Interviews
Julia Montgomery Talks on Her Daytime Comeback on Y&R, and Shares Memories as OLTL’s Samantha Vernon

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Reading this piece reminds me of the large number of recasts OLTL went through in the late 70s/early 80s. Granted I was rather young, but if someone mentions Sam Vernon, I picture Dorian Lopinto.
Montgomery certainly does throw some shade at Phil Carey. Hilarious that George Gaines (OG Frank Smith) character in Tootsie was loosely based on Carey. I said good day Dr Brewster (I said good day!)
Yes it’s amazing when people are dead and can’t defend themselves you crawl in like vultures never watched that era but if she thinks Y&R is a great soap she needs to sit in a mental chair! The show is horrible and this story about Keemo/Bergman hated it!! The man was never mentioned for thirty years! Please when you all get over yourselves then will talk ! Bergman was never Jack that role was snd always will be Terry Lester! Bergman has been a mad Cliff Warner and not good at it
Agreed Kat! Peter Bergman’s Jack has been a wallowing mess for the past several years. Griffith has stripped Jack of his edge and made him the town philosopher. Jack is irredeemable in this Keemo story since it’s seen he was long forgotten. Regardless of the horribly boring way Jack’s been written Bergman looks out of place and uncomfortable in most scenes, especially with his hand mannerisms, nail picking etc. Nevermind Bergman , poor Michelle Stafford looks horribly uninterested in this latest Jack propping support story. Then again she hasn’t had anything of interest to do since her much ‘ hyped’… Read more »
Oh, the memories this brings back. I loved One Life to Live and she explained one of the reasons why. The actors who took the effort to make the scenes great. Bravo to Julia Montgomery, Judith Light, Gerald Anthony, Brynn Thayer, Steve Fletcher, and, of course, the incomparable Erika Slezak and Robin Strasser. I could go on and on listing outstanding actors who gave there all for a scene. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss our beloved One Life to Live. Congratulations Julia and best of luck on your return to daytime TV.
Thank you for this terrific interview of Montgomery! This news of a 70s soap actress returning to a soap, however briefly, is stunning! I was watching OLTL throughout virtually all of its run. I always enjoyed the character of Sam, but I honestly found it cringeworthy, at the time, that Asa could be with her. They did the same thing with Asa’s son Bo: as he got older, his love interests became younger. Who was writing back then? Woody Allen?!?! I fondly remember how exciting it was when the Vernon family came on. In addition to Montgomery and Granger, the… Read more »
Hi Jamesj75! Two other things I enjoyed here: her description of the excitement of being on a soap opera set is just as vivid and real as I’ve always imagined… and the reference to the movie THE BELL JAR. I didn’t much care for the movie but the novel and Sylvia Plath’s poetry are mainstays in my life. This was a refreshing interview.
Hi Soaphound! Glad to read that you also found much to enjoy with this interview! Montgomery certainly related “the excitement of being on a soap opera.”
Love Her! Can hardly wait to see her again!
Wonder if Peter can make a Dirty Martini, shaken, not stirred? Imagine that handsome, YOUNG face serving your drink? Yum! Peter, not the Martini.
I have great memories of Julia’s Samantha and was so sad to see her leave. I was only around 11 or 12 and she quickly helped cement my lifelong love for OLTL. Great interview and greater still to hear of her memories on the soap and that she’s doing well.
I didn”t care for her version of Sam Vernon. I much preferred Dorian Lopinto’s take. As someone posted, it’s not cool to speak ill of the dead. Soap magazines were around during her OLTL tenure and she could have aired her dirty laundry then.
I think she has rather loose lips in regards to Peter Bergman being a bartender in his early years. Maybe he doesn’t want that shared and painting Phil Carey as a drinking pill taking Zombe is not very attractive either. Maybe she should write a book or sellig some of the other stuff she’s been privy to, would make a good expose.
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