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AW & OLTL Soap legend, Jacqueline Courtney has passed away

By Michael Fairman

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Very sad news to report as we close out 2010 from Soap Opera Digest today. Soap opera superstar of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, Jacqueline Courtney (pictured here in a scene from OLTL with Erika Slezak) who made Alice Frame a household word on NBC’s Another World has passed away. Apparently the reports say that Jacqueline passed away on December 20 of metastatic melanoma.

“Any letter that she wrote to people recently ended with, ‘Stay out of the sun. Wear sunscreen,’ ” her daughter, Jennifer, told Soap Opera Digest. “She was very healthy her whole life and then suddenly everything just started snowballing. She went really quickly. She had just turned 64, so she was still pretty young.”

Courtney was half of the supercouple of Alice and Steve Frame, opposite George Reinholt on Another World.  Jackie played the role from 1964-1975, and again from 1984-1985.  Big news happened for One Life to Live, when the show lured Courtney, after she was dismissed from AW over to Llanview, and Reinholt followed shortly thereafter to try to rekindle their magic on the ABC network.  At OLTL,  Courtney played Pat Ashley and later her evil twin, Maggie, and Reinholt played Tony Lord, Viki’s brother.  Pat was also one time romantically involved with Bo Buchanan, who is still played today by Robert S. Woods.   Courtney retired from acting in 1987.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Jacqueline’s family and friends as she was one of the most widely recognized heroine’s in the daytime soap opera medium.

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I loved her on OLTL ! God Bless her!

Jacqueline Courtney was, one of the greatest actress ever to have come to soap’s she had a special way about her and how she treated people as well. Jacqueline seem to love her work as an actress, and her many staffer’s will really miss her as well may God be with her and her family you will for ever be in our prayers.

We have lost a great many wonderful soap performers in the last year. Jackie was a true legend. I watched her when I was a little girl. She and George were great together.

RIP

Cher we have lost so many great people but we will never forget them and their love and the love we had in our hearts for them as well.

I remember her .A great actress. So sad1

OMG! RIP To My School Boy Crush Jacqueline! She Was Alice Matthews Frame Gordon!

I remember Pat Ashley well, Jacqueline was a wonderful in that roll. Sad regards to her family.

The loss of this legendary actress has been understated. Jacquie Courtney was a major star and — despite Harding Lemay’s scathing comments in his 1981 book — a truly wonderful actress.

Those of us who grew up with Alice Matthews understood Jacquie’s magic! Rachel wasn’t so much the spoiler in the Steve/Alice romance, but Alice’s fear to love such a dynamic, worldly man and her reluctance to give of herself after having witnessed her older sister Pat’s earlier, tragic mistakes. Jacquie portrayed this push-pull range of emotions beautifully. And her turn as Pat Kendall on “One Life to Live” was proof of her versatility as an actress. Jacquie abandoned the fragility and reserve she conveyed as Alice to flesh out Pat Kendall, a strident career woman, single mother and modern heroine. Her chemistry with child actors (Mike Hammett, Cathy Greene, Stephen Austin, Gregory Marc Schaffer, Trevor Richard) was genuine and tender, and her chemistry with her leading men (George Reinholt, James Douglas, Tom Fuccello, John Mansfield, Robin Thomas) made these actors shine.

Jacquie is, and always will be, my favorite serial actress. Rest in peace, JC… you will be missed and remembered with great fondness.

I have been incredibly touched by the sentiments and stories shared by those who remember her on so many websites and message boards. THANK YOU!! My mother would never have believed anybody really remembered her, let alone cared. She always said, “That was so long ago!” The comments that everyone has taken the time to write have simultaneously brought smiles and tears to my face. My mother was an amazing individual, so strong and giving and funny…if I could be just half the woman she was, I would consider myself blessed. And your many lovely remarks make me feel blessed, as well!

I loved your wonderful Mother on Another World…..and we never forgot her.You are blessed for having such a beautiful and talented lady for a Mom and she was blessed for having such a lovely daughter.I send my condolences and loving thoughts to you in memory of your dear Mother!

I so loved your mother on Another World. I grew up with her – from age 11 to 22 – and I cried when Jacquie/Alice left the show. Her beauty and talent made the show so special while she was there! Very sorry for your loss, and ours. May she RIP.

My deepest sympathies for the loss of your mom. I’m a guy in my late 40’s- yet I remember your mom’s work so vividly. She was a wonderful actress. I have great memories of watching Another World and the trials and tribulations of Steve and Alice-
wathching with my mom every afternoon. Alice was always suffering with disappointment,
and I remember that the actress portraying her could cry very convincingly. Years later, when I moved to New York to try my hand at acting, I bumped into your mom very quickly on the Upper West Side. I shouted out my admiration for her work, and she was very gracious and kind. Her talent was a source of great entertainment for soap lovers during what can only be considered the ‘golden’ period for this art form. Again- so sorry for your loss.

I spoke to your Mother on the phone about three years ago after sending a message through her (ex?) agency. She was the “Sweetheart of Crew E-10” and sent all of the members of my B-52 crew autographed photos in 1974. We always watched her on Another World while we were on alert. She couldn’t have been nicer on the phone and seemed so humble when I told her how much we all appreciated her kindness. I still have the photo to the crew and another she signed to me if you’d like to see them. May she rest in peace.

I remember her telling me this, though I had forgotten she spoke to someone. She was stunned and honored by what you did back then as well as your current request to make an appearance. I’m sure she told you she didn’t want to sully your memory of the way she was by seeing how much she’d changed. Believe me, however she came off in the phonecall was truly honest. She truly was so touched and surprised. I, too, felt such pride in hearing the story. I knew she meant a lot to many people, but I don’t think I realized quite HOW much. Thank you!

Jennifer —

My deepest condolences. I know how much you meant to your mother… I still have stacks of Daytime TV, Afternoon TV and Daily TV Serials magazines not only announcing your birth, but your mother’s expressions of how her family always came first! (Your mom was my late mother’s favorite too! I remember we promptly switched to “One Life to Live” once Jacquie joined the cast!)

She was indeed an amazing actress and divine on-screen presence! I’ve NEVER forgotten her and will remember her always…

I started watching Another World from the onset. Jacqueline Courtney (Alice) was always my favorite character from the first show.
I often wondered what happened to my favorite actress. I loved the super couple of Alice and Steve.
It brought tears to my eyes when I read about the passing of this incredible, beautiful actress.
May God be with you and your family.

She and George Reinholt were indeed one of the first Super Couples! She was a wonderful actress!

I always liked your mother, I was in her fan club ,watched her all the time . She was so good. so sorry this happened. A while ago I looked up on line to see what she was doing. Would have liked to have seen her on T.V again.

Haven’t heard her name in years but I knew who she was when I saw her on Find a Grave for last year. I used to watch Another World with my Mom. She would remember her too if she wasn’t suffering from Alzheimer’s. She was a great talent and a household name back them and anyone who watched AW would remember who she was.

So sorry to hear the sad news – she was wonderful and I loved the triangle on Another World – really brought back my teen years. Also loved her on One Life – wish we could have seen more of her. My heartfelt condolences to you and your family.

I was so sad to hear about Jacqueline Courtney. I was a big fan, and even named my daughter, Courtney, after. My sympathies to her family!

I think your mom was the reason why I was so attracted to blondes when I was in junior high and high school! She was a beautiful woman, in body mind and soul, and a far better actress than what some gave her credit for. The fact that she was able to play two very different people in Alice and Pat is a testimony to that! I lost my own love to cancer back in July, so you and all of those who knew her and are grieving are in my thoughts and prayers. Does this passing get easier? If it does, I’ll let you know. I will say this — you’ll remember more of the good than the bad as time goes by.

I LOVED JACQUIE SHE WAS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL LADY,I WATCHED HER ON AW AS ALICE SHE WAS SUPER!!!!!!!

i don’t know why they don’t have more photos of her.

Jacquie was an Earth Angel.I first became friends with her when she did “Another World” She was so gratefull for my “Readings”….She was a devoted friend to George Reinholt.I admired her sticking by him when producer of the show always crucified him.Because of her friendship she was fired.Jacquie left with dignity and was not sorry she made that sacrafice..Her profound soulfullness of playing Alice Mathews Frame was one of a kind…..I loved and adore Jacquie…Bravo Dearheart you will never,ever be forgotten…..

I DON’T KNOW WHY AW FIRED HER BUT THEIR LOSS WAS ONE LIFE TO LIVE’S GAIN!

Jacqueline Courtney was a beautiful women and wonderful actress. I loved her role as Alice Matthews (Frame) on AW. I have often look for information and pictures of Jackie, but couldn’t find anything. I have viewed a few scenes on Youtube just be get a glimpse of this fine actress.

May you rest in peace. You are gone from this world but not forgotten.

Im so sad to hear of Jacqueline’s death….I always enjoyed her in One LIfe To Live. Never really watched Another World but I can only imagine she did a bang up job on that show too.

I was so very sad to hear of Jacqueline Courtney’s passing. I watched AW from day one. It was never the same once she and George Reinholt left the show. The producers would have done well to have worked out their differences with these fine actors and kept the Steve, Alice, Rachel triangle going for the whole run of the show. I never watched One Life to Live but I know she was great on that show as well. God Bless her family during this difficult time. We will forever remember Steve and Alice as portrayed so brilliantly by Jackie Courtney and George Reinholt.

I just by chance ran across this and somehow, I had not heard of this lovely and highly talented actress’ death. I watched Another World from the day it began until the day it ended, which was a very sad day. I was a little girl just starting school, but still remember it so vividly. One storyline I will NEVER forget was the one in which Steve and Alice were about to be married. Rachel [played so briliantly by Robin Strasser initially!] was married to Alice’s brother, Dr. Russ Matthews. However, Rachel was in love with Steve and wanted him so desperately. As Alice was putting on her wedding dress and waiting in her bedroom, a pregnant Rachel came in and proceeded to tell Alice that she was carrying Steve’s, not Russ’, baby. I remember so vividly the great acting between the women, their emotions, their faces, their reactions. It was one of the most riveting moments EVER in modern soap opera history. Rachel’s cold evilness to destroy Alice was played brilliantly by Strasser and Courney’s shattered Alice was heartwretching and realistic. Outstanding, the likes of which has seldom been replicated. I also eventually became a viewer of One Life To Live and was able to follow Ms. Courtney through her time there, too. Again, beautiful woman, excellent actress. Thank you for memorable moments.

Thank you for sharing your memory so many months after my mother’s death. I appreciate hearing “strangers” share their positive memories of the impact my mother had on them.

I always thought she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I had been watching soaps since I was 9. One day I walked into a store and the clerk was staring at me and said “Hey, aren’t you that beautiful star on One Life to Live – Jacqueline Courtney?” I blushed and said no, but, it was the nicest compliment I have EVER received! She was so remarkably talented and I have missed seeing her for years. May God rest her precious soul!

Thanks…I know what you mean! Anytime someone tells me I look like my mother, I (a) find it hard to believe since I thought she was so incredibly beautiful and (b) take it as a huge compliment. 🙂

Jennifer,
I feel so sad that my Alice, your mom, has passed. I grew up running home from school rushing to watch Another World, not because of Steve Frame, or sister Pat, but because of your mom. She was an unbelievable/ believable actress, that seemed to be so sensitive, passionate, and really knew her character so well that I was totally convinced that Alice really did exist. My mom always wanted me to grow up and be a nurse, but, I knew she wanted me to be Alice, not a nurse, so I grew up and I am a painter. I love what I do , and I believe your mom loved her art form as well. I just have the best memories of her and that time period when she was on Another World. I needed to tell you, and I hope Jacqueline’s little girl is healing. Love, Christine Cross

For Jennifer – I was just a little guy back in the 1970s when I started watching One Life to Live [we only had one tv & my mom was a die-hard fan!] and I have never forgotten the “lady who’s prettier than Charlie’s Angels” as I used to say – and it’s clear from the comments here that she was just as beautiful on the inside…she will never be forgotten. 🙂

Jennifer – your mom was a wonderful actress who touched many of our lives. As a young girl “Steve and Alice” were my first loves. When your mom left AW and joined One Life to Live, my mom and I switched right along with her. The scenes when her son Brian died were heart-wrenching. She deserved the Emmy along with Judith Light that year.

I also lost my mom to cancer, so know how hard that is. I am sure your mom is as proud of you as my mom is of me.

I knew Jackie pretty well since we appeared on the Horn and Hardart Children’s Hour at NBC in Manhattan. We were not together as entertainers but we did know each other. Matter of fact we were the two that would sneak into the Howdy Doody set and eat the Hostess cupcakes they left. Aside from being talented, she was REALLY a sweet person, her mother was anything but. She surrounded poor Jackie like a spider wrapping up the next meal. Jackie was not only a great actor she could sing and dance too. I loved her Marobow skits and Baby Snooks, RIP girl, you managed to make it where you wanted to be.

Miss Courtney was one of my. Favorite actresses of all time she mesmerized me with her talent and beauty. On one life to live as pat ashley and her twin Maggie i was so engulfed in her portal and ability’ she mad me believe it was two people not only that I was always excited to see her when she left the show I ff like a family member was gone and always thought very fondly of her anyways my condolences to her family i just found out she had went to a better place May the GOOD LORD BLESS, FILL AND PROSPER ALL SHE KNEW AND LOVED ALWAYS SINCERELY IVORY PAYNE

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

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Dominic Zamprogna

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).

On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.

Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”

Courtesy/ABC

HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT

Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”

Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”

Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”

Dom and Liz

Photo: ABC

DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES

In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”

Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”

You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.

Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy  for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.

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Beyond the Gates

‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’

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Mike Manning

While Smitty tries to hold the fort down in his marriage to congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon)  and their two teenaged children, Samantha (Najah Jackson) and Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) on Beyond the Gates, Emmy-winner Mike Manning has also landed another feature film role.

According to Deadline, Manning has joined the cast of Deify with 6 other new cast members for the indie psychological horror film starring Neal McDonough and Skeet Ulrich, which was previously announced last week.

Joining Manning as the latest cast addition are: Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Greene,  Casey Harnett, Kirk Avecdo, Anji White, anf Nicholas Chimera who’s directing the pic also has a part in the film.

WHAT’S THE STORY OF DEIFY?

Taking to his Instagram with the news of his casting, Manning shared, “A movie about a cult? What could possibly go wrong? Come for the enlightenment. Stay because they won’t let you leave. DEIFY is coming…”

The movie is currently shooting in Chicago and in story, “a cult leader is put on trial after causing his devoted followers to be burned alive. The film is inspired in part by events surrounding the 1993 Waco, Texas, standoff between members of the Branch Davidians church and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, one of the largest civilian firefights ever recorded on American soil.”

MIKE MANNING IS A DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEE

In addition, the multi-talented Manning is a producer on the feature. Previously, Mike was nominated last month in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. He previously won an Emmy for his role on The Bay and for being a producer on the digital drama.

Mike’s previous credits include the role of Charlie Dale on Days of Our Lives and the Manny on This Is Us, plus various primetime and screen credits.

So intrigued to find what role Mike will play in the upcoming horror/cult film, Deify? Enjoying him as Smitty on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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General Hospital

GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

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Patrick J. Gibbons

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.

However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.

Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC

FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG

Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!

Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”

MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL

Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).

Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI

PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY

Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”

It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”

A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS

As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”

He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”

Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.

So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.

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