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Beloved Soap Stars Left Out of 2021 Primetime Emmy Broadcast In-Memoriam Tribute

By Michael Fairman

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Photos: ABC/IMDB

Last night, during the presentation of the 73rd annual Primetime Emmys broadcast on CBS, the annual In-Memoriam segment brought with it so many households names in a year that saw so many legacy talents and more pass away.

The tribute was performed by Leon Bridges and Jon Batiste to Bridge’s song, “River”, and as the images of the departed played across the screens from Cloris Leachman to Cicely Tyson, to Ed Asner to Michael K. Williams, and more, it was clear that several of the major late daytime soap stars were not included in the on-air tribute as well as other omissions.

Now granted, we know they will all be a part of next year’s 49th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in-memoriam segment, but still these actors were a part of this community and not only appeared on the soaps, but other shows as well.

Those that daytime fans noticed were not included were: Michael Nader (Ex-Dex Dexter and Dimitri Marick, Dynasty and All My Children) Stuart Damon (Ex-Alan Quartermaine, General Hospital), Ray MacDonnell (Ex-Joe Martin, All My Children) and Jay Pickett (Ex-Frank Scanlon, Port Charles).

From primetime MIA action were: Michael Constantine (Ex-Room 222), Tanya Roberts (Ex-Charlie’s Angeles), Director, Richard Donner, writer Larry McMurty, and DMX, to name but a few.

However, the Television Academy did list all of its members who died on their website in the In-Memoriam section, because due to time constraints, they could not possibly showcase everyone.

What do you feel about the omissions of Nader, Damon, MacDonnell, Pickett, and more from the In-Memoriam tribute? Let us know in the comment section, but first watch the segment.

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Damon’s primetime Prince Charming notwithstanding, as these are the primetime Emmy awards, arguments could be made for Constantine and Nader. Otherwise, the main issue with the In Memoriam section was too much focus on the musicians and not enough focus on the screen caps of the deceased.

No major controversy here.

Just as the Emmys, Daytime Emmys, Oscars, and other such award shows are, in essence, popularity contests and “buzz-fests,” that mentality often extends into their In-Memoriam segments as well as (frequently) the nominees/winners. Despite the strides made by soaps as an entertainment genre over the decades, culminating in the unprecedented (and never to be seen again) heights of popularity and buzz for GH’s Luke and Laura phenomenon, daytime TV has always been, and will always be, considered a second-class citizen. The fact that there are only four such soaps on the air clearly adds to their perceived irrelevance. I have felt (and stated in these pages) that the soap categories in the Daytime Emmys are virtually impotent and meaningless as the population base for the genre is, again, just four soaps.

A case can be made for the four actors featured in this story to be included in any such In-Memoriam tribute, partly because, as mentioned, some had made forays into primetime, primarily Michael Nader (Dynasty) and Stuart Damon (Cinderella). And Ray McDonnell spent decades on AMC, as did Damon at GH, but the Emmy braintrust didn’t seem to notice or care.

Just like high school has its two-tiered system of popular kids and unpopular ones (often nerds and objects of bullying), so it is with entertainment television. Now, however, there is another distinction: primetime network TV has become irrelevant in the eyes of Emmy voters, in favor of outlets, such as HBO, NetFlix, Apple, Showtime, etc. There continues to be a dearth of nominations for network TV shows and its stars. Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU continues to turn in outstanding work year after year, but she and her show have been ignored by Emmy voters for quite a few years. I put her acting talent against anyone acting today and in recent years. (She WAS nominated 8 times and won once. So there’s that….)

Sadly, the disrespect continues…

Jamesj75, I agree with EVERYTHING you wrote brilliantly. Emmys are nice for the recipient but I don’t respect them anymore. Mariska is a prime example. What about excellent Kelli Giddish as the complex, heroic Amanda Rollins on SVU… never even nominated! Or the magnificent Kelly Bishop, passed over SEVEN SEASONS as the divine Emily on GILMORE GIRLS? Ridiculous. Meanwhile, every year it’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Shalhoub, Alex Boorstein, and others winning OVER AND OVER again. Years ago, Candice Bergen had the class to not put her name forward after several wins. My mother puts it best: “He/She just has to show up on the set to get nominated!” And when Chadwick Boseman passed, he got far more coverage than the legendary Olivia de Havilland, Neil Simon, or Kirk Douglas the same year. You bet it’s political. At least the Oscars has gotten it right lately (Rami Malek, Renee Zellweger, Daniel Kaluuya). Always great to see you in print, James!

Soaphound, what a day brightener your reply is! I am thrilled that you saw fit to reply to my somewhat lengthy, somewhat tangential rant. Always good to see your remarks here as well! Glad you like Mariska, too; and you’re right about Kelli Giddish and Kelly Bishop — all amazing actresses.

You’re right about the same actors/actresses winning year after year, in lieu of some spectacular, yet overlooked performers. It’s happened over decades. I got tired of seeing John Larroquette (Night Court) win every year. Same with some daytime actors. I also agree with you about the coverage in these segments of certain actors over others. Your term, “political,” is right. On a plus note, I also liked the recent Oscar winners you mentioned.

I realize that all of this is subjective, and tastes vary, but we can see the trends…

Take care, Friend!

That’s OK, we the daytime fans will always remember them with love and appreciation of their fine talents.

Actually, I did see Stuart Damon on the written list at the Creative Arts Emmys, but apparently the main show would rather waste time with unfunny comic bits and silly banter. It was always thus.

The argument could be made that the Daytime Emmy also excludes performers that haven’t worked in Daytime, it is what it is. Is there still stigma? I don’t hear it as bad as it use to be, especially now where there’s all this platforms for actors, and at the end of the day, they are actors, producers, writers and directors and creative people in the Entertainment Business. Actors are Actors first, they are not Soap, Sitcom, Prime time or streaming Actors. They are just Actors, ok said enough. and I agree with what I read below that now this in memoriam are more about whose singing then whose Pass away, I wish they would just play some beautiful song and just show us whose gone then we having to “see” the performer of the tribute.

Perhaps one way to deal with the length of the segment and the risk of oversight is to simply list only those individuals who had received Emmy nominations or honorary Emmys during their lifetime in the on-air “In Memoriam” segment. A longer list could be on the Academy website.

more people know the actors than the PR people or writers, even Jean Smarts husband was there and he was really just a bit player/guest star on shows he was on. skipping Tanya Roberts, Michael Constantine, and our soap guys (maybe minus Jay Picket, no offense) was really bad.

All My Children

‘All My Children’ Episodes to Stream on Pluto TV Canada

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Starting on May 1, All My Children fans in Canada will be able to see classic episodes of the beloved former ABC soap opera when they stream on Pluto TV Canada. 

Pluto TV picked-up the All My Children Channel that the Nixon family has created in partnership with BEONDTV +. The show which aired for 41 years on ABC and ended on the network in 2011, had so many memorable storylines and characters; the least of which is the enduring run of Erica Kane played by soap icon, Susan Lucci.

As previously reported, starting with episodes from the year 1995, which was the 25th anniversary of the soap. Pluto TV Canada viewers will be able to catch 8 episodes on repeat per day. With the success of the venture, the Nixons are hopeful that they will bring viewers many more years of the show to come.

Photo: ABC

Sarah Nixon, producer, shared with Michael Fairman TV exclusively, “We are thrilled that Pluto TV has launched All My Children in Canada! Let’s hope the engagement from our incredibly loyal fans across the border will encourage ABC to bring it to the U.S.!  We share what Aggie (Agnes Nixon) always felt, that it is the enthusiasm and love from the fans that has kept this legacy beloved and relevant – to this day!”

In addition, 0ne week ago, during Susan Lucci’s visit to Los Angeles promoting her book La Lucci, she was joined by her former Pine Valley castmates, Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee, AMC, now Taylor, B&B) and Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, AMC) and the trio posed for a pic. At that time, LaRue shared via Instagram, “NEW All My Children channel streaming classic episodes 24/7 now on Pluto TV Canada! Fingers crossed to watch soon on Pluto US.”

That was also confirmed this week by TV Watercooler’s Jeevan Brar who took to X and expressed,The All My Children channel begins streaming this Friday, May 1 on Pluto TV Canada.

So, Canadian viewers, excited about Pluto TV’s All My Children channel? United States fans, hopeful from Sarah’s message that perhaps soon, we can see the beloved soap once again as well? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

 

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A post shared by Eva LaRue (@evalarue)

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All My Children

Mark Consuelos Mourns the Loss of His Father

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Saul Consuelos, the father of All My Children alum and Live with Kelly and Mark co-host, Mark Consuelos (ex0-Mateo, AMC), has died. During an emotional moment on this mornings, April 6 edition of the syndicated talk show, Mark shared, that his dad, “passed away peacefully” back on March 23 following a long illness.

His wife and co-host, Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley, AMC) paid tribute to her her father-in-law expressing, he was, “the greatest person I’ve ever known. I can honestly say I will miss him every day for the rest of my life, as I know you will, as our children will. He really is so symbolic of everything you are.”

Kelly and Mark’s children, Joaquin, Michael and Lola Consuelos are said to be taking this extremely hard. Ripa added, “This is the first loss they’ve ever experienced in their lives. And I said, ‘By the time I was 8, I had no grandparents. You got to grow up (with grandparents). You got to have deep, meaningful conversations (with them).”

Photo: KRipaIG

In another moment, Mark reflected on his dad. “It’s funny, I used to make a joke about my dad … if you asked him what time it was, he would tell you how to build a watch. There were a lot of lectures, a lot of lectures and I learned so much. If he was fixing something in the house, he’d make me watch and do it. And I didn’t know at the time why he was doing that. But now at the house, I’m able to do at least half of the stuff that he did. I learned the most by just watching him.”

Mark added that Saul Consuelos came to the U.S. from Mexico in his early teens and served our county for decades, detailing, he “Ended up at Special Operations Command in Tampa. This young kid from Mexico just got his education from the navy. Was always going to school. Was brilliant. Got his Masters while I was a kid.  He loved his country so much, If you’re going to put a face to an immigrant, he would be the prime example of what this country promises people.”

In a very heart-tugging moment, Consuelos shared that now its important they be there for his mother, Camilla. “We gotta take care of mom. We’re trying to convince my mom to move to New York. She’s such a character, she’s stubborn. What do you think, a cooking segment here on Fridays with Camilla?”

Now below, watch the very touching and emotional moments as Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa mourn the loss of Saul Consuelos.

Let us know, what you thought of the remarks made by Kelly and Mark on the death of Mark’s father via he comment section.

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All My Children

Sarah Michelle Gellar Visits ‘The View’ Where Hosts Sidestep Controversial ‘Buffy’ Reboot Axing, But Talk ‘All My Children’

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On yesterday’s March 17 episode of The View, All My Children alum, Sarah Michelle Gellar (ex-Kendall Hart), was the special guest. Since Monday, Gellar has been the subject of a hot-button issue since about the surprising turn of events that the highly-anticipated Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, in which she stars, and which was directed in the pilot by Oscar-winning director, Chloé Zhao, was no longer moving forward.

Gellar‘s appearance on the ABC morning talk show was devoid of any mention of Hulu cancelling its planned Buffy: New Sunnydale, in which Sarah was set to appear along with Ryan Kiera Armstrong. However, Gellar did discuss her new movie Ready or Not 2: Here I Come from Searchlight Pictures.

It should be noted that both Hulu and Searchlight Pictures are owned by The Walt Disney Company, while The View is produced by ABC News, which is also owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Courtesy/ABC

During the awkward interview, when it became clear the ‘Buffy’ reboot topic was off the table, The View co-host Sunny Hostin, talked about the “intense fight scenes” that have become a staple of her TV and film career starting with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scream 2, and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

The ladies of The View also brought up Sarah’s beginnings on All My Children as Kendall Hart (1993-1995), showing a scene with her and her on-screen mother, the iconic Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci. The discussion sprung out of another All My Children alum, Michael B. Jordan (ex-Reggie Montgomery) winning the Oscar this past Sunday for Best Actor for his role in Sinners. The View’s Joy Behar was quick to point out with Gellar, the All My Children alums that have gone on to great fame.

Photo: ABC

Previously on Monday, Gellar opened up to PEOPLE about being blindsided before while at the SXSW Film & TV Festival premiere for Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. “I got the call as we were stepping onto stage for the premiere of their own movie. And it’s also the weekend of Chloé going to the Oscars as a best director nominee for Hamnet. For them to call us on the Friday of what should have been Chloé’s victory lap for an incredible film, and my world premiere of something that I worked very hard for is… that says something.”

She went to say, “We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him.” Deadline reports that “multiple sources” identified the executive as Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich.

“I loved the duality that we had with this new, younger slayer who was where Buffy was when the show started, and then we would pick up with where Buffy was now,” Gellar told People about the setup.  However, according also to Deadline “After the pilot was completed and delivered, according to multiple sources, Hulu’s main note was that it played too young, with some indicating that the streamer also felt the show was too “small.”’

In the rewrite, sources also told the outlet that the writers did not take big enough swings, so they set out to do a rewrite it again. The last revision was more adult, featuring a lot more of Gellar’s Buffy, and was described as a more of a streaming show than a network one. When all is said and done there is hope that another Buffy IP will be up and running within the next couple of years.

You can check out Sarah Michelle Gellar’s full segment on The View below. Now let us know, bummed there is no Buffy reboot? What do you think about how this high profile Hollywood saga was side-stepped on the morning show? Did you love Sarah as the original Kendall Hart on All My Children? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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