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General Hospital

Honored scribe Claire Labine in WGA acceptance speech, "I'm appalled that more care was not taken with this form that I love a lot"!

Courtesy/WGA

Courtesy/WGA

One of soaps all-time greatest writers, Claire Labine who created and steered Ryan’s Hope to Daytime Emmy Gold with stops along the way at General Hospital, and other soaps was presented with the prestigious Ian McLellen Hunter Award this past weekend in WGA ceremonies held in New York City.   The award is presented to a WGA member for their career achievement and to honor of his/her body of work as a writer in motion pictures or television.  Former Ryan’s Hope star, Kate Mulgrew presented the award to Labine.

When Labine addressed the crowd midway through her acceptance speech, she let those in attendance know how she felt about the cancellation of the soaps, and their decline, and how the genre has been mistreated by the networks.

Claire said, “I am in mourning. Yes, some of the shows had gotten silly. Yes, some of the budgets had gotten bloated. But there are more creative solutions than cancellation across the board!  The Daytime audience is loyal beyond belief. These characters had been in their lives for years. They watched these people grown up and it was a form that had such value and provided an emotional construct for people that did not have one.  And it reinforced emotional values for people that did have one.  I’m appalled that more care was not taken with this form that I love a lot. ”

After the jump watch the video of Mulgrew’s presenatation to Labine, and then let us know what you think of Claire’s comments!

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Congratulations Ms. Lebine. I loved Ryan’s Hope and her work at GH.

As a lifetime soap fan, I agree with her comments regarding the care of the genre and the fact that this art form should have and could have adjusted itself to the changing times. Scripted dramas are not dead, they just needed some tweaks to survive. I wish ABC/Disney and the other PTB valued them as much as their loyal fans do.

I entend my congratulations to Claire Lebine. Her name is very familiar to soap fans. She was right when she said the soap fans are very loyal. I am loyal enough to keep ABC/D off my televisions. If ABC can dismiss me so casually then I can dismiss them too.

One of the greats of daytime. This is what the genre needs; someone with experience and TRULY cares about the characters and history. Soaps are not dead, because if they were, THAT network would not be producing the upcoming Nashville and currently airing Revenge. ABC used to have such a great programming dept. I guess that is not the case anymore.

Claire is a bona fide ROCK STAR with regard to this medium. RYAN’S HOPE (along with AMC) was the first soap I ever followed. She made GH a watchable entity again back in the early 90s when its action/adventure stories were becoming overkill. She even had a good turn on ONE LIFE. Her words speak volumes as to the idiocy of the networks. Her words have particular meaning as it was the asinine “suits” at the network that ultimately led to RH’s demise… they forced her out back in the early 80s and AGAIN in about ’84. If they’d left well-enough alone we may have been able to celebrate 30+ years of THAT soap. Thank you for your words, Claire!

Joe, Good post!

I loved ryans hope. was really upset when we lost that soap .I wrote my first protest letter to abc ,so angry it was canceled .they could care less .they didnt care then and they dont care now.and you right claire is a rock star,she was involved in all the soaps that I cared about.

everything claire said is right on ,however I was happy with my soaps just the way they were ,my only problem was with general hospital and all those mob stories,I watched year after year of sonny jason ,all of them commit crime after crime after crime and never in all those years were any of them held accountable for there actions ,they were thrown in jail and ,well not behind bars, they were in that room ,where the lawyers go and before you knew it ,alexis or diane walks in and they are free ,poor max ,he never gets the bad guys ,well that will change when john mcbain comes to town.there I go again ,as 1loveabcsoaps say,got off the subject again.

Laughed out Loud, and said, ” You funny! ” And I needed that laugh, bc I’m home all day with headache, not feelings well.

Everything she said–so true and so sad.

A true legend! Spoken in a way that proves she knows, respectsand values the loyalty of the daytime audience. Too bad the daytime heads son’t share her views.

We are all in mourning and yet… she is right it isn’t over till it’s over and not yet!

Claire is the writer who made me a fan of GH. She writes beautiful soap.

Hey Michael : Are you at the academy awards? Are you going to attend any of the after parties? Hope you are well. Have fun.

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Confronts Ava for Sabotaging Her Relationship With Sonny and Signs the Divorce Papers

Looks like Nina (Cynthia Watros) and Ava (Maura West) are back to be each other’s sworn enemy number one. By the end of the Monday, April 22nd episode of General Hospital, the women know where they stand with each other after Nina goes in on Ava accusing her of wanting Sonny (Maurice Benard) all to herself, while her marriage has been on the rocks.

In story, at Nina’s office, Ava shows up to see Nina and says she is sorry about what happened with Sonny and that he reacted the way he did, acknowledging that is was over the top, even for Sonny. Ava says she’ll smooth things over, but Nina says she now understands how manipulative and transparent Ava really is.

Given their horrible history, Nina goes in on Ava and how she should never have trusted her. Nina wants to know how long has Ava had this agenda dating all the way back to telling Nina to turn Carly (Laura Wright) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) into the SEC. Ava says she never told her do to that, but Nina wants to know how long Ava has been playing her for a fool.

Courtesy/ABC

Ava says she moved in with Sonny to keep Avery safe and she wants to be on good terms with Avery’s father, Sonny. Nina thinks she likes being in Sonny’s inner circle. Ava tells Nina if she goes to him about her advising Nina to call the SEC on Carly and Drew, it won’t work.  Sonny still considers Nina a traitor and he will think she’s lying because she’s so desperate to win him back. Ava says if Nina would stop blaming everyone else that maybe Sonny would respect her.  Nina says “like he does you?” Ava says Sonny not only respects her, but he also counts on her.

From there, Ava launches into why she and Sonny understand each other, after all, Sonny is a powerful, turbulent, and sometimes violent man. She goes so far to say if Nina wanted someone to just sit by the fire with and play with their grandchildren, she’s got the wrong guy.  Ava then talks about Mike from Nixon Falls (Sonny with amnesia) and how Sonny hid the darkest parts of himself from Nina back then, whereas with Ava they are the same similar creatures, so he doesn’t have to hide anything.

Courtesy/ABC

Nina wants to know just what Ava wants with Sonny? What is her end game? Ava responds that they understand each other, in ways she can’t with Sonny. Nina tells Ava she can go ahead and have it all and signs Sonny’s divorce papers. Ava walks out with the documents, while Nina in tears at her desk, takes off her wedding rings and has her assistant come in so she can messenger the rings back to Sonny’s address.

The episode and these scenes featured great performances by Cynthia Watros and Maura West. You can check some of the scenes below.

Now, let us know, what is Ava’s next move? Is she going to become Mrs. Sonny Corinthos? Do you like Ava and Nina as enemies? Comment below.

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General Hospital

Ellen Travolta Makes Another Return to General Hospital

If General Hospital’s Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) nuptials are on, you didn’t think Grandma Gloria Cerullo would miss out on the festivities, now did you?

Casting news from Soap Opera Digest reveals that Ellen Travolta is back taping scenes that will air the week of May 13th on the ABC daytime drama series.  When viewers learned that Carmine Cerullo, was also on his way back to Port Charles, now in the face and body of actor George Russo, it only made sense that Grandma Gloria would join Grandpa Cerullo. Look for them both mid-May.

As most people know, Ellen is the older sister to John Travolta. She first make appearances as Gloria back on GH in the mid-90s. Most recently, she returned to the Quartermaine mansion to meet up with daughter, Lois (Rena Sofer) and granddaughter Brook Lynn for Thanksgiving in Port Charles in 2023.  Michael Fairman TV interviewed Rena Sofer and Amanda Setton late last year where they shared what it had been liking working with Ellen, who remains very close to Sofer in real-life.

Photo: JPI

Amanda shared: “We fell in love immediately. What’s crazy is my maternal grandmother was Grandma Gloria. I had her till I was 30 and we were so close. She was really like a second mom to me. So, when I got this script and I’m reading “Grandma Gloria”, it was so bizarre. And then in meeting Ellen, she looks like my grandma – same haircut, same high cheekbones. It really did feel like I had a few days with my grandma. It was very, very special for me. Ellen is sweet, prepared, professional, talented and funny to boot. So, it was one of the best weeks I’ve had at work. I hope she comes back. My fingers are crossed.”

Photo: ABC

Now, we can’t imagine Brook Lynn and Chase’s wedding day to be smooth sailing, in fact, expect just the opposite, but could it be Grandma Gloria who is ultimately the hero or the calming voice of reason for any pre-wedding jitters? Stay tuned.

So, glad to know that Ellen Travolta will be back for Brook Lynn and Chase’s big day? Comment below.

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Breaking News

The Young and the Restless and General Hospital Actress and Writer, Meg Bennett, Passes Away at 75

Meg Bennett, who had played Julia Newman and later became a writer for the top-rated daytime drama, The Young and the Restless has died at the age of 75.  The news comes from her family who shared that she lost her battle to cancer back on April 11th.

Daytime fans remember fondly, Meg’s portrayal of Victor’s (Eric Braeden)first wife. Bennett joined the show in 1980, after her first soap stint for two years in the role of Liza Walton on Search for Tomorrow.

Impressed by her story notes, the late Bill Bell, then head writer of Y&R, had Meg doing double duty acting and writing on the show from 1983-1987. When he decided to write off the character of Julia, he also wanted Meg to stick around as a writer.  Not only did this begin a whole other daytime career for Bennett, but she was not done playing Julia either. Throughout the decades, Julia would still come back to Genoa City for a visit. Most recently, Y&R fans saw Julia in 2018, and again in 2020.

Photo: JPI

Bennett also appeared on Santa Barbara and was a writer on that show as well from 1991-1993. She played the role of Megan Richardson. It was next that Meg had her longest writing stint coming to ABC’s General Hospital. Meg wrote for GH from 1993-2011.

In 1995, Bennett won her first Daytime Emmy for writing and her personal life changed after falling in love with nine-time Daytime Emmy winner, former GH head writer, Bob Guza Jr. In addition, GH also utilized Bennett for her acting skill when she was cast as the villainess Allegra Montenegro.  Meg and Bog Guza were officially married in 2004 and purchased a home once owned by Boris Karloff and Gregory Peck.

Photo: JPI

Additionally, Meg wrote for The Bold and the Beautiful 1987-1989 and later served as a executive story consultant to Brad Bell from 2002-2004.  She also wrote for Sunset Beach, Generations and GH: Night Shift throughout her writing career. She went on to win five WGA Awards for GH and Santa Barbara.

Meg is survived by her husband of 19 years, Robert Guza Jr., two stepdaughters, four grandchildren, a brother and a sister.

Share your remembrances and condolences for Meg Bennett via the comment section below.

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Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

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