All My Children
WATCH: Agnes Nixon Tribute Extended Version: Stars Of AMC and OLTL Shares Their Remembrances
Photo: ABC
During the 44th annual Daytime Emmy ceremonies on April 30th, attendees and fans online were treated to a touching segment and tribute to the late and iconic creator of All My Children and One Life to Live, Agnes Nixon.
While Susan Lucci anchored the tribute with her speech honoring the woman who launched her career and created her character of Erica Kane. she also introduced a clip package produced by On-Air On-Soaps Michael Fairman featuring several former cast members from both of Agnes’ daytime drama.
While for time, the segment featuring those actors and more had to be kept short and tight, the extended version is now available online, which tells the story of Agnes’ journey, the impact Pine Valley and Llanview had on the audience, the seismic cancellations of both soaps, and ultimately Agnes’ passing.
Photos: Alec Hilliard and Damien Drake
Fairman went back to tell the story the way he originally envisioned the piece featuring emotional and riveting moments from: Erika Slezak (Viki, OLTL), Thorsten Kaye (Patrick, OLTL and Zach, AMC) , Peter Bergman (Cliff, AMC) Michael E. Knight (Tad, AMC), Eden Riegel (Bianca, AMC) Darnell Williams (Jesse, AMC), Cameron Mathison (Ryan, AMC), Brynn Thayer (Jenny, OLTL), Robert S. Woods (Bo, OLTL), Kim Delaney (Jenny. AMC) and Andrea Evans (Tina, OLTL).
The Agnes Nixon Tribute Extended Tribute was originally posted on Michael Fairman’s You Tube channel, The Michael Channel. You can visit the channel and subscribe for my features to come.
Now, watch the extended Agnes Nixon retrospective tribute after the jump. Then let us know if it made you miss Pine Valley and Llanview all the more? And let us know whose story within the tribute touched you the most? Comment below.
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When daytime television had talented actors and storylines devoted to real issues (with some exceptions). I miss daytime of the 80’s and (part) 90’s!
This is a beautifully done production. I loved these shows especially in the 80s when I started watching. The actors gave wonderful tributes to Agnes and were honest in how she changed their lives. I found the remarks made by Peter Bergman and Michael E. Knight to be the most moving and emotional. They all made me cry. The audience cared about the characters, and that is what kept us tuned in. I watched OLTL until the end, and this piece makes me miss the shows so much all over again. Thanks so much, Michael!!
Thank you Michael for this wonderfully moving tribute. It is beautiful. Once again, thank you Agnes Nixon for All My Children and One Life to Live. I want to say more but I’m crying so hard that I can hardly type.
Agnes Nixon .
I heard of the legend and her legacy.
However; seeing what I just watched it’s sad I wasn’t there through her time.
Quoit- she cherished the ability to bridge the space between real and fantastic and make it all believable
and- no one was ever safe not even the good guys..
“The Great and the Least, The Rich and the Poor, The Weak and the Strong, In Joy and Sorrow, In Tragedy and Triumph, You are ALL MY CHILDREN”
I like that ^^^ ..
If I were a Billionaire;
I would create a network to rerun both AMC and OLTL from day 1 to last day, just so I could watch both soaps. I missed the era of Agnes .
side note;
A work friend moved to Europe and she gave me her books.
Among them were two AMC Anniversary books, new never opened. I still have them unopened.
“You become part of the viewers’ psyche.” Michael E Knight.
This.
I’m not crying. Really.
Thank You Mr. Fairman for the heartwarming tribute to a woman who touched more lives than anyone could imagine. Thank you to tha actors who shared their memories. They all showed such gratitude to this great storyteller. Let me add my voice as well. God Speed and God Bless !
Om I’m crying.I miss these two shows like,an old friend.Great to see these characters I loved for so many years.Agnes was one special lady and so talented..I can’t beleive how emotional this was for me.Thank you to each of you for sharing with us.
Absolutely fantastic! Beautiful tribute to a woman who touched so many lives…actors and fans alike.
What a walk down memory lane..such nostalgia….puddle of tears over here….
We need to bring back all my children and one life to live on abc we miss all the actor and actresses It is not the same they were a big part of are lives.we are hope to reboot them like they are rebooting so many other show now..Agnes was the one and only she will be very hard to replace
This is just beautiful! The amount of respect these actors have for her is amazing and it says a lot about her. Great job Michael!
Thank you so much, Michael, for putting this together and for treating Agnes Nixon and AMC and OLTL with the respect they all deserve. I love the group of actors you included in this tribute. These are veteran actors who were excellent spokespeople for the hundreds of actors who worked for Agnes. Michael Knight did me in. It was so great to hear him talk about that last scene on AMC where Tad toasted everyone. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Kim Delaney stayed in touch with Agnes even after she’d left AMC. Thanks so much for allowing us to see and hear more than just the few minutes which were shown during the Emmys. I miss these shows all over again.
that was a beautiful tribute. i miss those shows so much. and at the end credits, the amc theme played and i started to cry.
I loved this. It was beautifully done and I think I cried through the entire thing. I still miss All My Children, the actors and the story lines and of course Agnes Nixon. Thanks so much for sharing.
Bravo Mr. Fairman and thank you. And yes, i did “well-up” and it was so worth it. What more does ABC need to know ? These shows are still missed very much !
I grew up watching NBC and CBS soaps. But I kept up with other soaps by reading soap opera digest and soap opera weekly. Like Bill Bell, Agnes Nixon is a true legend.
What a wonderful tribute to such an iconic lady.
One thing that I noticed about her work, particularly on OLTL, was that she would have the controversial storylines like the Cathy Craig drug story or Carla passed for white as well as traditional romance stories. She would interweave the characters and get the audience to invest in stories that they might not have otherwise embraced.
Wow Michael. That was just stellar! I especially loved seeing the characters from long ago speaking of their time on the show and what Agnes means to them. A+++++
love Love LOVE … exceptionally done … I think AD would be proud … and we, her fans, are eternally grateful for her life’s work … #AllMyChildren #OneLifeToLive
What a gift this woman was to so many! She tackled so many issues with grace and dignity. Agnes, you will be missed.
when actors “appreciate” GOOD writing
man! the acting mindset… there was no limits
the audience : feasted
the combined RAW TALENTS of headwriting and just combustible acting… soared
I HOLD ON to ALL my years and decades of watching this beloved genre.
you can feel the welling up of emotion… dam spill
this genre had power, respect, awe inspiring, the whole canvas in sync.
for all the actors who were and or ARE still a part of this . heartfelt reach.
Michael E Knight – what a man he turned out to be , right? Tad the Cad… MEK is a FUNNY MAN. how else do you explain how it was great for Tad to have two mothers … Opal and Ruth… and just the sweetest dad… Mr. Joe Martin. BAM
no matter now… that it was always Liza I would have wanted Tad with… it was Dixie Cooney who won out.
Peter Bergman – no matter whats going on now… you are rightfully so… an institution of this whole genre.
your 1979 – 1989 years @ALL MY CHILDREN. w/Nina. PURE MAGIC … the real definition of LOVE. argh!
YES, YES, YES, I LOVE Taylor Miller…. the quintessential beauty … I could not take my eyes of off… NINA and Cliff Warner. the heartache when it took years for them to have a child.
he was right to have left the show… since Taylor Miller had already exited. I’d like to thank Peter Bergman’ wife… for getting that brick .. .which sits in his dressing room.
I’ve always lauded your spirit… both MEK and PB. for how eloquent they speak of this genre. a mans man .. who feel. cherish women. and people in and around their lives. the passion they shared with their acting and the heartfelt tears of acknowledging the impact of this genre
Brynn Thayer : ( Jenny , OLTL ) since I never watched OLTL. I would have loved to have watched Brynn Thayer wow you could tell instantly that she’s present.
WOW she was surrounding by magna cum laude : didn’t they blitz.
give me ONE let : she married the uber talented and sexy as all get out Gerald Anthony, ( ex – Marco Dane, OLTL )
I like her
Andrea Evans : who didn’t love this superpower. I watched “Passions” .
what was so much fun in all those years… when the emmies were very present.. and the raw talent… just non stop showed up. thank the soap gods for all those serial magazines in which to savor. the writing just shined. “thank you, forever”
yeah, it’s a nice cry
heart full again
ie: @Peter Bergman. thank you thank you thank you
for the kind, humbled, heart reach. I would have loved to have @minimum shaken James Mitchell, ( ex-Palmer Cortlandt, AMC ) hand… hug too.
I loved the dance… between Palmer and Adam. this is how Shakespeare entered serial. everyone else who courted with… were just happy to be . yet I truly believe the words of Peter Bergman and Michael E. Knight when they share just how ???? amazing it is to have worked with the best.
like any other fan… @the emmies… I would have liked to have seen James Mitchell take home more gold.
no matter… because the work… the feeding of the soul
Agnes Nixon reached
Michael, thank you for the wonderful tribute to Agnes Nixon. It was a delight to see the performers in the show clips and your on camera interviews.
OLTL is one of my all time favorite TV shows, first started watching it about the time “Cathy Craig” was a teenager and her drug addiction story. I think that may have been around 1969.
I hope to see Erika Slezak again, always wanted to see her in a stage play.
Keep up the excellent work, Michael.
Thanks, Mark
Beautiful tribute!
I just miss these shows so much…
Beautiful! Thank you Michael.
Great tribute to Agnes Nixon!
Seeing Andrea Evans makes me miss her on soaps, she was great on OLTL and Passions. I wish she was still on daytime.
Michael thank you very much.
All My Children
Cameron Mathison Reveals Cancer Diagnosis and Shares Heartfelt Message
One of our the best guys we know, Cameron Mathison (co-host, Home & Family and Ex-Ryan Lavery, All My Children), revealed over the last 24 hours that he has been diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma – kidney cancer, but treatment for him will be underway and the prognosis is good.
Cameron first shared the news on Monday’s Home & Family in a special announcement enlightening viewers on his health condition (watch video below) and later took to his Instagram and social media to share more details. Of note: Mathison’s healthy lifestyle has indeed helped, and shown, that his cancer has not spread.
In addition, Mathison wrote: “About a month ago, I had an MRI for some gut issues I’ve been having, and during that MRI they fd a tumor on my right kidney. It’s consistent with Renal Cell Carcinoma … or kidney cancer. The good news is that it hasn’t spread to any other organs🙏🏼 They say my healthy lifestyle and diet has no doubt helped keep it from growing and spreading to other areas, as doctors think it’s been growing in me for minimum 10 years🙏🏼. I am extremely lucky that we found it early.” He thanked his doctor and his family, saying, “[wife] Vanessa, [kids] Lucas and Leila have been absolutely amazing with their love and support… as have my mom, dad, brother, and everyone at Home and Family, Hallmark, and ET❤️ My surgery is scheduled on September 12th, I was hoping to receive positive thoughts, prayers, or whatever you feel comfortable with, on 9/12 (my surgery is at 1pm PST) 🙏🏼.” He concluded, “Feeling very grateful and optimistic!”
Send positive vibes Cameron’s way as he goes through his medical procedure this week, share your comments below.
All My Children
8 Years To The Day Of All My Children & One Life to Live Being Canceled; Still Considered By Many Worst Move For Daytime
It’s hard to believe that 8 years ago today on April 14th, 2011, the soap world, its fans, and the cast members, learned of the heartbreaking news that ABC, in one swift move, decimated its daytime line-up when they announced the cancellations of long running series, All My Children (which would end at its 41st year), and One Life to Live (which would ends its run in its 43rd year).
At the time, ABC announced it would move to more lifestyle/entertainment series to replace these dramas. In its place came The Chew and The Revolution, neither show is still on the air today. Executives at that time pointed to research saying that times are changing and that their decision was “guided by extensive research into what today’s daytime viewers want,” and blame, in part, “the changing viewing patterns of the audience” for the axing of AMC and OLTL
Then ABC Daytime President, Brian Frons had joked to Deadline about the big announcement that he: “Pre-entered the witness protection program prior to today’s events.” He added that “The demise of the two venerable soaps was actually a year in the making. A year ago, we started to look at our projections where the ratings for the soaps would go. When those projections came in pretty discouraging, the network began to aggressively develop replacement shows, 15 of them. Four of the 15 were picked up to pilot: The Chew and The Revolution and two others, a talk show and a dating show. Originally, the idea was to cancel only one daytime drama. The way the ratings developed and the pilots turned out, the ratings developed negatively and pilots developed positively, so we decided to make a bigger shift.” Of note is that when it went off the air, One Life to Live was in third place among its competitors in the ratings.
The press release that came with the cancellations stated: “To honor the core, passionate audience and their rich history both shows will conclude in a manner that respects their legacies and the longstanding hopes of many of their viewers.”
Following the cancellations daytime reeled. The mainstream was sure it meant the endings of the soaps, period. However, four shows illustrated that is not true at all. For Days of our Lives, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless all remain, and still whether they are up or down in their numbers/ratings, they remain relevant and important to the enduring daytime viewing audience.
Sadly, as with any shows, the end of ABC’s AMC and OLTL meant loss of jobs for so many working in front of the camera and behind the scenes. One Life was the last soap opera in production in New York at the time. AMC was already being shot in LA to cut costs to save it.
Still in 2019, if you venture on to social media, especially Twitter, you see fans constantly missing its stars and the towns of Llanview and Pine Valley, wanting this wrong rectified. Although Prospect Park tried to revive the show with their online versions, eventually after legal battles that went on for a few years, ABC now retains the right to these properties,
The good news is that many favorites from AMC and OLTL have found success and been hired on other soap operas, bringing their followings with them, whether it be on-screen, or in the writing, producing, directing or crew departments.
So, do you think the loss of AMC and OLTL consolidated daytime and made the remaining shows stronger so they would not be touched or canceled? Do you think ABC should try to mount a resurrected AMC and OLTL or an amalgamation of the two? Do you remember where you were when you learned the two soaps were cancelled? Was this the worst misstep of all-time for daytime? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.
All My Children
George R. R. Martin’s “Leak” Of New Hulu Series WILD CARDS Featuring Eden Riegel, Thorsten Kaye. and Greg Rikkart
April Fool’s Day started off with a bang today when Eden Riegel (Ex-Bianca, AMC) posted a photo of herself with Thorsten Kaye (Ridge, B&B) and Greg Rikaart (Ex-Leo, DAYS) in a very intriguing image. See above pic! As it turns out, it’s said to be from behind the scenes from some leaked footage of the upcoming Hulu series, Wild Cards.
The premise of Wild Cards is based on the sci-fi anthology series edited by George R. R, Martin, best known for writing the “Song of Ice and Fire” novels, on which HBO’s Game of Thrones is based. Riegel’s husband, Andrew Miller is the showrunner attached to the upcoming series.
On Martin’s website he teases the set-up of the “leaked” video clip: “This was not supposed to go public.. Everybody (Well, everybody that has been paying attention knows that we are developing two Wild Cards as a series for Hulu Andrew Miller has taken the reins as showrunner, a writing staff has been hired, and they have been hard at work for months. What was NOT supposed to be known is how far they’ve come. Not only have some scripts been finished, but the first show has gone into production and has been shooting. That was supposed to be a deep dark secret, however. We wanted to surprise the world. It’s hard to keep secrets in Hollyweird, however. And now it appears that some of the rough footage has been leaked by person or persons unknown”
Meanwhile, Riegel sent out a series of tweets: “Hooo boy…cat’s out of the bag! Fans, please don’t judge our show based on these leaked videos!! The effects are going to knock your socks off. And my costars, @Iamthorstenkaye and @gregrikaart, are doing the best work of their lives!” That was followed by, T”hank you @GeorgeRRMartin_ for the chance to work with you on your first foray into soaps! I am humbled and honored. We won’t let you down.” And then, “I’m probably not allowed to share this with all the NDAs I signed, but damnit I’m just so proud of the #wildcardssoap team! think we are breaking new ground for soaps. So proud to work with you!”
Now below, check out the Wild Cards “leaked footage” and let us know if you think of the …. um … drama! Comment below. And one more thing … Happy April Fool’s!
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