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AMC's original beloved Ruth Martin, Mary Fickett has died!

Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

What unbelievable timing, and with such a heavy heart tonight, On-Air On-Soaps has learned of the passing of All My Children’s original heroine, and lead actress, Mary Fickett!  For over 26 years, Fickett played the role of beloved Nurse Ruth Martin.  Mary made a brief and final return to the series in 2000.  The role has since been played by Lee Meriwether.

At the height of the Vietnam War in the show’s 1972-73 season, Fickett delivered a touching monologue expressing her character’s doubts about the war and fears about her drafted son. Ruth’s speech resonated with millions of viewers across America with the same doubts and fears. It also won Fickett an Emmy in 1973, the first ever awarded to a performer in a daytime drama. With Ruth and her doctor husband as the drama’s tent-pole characters, All My Children became the top-rated daytime TV drama in 1978. Ray MacDonnell played the role of Dr. Joe Martin, Fickett’s TV husband.

Fickett “never really acted,” MacDonnell said in 2008. “She was just a wonderful human being and a delight to work with. She was very bright and always cheerful and inspired natural emotions in me and her fellow actors.”

According to Fredericksburg.com, “Mary Fickett, a New York actress whose career spanned 50 years of radio, television, stage and movies, died Thursday at her home in Callao, Virginia in Northumberland County. She was 83.”

All My Children is said to now be planning to dedicate the upcoming September 21st episode to Mary, two days before the show ends its network television run. What irony that as AMC winds down its incredible journey and legacy on daytime, that its original star passed away Thursday night before its conclusion.

On-Air On-Soaps thoughts and prayers are with Mary’s family, friends and longtime colleagues.

Now watch a vintage clip from AMC when Ruth and Joe deal with discovering the death of Grandma Kate Martin and much more.

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There was an article a few years ago, she was bedridden and living with her daughter. Someone asked for happy birthday wishes be sent to her and they would bring them to her daughter. I sent/posted mine. I hope she did receive them all ultimately.

This is something else that she passed away near the time her show is going dark. RIP Mary Fickett.

Very sad news…she has been missed on AMC for years (no offense to Lee Meriweather). I’m sure Fran Heflin gave her a big hug from all of us…

So sorry to hear this.Really loved her acting.RIP

I am so sorry but it seems all most karma that she has left this earth.I watched faithfully and just adored her.Thanks for letting us know an angle has gone to the angels.Wonderful actress so real being a nurse and her family so important to her.

omg!! she was just awesome in the role of ruth martin – my heart & prayers definitely go out to her family & loved ones……..

What a gift she gave us for almost 30 years.
She was an incredibly important part of AMC for me from the very first day. I don’t know why, but for some reason, that actress and that character always had a great appeal for me.

In Chicago, where I’d moved from Iowa in 1972, I actually got to meet her. A friend who worked at a department store, Carson Pierie Scott, called me at the bank I was working at to tell me that RUTH MARTIN was on her floor!! I got permission for an early lunch and ran right over there. She was as nice as I thought she’d be. How exciting it was to meet her, and such graciousness….

In all her interviews, she comes off as just about as nice as her character.

R.I.P. indeed.

Actress Mary Fickett, who twice appeared on ‘The Edge of Night,’ and was married to Edge long-time director Allen Fristoe, has died in Fredericksburg, Va., at the age of 83.
Mary Fickett’s passing now makes four of the most recently cancelled shows have suffered losses in their professional families. Days before the final airring of GL, Tom O’Rourke, aka Dr. Justin Marler, died. O’Rourke’s passing was ironic, as his character was the biological father of Phillip Spaulding, and days before GL’s final episode, the man who had raised Phillip, Alan Spaulding, died (played by Ron Raines). As we all know, on May 1, 2010, ATWT lost its matriarch Helen Wagner (Nancy), just weeks before taping its final show on June 23. Just a couple of weeks ago, longtime OLTL director David Pressman died at the age of 97, and, now, sadly, Mary Fickett, of AMC, has died. She was TWICE on the Edge of Night, and her third and most recent husband Allen Fristoe, was Edge’s director. He passed away a couple of years ago. My condolences to Mary’s family.

Rest in peace, Mary. We love you & Ruth very much!

Oh what sad news….Rip Mary and God speed.
Your good works on AMC will never be forgotten.

Sad news….as with Helen Wagner (ATWT) she didn’t make it until the end (of her show’s run).

I always liked Ruth my deepest condolences to her family.

Mary was as All My Children is, part of our family. She seemed like a sweet, genuine person. My deepest sympathy to your family Mary. May God grant them peace. Thank you for being a part of our lives for 30 years!

I am so sorry to read this. I grew up with this wonderful woman , watching her daily. She was like family. Rest In Peace Mary. We love you always!

All My Children

51st Daytime Emmys: Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa Receive Talk Show Host Nominations

On Thursday, nominations were announced in the Outstanding Talk Show category for the upcoming 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards. 

Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo, All My Children) coming off his first-year as co-host of ‘Live” with real-life wife, Kelly Ripa scored his first Talk Show Host nomination along with Ripa who has been nominated previous times.

Joining Mark and Kelly in the race are: Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell, Sheryl Underwood, The Talk and
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall.

Photo: CBS

As previously reported, The Talk is coming to its end when its upcoming 15th and final season ends in December of 2024.

The 51st annual Daytime Emmys are slated to be broadcast and stream live on CBS and Paramount+ on Friday night, June 7th

Look for the full list of nominations to drop on Friday morning at 12 noon ET/9 am PT.

So, are you rooting for Kelly and Mark to win their first Talk Show host award together? Comment below.

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All My Children

Mark Consuelos Celebrates One-Year Anniversary as Co-Host of ‘Live’ Alongside Kelly Ripa

Today, April 17th marks a full-year since Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo, All My Children) took over the co-hosting duties of ‘Live” alongside his wife, and longtime co-host, Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley, All My Children).

Consuelos replaced Ryan Seacrest who are six seasons decided to be back on the west coast full-time. For Consuelos, now having the opportunity to work off of Ripa as co-hosts has been something of adjustment for him, but viewers have been eating it up.

Live with Kelly and Mark has remained the No. 1 entertainment talk show on television over the past year, growing 3% in average total viewers to 2.23M per episode.  It is also the most-watched daytime talk show in the last year in key demos of women 18-49 and women 25-54. All of this, since the real-life marrieds teamed-up.

Photo: ABC

Speaking with Deadline, Kelly Ripa shared why the two are gelling on-screen, “I do think that there is something very possibly relatable about our relationship. We have disagreements like a normal couple, and we’re not afraid to let them unfold on the air and in front of America, and I think people find a lot of themselves in that.”

Mark weighed in how he has progressed as a host, and what he could improve at, sharing, “I’d like to get better at my interviewing skills. I’d like to get better at reading a teleprompter…I think I’m getting better at throwing to commercial. The other day in the middle of the show as we go to commercial, my sign off was ‘See you guys around.’ I mean, the show wasn’t over. The most obvious thing to say would be, ‘We’ll be back right after this.’ But I just said, ‘See you around.’ So we went to commercial and one of the producers (goes) ‘What was that?’ I don’t know… So for the next few sign offs, as a joke, I’d say ‘See you around.’ We got a kick out of it.”

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, Kelly has given huge props to Mark, “I find Mark utterly compelling, really interesting, super funny, and he’s bold in a way like nobody else. He says what’s on his mind. If he’s thinking it, he says it.  I’ve done this a long time and oftentimes people will adjust their natural personalities to pander to what they think the audience wants to hear, and Mark will tell people what he thinks, and he doesn’t care if it’s not a popular opinion. It gives him an edginess that I think is really missing in the landscape today. Everybody’s so afraid to say anything, and Mark is unafraid to say exactly what he’s thinking.”

In a statement, Debra O’Connell, President News Group and Networks, Disney Entertainment shared, We could not be more thrilled with how Mark has seamlessly joined the show family as permanent co-host. His undeniable charisma and his and Kelly’s natural chemistry are evident as they deliver the laughs and smiles to our viewers each morning. We are incredibly proud of how Live has continued to evolve and that the audience is responding so enthusiastically.”

So, do you think Mark Consuelos is the best co-host his wife Kelly Ripa has ever had on ‘Live’? How would you say he is doing as co-host after one full year on the job? Comment below.

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All My Children

Susan Lucci Joins the Cast of Jonah Hill’s Movie ‘Outcome’

Look who will be part of the ensemble cast in motion picture and film star Jonah Hill’s new film project! That’s right, none other than Susan Lucci (ex-Erica, All My Children).

According to Deadline, the daytime television icon joins other notables including Laverne Cox and David Spade who have been added to the cast of Outcome. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Matt Bomer (ex-Ben, Guiding Light) and Cameron Diaz.

In Outcome, which is written by, and will be directed by Hill, the dark comedy centers around Reef (played by Reeves), a damaged Hollywood star who must dive into the dark depths of his past to confront his demons and make amends after he is extorted with a mysterious video clip from his past.

Photo: JPI

Soap fans know that following her iconic run as All My Children’s Erica Kane, Susan went on to be featured in Lifetime’s Devious Maids in the role of Genevieve Delatour.  Since her Pine Valley days ended (when AMC was canceled in 2012), Susan has appeared in numerous shows and made numerous appearances.  n December of 2023, Lucci was awarded the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Photo: JPI

Outcome will debut on Apple and is an Apple Studios production. The film marks the latest collaboration for Hill and Apple Original Films, who are also developing a Grateful Dead biopic with Martin Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions, to be directed by Scorsese, with Hill starring in it and as one of the producers of the project, as well.

So, intrigued to see what kind of role Susan plays in Jonah Hill’s new film ‘Outcome’? Comment below.

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