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OLTL's Roger Howarth & Trevor St. John named "Power Performances of the Week"

Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

Who would have ever thought soap fans would live to see the day that two of the most prolific daytime actors of all-time, both hugely popular, both unique in their own way, would end up finally sharing screen time together in a tale that could only be told and made plausible on the soaps.  And in doing so giving the genre, and most of all the fans of One Life to Live, some of the greatest dramatic must-see moments in recent memory. After all, who wasn’t clamoring to find out which one of these guys was the real Todd after so many false starts?

Now, we know, we know, that the convoluted plot and explanation via psycho-momma-baddie, Irene Manning was a little far-fetched, and also hard to follow, but c’mon.  We are soap fans, we get it. How on earth were we going to get around to why we have two Todd Mannings? And, how could everyone in Llanview not know Todd was Todd, plus he had another face altogether? Well, as the tale of what went down via Irene to her two twin sons, Todd and Victor Jr., was revealed, we were so upset to learn that Victor Jr. had his face sliced thanks to mom, and then reconstructed, thanks again to mom, to look like Walker Laurence! And, how upset we also had been finding out that the original Todd had been kept in captivity for 8 years away from all the people he loves.  And that is just scratching the surface here!

But all of this story repositioning has given way to amazing performances this past week from Trevor St. John (Victor) and Roger Howarth (Todd).  And so… On-Air On-Soaps is proud to name Trevor and Roger this week’s Power Performances of the Week! From the moment of Irene’s reveal, the subtlety, anger, horror, disbelief and sadness, and relief (in the case of Howarth’s Todd) portrayed was watching two actors at the very top of their game. We don’t think we will ever forget, Howarth’s Todd asking his sister, Viki for a hug after they realize they are true brother and sister, and that he had been so isolated from everyone he loves for so long…a truly beautiful moment.  Subsequently, when Todd goes to see Starr after the bombshell and they reunite, and then he sees his granddaughter Hope for the first time, this is the stuff that soaps are made of and it was played to perfection.

And then on the flip side: there is St. John’s, Victor Jr. completely destroyed, lying to this family that has come to know him as Todd, that he is still Todd, till the gig is up thanks to Starr. What followed was an amazing moment when all of Todd’s children tell Victor Jr. they still love him no matter what. St. John played every moment of this, and the desperation to get out of town to perfection, and we can’t wait for Victor and Tea to have their emotional showdown.

In our book, Howarth and St. John are true originals; they played magnificently off of each other and made creative, daring and exciting acting choices along the way with the material given to them. All we can say is, it has been a pleasure to watch. More please!  For now, watch some of the clips below of the moments over the last few airshows we have discussed, and tell us your thoughts on the performances and the story.

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I’m from South Africa the show does not air here but thanks 2 youtube I can see why people love Trevor he is an excellent actor I give him all the props for making this role his own I wish him much success. I love watching Roger because I’ve been interested him since my country just brought ATWT here I love how he makes a character his own u felt all the emotion he had with Blair, Starr and little Hope it was a reunion of a family. I wish the Daytime Awards can. Nominate Trevor Roger Michael(Adam) Daniel (Cane ) characters and actors like this are so unappreciated yet so talented

Michael, you are so right on your power performances picks. These two actors are simply the best of the best. All I can say is Bravo,,Bravo…The writing is so imaginative and clever, making the story about two Todds and how they became who they really are, top notch and dynamic. I don’t remember when I have seen better writing and better acting. Everyone of all the family members also played their parts very well. I can’t wait for Monday’s episode Kudos to you Michael, for recognizing true quality actors with different styles at their best…..

One word….BRAVO!!

The BEST scenes of RH & TSJ together were the scenes with David!

I recorded all the episodes but I saved the ones from this week. I love both Todds and when I watched Fridays episode, I cried and laughed. Trevor is an excellent actor and so is Roger. I wish the show will continue becuz OLTL is the best, hands down!

Bravo to both gentlemen for knocking it out of the park this week.
I always knew in my heart of hearts that Roger was the true Todd…..and now to find out all these years and under these circumstances that he has a twin brother.
And Trevor (Victor ) at first trying to maintain that he is Todd….
it didn’t matter to Todd’s children that he is in fact their uncle – they love him anyway.
And then there’s the evil Irene – I feel for her sons ,she sacrificed both of them….but her cryptic message upon leaving Llanfair…..”If you think this is the end,think again”….
One can’t help but feel there is major fallout still to come…..fasten your seats fans…..it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

Amazing—both of them

THEY ARE SUCH FOOLS LETTING TREVOR GO ,WITH THEM BOTH THEY HAVE THE BEST ON DAYTIME AND PRIMETIME!!

I couldn’t agree more, Michael! Bravo to the both of them. Awesome TV! I

Trevor has a more difficult task…..and is doing it so well. There is so much going in Victor Jrs mind and Trevor has been playing perfectly with all the paranoia, self-doubt, and fear of losing his family. I hate that OLTL is losing Trevor, but he wanted out of his contract. He wanted to stay on only after learning it was cancelled for an additional 4 months. The show did not get rid of him….they just honored his wishes. As long as either Todd makes it to OLTL v. 2 then I will be watching.

They were both awesome… All I have to say is, I hope to God that TPTB see the special dynamic that they have with these two actors, and make the smart decision to bring TSJ back. It would be lunacy to not have these two men to play off of each other. That alone is Daytime Gold.

This story has been one of my favourites of late and has me glued to my seat when I watch them (either live or in time delayed recording). I loved the scenes with the then two Todds & David, and then RHTodd’s reunion with Starr and Hope, then with Blair walking in on Todd playing with Hope on the floor. Just brilliant!

I hope they keep the door open for a possible return for Trevor. While Roger Howarth will always be Todd to perfection, Trevor St.John is a very good actor and the two work very well together. OLTL has a cast that has no equal.

I became a fan of Roger Howarth during his time on ATWT and agree that he is an amazing actor.

Trevor St. John is absolutely brilliant (as the Brits would say). He is hands down superlative!! I can’t think of a good enough way to describe my appreciation… But it is vast.

If there is even half a brain amongst the executives at Prospect Park they will realize that they need to do whatever it takes to bring TSJ back to the OLTL fold. There is no excuse for letting go of a superb talent!

I agree with the comments about Trevor. He is and will always be Todd Manning as far as I’m concerned. Trevor always delivers stellar performances. He is phenomenal in the role and he’s made it his own. As for the twin thing, in my mind, RH is Victor Jr. It’s the only way the story could work and even then it is a bit much. But Trevor is a true pro, a true joy to watch. Once he leaves, I’ll be watching him on my tapes. I never tire of watching TSJ as Todd! He always draws me in! TPTB are out of their minds if they let Trevor St. John go. Here’s hoping prime time gets him on my favorite show there! TSJ would be great there too and he really is a gold mine of talent. If the people running the online version of OLTL are clever, they will do everything possible to get Trevor–AS TODD!

Their performances were fabulous! I even thought they played the twin thing to perfection before Irene arrived. It was very subtle but there. I wish that TSJ was staying they have such an opportunity to do fun things with the two of them being Todd. I think we must also give huge credit to the performances that Vicki, Tea, Blair and Starr gave supporting the Todds. It was a great week! Please keep TSJ!!!

Maybe the Emmy gods will revise their convoluted misdirected awards process so top-drawer acting and storytelling gets some deserved love. Can Howarth and TSJ be nommed as a set? OLTL has had some dynamite peformances in recent years and these are the latest and greatest. Wow!

I love watching these two todd I hope they work together in oltl online hopeful someone rehired Trevor

TSJ is finally acting after walking through his scenes for the past few years. I am so thrilled to see Roger. The one and only Todd.

i am most sadden to see trevor st john leave the show.;he was fantastic. i really wish the producers could have kept the twins on the show. i am so hurt to see trevor die. i know it is just on the show, but i looked forward to seeing him every day. he will be greatly missed. please bring him back!

I think it is a shame that they are leading everyone to think that Todd killed Victor. Why did Victoro have to die? Seems there could have been lots of juicie stuff there. I hate to see St. John go.

I have watched OLTL my entire life. I remember when RH left, and I did not think there was an actor out there that could come in and take his place PLUS win me over. I have never been a fan of recasting characters. I usually spend half the time wishing the original actor would just come back already. That is not true in this case! TSJ came in and found a way to take over AND make this VERY complex character his own. Years ago when I faithfully watched RH I would not have believed I would ever think of anyone else as Todd Manning,BUT I have to say in all honestly I was NOT happy to hear he was coming back if it meant replacing TSJ. If I HAD to choose between them I choose TSJ HANDS DOWN!!!. Truthfully, I am only interested in RH on the scene if he is an addition and plays off of TSJ. Now THAT is great tv! Ok keep RH if you want to..but…BRING TSJ BACK NOW PLEASE!!!!!

All I can say is that ABC made a big mistake when they let Trevor St John go. He is a GREAT actor. It is a real shame. I have no reason to watch anymore. I do hope they try and bring him back……

When I first started watching OLTL many years ago and Roger Howarth was Todd Manning then, I admired his acting skills when Todd was a really bad guy (the rape of Marty Sayebrook and harrassing Nora Gannon when she was blind) but then he left OLTL and they brought in this amazing Trevor St. John as Walker Laurence and I think he was responsible for Mitch Laurence’s death. Anyway, even though both are excellent actors, my heart goes with Trevor St. John. Trevor has that Jack Nicholson spark about him… I recorded the last two weeks when Victor Lord, Jr. was murdered and I have written to Executive Producer Frank Valentini hoping he will recast Trevor St. John. The ratings for those last two weeks should have been off the charts! After all, The Young and the Restless still has its Victor, and Days Of Our Lives has their Victor, and now, OLTL needs its Victor Lord, Jr. back!!! I bothers me that OLTL is canceled after January 2012. I felt it was only canceled because it came on after All My Children, whose cast was moved to California and it still got canceled. All of the other TV soaps are now filmed out of California except One Life To Live…

News

Robin Strasser Meets Kristen Alderson’s Baby Kiera in a One Life to Live Reunion

For years, Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian) and Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) have been the best of friends and the best of co-stars. On One Life to Live, Kristen was only six-years-old when she began her journey as Todd and Blair’s daughter and met the iconic Strasser.

Now in 2024, Kristen is a new mom to her baby girl, Kiera. Strasser, who lives in New York, along with her best friend, John, traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just a few days ago to visit the Alderson family and spend the day with Kiera.

Taking to her Instagram a very happy Kristen shared, “Look at who came to visit today! Robin & her bestie John! Robin and I got all misty eyed when she met Kiera today!”

Photo: JPI

In a very touching part of her post, Alderson expressed, “Robin is such a special person in my life, it means so much to me that we’re as close as we are. She’s just the best❤️ A great day of laughs & a great brunch spread😍”

Robin added, “I’ve been smiling since I met her. I’m a big softie for babies, but what a doll Kiera is!” The Daytime Emmy-winning star, also shared, “I’m so grateful for my ongoing friendship with Kris and Kathy. Amazing women and loyal friends!”

What do you think about Kristen and Robin’s enduring friendship and recalling their time on One Life to Live? Comment below.

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General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

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