There was no one quite like her and to this day she is revered as one of the greatest actresses every to grace the soap genre, and now on an upcoming installment of The Locher Room, McKinsey will be honored with a tribute, not only by her son, daytime director, Scott McKinsey but several of her former Guiding Light co-stats as well.
Joining host, Alan Locher will be Guiding Light’s Grant Aleksander (Ex-Phillip Spaulding), Mark Derwin (Ex-A.C. Mallet), Jay Hammer (Ex-Fletcher Reade) and Vincent Irizarry (Ex-Brandon Lujack Luvonaczek).
McKinsey passed away in 2008 and her daytime resume was quite extensive and memorable from Iris on Another World and on its spinoff, Texas and from 1984-1992 as Alexandra Spaulding on the CBS daytime drama, Guiding Light. Beverlee was nominated four times for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress.
To watch this special tribute, make sure to save the date of Monday, November 16th at 3 p.m. EST/Noon PST. You can watch the livestream here.
So, what role of McKinsey’s was your all-time favorite? Comment below.
She was the best. Daytime sorely could use an actress with her presence. I liked Marla Adams a lot as Dina Abbott Mergeron on Y&R. However, I’ve wondered what a missed opportunity there was when Bill Bell didn’t snap up McKinsey to play her when she left GL in the early 90s. Dina hadn’t really been used that much during that period. Bell was still in his prime writing for Y&R. Imagine McKinsey’s Dina taking on Victor in defense of favorite child, Jack. It could have been something fantastic.
Guest
Michael (not Fairman)
That would indeed have made for some phenomenal viewing, Barbara. I think Beverlee said in her exit interview when she left GL that she didn’t want to do another soap (and only did the short-term role a few years later on General Hospital for some reason related to insurance, if I remember correctly). She basically said that after X years, she was done with soaps, so I wonder if she would have taken the part even if Bell offered it to her. But it’s wonderful to imagine. She would have been utterly wasted otherwise, but I always thought it would… Read more »
Guest
Barbara from Atlanta
Thanks for the reply. B&B really could have benefitted from McKinsey’s presence as well. Of all of the remaining soaps, I’ve always been frustrated by B&B. There was massive potential for this show. It had the very strong Susan Flannery leading the show but not much else. Other than Darlene Connelly (Sally) and Kimberlin Brown (Sheila), it really never had any actor who could hold their ground against Flannery. Meanwhile, the writers have seemed obsessed with rehashing the same love “triangles” over and over again. A LOT could have been done to improve the show but the producer and writers… Read more »
Guest
Scott (ATWT Fan)
“How it remains on the air is a mystery to me.”
Pretty sure it has to do with its international following, which I still don’t understand how it has the viewership overseas it does.
Guest
Michael (not Fairman)
It gets good ratings (comparatively, anyway), which I guess accounts for its staying on the air. I don’t know how many times one can watch the same story with Liam, Steffy, and Hope (which is in turn a repeat of two decades of Ridge, Brooke, and Taylor), but apparently some people can do it. I agree with you about giving up on it post-Flannery. It isn’t just that her acting prowess (and powerful screen presence) is missed, but Stephanie was the closest thing we had to a moral voice on the show (sort of outrageous in itself, since Stephanie was… Read more »
Guest
Scott (ATWT Fan)
By the time she left Guiding Light in 1992 and did her short stint on General Hospital, acting had become not fun for herself, stating the hours made her crazy, and too long for her. Do I think she would have done well at a Bell-produced soap? Sure, but only for a brief moment in time, before deciding to exit once again. Not to mention, if The Young and the Restless genuinely wanted to write for Dina, then they would have with Marla Adams. However, they did not.
Guest
Michael (not Fairman)
I remember she said she’d like to do a sitcom. Now, the writing for sitcoms has really taken a nosedive, in my opinion, over the last few decades, sort of comparable to the decline in soap writing (hmmm, what could the common thread be? too much interference from TPTB, maybe?), but on a well-written sitcom, she would have been glorious. I’m sorry she never got the chance.
Guest
rose
Michael (not Fairman)…I so agree there has been a decline in the writing of network sitcoms and soaps that parallel each other. And even good music. I’m not so sure it’s because of TPTB like the stupid AMC and OLTL decisions, but the competition from all the streaming services who are willing to invest the money in attracting good writers from network. Also I wonder if there is as much imagination anymore or if the world of “entertainment” is becoming more and more manufactured and internet-likes driven.
Guest
Jab
I first remembered Beverlee Mc
on Love is a Many Splendid Thing as Martha/Julie back in the mid 1960’s. Then the magnificent Iris on AW and followed her to Texas. So imagine my delight when she appeared on GL I still imitate some of her lines when she’d speak nails when angry. She was pure entertainment . What a talent. You’ve left your mark and are solely missed by all.
Guest
Michael (not Fairman)
Oh for sure, Jab. I recall vividly (and this is just one example of many) the scenes where Alex eviscerated Roger at the country club and then the ones in her bedroom shortly thereafter in which she confronts him one on one. It was masterful. We don’t get writing like that anymore, and Beverlee’s acting is in a class by itself.
Guest
Violet Lemm
Oh, she was the best. I loved her as Iris on AW the best but I also liked her on GL and her interactions with Alan, her son, Roger to just name a few. She was wonderful!
Guest
Scott
She was Alexandra ! Bring back guiding light
Guest
Frances Gruno
My favorite was by far Iris Carrington. She played her role so well as a spoiled little rich princess spoiled by her daddy played by (Doug Watson-Mac Cory). She was the beautiful lady we loved to hate and cried when she was gone. She will never be forgotten.
Tom Pelphrey and Kaley Cuoco Expecting First Child Together
October 12, 2022
Congratulations are in order for one of the finest actors we know, Tom Pelphrey (ex-Jonathan, Guiding Light) and his girlfriend former ‘Big Bang Theory’ star, Kaley Cuoco!
The couple each shared a series of photos on their Instagram accounts, announcing that they are expecting their first child, a baby girl!
Cuoco shared: “Baby girl Pelphrey coming 2023💕 beyond blessed and over the moon… I 💓you”
The couple had confirmed their relationship this past May and recently attended the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards in September where they both were nominees; Cuoco for The Flight Attendant and Pelphrey for Ozark.
Tom and Kaley actually met back in April, and it has been noted in the press as ‘love at first sight’ when Cuoco attended the premiere of Ozark.
Share your well-wishes for Tom, Kaley, and the bundle of joy on the way, via the comment section.
Jerry verDorn Tribute on Tap During Virtual 18th Annual ‘Stars and Strikes’ Charity Event
September 20, 2022
Daytime lost one of its most beloved veteran actors in Jerry verDorn (ex-Ross, GL, ex-Clint, OLTL). The two-time Daytime Emmy-winning star passed away earlier this year on May 1st from his battle with cancer.
In celebration and remembrance of his life and career, the 18th annual Daytime Stars and Strikes fundraiser which has always been a staple event helmed by verDorn and his former GL co-star Liz Keifer, is having a livestream special on You Tube’s The Locher Room on Sunday, October 9th starting at 2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PST.
Participating will be former colleagues and cast members of Jerry’s from both Guiding Light and One Life to Live including: Kristen Alderson,Terrell Anthony, Grant Aleksander, Bryan Buffinton, Jean Carol, Beth Chamberlin, Crystal Chappell, Justin Deas, Mark Derwin, Frank Dicopoulos, Ricky Paull Goldin, Melissa Hayden, Rick Hearst, Crystal Hunt, Vincent Irizarry, Liz Keifer, Maeve Kinkead, Wendy Moniz, Robert Newman, Michael O’Leary, Denise Pence, Ron Raines, Sean Ringgold, Peter Simon, Erika Slezak, Tina Sloan, Krista Tesreau, Gina Tognoni, Bree Williamson, Laura Wright and Kim Zimmer.
75% of the proceeds from the event will go to The Autism Society of America and the remaining 25% of proceeds will go to the newly established Jerry verDorn Scholarship Fund which will help send individuals with Autism to theater camps and other educational programs.
So, glad to hear that Jerry’s friends and former cast members will be gathering on a livestream to share their special remembrances of him while raising awareness and funds for a good cause? Comment below.
PRIMETIME EMMYS: Soap Alums Murray Bartlett and Amanda Seyfried Take Home Acting Honors
September 12, 2022
The 74th annual Primetime Emmys were handed out Monday night during a three-hour telecast on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
When the dust settled two former daytime stars, who have gone found much success in television and film, took home the gold in their respective categories.
Murray Bartlett (ex-Cyrus, Guiding Light) won the Emmy for his role as Armond in The White Lotus in the Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
In his acceptance speech, Murray expressed many thanks: “To my P-Town family, I love you, to my partner Matt, thank you for being my sanctuary .. and finally I want to thank my mom all the way home in Australia for giving me the most wonderful foundation of unconditional love and inspiring me to believe that we can all do that for each other.”
Later in the evening, Amanda Seyfried (ex-Lucy, ATWT and ex-Joni , AMC) won the Best Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance in The Dropout. In the Hulu limited series, which is based on the ABC News podcast of the same name, Seyfried portrays disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes.
Photo: NBC
In a major moment during the ceremony, Sheryl Lee Ralph won her first Emmy ever for her role in Abbott Elementary in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category.
Ralph became only the second black actress to win in the supporting actress category in 35 years – the first being none other than Days of our Lives’ Jackée Harry (Paulina) who won for her performance in 1987 for 227.
After Sheryl sang when she hit the stage to accept the award, she clarified what she was singing about adding: “I’ve been singing that song for years because I think of myself as an artist as a woman, especially as a woman of color … I’m an endangered species. I don’t sing any victim song. I’m a woman. I’m an artist, and I know where my voice belongs. And there’s so many young actors, artists, even kids that think they know what they’re going to do in life, find your voice and put it where it belongs.”
In an historic Emmy-win, The Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae became the first actor in a non-English series to win iLead Actor in a Drama Series category for his work in Netflix’s South Korean smash hit.
Photo: NBC
Other Emmy highlights included a moving and emotional speech from Lizzo after Amazon’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls won the Emmy for Best Competition Program.
Photo: NBC
Lizzo shared: “I’m very emotional. The trophy is nice, but my emotion is for these people who are on the stage with me. The stories that they shared, they’re not that unique. They just don’t get the platform. Telling stories, let’s just tell more stories. When I was a little girl, all I wanted to see was me in the media, someone fat like me, Black like me, beautiful like me. If I could go back and tell little Lizzo something, I’d be like, ‘You’re going to see that person, but Bitch, it’s gonna have to be you.’”
In the top show categories: Succession won Drama Series, Ted Lasso, Comedy Series and The White Lotus, Outstanding Limited Series. You can check out the full winners circle in all categories here.
Now, let us know, who you were most excited seeing take home the gold statuette during the 74th Primetime Emmys via the comment section. But first check out, Murray, Amanda, Sheryl Lee and Lizzo’s winning moments below.
DAYS Billy Flynn (Chad), Greg Rikaart (Le0) and Mary Beth Evans (Kayla) talk with Michael Fairman on the series move to Peacock and their latest storylines.. Leave A Comment
