (John, Passions) - 29
Scott Bailey (ex-Sandy, GL) - 29

Evening News

Digital Spy: "EastEnders" actor Aaron Sidwell has revealed that he feels privileged to be working on the soap. Sidwell made a dramatic debut as Steven Beale (previously played by Edward Savage) in September when the character was revealed as Ian's stalker. "I have been so lucky," Aaron told the Daily Star. "Not many people get the chance to work on such a huge show, and my entrance was pretty impressive. I still wake up and think: 'Oh my God, I'm in EastEnders.' It's brilliant."

Sacramento Bee: Ben Reyes, a Sacramento graphic designer, spent a recent Saturday night curled up in front of "Star In My Heart," a Korean soap opera dubbed in Spanish. "Star In My Heart" can be seen weekends on KBTV, Sacramento's all-ethnic TV station. "It's a good family drama, the way American soaps used to be," said Reyes, 45, who's of Mexican, Greek, Seminole, Jamaican and Arabic descent.

Press Association: Fans of now defunct soap "Brookside" will be delighted to learn one of the show's biggest stars is returning to the small screen. Dean Sullivan, who played Jimmy Corkhill, will star in a new comedy pilot called "Terry Across the Mersey," which hits our screens in the New Year.

National Ledger: "The View," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" will be pre-empted on Dec. 25. Additionally, "The View," "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" will be pre-empted on Jan. 1.

Press Association: EastEnders bosses have revealed Albert Square will be demolished - but only to make it better. The move comes in the light of the shift toward filming the soap in ultra-sharp high definition. The current sets will be knocked down and rebuilt to improve the state of the sometimes shabby sets. Boss Diederick Santer said: "A lot of our set works fine on standard tape but the older ones won't look good on HD."

Soaptown USA: Interview with long-time "Days of our Lives" star James Reynolds (Abe).

NBC: Coastal Dreams Full-Length Feature! Start at the beginning and watch continuously through episode 22. Only two more episodes left.

Flashback: September 7, 1979 Genie Francis & More

Soap Opera Scene
Waterloo Courier
By John N. Goudas

It seems the honeymoon is over the for Baldwin newlyweds. Married barely a month, "General Hospital's" troublemaking teenager Laura Webber Baldwin has the hosts for her disco boss Luke Spencer.

Hubby Scotty Baldwin feels bewildered. What has gone wrong? The loving bride has turned to ice overnight. The Baldwin marriage is disintegrating. A temporary rift is at hand, one that could be permanent.

If 17-year old Genie Francis, who plays Laura, has a clue, she won't tell. Keep the fans guessing...the fans dig the juicy plotting if the mail is any indication. The bride's love affair is a key factor in "Hospital's" number one rating during the summer.

A "General Hospital" performer for two seasons, young Genie Francis continues to make waves as Laura Webber Baldwin, a kid unable to stay out of trouble. Last fall young Luara face a murder rap involving her 40-year old lover and her over-protecive mom., Leslie Webber (Denise Alexander). Teenaged trauma proved to be a strong contrast to grownup tribulations at the hospital, a plot device designed to attract a younger following.

Juvenile Genie performed like a seasoned pro as the unstable Laura, so after a decent respite producer Gloria Monty has the youngster front and center again.

A little over two years ago, Genie lander her first guest part on ABC's "Family," then signed with the hospital soaper as a regular. It became obvious the youngster had talent and Genie's classroom was the set. Quick to make the most of the break, Genie took her high school exam early, and has plans to attend college.

"I missed out on some of my childhood by performing on 'Hospital,'" Genie admitted recently. "But as my father (actor Ivor Francis) says, 'to accomplish a great dream, you have to give up a part of yourself.' Since I want to be an actress more than anything, I don't regret a minute of it."

Keep an eye on young Genie. She's headed straight up.

CHANNEL CHATTER:
Wendy Girard has turned a non-contract role into a featured part as nurse Connie Fuller on "As the World Turns." Wendy's background is mostly in the theater. Also on "As the World Turns" is nine-yearold Marisa Morell. She replaced Jenny Harris as Emmy Stewart Jenny by the way is the real life daughter of Marie Masters, who left the show to try her luck in California. Marisa, at nine, is a veteran of Broadway, She was one of the featured children in "I Remember Mama," and is currently flying high as "Jane" in the all new "Peter Pan" musical starring Sandy Duncan.

Rosemary De Camp, whom veteran TV fans will recall from "Life of Riley" (with Jackie Gleason) and "The Bob Cummings Show" (as Bob's sister) and "That Girl" (as Marlo Thomas' mother) among others has joined the cast of "Days of Our Lives" in the role of the mother superior of a convent...

PLOT PORTENTS:
When will Stephanie tell Bob Anderson she's his daughter on "Days of Our Lives?" It better be soon, as Linda is plotting to trap Stephanie and Bob in a compromising situation. It looks like Alex Marshall) has struck a chord with Maggie. Also, with encouragement from pregnant Marlena, Don finally decides to accept the mayor's offer.

If Lance dumps Lorie on "The Young and the Restless," will rejected Lorie turn to her brother-in-law, Lucas'' Lorie can be counted on to raise a ruckus. Meanwhile, Stuart
Brooks is unable to cut off his young wife Jill and can only commiserate with his
daughter Lorie. Also, the troubles of Julie and Cathy are far from over,

Alan and Hope are rescued on "Guiding Light," and Hope worries about Jackie getting wind of her intimacy with Alan. Jackie and Diane declare a truce while Alan gets a disturbing phone call.

Maeve is troubled by a conversation with Delia on "Ryan's Hope." Siobhan and Johnny clash and 'the unwieldy Rae seeks retribution.

Eddie and Mark discuss a common interest on "All My Children." Erica gets an ultimatum from an unlikely source and Phoebe Tyler takes Langley into her confidence.

Vicki is puzzled by a phone conversation with Joe on "One Life to Live." Meanwhile, Joe summons his lawyer. Brad questions Peter's motives and Karen makes a slip of the tongue.

An unexpected Logan is in for a surprise on "Edge of Night." And Brian gives Paige some startling news.

News Brief

Hollywood Reporter: The Writers Guild of America doesn't strike lightly, but when scribes took to the streets on Nov. 5, one of their primary concerns was over Internet residuals. Original production and distribution of current material looks, in the long run, to be a cash cow, and no one wants to be left out of the pasture. Still, that has left any number of questions open, including just how much writers are even currently affected by what's developing on the Internet. "Daytime (shows) will be the first to make the jump into full-on Internet," says Rick Draughon, who recently created his own Internet soap, "Coastal Dreams." "The viewership on daytime is declining more than other areas, and (companies) like NBC will want to find another outlet for them." Draughon, who spent six years writing for NBC's "Days of Our Lives," was hired by NBC.com to create "Coastal Dreams." "When I was approached by NBC.com, it was, 'We are thinking of doing this. It is going to be an experiment. Do you want to be part of it?' I said, 'Absolutely.' People watch soaps when they have time, and they like to watch them on the go, and that was NBC's idea: 'How can we test this market by creating a show that is three to five minutes now, and in the future, we might be able to do five to 15 minutes?'" Draughon was lucky to have an ample budget, by Internet-scale: He got "in the $300,000-$500,000 zone" for the series and shot 24 episodes in four days.

Deadline Hollywood: Golden Globes Screwed By Writers Strike?

Starpulse: Shawn Pyfrom Talks About "Desperate Housewives," The Writers' Strike, Playing Danny Bonaduce & More. "I think the Van de Camps are loosely based on producer Marc Cherry's family life, although I don't know if his real mother was a strict as Bree. I can't imagine that there are too many people in the world like that. It is always interesting to watch Andrew and Bree go at each other's throats. She believes something so different and he does everything to make sure to cause her stress."

TV Guide: Few soap queens stir up as much fan fuss as Kristina Wagner. But the beloved star's return to "General Hospital" on Dec. 20 won't be a happy holiday homecoming. Her character, Felicia, is back for the funeral of her teen daughter Georgie (Lindze Letherman), the latest victim of the Text Message Killer. "It's just so sad," Wagner says. "On my first day back, I cried through 13 scenes and left feeling pretty blue."

ABC: "All My Children" SPOILER: Starting January 18, Angie and Jesse's story continues. Angie comes home to Pine Valley to consult on a mysterious medical case. Her patient is someone AMC fans know very well. Along the way, we'll see an incredible reunion occur. But Jesse's dead... isn't he?

E! Online: Getting his butt kicked by Ralph Macchio was nothing compared to the thumping Sean Kanan got in court. Kanan, former "General Hospital" and "The Bold and the Beautiful" star, was sentenced Thursday to five years of probation and 18 months of alcohol-education classes after copping to a drunk-driving charge, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.

Liverpool Echo: A time for love and hate in "EastEnders'" Albert Square. A whopping 30 million fans tuned in on Christmas Day that year to watch a fiery finale to Den and Angie Watts’ marriage.

Buckingham Today: Times are tough for entertainer Bradley Walsh. One minute you're the star of "Coronation Street" and appearing in a star-studded Dickens over Christmas on ITV – and the next the only job you can get is as a lackey in a laundry.

TV Guide Canada: The Suds Report. Bryan Dattilo fired from ‘Days’? Three big ‘AMC’ comebacks! ‘Passions’ cancelled — again!