Mark Rydell, one of the most highly-lauded motion picture directors in Hollywood, and who got his start acting on the soaps, has died. He was 97.

The news of his passing came from Bette Midler, who starred in The Rose, which Rydell also directed. Midler took to her Instagram on Friday, August 14 and shared the news.

Bette expressed, “Mark Rydell, the director or my first film, The Rose, died this morning. He was an actor of note before he became a director, and I was so lucky to have met him when I did; he taught me so much on The Rose and later on For The Boys. Two Oscars nominations both because of him. He was the actor’s whisperer; just a few words was all it took to understand what was needed.”

Photo: JPI

As soap fans know, Rydell got his first big break playing Jeff Baker on As the World Turns. The popular character was involved on-screen with then star of the CBS soap opera, Rosemary Prinz (ex-Penny Hughes). He stayed in the role from 1956-1962. When the producers wanted him to re-up his contract, Rydell decided to leave, and so the writers killed-off the character of Jeff in a car crash. Before ATWT, Rydell played Walt Johnson on The Edge of Night. 

MARK RYDELL DIRECTED SOME OF HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST STARS

After a busy career in primetime television roles, Mark began to direct in 1967 with the controversial feature, The Foxes. Because of his acting beginnings, Rydell was known as an actors director. Thus, began an enduring career in Hollywood directing films with some of movies biggest stars at the time including: Steve McQueen in 1969’s The Reivers, John Wayne in 1972’s The Cowboys, and James Caan and Marsha Mason in 1973’s Cinderella Liberty. In 1976, he also directed the pilot episode of the hit ABC domestic drama Family.

It was in 1979, that Rydell directed Bette Midler in her first feature film and lead role in The Rose, in which she was Oscar-nominated, and by 1981, the former soap star was directing the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Jane Fonda in On Golden Pond, for which he received his only Academy Award nomination as a director. He followed with The River (1984), For the Boys (1991), and many more through the years.

Rydell was previously married  from 1962 to 1973 to Joanne Linville who had appeared on Guiding Light, The Goddess, and 1976’s film version of a A Star Is Born. The couple had two children, Amy and Christopher. Later, a second marriage to Esther Rydell produced his son, Alexander, before ending in divorce.

Survivors include Rydell’s three children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Sad to hear of the news of the passing of one of the great directors of our time, Mark Rydell? Do you remember him as Jeff Baker on As the World Turns? Let us know via the comment section.

 

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After General Hospital viewers learned this week from Molly Lansing-Davis (Kristen Vaganos) that Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) was sentenced to 31 years in prison with a possibility for parole in 26 years for all of his crimes (after he had taken a plea deal with the Port Charles court system), fans were wondering the status of Rota with the show.

With so many recent on-screen exits, GH viewers were concerned that Rota was the next casualty, although his character of Sidwell deserves to be put a way for life, it appears we may see him back, and from his jail cell. Could he wind up being the cellmate of Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner), who on today’s August 13 episode was sentenced to 10 years in prison with a possibility of parole for two years, for physically attacking Dr. Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson)? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Sidwell’s portrayer, Carlo Rota gave a clue as to his character’s whereabouts during his General Hospital Fan Club Weekend event, along with his wife Nazneen Contractor (Justine, GH), according to a report from Soap Central.

Photo: ABC

WHAT IS SIDWELL’S FUTURE AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH HIS BUSINESS HOLDINGS?

Rota told the crowd in attendance that Sidwell will soon be seen in Pentonville and his scenes will also include another familiar face from the Port Charles canvas. Could it be Curtis or someone else yet to be thrown into the slammer? Carlo teased, “I am in prison with another character from the show. We share a cell.”

The last time anyone saw Jenz Sidwell was back on the July 6 episode when he was in the interrogation room at the PCPD and tried to make a deal with Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper).

The deal was that he wanted Jordan to get her hands on his money from his offshore bank accounts and in return, he can get her hooked up with the best plastic surgeon in the world (the one in Germany that Michael went to) and she can jump ahead over the waiting list. However, Jordan turned him down flat, although the thought of fixing her face still weighs heavily upon her.

GH viewers first met Sidwell, the newest villain in town to go up against Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) for the his territory, back in August of 2024.

Flash-forward to late summer of 2026, there has been plenty of talk by Sonny and now Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) to take over Sidwell’s business holdings that will be up for auction, most likely setting the stage for Drew and Sidwell to be in cahoots, or some other shenanigans to get back at Sonny.

So, are you glad to know that there will be more Sidwell on the way soon? Do you wish the character would just already be off the canvas for good? Glad that Curtis got 10-year prison sentence, or don’t care? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section.

After Lucas Adams was suddenly written-out of story as Noah Newman on The Young and the Restless, viewers of the CBS soap opera had a bit of whiplash. However, Adams has already booked his next roles, and is said to be filming the second season of the ABC primetime crime drama R.J. Decker.

According to New Beginnings Entertainment, Lucas has been cast in a guest star role on R.J. Decker, but also a ‘really secretive project’ that is keeping him busy this month.

R.J. Decker returns for its second season beginning on Tuesday, September 15 (10pm ET). There is no further word yet when the episode that features Adams will fall in the programming schedule.

Photo: JPI

The primetime drama is inspired by the 1987 novel Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen, and follows the story of a discredited newspaper photographer and ex-con played by series lead Scott Speedman. Each week, Decker tries to make a fresh start as a private eye in one of Southern Florida’s crime-filled areas leading to the drama.

HOW NOAH AND SIENNA LEFT GENOA CITY

It was back on the August 3 episode that fans of The Young and the Restless learned that Noah and Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) decided to leave Genoa City and head back to Los Angeles as long as Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) was still running around on the loose, amnesia or no amnesia.

Noah gave Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian) the gig as the manager of the newly-opened ‘Shadow Room’ in town to look after it. Noah informed his parents (Nick and Sharon) he hoped one day to be back in Genoa City when it was safe again.

Adams made his Y&R debut back on November 4, 2025 as the successor to Rory Gibson who last played Noah on-screen until April of 2023. Lucas also played Tripp Dalton on Days of Our Lives from 2017-2024 with multiple runs on the soap opera.

So, glad to know Lucas Adams will be back on your screens soon? Missing him on The Young and the Restless? What could be the ‘secretive project’ he’s working on? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.

 

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