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Cady McClain Remembers ‘All My Children’ On Its 50th Anniversary Sharing: “I Will Always Be Grateful For the Experience, and For The Lifelong Relationship With All The Fans”

Photo: ABC

The beloved All My Children first aired on January 5th, 1970 on ABC and ran on the network until it was canceled back in September of 2013.  The next year, the show received a short-lived reboot online via Prospect Park.

One of the actresses to appear in both the network and online version was Daytime Emmy winning actress Cady McClain, who became soap-famous for her role as Dixie Cooney Martin and together with Michael E. Knight, became one of soaps all-time popular duos as Tad and Dixie.

While so many miss All My Children every single day and the indelible characters created by the late, great Agnes Nixon, McClain took to her Instagram on Sunday to relate what the soap opera meant to her in her life.

Here is what Cady shared along with a cover of Soap Opera Digest featuring Michael Knight and herself as Tad and Dixie: “Today I am celebrating the 50th Anniversary of “All My Children”! I started on the show when I had just turned 19 in the fall of 1988. I worked as a contract player thru 1996. I was back in the fall of 1997 again under contract and worked through 2001. That’s roughly 13 years. Then I came back for a year in 2006, then for a couple months in 2012. Then I did the internet version for six weeks and then… the show was done.

For many years this show and the people on it were like family to me. The makeup artists as much mom’s as my own mom to me at times. And thanks to the work I was able to afford some art school and college as well. I saw many great shows (both American and International) that came to NYC, which opened my eyes to what performance could be. It allowed me to do a lot of Off-Broadway theater and roles in five Indie films while working my day job.

Photo: SOD

I was nominated three times and won my first Emmy. I made some lifelong friends like Michael E. Knight, James Patrick Stewart, Jill Larson, Penny Bergman, Julia Barr, Lonnie Quinn and many others both in front of and behind the scenes. And most importantly, I was able to take care of my wild but wonderful mother. ‘She who drove me nuts’ but impressed on me the importance of having art in ones life. Who read me poems and took me to museums. My child who died but who I so grateful to have known. Thank you ABC and all the producers and writers who supported me and my work. Because of your support my life was richer, broader, more interesting. I will always be grateful for the experience …. and for the lifelong relationship with all the fans! Massive shout out to the daytime fans who continue to support me in my projects. When I meet one of you on the street I am truly grateful for your time and that we got to share some really special moments together. . .”

So, share your remembrances of All My Children and your thoughts on Cady’s sentiments via the comment section below.

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I miss AMC, from the 80’s. I miss cliff-hanger Friday’s, too.

I wish they would bring it back, i miss the show.

The 80s were the best era for AMC….

I loved the 70’s with Billy Clyde burying Estell and Palmer’s spooky mansion with hidden ex- wife. Tad’s real father showing up and So many other wonderful storylines. I will never let myself become so dependent on story families. It hurts too much once they’ve gone. #bringbackAMC

We miss you and the AMC family. Bless you for your talent and bringing life through the t.v.

I’m a huge fan of all my children, wish it was still on TV.

After the end of the show did the writers or those involved reveal who the other “dead” person was being kept alive by David?

matt,
I often wondered about that, but I don’t remember it ever being revealed, and I watched it till the end.

In my head cannon it was Jenny Gardner Nelson & she and Greg reunited.

Oh, would love to see Cady back again on daytime TV. I had hoped to see her as Nina, but was not to be.
I wonder if she remembers her sister Carly, Ava now on GH, on ATWT and the nickname Carly called her, Rosebud? I’ve also wondered if eating pancakes has bothered her, after eating the ones that killed her on AMC. I enjoyed her run as Kelly on Y&R, even though she was kind of crazy, but then who wouldn’t be with that crowd, huh?

Yes, Violet, I LOVED Cady as Rosanna on ATWT, which won her a second Emmy. Such a great character! I always thought she was miscast on Y&R, but so was Maura West as the devious Diane. Heck, even Meryl Streep gets miscast. I’d love to see her on GH, matching barbs with Ava, Carly, Traci, Nina, and (dare to dream) Diane. Such a pro!

I watched AMC from day 1 and was absolutely heartbroken when it ended. Tad and Dixie were my favorite couple…to this day, I can’t eat chicken fingers without thinking of Tad proposing to Dixie in that chicken costume!

I watched AMC from the first episode to the last. I would watch it again if it came back.

Please come back to daytime Cady.

I miss all my children started watching the summer of 1977 till it when off the air in 2013! I still watch General hospital, hope it stays awhile!

Tad the cad, and Dixie I enjoyed the most!!! Now he is a lawyer on general hospital! Was better on all my children!

Is it really celebrating 50 years when it, in reality, didn’t last 50 years?

All My Children

Carol Burnett Talks About Being a Superfan of ‘All My Children’ on ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’

In a heartfelt reunion, of sorts, the one and only Carol Burnett appeared on Monday March 25th episode of Live with Kelly and Mark.

Burnett had first met Kelly Ripa (Hayley) and Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo) back when they all appeared on All My Children together. Carol played Verla Grubbs first in 1983 and then again in the 90’s.

Host Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley, AMC) noted to Burnett that “we go back a long time”. She also described Burnett’s character of Verla Grubbs, “extraordinary in every way.”

Carol’s love for All My Children is well-documented, hence legendary soap creator, Agnes Nixon, created the role of Verla for Burnett.

Photo: ABC

Speaking on how her passion for All My Children began, Carol told Kelly and Mark, “It started with my kids. They would watch at noon. I said, ‘What are you guys doing?’ I sat down and I started to watch and I got hooked!”

When Carol’s family decided to travel through Europe during one summer, the comedic legend recalled thinking, “How am I going to last if I don’t know what’s going on in Pine Valley?” She revealed she had a friend, “who sent me a telegram to the (different hotels) on Fridays to bring me up to date.”

Photo: ABC

In a hilarious moment from the segment, Carol recalled receiving a late night telegram while in Lake Cuomo when there was a knock at her hotel room door from the hotel manager who was shaking.

Carol related what it said, “Erica is still in a coma. Mark slipped again and ran away from rehab.” As Kelly and Mark broke into laughter, Burnett continued, “Chuck has learned that Donna is carrying his baby, who was once a hooker.”

Check out Carol explaining how she became an AMC Superfan below.

Now, let us know, did you enjoy Carol as Verla Grubbs? What show do you consider yourself a Superfan of? Tell us in the comment section.

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All My Children

Malachy McCourt, ‘Ryan’s Hope’ and ‘All My Children’ Actor, Dead at 92

If you watched Ryan’s Hope through its 14-year-run, you know that Kevin the bartender became a beloved “member’ of the Ryan clan on the defunct ABC daytime drama series. The character of Kevin MacGuiness became so loved by the fans because of the actor who portrayed him, Malachy McCourt.

Sadly, according to his wife Diana McCourt to The New York Times, Malachy passed away on Monday from a heart condition and battling cancer. The actor was 92-years-old.

Playing Kevin on Ryan’s Hope was not much of a stretch for McCourt, because in his lifetime, he was the owner of 1950s Irish pub Malachy’s on Third Avenue in Manhattan. Known as one of the city’s great story-tellers, patrons from longshoremen to the actor Richard Harris would stop in and talk all things Irish with . On Ryan’s Hope, Kevin was best friends to “Ryan’s Bar” owner, Johnny Ryan (Bernie Barrow) and he tried to keep Delia (Ilene Kristen) on the straight and narrow.

Photo: ABC

In his soap opera career, McCourt also was widely-known for his role of Father Clarence McCourt on All My Children especially come Christmastime. Was Clarence, actually St. Nick? That was always the proverbial question. McCourt also appeared on the New York soaps: One Life To Live, Search For Tomorrow and Another World. Other roles included: Devil’s Own, Brewster’s Millions, The Molly Maguires, and Starman, to name 

Later in 2006, Malachy ran for governor of the state of New York as a Green Party candidate. He tackled social issues of the time including being an advocate for gay and lesbian groups to march in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Photo: ABC

McCourt’s childhood was recounted within his brother Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela’s Ashes, which detailed their mother’s attempt to raise the four of their surviving seven children in poverty in Limerick, Ireland. Later, Malachy wrote his own memoirs: 1998’s Monk Swimming, and 2000’s Singing My Him Song.

Malachy is survived by his aforementioned wife, Diana, daughter Siobhan McCourt; sons Malachy Jr., Conor and Cormac; stepdaughter Nina Galin; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Share you remembrances and condolences for Malachy McCourt via the comment section, but first check out this scene from a 1983 episode of “Ryan’s Hope” featuring the late actor with Ilene Kristen.

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All My Children

‘Live with Kelly and Mark’s’ Annual ‘After the Oscars’ Show Brings Backstage Interviews, Fashion Review and Red Carpet Arrivals from Movie’s Biggest Night

Monday morning, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for the talk show’s annual Oscar post show.

However, this time it would be Consuelos’ first time as the co-host of ‘Live’ for an Oscars episode. Mark took over the gig from Ryan Seacrest to team with his wife back in April of 2023 and since then the show has seen a ratings spike hitting several all-time highs.

The After the Oscars show opened with a tribute to the movies were the former All My Children stars took on iconic roles from: Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct to Barbie and Ken in Barbie, to the Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller role’s in the romantic comedy Something About Mary and more.

Courtesy/DisneyABC

During After the Oscars, Kelly and Mark were shown in clips backstage as the first stop for the newly-anointed Academy Award winners including: Finneas and Billie Eilish and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The Bachelor host, Jesse Palmer was the talk show’s guest correspondent who spoke to the nominees, and celebrities as they were entering the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night.

Singer Andy Grammar took to the stage and performed on Live’s  After the Oscars show as well, and Project Runaway’s Elaine Welteroth shared her thoughts on the night’s Oscar fashion.

You can watch the full ‘Live with Kelly and Mark After the Oscars’ show below, plus the full movie parody below that. Now let us know, what do you think of Kelly and Mark’s first post-Oscar show together on ‘Live’? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

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