News
Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live Now Available! A Must-Read for Long Time Fans!
If you have watched One Life to Live over any, or all, of its over four decades of existence, and want to get a glimpse of what it was like throughout all the different casting, writing, and producing regime changes, and read some never- before- known moments that happened on the set, and behind-the-scenes of one of the most iconic soaps of all-time, then you should order your copy of the just released paperback book or kindle version of Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live by Jeff Giles!
According to the official book description, “During its more than four decades in the ABC daytime lineup, One Life to Live told countless stories, from sensational adventures to thoughtful social commentary. But the tales that went untold — the experiences of the writers, producers, cast and crew behind the scenes — are just as fascinating as any kidnapping, baby switch, or courtroom confession.
Today, network soaps are struggling for survival against cheaper-to-produce talk shows and reality series, but their cultural impact resonates more strongly than ever — and a tribute to the work that goes into producing them is long overdue. To that end, Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live focuses on some of the most unique aspects of working on a five-day-a-week television series — from the actors, who had to deal with the daytime stigma and the psychology of living so intimately with their characters for extended periods of time, to the crew, who produced scripts and episodes at a blistering pace while working with a dwindling pool of network resources.
Featuring interviews with more than 50 One Life to Live veterans, including: Erika Slezak, Robin Strasser, Robert S. Woods, Hilary B. Smith, Ilene Kristen, Kassie DePaiva, Michael Storm, Judith Light, and Nathan Fillion — plus many more Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live offers readers a one-of-a-kind perspective on one of television’s longest-running shows.”
In addition to those mentioned above, check out these blasts from the pasts who all participated in interviews in which portions of those are contained within the framework of the book including: Steve Fletcher, Margaret Klenck, Brynn Thayer, Anthony Call, Ellen Holly, Joe Lando, Roy Thinnes, Jack Betts, Roscoe Born, former OLTL producer, Linda Gottlieb and head writer, Michael Malone, and OLTL creator, Agnes Nixon!
In an exclusive excerpt, Erika Slezak talks about her former leading man, Clint Ritchie’s (Ex-Clint) problem with alcohol which at times apparently disrupted the set, “When he was drunk, he was just appalling. In 40 years, I stopped scenes maybe four times, and one of them was with him. Clint was supposed to pick up a chair and move it during the scene, and he ended up throwing it — and it hit me. Not hard, but it hit me. And I said, ‘Okay, that’s it! Stop. I cannot do this, and I will not do it anymore.’ My husband happened to be at the studio — God knows why he was there, but he was downstairs, and he came up, standing offstage, ready to fight for my honor. [Laughs] Clint said, ‘What? I said, ‘You threw the chair, you hit me with it, this isn’t what the scene’s about –‘ Clint didn’t say a word. They didn’t stop the cameras, because they thought I was acting! They’d never seen me get angry before. Finally they cut, and there was a terrible silence.”
So are you interested to get your copy of Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live! Let us know!
At this price I will buy..
Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live
Amazon Price.
Kindle Edition $4.90 .. 565 KB
Paperback $11.99 .. 381 pages
E-version, definitely interested in!
I think I also would like to purchase the book. Erika’s story above is refreshing. The audience always get these glowing stories from the publicity office about how everyone always get along and are like family. Families fight and there are some members who are not always liked. I think it would be good for the public to know all the blood,sweat and tears that has gone into making one of the best drama to ever be on television.
Will be buying the paperback version…
Looking forward to getting my hands on this and devouring it!
Definitely!
Defintely getting this! Most interested in the Gordon Russell-Doris Quinlan/Joseph Stuart years when OLTL was a true ensemble piece. Love the days of the Woleks, Craigs, Siegels, Vernons, Carla & Ed, and Pat Kendall. What amazes me is during this period, the show endured through countless recasts in a relatively short period (Anna, Tony, Vinnie, Wanda, Karen, Will, Dorian, Becky Lee, Richard, Brad & Jenny). Wasn’t much interested in the horrid Rauch years and beyond (never cared much for the Buchanans, Viki as the main heroine, or shrill Tina).
So great to hear those characters names again , thank you. The story had so much heart and soul in it then. It took me 20 years to get with the Buchanans. God bless!
Sounds like a good read. Is the later history covered? I only started watching the show in like 2001.
I will absolutely buy this treasure. I have watched OLTL since day one and have loved all the twists and turns and all the amazing characters and actors I’ve watched throughout the years.
Just bought it. Didn’t care what it cost……………. I love One Life to Live.
Just ordered the book! Hope you are enjoying it.
By the way, thanks Michael, for bringing it to our attention.
So there maybe footage of this lying around somewhere?
Definitely buying it. Best soap opera ever. No other soap opera has more heart and soul.
Prior to ABC canceling OLTL, it had higher ratings than General Hospital. Considering the failures of Katie and the Revolution, ABC should strongly consider buying back the rights for OLTL from Prospect Park. Prospect Park could use the money to invest in AMC.
ABC should relaunch OLTL on its network. It should relocate OLTL to LA near the GH set. It should also have Frank be its executive producer and have Ron hire writers for the show and supervise them. This would allow cross over opportunities between the soaps and allow other OLTL actors who are now working for Beacon Hill to also work on OLTL.
It’s time ABC rectified it’s horrible decision of canceling OLTL and made it up to the fans. With Frank, Ron and cross over opportunities, OLTL would be able to attract quality actors. Ratings would soar and perhaps, we would be able to watch the best romance ever (JOLIE) continue.
OLTL fans, never say never. Let your voices be heard and perhaps ABC will finally make it all right again.
Here Here ! 100 % agreement !
ABC will never relaunch AMC or OLTL never.
You could sell your soul to them and it still would not happen.
ABC has 1 blockbuster daytime soap GH and that is all they need for their daytime block.
((and they still are making millions off of AMC and OLTL – all they have to do is take it to the bank))
starting to wonder who the “wet blanket” is… the people who want them back or the people who don’t.
not looking to sell my soul for either, thou.
Gentry………….. Where have you been? LOL!!!!! ABC/Disney still owns the rights to AMC and OLTL. That’s the problem. They own both of them, won’t sell them, so no one else who has the capability to do so can put them back on television the way they used to be. We have been making our voices heard and making their lives miserable since April of 2011 when they announced that they were cancelled!!! If you’re on Facebook, why don’t you check out Soap Fans United and some of the other “soap warrior” pages to see what we’ve done. I, for one, hate ABC/Disney and have begun boycotting most of what they air – especially on prime time. And I will continue to do so until they release my soaps!
Anybody know what the books cover picture would represent??
To me it’s a ”huh?”
That’s Philadelphia’s City Hall.
I downloaded it on my kindle the other night have not read it yet sounds good I miss OLTL I think ABC just wanted Ron and Frank for GH So that meant the down fall of OLTL. the plot thickens
News
Nathan Fillion Recalls Best Advice for a Soap Opera Tag on ‘What What Happens Live’ with Andy Cohen
Nathan Fillion, who stars on ABC’s The Rookie, which was officially renewed for its ninth season, and who began his television career on One Life to Live as Joey Buchanan from 1994-1997 was the guest along with actress Geena Davis on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live on Bravo.
During their conversation, Cohen who is a big fan of soap operas himself, especially All My Children asked Fillion about the incredible pace of acting on a soap. Fillion reflected, “It is extreme acting at a pace that you cannot fathom, and I’m told even since then it’s gotten faster and faster.” The Llanview alum added, “There are very soap operas left. I was in it just as they were starting to decline.”
However, in the buzzworthy moment that has made it to social media, Fillion shared, “I learned one very important thing. We were talking about that slow closeup at the end of a scene,” also referred to as the tag. So, “I complained about how long that closeup was like, “What am I supposed to do?”

Photo: ABC
THREE FACES OF A SOAP OPERA TAG
Fillion recalled, “A lovely man named Michael Knight (ex-Tad Martin) from All My Children (now Martin Grey on GH), I complained about (it to and) how long that closeup was, like, ‘What am I supposed to do?’ He said, ‘You need to make three faces.” Now Fillion made the faces associated with these thoughts in front of Cohen and Geena Davis, while looking straight to the camera. “They are: ‘Did I leave the stove on?’ ‘I did leave the stove on!’ ‘No, I turned the stove off.’ Works for every scene!”

Photo: ABC
ONE LIFE TO LIVE LEADING LADIES
Later, Cohen asked about the leading ladies he got the opportunity to work with on One Life to Live, and mentioned, then Nathan’s on-screen mother, Erika Slezak (Viki), and then Nathan’s on-screen lover Robin Strasser (Dorian).
Nathan explained, “I was in between Erika Slezak and Robin Strasser – the matriarch of the show, the villain of the show, I was torn between them. It was the perfect position to be in. I had a fantastic time.”
You can catch the moments where Nathan and Andy talk about Fillion’s time as Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live below beginning at the 3:08 mark.
So, what did you think of advice Michael Knight gave to Nathan to help him cue into the looks of a soap opera tag at the end of a scene? Did you love the story which saw Joey torn between the love for his mother, and the passionate affair with an older woman, Viki’s nemesis, Dorian Lord? Let us know via the comment section below.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Knew He Hit the ‘Jackpot’ With New Role as Joe Fitzpatrick
First-look photos of Jonathan Bennett’s new General Hospital role of PCPD officer Joe Fitzpatrick have been released, given GH fans a glimpse of what’s to come when the character makes his debut on Monday’s upcoming May 18 episode.
Bennett is coming home to ABC soap operas, after beginning his career as All My Children’s JR Chandler some 25 years ago. The actor/host/producer shared that returning to the rigors of a daytime drama was not on his “bingo” card. However, the minute he heard about the role, there was no question in his mind, he was going to go in, read for it, and make it his!
In preview of his upcoming debut, Jonathan spoke with TV Insider, where he detailed his feelings on playing Joe, “I feel like I hit the jackpot when this opportunity came because the character is something that I really wanted to play. I’ve never read something where I was like, ‘I have to do it,’ and when I read this, I called my agent and said, ‘I’m playing this character.’”
KNEW THIS ROLE WAS FOR ME
Confident that he would nab the role, he clearly was the choice of GH executive producer Frank Valentini too, with whom, Bennett shared is one of the reasons he couldn’t wait to step into the world of Port Charles, “I was very excited to work with the best of the best, like Frank Valentini. He’s a legend.”
The Hallmark Channel and Food Network staple also shared that once his casting was announced, the reaction he received, doubled-down his decision that being on General Hospital and playing Joe Fitzpatrick was the right move at this time in his career and his life.
“The outpouring of love from just the announcement made me really emotional. I was driving home, talking to my husband, and I started having tears roll down my face. It just feels so good to go somewhere where you’re so loved and you feel so supported before you even start. It felt like a weight was taken off my shoulders. I just was like, ‘Oh, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.’”

Courtesy/ABC
PREVIEW CLIP
In an exclusive clip released to PEOPLE.com on Friday, May 15, GH fans can get their first real glimpse of Bennett in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick. In the scene at the PCPD, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) asks, “Hey, dispatcher. What’s the story with this arrest?” To which Joe responds, “A call came in from the maître d’ at the Metro Court and he said there was some sort of argument, scuffle happening in the gardens and was concerned things were going to escalate and patrons would get injured. When we got there, it was obvious, things had escalated.”
That exchange leaves General Hospital fans wondering who was in the scuffle? Stay tuned.
So, will Dante put Joe on the case to help keep his son Rocco remain in the clear from shooting Cullum? Will Joe be a good guy, or could he be implanted at the PCPD by Sidwell or Cullum? What about the role that Jonathan Bennett read initially, do you think made it something that he really wanted to play? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.
News
B&B Alum Lisa Yamada in Production on New Film, ‘My Boyfriend Is A Demon’
On recent episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful, Dylan (Sydney Bullock) gave herself and the audience quite a scare when it seemed like Luna had popped out from behind the clothing rack and revealed herself to be alive. Only it was a fakeout to B&B viewers, when it turned out not to be Luna, but Remy Pryce (Christian Weissmann) donning a long black wig.
However, there is news about the actress who played the real Luna, Lisa Yamada. The Daytime Emmy winner is busy shooting another film role and this time the movie is already in production,
Yamada is part of the ensemble cast of My Boyfriend Is A Demon that also features notable and newcomers including: Mattias Ferrell (A Very Jonas Christmas Movie), Bailey Sloan (Ragamuffin), Jack Champion (Avatar), Ever Anderson (Peter Pan & Wendy), Vinnie Hacker (Euphoria), Josephine Reitman, David Arquette (Scream), Rosanna Arquette (The Moment), Coco Arquette (Cougar Town), Savannah Lee Smith (Tinsel Town), and Ty Law (Friday Night Lights).

Photo: LYamadaIG
My Boyfriend Is A Demon is written and directed by mishka. In the story, Mary, a lonely, small-town girl who, in an effort to gain the acceptance and friendship of her peers, creates a ‘finsta’ account for a nonexistent, seemingly perfect guy, appearing to be her boyfriend. After apparently manifesting a little too hard, her new beau suddenly shows up at her door. The film is executive produced by Verdi Productions. Ketchup Entertainment and Kinolime.
In a statement, Verdi Productions’ President, Chad A. Verdi, shared with Deadline, “This cast is a perfect balance of veterans from major studio franchises such as Scream and Avatar alongside exciting emerging talent poised to become the next generation of movie stars. mishka’s script connects with young audiences in a way that feels fresh, authentic, and culturally relevant. From the cast to the department heads, there’s been a real sense of fearlessness and creative energy throughout production — the kind of collaboration you always hope to find on a film like this.”
If and when Luna ever returns to The Bold and the Beautiful alive and well remains to be seen. But. as discussed in Michael Fairman TV’s recent interview with Yamada on the red carpet at the BBTV app launch party, Lisa will soon be seen in this summer’s highly-anticipated Prime Video Legally Blonde prequel Elle. Lisa touted My Boyfriend Is a Demon on her Instagram Story.
So, intrigued to see Lisa in My Boyfriend Is A Demon when it’s released? Do you think at some point soon, Luna will for sure pop up and be alive and well and planning revenge on the Spencers and Dylan? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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