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Legendary Casting Director Joan D'Incecco, Responsible For Casting Susan Lucci & Erika Slezak On Daytime, Dead at 89

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: NorthJersey.com/D'InCecco Family

Photo: NorthJersey.com/D'Incecco Family

The daytime world has also lost in December and in 2016, another iconic figure.

Longtime ABC casting director, Joan D’Incecco passed away in New Jersey at the age of 89.

For over 20 years, Joan was the casting director at All My Children.  And it was D’Incecco who is credited with finding Susan Lucci to play Pine Valley’s Erika Kane, as well as Kelly Ripa as Hayley Vaughan.  D’Incecco was honored by Susan Lucci when the iconic soap star finally won her Daytime Emmy after 19 tries and took the stage to accept her award.  She saluted the legendary casting director citing that she “saw me as more than just an ethnic type … and saw that I could play Erica Kane.”

Following the news of Joan’s death, Susan Lucci told NorthJersey.com, “At the time I was told I could not work in television because I was too ethnic looking — I had dark eyes and an olive complexion — but Joan was able to look past that and was very warm and encouraging,” Lucci said, adding that Mrs. D’Incecco made good on her promise to call her back in six months. At the second meeting, with Mrs. D’Incecco, show creator Agnes Nixon and other producers in attendance, Lucci won the part of Erica Kane.

“Joan remained as accessible, warm and smart as the first day I met her,” said Lucci. The actress said she was able to get a message of gratitude to the casting director in the days before she died.  D’Incecco introduced countless actors to TV audiences including a young Laurence Fishburne and Tom Berenger to One Life to Live and the one and only six-time Daytime Emmy-winning Erika Slezak (Viki).

Joan’s film work included the original Mel Brooks movie, The Producers as well as The Subject was Roses, which led to Jack Albertson winning an Academy Award for Best Actor and Patricia Neal being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.

She was the winner of the Casting Society of America’s prestigious Artios Award in 1985, 1989, 1991, and 1992, and was nominated for the award three additional times throughout her career.  Longtime fans of ABC Daytime fondly remember seeing D’Incecco’s name in the closing credits of AMC and OLTL.

Joan is survived by her son, John and his wife, Meg, and daughter, Nicole and her husband Ian; and her grandchildren; L.J., Benjamin and Sam and sister, Doris Mueller.  Funeral services were held on December 19th, with amemorial service to celebrate Joan’s life planned for New York City in early 2017.

Share your thoughts on the passing of Joan D’Incecco, and her ability to find some of the greatest talent every to appear in daytime dramas in the comment section below.  But first, watch Susan Lucci’s Daytime Emmy-winning speech where she shares her gratitidude for the legendary casting director!

 

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What a gift she had, and how lucky we were to be the recipient of it.

Beautifully said, boes. Joan, may your spirit soar in the Upper World. You were a blessing to many in this world, those who enjoyed your talents and also those who knew you personally.

What a wonderful eye for talent. Erika Slezak, Susan Lucci, Laurence Fishburne and Tom Berenger!!!!!!!!

Rest in peace Mrs. D’Incecco.

A GREAT eye indeed!

This woman clearly knew how to assemble talented people. We watched those wonderful shows for years, for the writing, yes, but also for the actors/characters that brought those tales to rich vibrant life.

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The characters were so multi-layered and complexed and the actors were wonderful at bring them to life.

I remember when this originally aired. Although I wasn’t a watcher of AMC, I cried right along with Ms. Lucci. I was also happy because the beautiful Shamar Moore handed out the award. Are there any Y&R fans out there who remember when Neil and Malcom use to work out and their sweaty bare chests would be on display for all the world to see. Now to me that is a wonderful way to wile away an afternoon. Soap Opera at its best

Joan was a wonderful and wonderfully talented woman. May she RIP

Daytime must’ve been so exciting back then to work in as well as watch!

In my opinion, I think the late seventies to the mid to late eighties were prime soap opera watching. They don’t make them like that anymore. Everyday after school, from seventh grade to 1984 senior year in H.S was for myself and my older sister, was always General Hospital. From 3:00 to 4:00 Mon-Fri we would be glued to the television set. GH now, I think is a shadow of its former self. The best was its heyday and for me that was the late seventies to the mid eighties. I’m sure we won’t see it like that again anytime soon. There was nothing like David Lewis playing Edward Quartermaine. It doesn’t get any better than that

David Lewis was good in the role of Edward Quatrain but John Ingle did a much better job.

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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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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