News
OLTL's Robin Strasser Tweets On Beginning to Work with Ron Raines & Her Hotline Message On Production Stop!
Courtesy/TOLN
The one and only Robin Strasser (Dorian) is one of the true soap opera activists in our minds! Once again she proved that she fights the fight along with the fans of One Life to Live and All My Children, and stands by the quality and tenacity of the work done by Prospect Park to resurrect both shows under difficult circumstances, the latest being the labor dispute that has shut down production earlier than expected for One Life which was scheduled to go on hiatus in mid June, but ended their production schedule this week. All hope that this labor situation will be worked out, and the shows will return to production as scheduled in August.
In a recent series of tweets, Robin expressed how wonderful it was to begin to work with her new co-star, former Guiding Light favorite Ron Raines, who just started shooting One Life before production halted, tweeting, “BRILLIANT #RonRaines #GuidingLight fame was game to play #OLTL Had 4 scenes w/him Thurs-Cancelled! Hope only postponed:) That’d be a LOSS!” Strasser also stated, #RonRaines Man of Mystery new character on new #OLTL I hope we return to TELL THAT STORY:) Meanwhile, “stay tuned” has taken new meaning!”
In terms of the fight to keep the shows revival going, the fan favorite and Daytime Emmy winner tweeted, “USA 2013-FANS long standing battle against cancellation of iconic FAVES #OLTL & #AMC bring about RESURRECTION #ProspectPark brings’em ONLINE.”
And in addition Strasser took to her Robin’s hotline and stated the following as related by Soap Opera Digest: “I got the news that the show was not going to tape today, Thursday (June 6) because of a union dispute, (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) the small local (chapter) in Connecticut,” she says. “I listened to some really smart people during the day who were saying, ‘Well, there’s going to be a problem when we come back from the hiatus.’ Now, I was already in a state of deep concern and I’ve been tweeting about feeling off-center but trying to keep it obliquely upbeat. Not untruthful, but just, ‘Okay, this seems a little odd, two weeks ago we were told we would close down production on June 15 and then not resume until September 8.’ Now, if it is to fine-tune and make the already existing shows that Prospect Park has made of One Life to Live and All My Children and make them better and better and better, well that’s wonderful and I really look forward to that possibility…. I want to take every opportunity I can to thank the people who’ve been involved in making the revived One Life to Live episodes. When you watch them on Hulu and iTunes and they’re edited together, they look like movies. They look like these groovy regeneration of the concept of the multi-generational storytelling…. Prospect Park spent a fortune and enormous energy making those shows. So anger placed at them is misplaced. Absolutely misplaced, alright? Those two wonderful men (Rich Frank and Jeff Kwatinetz) have a set up where they can produce shows, entertainment and create jobs and let’s all say ‘Thank you’. I’m gonna and that’s my recommendation.” You can listen to Robin’s full report and thoughts by calling her hotline at 212-414-5300.
So what do you think about Robin’s series of tweets? Her hotline report? The latest in the saga to keep One Life alive? Share your thoughts!
Is Ron Raines playing Mel Hayes, back from the grave?
That would be good…especially if she’s still married to him!
That would be cool.
Unlikely. He’s supposedly Jeffrey’s mysterious benefactor.
If you read that, she did not tape with Ron Raines. It was cancelled because of the cancellation of taping and she HOPES that it will still happen. So do I, but the hits just seem to keep coming. How much more can these productions take?
It’s not unlikely. Mel was an ace reporter, so why couldn’t it be him. Someone tried to kill him so it would make since that he stayed away from Dorian to protect her. And I would think that Jefferey’s benefactor would definitely have been a reporter at one time.
I really do hope One Life to Live and All My Children come back snag free and their second lives online continue. I was always a General Hospital fan since a child and I watched both OLTL and AMC sporadically over the years and although I personally haven’t followed them online, I do know it matters to many others who have so I hope success for all those fan watching and people working on the shows. I will say Jeff Kwatinetz’s track record sucks and it would surprise me a lot if he was able to make a long term success of anything!!
Staying positive and looking forward to seeing Strasser and Raines, the Man of Mystery. I agree with her thoughts that above all else Prospect Park brought our soaps back to us. I hope they work this out with the union because I see the Internet as the future for other continuing daytime dramas.
I thought her hotline message was very alarming. She sounded rattled and confused and very unsettled. I hope she gets the news that this is S.O.P. for many NYC-region IATSE locals and that they are merely trying to strongarm and bully PP in order to set the stage (no pun intended) for future negotiations. This is just what they do. I don’t hate unions, but I have worked with this particular union for many decades and depending on the business agent in office at the time, many of these guys like to make trouble to newer businesses in order to make it look to their members that they are doing something. I seriously, seriously doubt that when so much money on the line, PP would actively violate the terms of a union agreement that I am sure was difficult to obtain and upon which rides a long-term relationship, potentially a decades-long relationship. I am sure it IS possible that an episode or two went over budget inadvertently, with the idea that others would come in under budget and it would be a wash. That may be a violation of the letter of the/a labor agreement, but since it is the dollars in the aggregate that any normal contract would be more concerned with, I really think it would be lunacy for a labor union to halt production to get its members a few thousand dollars, again, in the aggregate. The entire situation stinks of union gamesmanship and I would be SHOCKED if it was anything more than that.
Positive, I stand behind TOLN,AMC, OLTL and Hulu Plus.
Love her! Hoping all can be worked out for the shows as I am excited about the prospect-which I hope comes to fruition–of a new man to play with Dorian and no triangle with Viki, please! Soon, I hope, for Dorian, it will be, “David who?”
Prospect Park has been thorough hell and back to bring the soaps to us..
They will not stop now, no way ..
they have the will so there is a way ..
i love robin strasser. but one life to live and all my children will be cancelled soon. i hate to say this. the reboots to both shows are horrible. poor dorian strasser she is desperate for work. she should join general hospital once one life to live gets cancelled. erika slezak needs to retire. poor woman the storylines are dreadful. agnes nixon should retire too. she is old and senile now. never liked agnes nixon anyway. she is a snob and i heard that from many sources.
You don’t have one shread of proof, but that won’t stop you from spreading rumors and lies.
Thank you Ms Strasser! Your sage wisdom never disappoints!
Negative much, Lorenzo? OLTL and AMC are better than what we are getting from GH of late.
I’ll second that. GH is a train wreck.
Disagree…loving GH and OLTL never even came close to the original.
Ill THIRD THAT GH is a TOTAL TRAIN wreck lately!!!
I agree. GH is terrible. I especially don’t like how the OLTL actors are recast as different characters. Roger Howarth as Franco, come on.
I don’t think GH is horrible in the least.They had no choice but to be re-casted or not be on GH at all. I don’t like too much either but it is what it is. At least we get to see RH on GH.
I have no complaints about GH! And as Rebecca said OLTL isn’t close to the original. It’s different now , not the way I rememeber it all those hears I watched it on the t.v.
Have to admit as a fan of OLTL from day one I have not been enthralled by the storylines. I was hopeful once the change in head writers was announced, however.
I have read that it was AMC that went over budget and caused the issue with the union. Not being an insider to this type of information I have to wonder why both shows would have to cease production unless they are produced under the same umbrella, same crew or crossover crews.
I hope that they can weather this newest storm because if it brings the end of both shows I cannot see a second resurrection happening.
(Also, being very suspicious by nature I can’t help but wonder if somehow ABC/Disney didn’t have a hand in this dispute somehow. I know, I know …. tin foil hat time…lol)
same crew
all my children and one life to live. what a big mess. lets be realistic here. the shows are terrible. i tried getting into one life to live. sorry what a big disapointment. the reboots are awful. im sticking to days of our lives. days is on fire now. ratings are up and good storylines. please just cancel the reboots. rumors are they are cancelled soon. do it now. end the misery please. agnes nixon is getting old and senile. she needs to retire and just go away. agnes is like jill pharren phelps fake whiny and teachers pet. agnes just likes her favroites like susan lucci. susan dont bother coming back to all my children. the show is almost cancelled anyway. enjoy what you have now.devious maids and other projects. maybe in the future susan can come to another daytime soap.
You’re not getting any younger and your rant also borders on senility.
I hope the shows do continue, but I will say the shows aren’t the same. I’ve been a fan of OLTL for many years and I was very disappointed in the lack of reaction when Victor returned. He only taped 10 episodes, what was the point in bringing him back? He was the main reason we wanted the show back because it ended with such a big cliffhanger. OLTL was better on ABC, and for some reason, I do believe they have something to do with this labor dispute. Maybe they want the shows back because they realize they made a BIG mistake cancelling the shows. There’s been too many negative articles regarding the behind the scenes drama, which doesn’t make the fans feel confident about it’s future. I do hope these issues are resolved and the quality of the show improves. Would like to see more episodes air per week, and a possibility of returning to TV and back to its 60 minute format.
I agree the stories and everything about OLTL was better when it was on the T.V.
I recorded episodes from OLTL in 2006 (When they realized it was John in the hospital be w/his face all bandaged up)…I kept the soap digest book from that same year & I have others. I hope this latest set back gets resolved…Maybe a possibilty of being on a cable channel or on line as long as I can see my soaps!
I am in support of OLTO/AMC and PP and will be as long as they exist. The problem I have with PP is they under estimate their audience. I was very upset with the first story about the reason theshows being reduced to two days. It was insulting and I don’t think they realized the power of the fans. I know we would have stepped up without the lame story, people are watching at different times! I do believe the storylines on OLTO are way too slow. Never watched AMC until the online show, but I find that I am really liking it. It has a nice pace and the storylines are interesting. I feel if they scale back the cussing, sex scenes, boarding porn, and smoking weed (or that was the impression) and added a bit more substance. We can support with love we have for the show instead of just watching in hopes that we keep it alive until it gets better! Roger can’t do it alone!
It was not Bull about the reasons for the 2 day shows. Do you know how many ppl are just now finding out about the shows! They are almost 8 weeks behind and AMC is 5 years ahead and some are BRAND NEW fans that need time to catch up on everything!
Roger can’t do it alone? WOW that takes Some kind of Nerve! Yes MR LACKLUSTER is the only one on the show! OH YEA that’s right RH fans always think he is be all end all I forgot! SMFH!
I think oltl is done very well but two days a week is not enough…it amounts to about 35 minutes a week.It’s not very satisfying.There’s no momentum from week to week.I hope things change back to 4 days a week.The picture quality is beautiful and the acting is still great!
The stories aren’t heart-warming anymore on oltl like they use to be!
Which I enjoyed so much for years watching oltl on the t.v. (the heart-warming stories I mean)…..Maybe it will change and get back to these kind of stories which in my opinion made OLTL so special!
I just read that Katie Couric’s rotten show could be cancelled & she’s going to CNN! ABC ruined a perfect afternoon lineup & now all the new garbage is going off! They should admit their mistake & reset everything like it was before but they never will! They’re getting what they deserve- bad ratings & no viewers!
I’ve heard that Barbara Walters is lobbying hard for Katie Couric to take over her position at The View, so that would keep her at ABC.
Was watching ABC’s Live Well Network and they ran commercials for both AMC and OLTL, showing clippets of characters from each show and voice over saying how they are on HULU. So now ABC is advertising these soaps when they threw them to the curb. ABC should take off Couric and put AMC & OLTL in that hour slot. I will take them at 30 minutes each to make that hour of time on air. As it is I now watch the CBS soaps and then at 2pm watch GH, and as soon as GH is over I turn channel to something else or turn off TV altogether, but do not watch Katie.
I agree! They could’ve made each show 30 minutes and kept them on! I still don’t think GH is safe! They hate soaps at ABC!
I just can’t get the same feel for One Life to Live on the internet. Hoping it will make it back to television. Miss this show. Have tried to watch General Hospital but never liked it as much as One Life to Live. It doesn’t keep my attention and I flip back and forth to The Talk. Think the Katie Couric show is terrible, just one more talk show with the same guests everyone has.
News
Susan Flannery and Ian Buchanan Visit the Set of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’; Daytime Emmy Winners Reflect on Show Then and Now
The one and only Susan Flannery (ex-Stephanie Forrester) dropped in to see her former co-stars on The Bold and the Beautiful at their Sunset Las Palmas Studio in Hollywood, along with her good friend and another B&B co-star Ian Buchanan (ex-James Warwick) on Tuesday October 20.
It was the first time in a very long time that The four-time Daytime Emmy winning actress was reunited with Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke), Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy), executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell, Jennifer Gareis and even her TV sister, Alley Mills (Pam, B&B now Heather, GH) showed up for the day too!
Flannery played the Forrester matriarch from 1987 until 2012. It was then that after playing the part of Stephanie for 25 years that Susan made the decision to retire from acting and in one of the most heartbreaking sendoffs, passes away from lung cancer in Brooke’s arms in November of 2012. During her B&B tenure, Flannery won 3 of her 4 Daytime Emmys, the other being for her first soap role as Laura Horton on Days of our Lives back in 1975.
Photo: Bell-Phillip TV
As for Ian Buchanan, he played Dr. Warwick, psychiatrist, from 1993 to 1999. He returned for other runs in 2014 and 2017. Buchanan took home his Daytime Emmy in 1997 for his work as James. Soap fans also remember, Ian as mobster Duke Lavery on General Hospital, and Dr. Greg Madden on All My Children,
Both Susan and Ian shared their thoughts on coming back to The Bold and the Beautiful, for Susan 14 years later since he exited and for Ian close to 9 years since his last appearance below.
Susan said, “It’s definitely like coming home in a way, even though it’s not the same studio. It’s really lovely to see old faces and old faces with new faces. It takes you back mentally. You start remembering what it was like back then, even things like how much your feet would ache at the end of the day from wearing six-inch heels. It was just lovely to be back and see everybody.”
Photo: Bell-Phillip TV
Ian expressed, “It’s a mind trip, you know. When I was sitting looking at the big Forrester set, it was like stepping back in time, almost. It takes you back mentally, and you start remembering what it was like when you were here before.”
“It’s lovely to see all these people again, even if you don’t know everybody,” explained soap vet Buchanan. “There’s something really special about coming back and seeing the show and the people who have been part of it for so long.”
So, happy to see Susan and Ian with some of their former castmates? Do you think Stephanie and Brooke is one of the greatest frenemy stories in daytime history? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?
As previously announced, Beyond the Gates is bringing chef, author and actress Tabitha Brown and Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer and actress Kandi Burruss to Fairmont Crest in a special episode of the CBS daytime drama airing Thursday, October 22.
In the episode, Dani’s (Karla Mosley) best friend Pamela Curtis (Cady McClain), arranges a “Welcome to Your Life” television special for her. As it turns out, Brown will play the show’s host, Tia Allen, while Burruss takes on the role of Dani’s first modeling agent, Kalista Kilroy, who turns the celebration of her life into a bad trip down memory lane.
Dani’s parents Anita and Vernon (Tamara Tunie, Clifton Davis), sister Nicole (Daphnee Duplaix), and daughters Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla) and Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) all join the show to celebrate and support her but also witness how things so south. Also appearing in the episode are Molly Figueroa as Tatum Stewart and fan-favorite Anita Williams (Tunie) impersonator Jackie Tyree!
PhotoL JPI
THE 411 ON TIA AND KALISTA
Speaking with TV Insider, about their soapy experience in Fairmont Crest, Tabitha Brown previewed about her host with the most, “Tia is very professional, but she’s a girl’s girl. She is a protector of women and wants to tell their stories in a beautiful way, but she also wants to make sure they’re seen in a very good light.”
However, Burruss previews that Kalista arrives with a score to settle. “She’s spicy,” shared the recording artist. “I always love playing somebody that has come to start trouble. It’s always fun to play a villain of sorts, but Kalista feels like she’s been done wrong and she’s hurt by what she feels has been done to her. So Kalista is stirring up trouble, but she feels justified putting Dani on blast. Kalista is ready for some payback.”
Beyond the Gates is produced by CBS Studios, as part of the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Created by head writer Michele Val Jean, executive producers include Val Jean, Sheila Ducksworth, Julie Carruthers, Tracey Thomson, Leon W. Russell, Derrick Johnson, Anna Saalfeld and Lela Coffey.
Beyond the Gates is broadcast weekdays on CBS (2:00-3:00 PM, ET/1:00-2:00 PM, PT) and is available to stream on Paramount+**.
So, looking forward to this special episode of Beyond the Gates when Dani is put on a blast during a blast from her past and Welcome to Your Life TV special? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!
Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.
He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.
Photo: Peacock
Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2. In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.
Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.
So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.
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Susan Flannery and Ian Buchanan Visit the Set of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’; Daytime Emmy Winners Reflect on Show Then and Now
Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?
Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?
‘Beyond the Gates’ Stars Lami and RhonniRose Mantilla Cover Raye’s ‘Nightingale Lane’ in New Music Video
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Stands Up to Brooke, ‘I Have Spent My Entire Life Sacrificing My Happiness for Yours. But No More!’
Days of our Lives’ Conner Floyd Talks Dominic Marino Mystery, Chad and Belle, and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Exclusive)
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THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Adam Delivers Sally’s Baby as Billy Reels from Jill’s Health Crisis in Tearjerker Episode
‘Days of our Lives’ Reveals Kyle Pryor Cast as Dominic Marino
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Finn Blows a Gasket After Steffy Reveals She’s Gone Ahead and Become Carter and Daphne’s Surrogate
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