TV BANTER : January 2024

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Y&R Report (January 27, 2024): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama. Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT: Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV, which is one episode ahead of CBS. I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk. If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.

Hi fans,

The old saying that when the cat's away, the mice will play certainly applies to Daniel Romalotti. With Lilly out of town, it didn't take much time for Daniel to start playing around with Heather. He easily gave in to temptation. At first, Daniel planned to tell Lily himself about Heather. However, he decided against it because he felt that the timing isn't right. He'd have to go to California and upset her while she's supporting her daughter through a difficult time.

You can be sure, however that Lily will find out that her boyfriend cheated on her as soon as she returns. You can also bet that she'll find out before Daniel tell her himself. I guess Daniel is a chip off the block. He has no backbone. He is much like his dad, the rock star.

Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian) may be a rock star, but the writers have made his very wimpy and weak in his personal life. He told Cricket that she is the one he wants to be with, yet he doesn't have the strength to resist Phyllis. She senses his hesitation and his weakness, and she plays him perfectly. Instead of asking her to leave, he sat and listened to her. He failed to make it clear to the fiery redhead that the wanted no part of a romance with her. That was exactly the opening Phyllis needed to work on him. The truth is that Phyllis is not really in love with Danny. She's in love with the idea of, as she put it, "bugging the Bug." Danny is the best means for her to exact her revenge on Cricket. Cricket's mistake was to flaunt how well things were going between her and Danny. She never should have taunted Phyllis. That is a recipe for trouble, and Phyllis is the ultimate troublemaker.

If there is one character on Y&R who baffles me, it's Tucker McCall. He sits around drinking all day and discussing schemes to bring the Abbotts down, usually with Audra or Phyllis. Yet, it is difficult to gauge his true fillings. It's hard to tell if he ever means what he says, or if he's just playing games. Someone like Ashley Abbott would never put up with it. Why is she so obsessed with a man who has treated her terribly? Now she's obsessed about whether he gaslighted her in Paris.

Unlike Asley, I thought Audra had distanced herself from Tucker, but now I'm not so sure, especially since Nikki fired her. This may cause her to team up with Tucker again in a scheme to take over Jabot. It seems that she's finished with Kyle,, so who else does she have to turn to? As for Kyle, why did he suddenly get the idea that his mother, Diane, was the best candidate to be co-CEO of Jabot> Diane doesn't have enough experience. Also, I expected Kyle to be at least a little bit jealous when he found out about Summer and Chance. He was rather nonchalant about it.

VIEWER FORUM

If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them You do not have to use your real name.

My email address: jmadden16@yahoo.ca

I received an email from longtime Y&R viewer Carly in Barrhaven, Ontario. Here are Carly's comments.

Y&R is up & down. There are times I enjoy it & other times I don't. I fast forward a lot. No I couldn't be bothered watching the special Sharon episode. Yes there are lots of love triangles. I don't like that they have brought back Nikki's alcohol addiction. I want to enjoy the soap not be depressed. There is enough sadness in the world.

Yes, Y&R can be up and down. I wish some of the storylines would move faster. Some of them drag on far too long. There should be more happenings and less discussion in restaurants and coffee houses. There is far too much repetition. More comic relief and some lighter moments are needed.

I enjoyed the special Sharon episode. Although the writers have dealt with Nikki's alcoholism before, this time there is a different angle to it. Neil and Mrs. Chancellor aren't around and Nikki relapsed because the alcohol was forced on her by the wicked Jordan.

I agree that the show could use some lighter moments. There isn't enough fun. There isn't enough singing. Why doesn't Tessa have a singing engagement at a restaurant or club? Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian) hasn't been singing very much. Fans would love to hear Danny and Lauren and Traci sing a song together.

CAST NEWS

Mishael Morgan Returning for a Visit

Daytime Emmy winner Mishael Morgan is returning to her role as lawyer Amanda Sinclair on Y&R. Mishael revealed the news to fans in an Instagram post. There is no information yet as to when she'll be returning, or for how long. My guess is she'll be involved in the storm that is sure to arrive when Lily returns from California and learns about Daniel and Heather. Remember that Heather, who is also a lawyer, has been hired by Chancellor-Winters. Will Lily and Devon still want her around their company?

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Nikki is battling alcoholism again, but not Jack is stepping in to help her. This will not sit well with their respective spouses, Victor and Diane. Is Nikki tired of Victor's controlling ways and will she turn to Jack for solace? Is that where this is headed? What do you think, fans? Respond to the poll below and let me know.

That's all for now. Please remember that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, February 10, 2024. Enjoy the February sweeps.

Take care,

Joanne

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Whatever happened to Gary Frank (Willie on Family)?

Do you remember Gary Frank, the actor who played Kristy McNichol's big brother on Family, the one with the curly blond hair? Despite numerous guest appearances and TV movies since Family, Gary seems to have faded into obscurity. Now 74 years old, he has been out of the spotlight and under the radar for years.

Gary Bruce Frank was born on October 9, 1950 in Spokane, Washington, U.S.A. HIs father was in real estate and the family moved quite often, relocating from Washington to Oregon to California. Gary studied drama at high school and college. In 1969, he continued his studies at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, becoming a member of the famed Actor's Studio.

In 1973, Gary Frank landed the role of Mark Simpson, a bedridden patient, on the daytime drama General Hospital. Gary was to be paid $300 dollars a show for eight or nine shows. He began work on a Monday and wasn't scheduled to work again until the following Monday. To celebrate, he went for a drive along Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills. Unfortunately, his car sit a soft shoulder and plunged down a cliff.. Gary fractured a bone in his lower back and also broke his nose. He spent a week in the hospital, but his injuries did not prevent him from showing up for work the next Monday, albeit wearing a brace.

Gary's career on film was launched in 1974, when director Richard Donner cast in the television movie Senior Year. Senior Year later became the CBS TV drama series Sons and Daughters, co-starring with Glynnis O'Connor The two played high school sweethearts in the California in the mid-1950s. Gary portrayed Jeff Reid and Glynnis played Anita Cramer. CBS aired just nine episodes of the series, which never caught on with viewers. It didn't help that Sons and Daughters shared the same Wednesday night time slot as NBC's popular Little House on the Prairie.

Glynnis O'Connor and Gary Frank

Gary was a contract player with Universal Studios until the cancellation of Sons and Daughters. However, two days later, he was cast by director Mark Rydell and producer Mike Nichols to play Willie Lawrence on the critically acclaimed drama Family. Family aired on the ABC network from 1976 until 1980. The series chronicled the ups and downs of the Lawrence family of Pasadena, California.

In 1977, Gary won an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Willie, the only son in the Lawrence household. Kristy McNichol also won an Emmy that year for her portrayal of Willie's sister, Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence.

Gary and Kristy with Emmys in 1977

Of his time on Family, Gary told TV Guide, "The first full season was wonderful. My enthusiasm never faltered. The second season was interesting because I had a lot to do. The next year I did less and my interest waned." For Family's fifth and final season, ABC chose to make it the fall guy for Monday Night Football, rather than finding a a new time slot for the still-popular show. It was not seen on the air until Monday Night Football had finished..

Below is a photo of Gary as Willie Lawrence in a scene from Family with his TV parents, James Broderick and Sada Thompson (Doug and Kate Lawrence). As you can see, Willie enjoyed munching on apples.

Prior to his role on Family, Gary guest-starred on Ironside (1975), Medical Center (1975) and The Streets of San Francisco (1976). He later co-starred with Glenn Ford and Julie Harris in the 1979 TV Christmas movie The Gift.

After Family ended its successful five-year run, Gary made guest appearances on many major TV series in the 1980 and 1990s. He appeared in episodes of Charlie's Angels (1980), T.J. Hooker (1982), Matt Houston (1982), Fantasy Island (1982), Hart to Hart (1983), Trapper John, M.D. (1983), Hill Street Blues (1983), Hotel (1984), Murder, She Wrote (1986), Remington Steele (3 episodes, 1983, 1985 1986), Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1986), Hunter (two-part 1988 episode), and Matlock (2 episodes, 1986, 1989).

In the 1990s, Gary appeared in episodes of Dragnet (1991), Picket Fences (1993), L.A. Law (1994), Under Suspicion (1995) Pacific Blue (1997), and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1997).

Gary played portrayed Major Thomas Ferebee in the 1980 made-for television movie Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb. Ferebee was the bombardier aboard the B-29 Superfortress, Enola Gay, which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. Gary's other made-for-TV movie credits include Getting Up and Going Home (1992), Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View (1992), Nurses on the Line The Crash of Flight 7 (1993), Untamed Love (1994), Death in Small Doses (1995), and most recently Like Father, Like Santa (1998).

Gary quit acting in the late 1990s. There doesn't seem to be any online information about his recent activities.

On August 21, 1976. Gary married producer Caroll Newman. Caroll is the daughter of Academy Award winner Lionel Newman (1916-1989), a prominent composer, pianist and conductor. Lionel retired as senior vice president of the music department at 20th Century Fox studios, where he had worked for 45 years.

Caroll Newman

Lionel Newman

Caroll was the associate producer of 45 episodes of Family, from 1976 to 1979. Caroll and Gary have a daughter, Jessica Newman Frank. Jessica, an actress, writer and producer, was born in Los Angeles, California on August 2,1985. In May of 2007, she graduated from the University of Southern California (UCLA). with a Bachelor of Arts in Production in the School of Cinematic Arts. In 2008, she became Executive Director, Digital Marketing at Lions Gate Films.

END NOTES

Ethnically, Gary Frank is he son of a German Jewish father and an Irish Mormon mother.

* Gary portrayed Lieutenant Dalton in the 1989 sci-fi action action flick Deadly Weapon, starring Rodney Eastman.

* Gary is the uncle by marriage of film and TV composer Joey Newman. Joey is the grandson of Lionel Newman.

* Gary was the host of champion figure skater Dorothy Hamill TV special, entitled Dorothy Hamill's Corner of the Sky. In the one-hour special, which aired in 1979, Dorothy returns to Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, where she trained for the Olympics.

NOTE TO GARY FRANK: I completely understand if you wish to remain private. However, I would be delighted if you would email me a brief update on your life and recent activities for your fans. It would be very much appreciated.

SOURCES: TV Guide, "I hardly ever hit anyone anymore: Family' s Gary Frank now saves his best shots for his acting," by Arnold Hano, March 15, 1980; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com)

- Joanne

Saturday, January 13, 2024

Y&R Report (January 13, 2024): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

Hi fans,

I'm back after a brief Christmas and New Year's break. I hope that you and your families enjoyed the holidays. All the best in 2024. I also hope that Y&R has some good things in store for us this year.

What is going on with Tucker McCall? I really can't understand that man. His character has not been drawn out very well by the writers. Sometimes he seems sincere in his feelings, but then he always has an angle. Ashley is spending too much time trying to figure him out. Why doesn't she cut her losses and move on? It's interesting that Cole, her old flame. is back in town. Will there be a love triangle with her and Cole and Victoria.

Sharon is really quite a woman. She runs a coffee shop and doles out advice. Many a Genoa City resident stops in at Crimson Lights to speak to her. She is considered a professional therapist, although she only has a degree in psychology. In addition, she is taking over the company of Cameron Kirsten, a psychotic criminal who tried to kill her and her daughter, Faith.

The writers really slipped up about Sharon's past during a recent scene. When Nick informed Sharon about how Victoria's child, Eve, was stolen from her and brainwashed by her aunt, Sharon replied that she couldn't imagine what Victoria is going through. Do the writers think that we viewers have forgotten that Sharon also has a daughter, Mariah, who was taken from her and brainwashed by cult leader Ian Ward.

To their credit, however, the writers did a good job on that special standalone episode about Sharon's life and experiences. In the episode, Sharon has a long dream which helps her make a decision about her future. For me, the episode was enjoyable and fun.

After the dream, Sharon decided to break up with Chance. She told him that she wasn't ready for a serious relationship and that she didn't want to hold him back. She said her life was full for the time being.

As for Chance, he has resigned as Genoa City Police Chief and is headed for the corporate world at Chancellor-Winters. I can understand why Dr. Nate Hastings wanted to become a businessman when he could no longer perform surgery. It doesn't really make sense for Chance to leave his law enforcement career, although I could never understand why the writers made him become police chief. I know Paul Williams retired, but why was he replaced by Chance. Chance has zero business experience and is reluctant to allow Billy to be his mentor.

The door is wide open now for Chance to hook up with Summer. It won't be that simple, though. There will have to be complications. Maybe Kyle will try to win Summer back, but it won't be an easy task. Anyway, I think Kyle has broken too many hearts and he is about to get a taste of his own medicine.

Everything is going smoothly for Adam right now. Victoria has taken a leave of absence from Newman Enterprises in order to deal with Claire. Victor has promoted Nick and Adam as co-CEOs and he has urged them repeatedly to work together. His romance with Sally is back on track again. So, what could go wrong? For one thing, what will happen to Adam when Victoria returns from her leave of absence?

Why does Cricket keep goading Phyllis? Why does she keep rubbing it in about Danny? It seems to me that the Cricketmeister is getting too sassy and overconfident. Her attitude is not helping the situation. Phyllis is trying to behave, but Cricket's taunts are too much for her. I must say, Cricket's superior attitude is causing me to have a bit of sympathy for Phyllis - but just a bit.

CAST NEWS

Soap vet Brian Gaskill joins Y&R cast as Nikki's AA sponsor

Nikki Newman has fallen off the wagon again. Mrs. Chancellor and Neil Winters are no longer around to help her with her struggle with the bottle. However, soap veteran Brian Gaskill has joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as Seth, Nikki's Alcoholic Anonymous sponsor. Not surprisingly, Victor does not trust Seth. He is very protective of Nikki, whom he refers to as "my baby." Nevertheless, Victor's suspicions may indicate that there is more than meets the eye where Seth is concerned. We do not know Seth's last name yet and it's uncertain where this storyline is going. Perhaps they are waiting for fan reaction to the new character, before deciding whether to give him a larger role. The February ratings sweeps are approaching. so we'll see what happens.

Y&R is Brian Gaskill' is sixth appearance on a daytime drama. His first soap role was as Bobby Warner on All My Children in 1995. From 2001 to 2003, he appeared as Rafe Kovich on Port Charles, a General Hospital spinoff.

He then played Oscar Marone on The Bold and the Beautiful from 2003 to 2004. For a short time in 2005, he played a villain named B.J. Green on As the World Turns. His last appearance on a soap was as Dylan Lewis on Guiding Light from 2007 to 2008.

Brian was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 22, 1970. He was raised in Neptune, Township, New Jersey. He and his wife, Tonya Watts, welcomed their first child, Alabama Zoe, on September 26, 2005.

Soap Legend Bill Hayes dead at 98

Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes

Bill Hayes and his wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes, delighted fans of Days of Our Lives for decades as Doug and Julie Williams. Susan and Bill married in real life in 1974 and then on screen in 1976. Sadly, Bill died yesterday at the age of 98. It's interesting to note that William J. Bell, the co-creator of The Young and the Restless played an instrumental role in Bill's career and in his private life. Back in 1970, Bell was the head writer of Days of Our Lives, When Bill was cast as Doug Williams, Bell noticed the chemistry between him and Susan Seaforth, who played Julie Olson, and he decided to pair the two. When Days was expanded to an hour, the show took advantage of Hayes' singing talent. His character opened a nightclub called Doug's Place

It's also interesting to note that between her stints on Days, Susan Seaforth Hayes played Joanna Manning, mother of Lauren Fenmore, on Y&R from 1984 to 1989. Bill Hayes received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his role on Days of Our Lives. In 2018, he and Susan earned lifetime achievement awards from the Daytime Emmys.

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Michael Damian (Danny)

Singing star Danny Romalotti, played by Michael Damian, is in a quandary. He's caught between two feuding women, Phyllis and Cricket. He prefers Cricket, but he doesn't have enough gumption to tell Phyllis firmly enough that nothing can happen between them. Meanwhile, Cricket, has been flaunting any success with Danny in Phyllis' face. What do you think, fans? Should Click and be together? Click on the poll below and let me know.

NOTE TO READERS

I really need your feedback. If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them You do not have to use your real name. I really need your input. I really need to hear your opinion. I want to know if you agree or disagree with me.

My email address: jmadden16@yahoo.ca

That's all for now. Don't forget that the next issue of Y&R will appear in this space on Saturday,

January 27, 2024.

Take care,

Joanne

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Whatever happened to Quinn Cummings?

“I loved everything between ‘action’ and ‘cut," but hated every other aspect of celebrity, including interviews and talk show appearances.”

- Quinn Cummings, As quoted in People Magazine, 2002

Quinn Cummings was s very familiar face on television in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She had great success as a child actor. Although she hasn't had any acting credits since 1992, she has remained active as an entrepreneur, inventor, author and humourist. She is passionate about the world of books.

Quinn Louise Cummings was born in Los Angeles, California on August 13, 1967. She was an only child. Her businessman father, Sumner Cummings, was the president of a necktie company. He died of a heart attack in 1977 when Quinn was just ten year old. Quinn's mother, Jan, was a bookkeeper.

Quinn began her career after being discovered by a neighbour, master cinematographer James Wong Howe (1899-1976). Howe was so impressed with her that he put her mother in touch with a talent agent. Quinn began appearing in television commercials and landed the role of Lucy McFadden, the precocious daughter of Marsha Mason's character in 1977's The Goodbye Girl. On the last day of the filming of the movie, Quinn's father died suddenly.

Sumner Cummings never lived to enjoy the accolades his daughter received for her performance in The Goodbye Girl. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture. "It was very tough," Quinn's mother, Jan, told People Magazine in 2002.. "Quinn is an only child, and my husband and I were only children." "I remember his as being as a really lovely man," Quinn added.

In 1978, Quinn appeared in an episode of Starsky and Hutch entitled "The Action" (Season 3, Episode 12, Air Date: January 7, 1978). That same year, she guest-starred on the drama Family as Marcy Willis in a Season 3 episode entitled "Lifeline" (Season 3, Episode, Air Date: January 31, 1978). In Season 4, Quinn joined the cast as Annie Cooper, an orphan adopted by the Lawrence family. She remained on Family until the show ended its run in 1980.

During her stint on Family, Quinn found a paternal figure in her TV dad, James Broderick. Broderick, the father of actor Matthew Broderick, passed away in 1982. According to Sada Thompson (1927-2011), who played Kate Lawrence, the matriarch of the Lawrence family, Quinn "used to hang around Jimmy all the time." She recalled that Broderick was "very sweet with her."

Quinn and James Broderick

Quinn starred in the 1980 TV movie The Babysitter, along with Patty Duke and William Shatner as her parents. She played Tara, a spoiled, rambunctious 12-year-old, whose mother (Duke) hires an 18-year-old live-in companion for her daughter, after which things go awry.

In 1984, Quinn made a guest appearance in an episode of the TV adventure series Remington Steele, alongside stars Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist. The episode is entitled "Elegy in Steele" {Season 2, Episode 16, Air Date: February 21, 1984).

Quinn had a role in the short-lived comedy series Hail to the Chief, in which Patty Duke portrayed the first female President of the United States. The sitcom aired on ABC in 1985. Only seven episodes were produced, and Quinn appeared in all seven.

Below is a 1985 press photo of the cast of Hail to the Chief: Top (Left to Right): Maxine Stuart and Quinn Cummings, Bottom (Left to Right): Patty Duke, Ted Bessell and Taliesin Jaffe.

Quinn also guest-starred in a 1986 episode of The Love Boat, and a 1991 episode of Blossom. Her final TV credit is a 1992 episode of the comedy Evening Shade, starring Burt Reynolds and Elizabeth Ashley. After retiring from acting, Quinn began working as a recruiter of short stories writers, which she published online.

On October, 27, 2017, Esquire.com published an article by Quinn Cummings entitled "I Was a Child Actress in Hollywood. There Were Always Whispers." The article describes a culture of routinely ignored sexual assault in Hollywood, much of it involving the abuse of youngsters.

In the year 2,000, Quinn Cummings gave birth to a daughter, also an only child, named Anneke DiPietro, by her partner Donald Di Pietro, an internet software executive, whom she met at a business meeting in 1996, After the birth of their daughter, Quinn created the Hip Hugger baby carrier, a sling-type device for carrying babies securely and comfortably. While pregnant with Anneke, Quinn had suffered from carpel tunnel syndrome, a painful compression of the nerves in the wrist and hand that eventually prevented her from picking up her child. She also found that strollers did not provide Anneke with the eye-to-eye contact that she needed, and the front carrier wasn't working either.

Not satisfied with the baby carriers on the market, Quinn and a high school friend, fashion designer Amy Turner, were inspired to create their $75 slings in such fabrics as denim and pink faux python. They sold out quickly in Los Angeles boutiques. Quinn became president of the company, which she sold in 2006.

END NOTES

* According to some internet sources, Quinn and Don Di Pietro are no longer a couple. However, I have not been able to confirm that this is true. Quinn is very private about her personal life.

* When Family ended, Quinn, who had been schooled on the set, enrolled in a private school. She later attended UCLA for two years.

* Quinn worked as a casting agent in the late 1980s.

* In February of 2005, Quinn began a blog, The QC Report, which contained Quinn's insights on life from the point of view of a 30-somehing mother.

* Quinn's first book, Notes from the Underwire Adventures from My Awkward and Lonely Life, was published in July of 2009. It is a memoir of her life as a mother, a series of quirky and funny vignettes in which she explores subjects such as home repair, childhood orthodontics and child stardom.

* Quinn's second book, published in August of 2012, is entitled The Year o f Learning Dangerously, Its topic is the state of home schooling in the United States and her decision to homeschool her daughter.

* Quinn's third book, Pet Sounds, was published in 2013. In Pet Sounds, Quinn draws from her own experiences and from her popular blog, to write funny and droll stories about living with various pets.

* In 2019, Quinn began a podcast, Quinn Cummings Gives Bad Advice, in which she responds to questions from listeners on any topic, even if she has no special knowledge or understanding of the subject being discussed.

In 2021, Quinn self-published a book called Modest Blessings for Modern Times. It's a humorous compilation of situations where the reader might be "modestly" grateful for a certain outcome. Quinn donated some of the proceeds from the book to non-profit groups.

SOURCES:

People Magazine; "Getting the Hang of It," by Susan Horsburgh, February 18, 2002; Amo Mama (amomama.com), "Life of 'Family and 'The Goodbye Girl' Child Star Quinn Cummings After Retiring from Acting," by Aby Rivas, November 21, 2019; Wikipedia; Internet