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Martha Byrne, Ellen Dolan, Elizabeth Hubbard & Colleen Zenk Talk ATWT Reunion, Memories & Mementos!

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/CBS

On a recent episode of The Talk that aired on October 12th, the afternoon series welcomed stars from As the World Turns as part of a special broadcast honoring CBS Daytime’s 30 years as the number one daytime television network.

Four powerhouse actresses who kept fans on the edge of the seats during their storylines were part of the ATWT reunion: Martha Byrne (Lily), Elizabeth Hubbard (Lucinda), Ellen Dolan (Margo) and Colleen Zenk (Barbara).  Before these soap opera MVP’s were brought out in front of the live studio audience, a short retrospective of ATWT clips was shown reminding us all what made the town of Oakdale so special for 54 years.

Sadly, As the World Turns was canceled, and aired its last episode on September 17th, 2010.   It has now been six years since its loyal audience saw the characters whose lives they followed for decades, or a major television reunion featuring some of them.

Following this fab four’s appearance, On-Air On-Soaps Michael Fairman sat down with Martha, Elizabeth, Ellen and Colleen backstage for our own sentimental and heartfelt reunion.  All Emmy-nominated and Byrne and Hubbard having won multiple Emmys, these ladies looked back on the incredible time in their careers, collaborating with each other, and shared their appreciation for being part of an iconic piece of television history.  In addition, they also are well-aware what a loss it was for fans when ATWT when off the air.  Here’s what these terrifically talented ladies shared!

It was very emotional watching each of you come out in front of the studio audience and take your place on set.   I especially noticed Martha.  You had tears welling-up in your eyes.  What was going through your mind at that moment?

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

MARTHA:  It was so emotional while we were up there, and especially when we were backstage and the clips came on, and they were so good!  Those were really good scenes they showed from As the World Turns.  That was some good stuff we put out there, and it just reminded us that there are hundreds of hours of this show!

ELLEN:  I didn’t recognize myself in the Christmas scene when it played! (Laughs) I remember going, “Who is that?”  Then, I went, “Oh, that’s me!”

What has been the most memorable part of this reunion, seeing each other and representing the iconic ATWT, in this CBS 30 years at number one celebration?

COLLEEN:  Just being together …

MARTHA: … And also we have all evolved as human beings   We have all had our personal stuff that we have been through in our real lives.  But, I think our growth since that time is tremendous.  So we can look back at it now, and come here, and we can really appreciate first of all, that we were even asked.  The show was canceled, and it was so painful for so many people, and it was such an abrupt ending.  Then shows were canceled after that like All My Children, and thus lots of people were out of work in New York.

ELIZABETH:   There was a wrap party at a bar at Eighth avenue and 49th street in New York.   I got to this bar and I said, “I’m looking for the party.”  And this man tells me, “It’s up the stairs!”   So when I get there this other guy says, “Welcome to a room full of unemployed people!”  There were the producers, the directors, the actors, the hair and make up people, everyone.

Courtesy/CBS

MARTHA:   It was sad.   So to have this moment on The Talk, and to be embraced by the head of CBS Daytime, Angelica McDaniel was special.   They treated us so well.

COLLEEN:  We were celebrated!

Let’s not forget As the World Turns was the number one show there for awhile starting in 1958 through 1978.

COLLEEN:  Yes. We were number one in the 70’s from 1970-1978!

ELIZABETH:  And then I came on and ruined it. (Laughs)   We had wonderful directors on our show.   I was talking about this with Grant Aleksander (Ex-Phillip, GL), who directed on ATWT too.  You could go to the directors and say, “This is my problem!” They would understand what you’re talking about, and not think you are some creep, or a sociopath, or whatever they think actor’s are.

ELLEN:   When I came out to Los Angeles for a couple of years, I did enough work, but I thought, “It’s not enough for me.”  We’re workhorses on the soaps, we’re in there every day.  We spew out so much story.   I thought, “I have a strong character- she’s funny, she’s rock em, sock em.   What am doing here?   I’m going back to New York and do my character. ”    You know, people mostly are lucky if they get to do two films a year, and they get to do five scenes in a year.   On ATWT, we did 5 scenes in one morning!

ELIZABETH:   I did one sitcom, Hope & Faith.  I loved it, because it was so fast and the writers are right near you, and they are on your side during the tapings . They are not in a room some place making up stories, and so they can tell the actors to make changes quickly, and we did it.   I think in the story, Kelly Ripa kicked my character’s ass in the end, and it was perfect.  But I did like that experience.

Courtesy/CBS

Where do each of you see your ATWT character right now at this point in her life, since the audience can’t see them, and has to also use their imaginations on what happened to these wonderful women that they loved?

COLLEEN:  Barbara’s definitely In a dance hall!

MARTHA:  Lily would hopefully be single.  She was never alone.  She always had a man around.

ELLEN:   I think Margo would still be the police lieutenant.  She would still be ordering people around and no one would listen. She would be making mistakes, and coming home to Tom.  She would ask the proverbial question, “Well, why?” (Laughs)   I think Margo would be that gruff older rascally lieutenant and she would take over Dan Frazer’s (Dan “Mac” McClosky) role.  Margo was such a beautifully constructed character.  She had just a little dash of everything, and I don’t think that much would change.  You would  now be watching someone age, and becoming their true selves.

Courtesy/CBS

When you look back on the final episode of As the World Turns, do you think it did it justice?  It is an extraordinarily difficult task to wrap-up a show that is 54- years-old with so much rich history, characters, and story.

COLLEEN:   I felt that it really captured everything.   There was a lot they had to leave on the floor, a lot of scenes, because there was so much shot for the finale.  But, it made me weep.

ELLEN:  You got the sense that these lives are still going to go on.

ELIZABETH:  I was doing a Dutch soap at the time, so to have John (Larry Bryggman) and Lucinda deported was a good way to get us out of Oakdale. (Laughs)

On the last day of taping, did you take any mementos or keepsakes with you?

Courtesy/CBS

MARTHA:  Kelly Hensley (Emily) gave to me Lily’s wedding ring when the show went off the air.  Noelle Beck (Ex-Lily) did not wear my ring.   So, they had put it in a box somewhere.

COLLEEN:   I took the giant crystal rock chandelier that was in the nightclub, where Barbara and Henry (Trent Dawson) did their famous dance.  I took the barrel back silk Damask chair that Barbara would always hide in when she was going through her evil era.   I also have the marble plaque of the mausoleum, some Stenbeck documents, but in the end the show sold everything off.

ELLEN:   I took the clown on Hal (Benjamin Hendrickson) and Margo’s desk.

ELIZABETH:   The last day everything had already been sold, but there was a thing you put a vase on.   I said  “I will take that.”  There was a second one and I said to the stage hand, how much will it be to deliver it to my house?  And he said, “Oh, no.  It’s free.  Your the only one who gave us Christmas presents.”  That was nice.

Photo Credit: MF Soaps Inc.

If another network soap came calling, would you jump at the chance to do a role on daytime drama at this point in your careers?

MARTHA:   Listen, we are actors!   When the phone rings you pick it up, and you go to work.  I’m doing a play in New York right now, because I love what I do.  That’s in our DNA.  It doesn’t go away.

ELLEN:  You say, “yes” to every job, and if there is a ever a job like we had on ATWT that can be recreated, you say, “Yes, absolutely.  I will do it!”

For more on CBS Daytime’s 30 years at number one celebration, The Paley Center For Media in Beverly Hills, California now through November 27th continues to feature an interactive exhibit of one-of-a kind memorabilia and original set pieces from some of the most popular daytime shows of the last thirty years.  This special exhibit honors CBS’s five current shows—The Price Is Right, Let’s Make a Deal, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Talk—as well as legacy programs, including As the World Turns and Guiding Light.

So, what did you think of Martha, Ellen, Elizabeth and Colleen’s thoughts on their time with ATWT, being at this televisied reunion with each other and their memories and mementos of their time in Oakdale?  What soap opera would you like to see these four ladies on now?  Share your thoughts in the comment section below, and let us know if you miss ATWT!

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Thank you VERY MUCH for this interview. I enjoyed it a lot.

Now, why haven’t any of the remaining soaps hired any of these experiences actresses?? They know what they are doing and they surely have fans who would not otherwise turn on the soap??

They would not be hard to cast: Elizabeth Hubbard as Dina Abbott on Y&R; Colleen Zenk as an age-appropriate romantic partner for Eric on B&B ……….

Hi Barbara, I totally agree with you. Sadly, the soaps are too focused on youth, with a few exceptions and with the shoestring budgets they now have in place, these great actresses would probably be priced out of roles.

Liz Hubbard-Dina Abbot-Y&R…Martha Byrne-Sarah Webber-GH…Ellen Dolan-Sandy Horton-GH and love interest for Roman…Colleen Zenk…Derricks overprotective mom-Days… who helps Derrick keep Sonny and Paul apart!!!

Yes, Jim that’s what I said about 3 weeks ago on this site. They need to hire Elizabeth Hubbard as Dina Abbott.

After six years I still say shame on CBS for canceling these great actors in favor of the cheap empty talk shows. I wish all these talented ladies lots of new roles. They deserve to be working a lot.

Thank you for continuing the interview, four minutes just couldn’t do them justice. ATWTforever

Funny..people claim to boycott abc for cancelling their soaps but not cbs…

Amen to you Jim, totally agree with your comment.

Jim I have never once turned on the talk for that exact reason. ATWTs was my fav show. What replaced it is dead to me. I never forget. or forgive.
These were four of my favorites . the EP who ended the show made me hate him forever. Lily and Craig with imposters playing them for no reason. never forget, never forgive.

Actually, ATWT was number 1 rated soap from 1958 – 1978 – that’s 20 years at the top.

I think all my children knocked it off the top when cliff and Nina were in full swing.

Kelly Hensley (aka Emily) is a powerful actress and would be a excellent addition to Y&R for Jack Abbott to give Phyllis a run for her man. Or put her with Dollar Bill on the Bold & Beautiful because Brook s/b with the arrogant Ridge Forrester.
Colleen Zenk can be a powerful billionaire who will get under Victor’s womanizer skin and give Niki something to wine about again.
Ellen Dolan (aka Margo) can be Paul newest detective on the force since Dillon is leaving Y&R soon and bring Margo husband Tom Hughes as Y&R needs another lawyer or DA.
All of the above-mentioned actors/actress will be great. Any roll they play. Hopefully some one will pick them up.

I was never a fan it always overshadowed GL which was a better show completely but I’m glad CBS is showing stuff like this maybe they have realized what a mistake they made. I miss GL terribly.

Man do I miss Guiding Light, Reva the slut from Springfield was a wonderful character. Y&R need to call Kim Zimmer and hire the lady. she can act. Peter Bergman needs Reva Shayne LOL.

It was so awesome and yet so sad to see these ladies from ATWT—I met Liz and Colleen at a fan club gathering in Manhattan the year before the show left the airwaves. I had so much fun with them that day and I never forgot how gracious they were to me even though I was so tongue-tied. All I could say to Liz was that I had loved her almost all of my life and how I had been watching her since she was Dr. Althea Davis on “The Doctors”. When I met Colleen, she just kept poking a finger at me because I was just so star-struck with her. she was so beautiful and I got to talk to her along with my partner who told her that her then-husband Mark Pinter would make a great Craig. She told us that she had been after them for years to do that. Anyway, I loved seeing these 4 ladies again and even moreso, it was great to see how beautiful they still are!!!

I hope the exhibit at the Paley comes to the Museum of Television and Radio in NYC

LOVED seeing them on ‘The Talk’! Miss them and their former co-stars so much! What a wonderful opportunity to see them and get an update on their lives.

We may be a smaller community, but we are loyal and vocal. I, for one, would love to see more of this type of thing happen on TV. Lord, knows, they should never have cancelled the show!

What a small segment on the very show (The Talk) that replaced As The World Turns. CBS made a mistake but will never admit to it. Colleen Zink is absolutely beautiful! Her story was sad but a miracle. God answers prayer! Too little time with the GL actors too. Miss them any day that I am at home in the afternoon.

Oh how I miss ATWT!!! I’d watch any of these ladies on anything. I recently saw Scott Holmes in a play. He was fabulous!!

I was heartsick when ATWT was cancelled. Would ❤❤❤ for it to come back! Wish these four ladies were on Bold and Beautiful. Elizabeth Hubbard and John McCook would be a power couple. I can just imagine the storylines between Hubbard and “Quin Fuller.”

As The World Turns

ATWT Alum Martha Byrne Pays Tribute to Eileen Fulton: “The Original Soap Star Who Paved the Way for the Likes of a Susan Lucci or Andrea Evans”

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Tributes and remembrances are pouring in for the the late Eileen Fulton, who passed away on July 14th at the age of 91. Fulton broke the soap opera mold back in the early 60’s when she was cast to play Lisa Miller on As the World Turns, who would turn out to be the first villiainess, vixen, and homewrecker of daytime television.

Fans of the soap loved to love to hate her for how she destroyed many lives in her quests to nab a husband; especially one she had set her sights set on. In fact, Lisa was married 8 times during the history of the show. Fulton was with ATWT on and off until the final year of the show in 2010.

Martha Byrne, who has been Fulton’s castmate for a time (Bryne played Lily Snyder from 1985 to 1989 and then again from 1993-2008 where she also played Rose D’Angelo), took to her account on x to share her thoughts on what Eileen meant to the genre, and also spoke on how Fulton handled not being as front and center on the soap operas as the years went by.

Photo: JPI

“What can I say about Eileen Fulton. The original soap star who paved the road for the likes of a Susan Lucci or Andrea Evans,” began Bryne. “Since Eileen started on ATWT when the show was live, there aren’t enough pieces of history for us to truly grasp the enormity of her stardom and presence in the entertainment business. I remember being so impressed that she was a writer. The best part was she would use real stories from behind the scenes and change the names. Maybe that was her way of giving the audience a wink to include them even more.”

Photo: CBS

Bryne went to share, “She (Eileen) loved her fans and she had many. I went to her one woman shows and the place was always packed. As the years went on and her role wasn’t as prominent as it had been she took it with class. I never heard her complain as many did who were frustrated they didn’t have a storyline. She was always a class act and a true pro who knew a storyline or another opportunity was only around the corner. She knew her value and was secure in herself. A national treasure who shaped the entire industry. Thank you Eileen. I’m sure there was a pink feather boa waiting for you just inside the pearly gates.”

So, what did you think about the sentiments shared by Martha on the legendary Eileen Fulton? Would you agree, as we have previously noted, that Lisa as played by Eileen, was really the prototype for all soap opera “bad girls” to follow? Did you appreciate the fact that while having a more diminished role over the last few decades of ATWT, Eileen took it in stride? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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As The World Turns

‘As the World Turns’ Legendary Eileen Fulton Passes Away at 91

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The iconic Eileen Fulton, who was daytime’s first bad girl as Lisa Miller on As the World Turns, has died at the age of 91. According to the obituary on her passing, Fulton died earlier this week on July 14th in Asheville, North Carolina, after a period of declining health.

Fulton was born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty in Asheville on September 13, 1933. After studying acting in New York City, she changed her name to Eileen Fulton, when in 1960 she was cast in the film, Girl of the Night, co-starring with Anne Francis.

Eileen would change the face of daytime drama when in 1960 she was cast as the disruptor to the family dynamic, Lisa Miller, on the CBS soap opera. Throughout her ATWT run, the character of Lisa would eventually be married eight times to: Bob Hughes (1960–1964), John Eldridge (1965–1967), Michael Shea (1969–1970), Grant Coleman (1975–1979) ,Whit McColl (1982–1984), Earl Mitchell (1986–1987), Eduardo Grimaldi (1994–1995), and Martin Chedwyn (1996).

Photo: CBS

ATWT historians know that Lisa’s full name by the time the series went off the air in 2010 was: Lisa Miller Hughes Eldridge Shea Colman McColl Mitchell Grimaldi Chedwyn. Fulton played the role with only brief interruptions until the show was cancelled that year making her one of the longest-running tenured soap opera actors in US history. Other performers who took on the role of Lisa in Fulton’s absence included: Jane Powell, Maeve McGuire, Pamela King, Betsy Von Furstenberg, Lynn Rogers and Carmen Duncan.

Throughout her time on ATWT, it was Fulton’s eagerness to play Lisa as a villainess that contributed to the character’s popularity and therefore its longevity. She was inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1998 and was awarded a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.  In addition, in 1988, Fulton received her first-ever Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series.

The legendary star was also infamous for the grandmother clause she inserted into her contract that guaranteed she would never have to play a grandmother on the soap. In an interview with the LA Times in 2000 she shared, “At that time, grandmothers had no romance at all – and I wasn’t about to let that happen to me.” At some point, this all changed and she became OK with the idea of grandmother-hood. At one point, ATWT fans were so angry at the manipulative villainess played by Fulton that she had to employ a bodyguard to protect her.

Photo: CBS

When Futon stepped away from the show, at one point, she left to star in ATWT”s 1965 spinoff Our Private World, which aired Wednesday and Friday nights on CBS. In the story, Lisa had fled Oakdale after dumping Bob to move to Chicago, where she wed the wealthy John Eldridge (Nicolas Coster, who later would play Eduardo Grimaldi). Our Private World was canceled after four months on the air, and Fulton went back to As the World Turns in 1966.

When Eileen received her Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, she was part of a group of actors who also received the honor that year including: her ATWT co-stars, Don Hastings and Helen Wagner, plus Ruth Warrick, Frances Reid, John Clarke, Ray MacDonnell, Don Hastings, Jeanne Cooper, and Rachel Ames.

Photo: JPI

For a time early in her career, Fulton not only was appearing in As The World Turns, which at that time was broadcast live, she was simultaneously appearing on Broadway in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and off-Broadway in the long-running musical The Fantasticks.

Fulton performed her cabaret act for many years in venues around New York and Los Angeles. In 1970, she co-authored her first autobiography, How My World Turns. In 1995 she co-authored a second autobiography, As My World Still Turns, to celebrate her 35th anniversary on As the World Turns. She also authored a series of mystery novels. In 2019, Eileen retired from show business and moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Photo: JPI

She is survived by her brother, Charles Furman McLarty (Karen) of Black Mountain; niece Katherine Morris (David) and their children, Everly Ann Morris and Easton Lane Morris of Fort Mill, S.C.; and sister-in-law Chris Page McLarty of Camden, Maine. She was pre-deceased by her parents and her brother, James Fulton McLarty.

Share your remembrances and condolences for Eileen Fulton via the comment section below, but first check out this classic early scene from ATWT featuring Fulton as Lisa, and the 2004 Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award presentation.

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As The World Turns

ATWT Alum Tala Ashe Scores Tony Award Nomination; OLTL Alum Jonathan Groff and ‘Glee’ Favorite Darren Criss Also Receive Nods

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Nominations for the 78th annual Tony Awards were announced Thursday morning honoring the best in the recent Broadway season.

The awards will be presented on June 8th live from Radio City Music Hall live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, a Tony winner for The Color Purple, hosting the show.

While musicals Buena Vista Social Club, Maybe Happy Ending and Death Becomes Her topped the nominations with 10 each, the list of Hollywood names and former soap opera alums who will be part of Broadway’s bigges makes it interesting drama for Broadway’s biggest nights.

Photo: JPI

In addition, there were big time snubs including: Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal and Kieran Culkin, who failed to make the nominations list, while other big names including: George Clooney are in the running.

Soap fans should take note that Tala Ashe (ex-Ameera Ali-Aziz, As the World Turns – 2007) scored her first-ever Tony nomination in the Best Featured Actress in a play category for her performance in English. The play takes place in an Iranian classroom where four adult students and their teacher leapfrog through a linguistic playground, this is a funny, stunning triumph about the universal foibles of language and miscommunication.

Photo: JPI

On As the World Turns, Ashe’s Ameera became involved with Luke and Noah, after she fled Iraq when her mother died, after her protector, Noah’s father, the Colonel, was reassigned and imprisoned. Once in Oakdale, when he heard her sad story, Noah (Jake Silbermann) agreed to a marriage of convenience, upsetting then boyfriend Luke Snyder (Van Hansis).

Once again, Tony Award winner, Jonathan Groff (ex-Henry Mackler, One Life to Live -2007) had scored another nomination. This year for his star turn as Bobby Darin in the new musical, Just in Time. Groff is competing in the category alongside former Glee star, Darren Criss, who is nominated for his work as a retired robot in Maybe Happy Ending.

Photo: JPI

Interestingly enough, Jeb Brown who is nominated in the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Dead Outlaw, was formerly the bandmate of Beyond the Gates and General Hospital star, Jon Lindstrom.

Audra McDonald made Tony history scoring her record-setting 11th overall nomination, this year for her starring role in the musical revival of Gypsy. However, she will face-off with former Pussycat Dolls singer, Nicole Scherzinger, who plays Norma Desmond in the latest adaption of Sunset Boulevard, where she is getting all the raves this Broadway season.

Photo: JPI

You can check out the full 78th annual Tony Award nominations here.

So, remember Tala from ATWT as Ameera? Jonathan from OLTL as Henry? Who do you think should take home a Tony Award next month in the Big Apple? Comment below.

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