Past News

You heard it HERE first! In her exclusive interview with LOVE SOAPS, Y&R's Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) said co-star Lauralee Bell (Christine) is back. Lauralee recently talked to Soaps In Depth, and although she is not sure how long she will stay, she confirms her return. "It depends on many factors," she told the magazine. "Let's just say I'm very happy to be here, to be working as an actress.

Passions’ church choir in the December 31 show is comprised of Teri Bibb, John Bisom, Ira Denmark, Phil Gold, Angie Jaree, Patsy Meyer, Charity McCrary, Leon McCrary, Sam McCrary and Yvonne Williams. That same day, Gordon Goodman, Ali Olmo, Kathryn Skatula and John West appear as carolers.

Just months after signing on the dotted line, turning a recurring role into a long-term gig, All My Children’s Mark Pinter (Roger; ex-Grant, Another World; ex-Brian, As The World Turns; ex-Mark, Guiding Light; ex-Tom, Love Of Life) told Soap Opera Digest that he was released from his contract with the show. Roger’s final scenes will be at the Crystal Ball.

Although Pinter fans will miss seeing the soap vet on the small screen, they can catch him on the big screen in the hit Tom Cruise thriller Vanilla Sky. “I play a Charlie Rose kind of character,” he tells Digest. “It’s just a small role, but the biggest thrill was meeting Cruise and Cameron Crowe. Crowe is a fascinating director and a fascinating guy, who has an extraordinary background. It was really a kick to meet him; it just was great fun. Meeting Tom Cruise was completely unexpected. He happened to be in the room when I auditioned for Crowe, for like a third call back. I had no idea he was going to be in there. I had a hard time focusing when all of a sudden, Cameron said, ‘And this is Tom.’ It was fun.”

In the days before the film opened, Pinter couldn’t give any hints about the mystery because he hadn’t seen it yet and the actors were kept in the dark to prevent surprise twists from leaking out. Though movie-goers couldn’t wait to see the blockbuster, Pinter was shockingly blasé. “I may see it this weekend, I’m not sure. I’ve got to do my Christmas shopping,” he shrugged. “If we’re finished by 7 or 8 o’clock at night, we’ll try to catch it somewhere.”

SOAPCITY LIVE! -- the most spectacular Soap Opera convention ever -- is scheduled to take place the weekend of February 2-3, 2002 at the Pasadena Center in Pasadena, CA. Headlining at this blockbuster event are Jeanne Cooper (Kay, The Young and the Restless), Don Diamont (Brad, The Young and the Restless), Doug Davidson (Paul, The Young and the Restless), David Lago (Raul, The Young and the Restless), Kristoff St. John (Neil, The Young and the Restless), Christian LeBlanc (Michael, The Young and the Restless), Tonya Lee Williams (Olivia, The Young and the Restless), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless), Patrika Darbo (Nancy, Days of our Lives), Juliet Mills (Tabitha, Passions), Jay Kenneth Johnson (Philip, Days of our Lives), Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe, Days of our Lives), Jesse Metcalfe (Miguel, Passions), Matt Cedeno (Brandon, Days of our Lives), Ben Masters (Julian, Passions), McKenzie Westmore (Sheridan, Passions), Josh Ryan Evans (Timmy, Passions), Joe Mascolo (Massimo, The Bold and The Beautiful), John McCook (Eric, The Bold and The Beautiful), Sean Kanan (Deacon, The Bold and The Beautiful), Justin Torkildsen (Rick, The Bold and The Beautiful), Winsor Harmon (Thorne, The Bold and The Beautiful), Erik Estrada (Eduardo, The Bold and The Beautiful) -- and lots more stars will soon be announced! Don't miss this gold weekend opportunity to meet your favorite soap stars in person at SOAPCITY LIVE! This unprecedented soap opera extravaganza will include autograph signings, photo opportunities, trivia contests, interactive events, a fashion show and merchandise emporium, plus much, much more -- SOAPCITY LIVE! will bring you closer to the stars you love!

TICKET PRICES: The "Gold Weekend Package," which includes an invitation to the exclusive Friday night SOAPCITY LIVE! reception, the best reserved seats at the Saturday evening Fashion Show with the stars, tickets to all events and much more, is only $254.95. There are also preferred seating tickets available for individual events ($76), daily tickets ($32) and Saturday night general admission tickets ($32). For information on how to order tickets, click here.

All My Children's John Callahan (Edmund) and wife Eva LaRue Callahan (ex-Maria) welcomed their first child, a daughter, on December 6. The baby, whom they named Kaya McKenna Callahan, weighed seven pounds, one ounce at birth. John and Eva have been married since November 1996. Just a few weeks earlier, on November 17, Vincent Irizarry (David) became a third-time dad when he and wife Avalon welcomed a son, Elias Christopher. Vincent and Avalon also have a three-year-old daughter, Aria; and Vincent has a daughter, Siena, 11, from his marriage to Signy Coleman (ex-Celeste; Santa Barbara; ex-Hope, The Young and the Restless; ex-Annie, Guiding Light).

In a message posted on his website, Stephen Nichols (Stefan) informed his fans that he intends to part company with Port Charles' Cassadines early next year. "I have chosen to leave General Hospital to pursue other opportunities in both television and film," he announced. "I will be leaving at the first of the new year. I have appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the creation of Stefan Cassadine and the chance to work with a fine group of actors and a wonderful crew. I will miss them all. A very special thanks goes to all the fans for their encouragement and support." Nichols joined GH in July 1996 after playing Dr. Skyler Gates on Santa Barbara and Steve "Patch" Johnson on Days of our Lives.

Move over, Frasier Crane. Radio therapist, Doctor Isabel Gomez-Bassols, known to her legions of Hispanic fans nationwide as "The Angel of the Airwaves," is temporarily trading in her microphone for the muddled world of soap opera. During the next few months, Dra. Isabel -- who hosts her own popular Spanish-language advice show on Radio Unica -- will guest star on The Bold and the Beautiful as a psychologist who meets and counsels an extremely troubled Brooke Logan Forrester (Katharine Kelly Lang). In the storyline, Brooke is feeling overwhelmed with self-loathing in the wake of her discovery that she is pregnant with son-in-law Deacon's child. Unable to cope, she decides to spend much-needed time away at a retreat, where serendipity kicks in and she meets Dra. Isabel. The big question: Will Brooke heed the good doctor's advice and finally curb her wicked ways? Dra. Isabel debuts on Friday, Jan. 4.

Look for talk titan Montel Williams on All My Children, beginning Thursday, Jan. 3. According to ABC, Williams' character, Judge Pearson, "will hold Erica Kane's [Susan Lucci] future in his hands." Right now, La Kane is facing life imprisonment as the number-one suspect in the murder of Frankie Stone, and she isn't exactly banging her tin cup on the bars to get out. Instead, according to ABC, Erica will try to convince the judge and jury "that she is guilty of a crime she really fears her daughter Bianca [Eden Riegel] has committed. Will Judge Pearson be able to see through Erica's claims, or will he just be another man whom Erica uses to get what she wants?" Stay tuned.

Fans of The Bold and the Beautiful (who've learned over the years not to take Brooke Logan's wedding promises too seriously) can relive the magic of her impulsive nups to all three Forrester men. Later this month, B&B will air three classic episodes featuring Brooke's altarations: On Christmas Day, Brooke and Eric get hitched in Palm Springs and then take flight in a romantic hot air balloon; on December 31, Brooke plights her troth to Ridge in an intimate ceremony at the Logan hacienda; and on New Year's Day, Brooke becomes Mrs. Thorne Forrester.

The Young and the Restless recently announced that David Shaughnessy is replacing Edward J. Scott as the show's executive producer. Shaughnessy, who is currently Y&R's supervising producer, is the brother of Charles Shaughnessy, who played Shane Donovan on Days of our Lives and later co-starred with Fran Drescher on The Nanny. Both brothers are definitely carrying on a family soap opera tradition. Back in the 1970s, their father, Alfred Shaughnessy, was a writer of the long-running British serial, Upstairs, Downstairs. For more about David Shaughnessy's promotion and Ed Scott's departure, click here.

Rack up another trophy for real-life siblings David and Heather Tom, a.k.a. Billy Abbott and Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless. On Saturday, Dec. 8, 2001, The Motion Pictures Mothers' Association honored Heather, David and their sister Nicholle (ex-Maggie Sheffield, The Nanny) with the Applause Award for their successful careers in the entertainment industry. The Annual Awards Luncheon took place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Present were Mickey Rooney, Tom Selleck, Michael Swan, Anthony Hopkins, Beverly Garland and Tippi Hedrin. "This honors our mom as well -- for all of the hard work she did to get our careers off the ground and all of the work she still does for us," Heather told the press.

According to setside and published reports, Jensen Buchanan (Melissa) is leaving General Hospital barely one year after joining the soap. Although the actress was extremely popular as One Life to Live's Sarah Gordon, and later received two Daytime Emmy nominations for her compelling performance as Another World's Victoria Hudson, her GH stint has been fraught from start to finish. When she first aired as Melissa Bedford on January 29, legal problems clouded her debut, because at that time she was still airing as Vicky's ghost on As the World Turns. GH quickly tried to forge an on-screen romance between Melissa and Roy DiLucca (A Martinez), but the storyline never really gained momentum. Recently, Soap Opera Digest named Roy and Melissa the year's most boring couple, arguing that even "impeccable actors" like Martinez and Buchanan couldn't salvage this no-fizz relationship.

Jack Wagner, who in addition to acting is an accomplished golfer, has been tapped to host Off Course (working title), a new series to air on ESPN. Wagner, who's probably best known for his portrayals of Frisco Jones on General Hospital and Peter Burns on Melrose Place (his other credits include Warren Lockridge on Santa Barbara and, most recently, Titans' Jack Williams) will "conduct a very casual, intimate 'interview' while playing golf with a sports figure or celebrity," says an ESPN spokesperson. The conversation won't be limited to golf. "They'll be talking about a wide variety of sports," adds the spokesman, who notes that Wagner might also continue the interview in a clubhouse following the game. Neither the series' debut date nor time slot has been determined.

McClain joined AMC in 1988 and remained with the show through 1996. McClain cited a desire to have a cool down period and remove herself from the hectic soap opera schedule as the reason for her exit. During her time away from Pine Valley, McClain attended acting school and wrote a one-woman play. McClain's time away from AMC was not all work, though, the actress also managed to find some time to do some traveling.

Throughout her absence from AMC, McClain was prodded by fans to return to the show. In fact, fans created online petitions to, in effect, pressure AMC executives to seek out McClain and ask her to return. Two years later, in 1998, McClain made the decision to return to AMC. The following year, McClain earned honors as the Favorite Return in the Soap Opera Digest Awards. This past year, McClain earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in the Daytime Emmy awards.

On Tuesday, Nov. 27, a long-running star of The Young and the Restless will make a surprise appearance on the syndicated game show, To Tell the Truth, not as a panelist, but as a masked impostor hoping to fool the panel. This Y&R favorite will try to pass him/herself off as Batgirl; and Yvonne Craig - the actress who actually played the role opposite Adam West in the 1960s TV series Batman - will also be one of the three challengers. No, we can't reveal who the Y&R star is, but here's a clue: This Genoa City resident had lots of scenes with future To Tell the Truth host John O'Hurley back when he played Jim Grainger on Y&R.

Days of our Lives' cast and crew gathered at L.A.'s famed House of Blues on Saturday night, Nov. 10, to celebrate the show's 36th anniversary. After the guests feasted on an eclectic array of American cuisine, Executive Producer Ken Corday took to the stage and paid tribute to the entire dedicated Salem team. He also expressed the importance of family and national solidarity during this challenging time for our country.

Following Mr. Corday's speech, guests viewed a highlight reel featuring clips from the entire last year of the show, including an uproarious bloopers segment in which no cast member was spared embarrassment. Frances Reid, who has portrayed Salem's beloved supermom, Alice Horton, since day one, joined Ken on stage and called upon the entire cast to help cut the cake, which was shaped as an hourglass. Then, the guests danced the night away to the disco tunes of the Funky Hippies.

All in all, this was a blow-out to remember. "Ken Corday sure knows how to throw a party," said Kyle Lowder (Brady). "Of course it doesn't hurt that he rented out the entire House of Blues on the Sunset Strip! As far as company parties go, it was great for the cast and crew to be able to get dressed up and chill out together. Usually we're all working so hard that we don't have any down time and considering everything that's happened lately, it was an opportunity for the cast and crew to unite! It was an amazing night!"

Look for Patricia Barry -- who played Hope's mother Addie on Days of our Lives -- on the Thanksgiving episode of NBC's Providence, airing Nov. 23. In an exclusive interview with SC's Mari Lyn Henry, Ms. Barry dishes about her visit to the Providence set and her instant rapport with the show's star, Melina Kanakaredes, due to their mutual Guiding Light past. (Patricia played Sally Gleason on that soap; Melina was Eleni Spaulding Cooper.) And you'll never believe which Providence star wound up snapping the setside pic of Melina and Patricia that you see here, when the NBC photographer took a powder. Click here for the full story.

Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke in the popular '80s series The Dukes of Hazzard, is doing a one-month stint on All My Children. A series spokesperson wouldn't comment on published reports that Wopat's character, whose name is still to be determined, is a love interest for Opal. (Wopat has one ready-made pal on the AMC set; he co-starred with Susan Lucci in Broadway's Annie Get Your Gun.) In addition to Hazzard the series (and several TV-movie reunions in which he reprised Luke Duke), Wopat (whose first air date on AMC wasn't available at press time) was a regular on prime-time's Blue Skies, Peaceable Kingdom and Cybill (where he played Cybill Shepherd's hard-to-shake ex-hubby).

The character of All My Children's Tad Martin (played by Michael E. Knight) will definitely be experiencing some changes soon. For starters, Todd Harrison is replacing Zachary Kady as Tad's son Jamie. Harrison's first airdate is Thursday, Nov. 22. Moreover, Cady McClain, who joined AMC as Tad's love, Dixie, in 1989 (she left in 1996 and returned two years later) is leaving the show. "We don't have a final air date," says an AMC spokesperson, who notes that "this is not the last time we'll see Dixie," an indication that the character -- and, one assumes, McClain -- will return from time to time.

Laura Koffman and Gina Tognoni will reprise the roles of Cramer cousins Cassie and Kelly respectively on One Life to Live for a few episodes starting Wednesday, Dec. 5. "They return for a special occasion," says an OLTL spokesperson, who adds that Koffman will stay for a longer period than Tognoni. (Koffman was originally on OLTL from 1991-99; Tognoni joined the series in 1995 and left earlier this year.)

Nathaniel Marston (ex-Eddie Silva, As the World Turns) is replacing Michael Tipps as Max and Gabrielle's son Al. (Al has assumed the last name Buchanan, but he's actually Max Holden's biological son.) Marston first airs on Tuesday, Dec. 4 and at least one member of the OLTL cast should be familiar to him: During Marston's two-year stint on ATWT, he worked with Keith Coulouris (Keith), who played Oakdale's babysnatching psychopath David Stenbeck/aka Reid Hamilton.

All My Children will interrupt all its current storylines to celebrate a very special Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 22. In this episode, 25 of the show's most beloved characters, including Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) and Stuart Chandler (David Canary), will set out to spend the holiday with their respective families. Due to various twists and circumstances, all the families will eventually come together as a loving community at the home of Hayley (Kelly Ripa) and Mateo (Mark Consuelos) to share this special day.

Every year Population Communications International hosts Soap Summit, a weekend-conference in Los Angeles where daytime's top writers and producers rub elbows with some of the nation's foremost health authorities. PCI's mission is to educate the world about disease and social issues -- and to spur the soaps to send the right health messages via responsible storylines. The theme of Soap Summit VI, which was held in Santa Monica on October 26-27, was an examination of teen behavior. The weekend kicked off -- in true Hollywood tradition -- with awards honoring storylines that urged viewers to do the right thing health and safety-wise. This year's four finalists were: "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome" (Days of our Lives), "Joe May Be HIV Positive" (Port Charles), "Ecstasy and Agony" (All My Children) and "Raul's Diabetes" (The Young and the Restless). For more about this illuminating event, click here.

With Caleb -- the dark master of mayhem -- wreaking havoc in Port Charles again, there doesn't seem to be much hope for the town's leading couples right now. Ian & Eve, Jack & Livvie, Jamal & Alison, Frank & Karen and even Kevin & Lucy could all use some heavenly help. Will Rafe the angel and his super-powered supervisor provide that aid? According to ABC, "It's up to Rafe [Brian Gaskill] and his Boss [Jed Allan] to help the couples find their way to the truth and uncover the love that still exists in their hearts." (Look for Rafe's involvement in the story to really take wings later this month and next.) Meanwhile, All My Children grad Brian Gaskill tells SC that he's having a "really good time" with Rafe, even though "it's tough sometimes coming home from playing an angel and realizing that's not what you are." Click here for his down-to-earth interview.

Newcomer Jack Krizmanich has been signed to the contract role of John on Passions. "John arrives in Harmony in late December," Passions' creator and head writer, James E. Reilly, reveals. "He's young, he's handsome and someone in Harmony is going to be very surprised when he arrives on the scene!" A native of Hoboken, New Jersey, the actor's hobbies are basketball, football, tennis, hockey and martial arts. His birthday is December 16. The Passions New Year's Eve day show on December 31 will mark Jack's television debut.

Also, Allison Janney (ex-Ginger) captured her second straight Best Supporting Actress Emmy (for her role as C.J. Cregg on The West Wing) this past Sunday night. "Good for her. God bless her for doing such a great job with a fantastic role. I was a fan of hers with American Beauty as well," says former GL castmate Jean Carol (ex-Nadine). While the two actresses were on the show at the same time, they only did one scene together. "It was a dream sequence, a nightmare actually, that Jenna (Fiona Hutchison, now Gabrielle on OLTL) had," Carol explains. The sequence was shot in an almost psychedelic way. Jenna was stuck working at the diner for Nadine and found herself waiting on her former servants, the always comedic Ginger and Donna. "I've seen her do brilliant work," Carol further declares about the West Wing star. Meanwhile, Carol herself recently enjoyed an impromptu reunion with her GL pals. For more about her surprise studio visit, click here.

One Life to Live has a new diva, and her name is Peg Barlow. The character, a modeling agent, is being played by Charles Busch, a crossdressing playwright/actor whose Broadway comedy hit, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, dominated the Tony competition earlier this year. The show's stars, Linda Lavin and Michele Lee, were nominated in the lead and featured categories respectively, and the play itself was nominated as Outstanding Drama of the year. Busch's first air date on OLTL is Wednesday, November 14; he is scheduled to appear for nine episodes. Some of Busch's other credits include the films Psycho Beach Party (which he also wrote), It Could Happen to You and Addams Family Values. Busch played prisoner Nat "Natalie" Ginsberg on the HBO prime-time series Oz for two seasons. His high-spirited, high-camp off-Broadway satire, Vampire Lesbians in Sodom, ran for five years.

When Guiding Light's brand-new cast member Matthew Bomer landed the part of Fletcher's son, Ben Reade, he quickly boned up on the show's back history so he could find out more about Ben's origins. Based on his first soap experience on All My Children, Bomer had good reason to suspect that character relationships could be complicated, to say the least. After all, on AMC, his character, Ian Kipling, was the fiancé of sexually ambivalent Sarah Livingston, Bianca Montgomery's ex-girlfriend -- and he was thrown into a heartwrenching storyline. "I was so nervous, because Susan Lucci [Bianca's mom, Erica] was in all of my scenes," he recalls. "I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, she's Susan Lucci! She's come to my school and spoken about the business!' But she was the most gracious, kind person that she could have possibly been. She totally took me under her wing and talked with me and brought me down to earth. We talked and she remembered coming to my school, and she totally put me at ease. I just had an absolute blast." Click here for SoapCity's exclusive interview with Matthew Bomer.

Hallelujah! Despite all those dire press reports that Hunter Tylo's contract negotiations with The Bold and the Beautiful had reached a dead end, the actress has signed a new long-term contract with the soap. When asked to comment, executive producer Bradley Bell said, "I'm very pleased that Hunter has decided to re-sign with the show." Upon announcing her decision to remain firmly ensconced in Forrester country, Ms. Tylo remarked, "I am very happy that the show and I were able to find a solution in our contract discussions that was amicable to everyone. I look forward to many more years of playing Dr. Taylor Hayes Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful." She created the role in 1990.

SOAPCITY LIVE! -- the most spectacular Soap Opera convention ever -- is off to a roaring start. Just confirmed to participate in this blockbuster 2002 event are Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless), Patrika Darbo (Nancy, Days of our Lives), Juliet Mills (Tabitha, Passions), Jay Kenneth Johnson (Philip, Days of our Lives), Jesse Metcalfe (Miguel, Passions), Matt Cedeno (Brandon, Days of our Lives), Ben Masters (Julian, Passions), McKenzie Westmore (Sheridan, Passions), Josh Ryan Evans (Timmy, Passions) -- and lots more stars will soon be announced! Don't miss this opportunity to meet your favorite soap stars in person at SOAPCITY LIVE! This unprecedented soap opera extravaganza will showcase a star-studded line-up of talent from CBS, NBC and ABC daytime dramas! The program will include autograph signings, photo opportunities, trivia contests, interactive events, a fashion show and merchandise emporium, plus much, much more -- SOAPCITY LIVE! will bring you closer to the stars you love!

Is Passions plunging into a turbulent Bermuda triangle now that Brian the fisherman has rescued amnesiac Sheridan and her true love Luis thinks she's dead? SC caught up with actor Christopher Douglas, who talked about the life of Brian, missing Montana, shorn hair and that brief stint as Sean Bridges on Y&R. For his intriguing interview, click here.

It's no secret to fans of The Young and the Restless that Kate Linder has been leading a double life for years -- playing Kay Chancellor's ditsy (but devoted) maid Esther while clocking thousands of air miles on weekends as a professional flight attendant. Despite recent terrorist attacks, Linder has not shelved her second career and continues to fly high. In an enlightening interview with SC, she offers uneasy air travelers practical tips on coping. For the full story, click here.

On Tuesday evening, October 23, a galaxy of soap industry glitterati gathered at the elegant Lotos Club on New York's upper East Side to honor First Lady of Daytime, Mary Stuart, on her fiftieth anniversary in soaps. The beloved trailblazer, who now plays matriarch Meta Bauer on Guiding Light, is best known for her 35-year run as Search for Tomorrow's heroic Joanne Barron Tourneur. Stuart created the groundbreaking TV role when Search debuted on September 3, 1951 and uttered the very last line of dialogue when the soap bit the dust on December 26, 1986. In the final scene, Jo's longtime pal, Stu (Larry Haines), asked her what she was still searching for after all these years. "Tomorrow, and I can't wait!" she replied optimistically. At the Lotos Club tribute, Procter & Gamble's daytime production chief exec Mary Alice Dwyer Dobbin happily surprised the veteran actress by presenting her with a long overdue Daytime Emmy statuette. It turns out that, although the TV Academy had bestowed a special Trustees Award on Mary in 1985 for "distinguished service to daytime television," the Academy had neglected to follow up with the gold.

The Ex-Wives Club opens a chapter in Llanview when Asa's former spouses come to town during the Thursday, November 15 episode of One Life to Live. Becky Lee Abbott, Delila Garretson, Pamela Stuart and Alex Olanov Hesser (actresses Mary Gordon Murray, Shelly Burch, Christine Jones and Tonja Walker Davidson, respectively) join forces with two other former wives who still reside in Llanview, Renee and Blair (Patricia Elliott and Kassie DePaiva) for a "very dramatic event," according to an OLTL spokesperson. Look for Davidson to stick around for a few more episodes.

The View's Meredith Vieira will play June Bellwether on the Monday, November 12 episode of All My Children. June is Leo and Laura's wedding planner. When preparations don't run smoothly, June falls victim to Laura's emotionally unstable wrath. "Pine Valley is a great place to visit," Vieira says of her daytime acting debut. "I came prepared for a love scene with Leo du Pres (Josh Duhamel), but instead I got Laura (Laura Allen) -- his psychotic bride who loves to throw things -- but I had a blast." On The View, the ABC daytime talk show that she co-hosts with Barbara Walters, Star Jones, Joy Behar and Lisa Ling, Vieira has expressed interest and enthusiasm in learning the craft of acting. On The View, Vieira has performed opposite John Ritter in a scene from Neil Simon's The Dinner Party and played the part of Belle in a scene from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. She has also appeared as herself in the primetime sitcoms Spin City and Bette.

Former Ryan's Hope spitfire Ilene Kristen begins playing One Life to Live's Roxanne Balsom, the woman who raised Natalie, on Wednesday, November 7. This is Kristen's second time around on One Life to Live; back in 1982, she created the role of Georgina Whitman, a beautiful scientist whose chemistry experiments with Bo Buchanan (Robert S. Woods) didn't always take place in a lab. (Among other things, Georgina invented a cheap energy alternative called solarmite -- and tried to offer the Buchanans a Whitman sampler.) Later on, Kristen played Norma Gilpin on Loving, but she is best remembered for her role as ditsy, devilish Delia Reid Ryan on Ryan's Hope, the hilarious homewrecker she played on and off from the show's inception in 1975 until 1989.

Former Santa Barbara star Jed Allan (ex-C.C. Capwell) has switched zip codes to Port Charles to play the short-term role of Ed, Rafe's (Brian Gaskill) boss in Heaven. His first airdate on PC was October 16. In-between daytime stints, Allan portrayed Steve's (Ian Ziering; ex-Cameron, GL) father, Rush, on Beverly Hills, 90210. Prior to SB, he captured the hearts of daytime audiences as Don Craig, Marlena's beloved husband, on Days of our Lives from 1971-1985.

Veronica Lauren, who played Cynthia (the girl who has the hots for Philip) this past summer on Days of our Lives, is reprising the role. Look for Cynthia and Philip to get to know each other better in the weeks to come. In addition to Days, Lauren's credits include the film American Pie and the prime-time version of Dark Shadows, where she played the ill-fated Sarah Collins.

Guenia Lemos -- who played Ruby Frank on As the World Turns earlier this year -- kicks up her heels briefly on One Life to Live soon. On Monday, November 5, she plays Whitney, a smoldering sexpot who dances with Antonio (Kamar de los Reyes) while Keri (Sherri Saum) watches from the sidelines. Lemos, who auditioned for roles on Another World and Guiding Light before landing on ATWT, was raised in Brazil and wouldn't mind working on a telenovela. "They usually last for a period of six to ten months, so you do get an ending to the story, thank God!" she laughs. "At some point, you eventually find your soulmate and you live happily ever after, unlike on American soap operas where you always have conflict in your marriage."

Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital) is profiled in Lifetime's Intimate Portrait series, airing Monday, Nov. 5, 7-8 PM ET/PT. In this behind-the-scenes Lifetime feature, the actress publicly reveals for the first time her struggle with drug addiction. "I knew the first time I took a hit of cocaine that I had a problem," Francis says in the program. "The pain was numbed and all I knew was: 'Wow! I've got to get more of this.' " In addition to Francis, the portrait includes interviews with Tony Geary, Kin Shriner, Jonathan Jackson (Luke, Scotty and ex-Lucky Spencer, GH), Donna Mills (ex-Abby Ewing, Knots Landing and also co-starred with Francis in Bare Essence), former GH executive producer Gloria Monty, and Francis' actor/director husband, Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation).

Laura Bell Bundy airs for the last time as Guiding Light's Marah Lewis on Monday, Oct. 29. The actress, who's barely out of her teens, joined GL on Oct. 14, 1999. In a statement to her fans, Bundy has this to say about her surprise departure: "There is a divine force pulling me in a new direction. I had a two-year contract. That two years is up, and it is the right time to continue discovering what life has in store for me. I am excited about the journey ahead; however, the hardest part is leaving my Guiding Light family. They are the most wonderful group of people, and I have gained so much from them -- especially their love. Guiding Light has been one of the greatest experiences of my life -- I have learned so much as an actress, and as a person. I want to thank the fans for their love and support over the last few years. There would not be a Guiding Light without you. I will leave you with a quote from a song by my best friend, Amber Rhodes: The winds of change sometimes bring pain, but we should not question why... 'Cause the darkest times can be a blessing in disguise. Peace and Love to you all."

Todd Rotondi, who arrived in Oakdale in February 2000, makes his final As the World Turns appearance as Bryant Montgomery on Wednesday, Oct. 24. He'll miss the close-knit, family feeling among the ATWT cast, and especially friends like Peter Parros (Ben) and Michael Park (Jack). Earlier this year at SoapCity's launch party for the official As the World Turns website, Rotondi told SC that he considered Parros "sort of an ongoing mentor" and named Park as his favorite setside comedian. "Yeah, Michael is a serious jokester, but in a good way," Rotondi confided. "He keeps everything light. I go into things really seriously all the time, which is who I am. He always has ways to sort of skate over that. He's like, 'What's going on in there, Todd? Lighten up, will you please?'"

"NBC Soap FanHelp is a chance for fans of Days of our Lives and Passions to make a special contribution to the victims of the September 11 attacks," said Sheraton Kalouria, Sr. Vice President of NBC Daytime. "Like so many Americans, our NBC Daytime family was looking for a way to make a significant contribution to the relief efforts, and we hope that through the active participation of our fans in the NBC Soap FanHelp auction we can help make a difference together."

The auction (http://www.shopnbc.com/auctions) will open for bidding on Friday, Nov. 2 at 6:00 a.m. EDT and will close on Monday, Nov. 5 at midnight. There will be something for everyone to bid on from ball gowns to calendars to cookbooks, and all just in time for Christmas. Items already donated include Hope Brady's gown from the Harriman Ball and Chloe Lane's famous red dress from the first "Last Blast Dance" on Days of our Lives and a pair of magical Timmy gloves from Passions (magic not included). The actors themselves are also donating many personal items to help raise funds.

If you think that Livvie and Jack were having a wild time fleeing a blood-sucking vampire on Port Charles, wait till you see what their portrayers -- Kelly Monaco and Brian Presley -- were up to this summer! We were lucky enough to spend a sizzling hot day with Port Charles' hottest young couple at Disney's California Adventure. Kelly and Brian's characters were heavily involved in PC's front burner summer storyline, the "Tainted Love" book, which pushed the limits of their love and has now left them haunted by visions of Caleb, the evil vampire! If you think you screamed when Caleb bit into Livvie's neck, you should've heard Kelly on the "Grizzly River Run!" Of course, vampires cannot live on blood alone, so we took the opportunity to get up-close and personal with these talented young actors over lunch at the ABC Soap Opera Bistro. We found out how they got started in the "biz" and who their favorite actors are. Click here for cool pictures -- something you can really sink your teeth into!

Kelly Ripa (Hayley) appears on the cover of the Soap Club section of the Israeli magazine, Rating, on its October 24th, 2001 issue. Kelly is the first AMC star to star on an Israeli cover. Among the soap stars who were featured on Israeli covers are included B&B's Ronn Moss (Ridge), Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) and Adrienne Frantz (Amber); DAYS' Eileen Davidson (ex-Kristen / Susan / Sister Mary Moira / Thomas / Phenelope; now Ashley, Y&R), Y&R's Michael Demian (ex-Danny), Lauralee Bell (Christine), Joshua Morrow (Nick) and Sharon Case (Sharon).

Allthough unconfirmed by the soap, both Soap Opera Digest & CBS Soaps In Depth have reported that Y&R has decided to bring back Diane - only with a new face! Instead of recasting Alex Donelly, who originated the role in 1982, and had portrayed Diane on & off untill February 2001, the show has decided cast soap vet Susan Walters. Susan previously portrayed Loving's Lorna, and Melrose Place's Christine / Tiffany.

In light of the current world events, NBC regretfully announced that it has cancelled NBC Soap FanFest, which was scheduled to take place Nov. 3 and 4 at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. In a statement issued to the press, NBC noted: "We look forward to working with our partners at Universal Orlando to bring NBC Soap FanFest back to Florida next year. We appreciate the continued support of all the devoted Passions and Days of our Lives fans who planned to attend this year's festivities and we hope they will join us again next year."

Tuc Watkins reprises his role as con man David Vickers for several episodes on One Life to Live beginning Tuesday, Oct. 23. Watkins was originally on the ABC soap from 1994-96. (Last time around, David falsely claimed to be Victor Lord's son, then got romantically entangled first with Tina and later with Dorian, both of whom are no longer in Llanview.) Since leaving the show, Watkins has worked as a series regular on Showtime's Beggars and Choosers, and appeared in feature films including The Mummy and Can't Stop Dancing. Watkins will also be seen in the 2002 release Infested. Meanwhile, Wortham Krimmer, who has been playing the Rev. Andrew Carpenter off- and on since 1991, makes several appearances beginning Thursday, Nov. 8.

Former As the World Turns star Lauren B. Martin joins All My Children in the recurring role of Susan, beginning Monday, Nov. 5. Susan is hired by Laura (Laura Allen) to be her friend and help her plot against Greenlee (Rebecca Budig). Laura, you'll recall, is desperate to keep Greenlee from breaking up her marriage to Leo (Josh Duhamel). Lauren B. Martin -- who used to go professionally by the name of Lauren Martin-Harkins -- played model/pre-med student Camille Bennett on As the World Turns from 1997 to 2000.

On Days of our Lives, Michael Houston King plays Ivan on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 25-26. Ivan is an employee at Baron's whom Greta wishes to fix up with Jack (FYI: Greta thinks Jack is gay). King's previous credits include guest appearances on Star Trek: Voyager and Hyperion Bay, the latter a short-lived, primetime soap, which starred Sydney Penny (ex-Julia Santos Keefer, All My Children; ex-B.J. Walker Lockridge, Santa Barbara) and Dylan Neal (ex-Dylan Shaw, The Bold and the Beautiful).

Michael Landrum, who had a starring role on How to Survive a Marriage (he originated the role of Larry Kirby on the NBC soap, which ran from 1974-'75), will be seen on As the World Turns Wednesday, Oct. 17, as Worldwide board member Mr. Prendergast. Also appearing that day is Keith Lee Grant as another board member, Mr. Tillson, while Hal Smith Reynolds and Victoria Hale play stockholders. Fun fact: After Landrum left How to Survive, he was replaced by future Dallas star Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes, J.R. Ewing's nemesis).

On Sunday, Dec. 2, three Days of Our Lives heartthrobs -- Jay Kenneth Johnson (Philip), Jason Cook (Shawn) and Kyle Lowder (Brady) -- will join Passions hunk Jesse Metcalfe (Miguel) on stage in Pt. Pleasant, New Jersey for a blockbuster benefit to aid the World Trade Center Relief Fund. The program includes lunch with the four actors, photo ops, an autograph session, celebrity auction and much more! The event will take place at the White Sands Oceanfront Resort and Spa from noon- 4 pm. Tickets are $85 per person. For more information, phone 732-294-1682.

Young & Restless star Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) is spearheading a blockbuster super-soap fundraiser to help children victimized by the September 11 World Trade Center tragedy. The October 20th event at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood, CA will feature stars from all ten daytime soaps entertaining fans and autographing specially created "I Love NY"/Statue of Liberty tee-shirts. For more about the event -- and an exclusive interview with Michelle Stafford -- click here.

On As the World Turns, Abigail (Kristina Sisco) and her best friend-turned-b.f. Adam (Craig Lawlor) have been working on a project for their Oakdale University film class. Now, it turns out that a fellow student named Jamie (whom we've never met on camera) has actually been developing her own documentary with Abigail and a reluctant Adam as her subjects. If you want to check out Jamie's never-been-seen video of Abigail and Adam, just click here. SC's Alina, who produces the official As the World Turns website, says, "Kristina Sisco and Craig Lawlor give us a glimpse beyond the storyline of Abigail and Adam, allowing viewers into their thoughts, fears and desires. The resulting video vignettes provide a direct look at what is going on through the characters' minds at a time outside the hour of television in which they usually appear."

Eddie Velez's final air date as Days of our Lives' Paul is Monday, October 15. Look for Paul to make a dramatic exit after an intense verbal assault from Nicole. Prior to Days, Velez was Alex Garcia on Port Charles, a role he also played on General Hospital. Last year, Velez had a featured role in the Oscar-winning film Traffic, where he got to work with real-life pal Benicio Del Toro. The two actors will reteam in the upcoming William Friedkin action movie, The Hunted, which Eddie filmed in Portland, Oregon just before accepting his current job on Days. (The film is tentatively scheduled for a spring 2002 release). In The Hunted, Eddie plays a Delta Force agent involved in tracking down a wayward Del Toro. For more about Eddie Velez, click here.

Press reports are suddenly circulating that AMC favorite Eva LaRue may be pondering a return to her old role of Maria Santos Grey. LaRue and her husband (and former AMC co-star) John Callahan are expecting their first child in December. Her AMC character supposedly "died" in a plane crash in 1997, but the body was never recovered. Bringing Maria back would certainly rev up Callahan's popular, but severely under-utilized character of Edmund Grey. It would also set up an electrifying, three-way dynamic, since AMC has apparently been toying with the idea of reviving the Brooke/Edmund romance, and Brooke (Julia Barr) is haunted by survivor guilt (she was a fellow victim in the plane crash that took Maria's life). Since leaving AMC, Eva LaRue has starred in the TV sitcom, Head Over Heels.

On Thursday, October 25, Ryan Scott begins portraying Harold, a gay friend of Greta's who sets his sights on Jack (Matthew Ashford) on Days of our Lives. Unbeknownst to Harold, however, the object of his affection isn't really interested in guys. In his typical willful and graceless style, Jack has only been pretending to be gay in order to keep Greta at arm's length.

Tonja Walker Davidson reprises her role as One Life to Live's Alex Olanov Hesser Buchanan Hesser beginning Thursday, November 15. (The actress played the role off and on from 1990-'97.) Davidson, who earned a 1993 Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category, last appeared on OLTL for several episodes during May sweeps of this year. Alex, you'll recall, is the flashiest (and funniest!) of Asa's ex-wives, and is usually embroiled in one golddigging scheme or another.

Is there life after Santa Barbara? You bet. Bridget Dobson, who created the sun-drenched NBC soap in 1984 along with hubby Jerome Dobson, painted a pretty rich canvas when she fleshed out the Capwells and Castillos. Now she's painting for real. In fact, her artwork is currently being shown at the Walter Wickiser Gallery in New York City. The exhibit, titled Egos & Eros, will be on display through October 25. In addition to creating Santa Barbara, Bridget (who is the daughter of General Hospital creators Frank and Doris Hursley) and her husband served as headwriters at As the World Turns, Guiding Light and GH. They also wrote for the primetime soap Emerald Point, N.A.S. In the late 1980s, the couple's SB stint turned into something of a backstage soap opera when a fallout with NBC led to their removal from the helm and a long drawn-out legal battle.

Soaps have always made us laugh, cry and feel a little better about the world around us. Great escape, right? But actually during the last 50 years soaps have done more than that. At times, soaps have influenced our collective consciousness -- and helped define what it truly means to be an American - by crafting enduring messages of cultural, racial and ethnic tolerance. Over and over again, the soaps have told groundbreaking storylines that celebrate our differences while reminding us that "we're all Americans." Here are ten storylines that touched our hearts forever.

Alana de la Garza, who joined All My Children earlier this year as Rosa Santos, is leaving the show. Her departure is "due to storyline purposes," an AMC spokesperson says. Her surprise exit comes swiftly on the heels of All My Children writing Rosa's love interest, Gabriel Devane (Eric Dearborn), off the Pine Valley canvas. De la Garza's last air date has yet to be determined.

Richard Biggs began airing as Guiding Light's Clayton Boudreaux on Monday, October 1. Previously, Biggs played Marcus Hunter on Days of our Lives from 1987-92. In 1993, he earned a coveted Soap Opera Digest Award as Outstanding Supporting Actor, besting a field of tough competitors that included Jerry ver Dorn (Ross, GL), Stuart Damon (Alan, GH) and Scott Holmes (Tom, ATWT). Later, Biggs was a series regular on two primetime shows, Babylon 5 and Any Day Now.

Days of our Lives has announced the upcoming release of a new Christmas CD featuring holiday songs performed by several cast members, with profits going to the World Trade Center Relief Fund in New York City. On Days of our Lives Christmas, Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe), Kyle Lowder (Brady), Kevin Spirtas (Craig), Frank Parker (Grandpa Shawn), Tanya Boyd (Celeste), Matthew Ashford (Jack), John Clarke (Mickey), Bill Hayes (Doug) and Suzanne Rogers (Maggie) perform Yuletide classics such as "Silent Night," "What Child is This?," "Jolly Old St. Nick" and "Deck the Halls." The CD is scheduled to be released the week of October 15, and will be available in the SoapCity Store. Days of our Lives Christmas is produced by Ken Corday and D. Brent Nelson. Steve Reinhardt is the music director.

Peter Reckell (Bo, Days) and his musician wife, Kelly Moneymaker, are staging a benefit for the Red Cross. "As we are all deeply affected by the September 11 tragedy, some of us local musicians, actors, writers and dancers are holding an unplugged benefit concert and variety show to raise money for the victims' families," Reckell states. Adds Moneymaker, "We are asking celebrities to volunteer their time to either perform - sing, play an instrument, dance, read a story or poem -- or announce other performers for the event."

The benefit will take place Tuesday, October 9 at 8 p.m. at the Renberg Theater at the Village, located at 1125 N. McCadden Place in Los Angeles. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at the door, or phone (323) 860-7300. In addition to Reckell, Moneymaker and Days cast members, other celebrities scheduled to appear are Joely Fisher, Connie Stevens, Carl Anderson, Ed Begley Jr., Charles Durning, Rob Schneider, Bob Saget, John Mendoza, and the Earth Angels. Also on board are Chris Standring of Instinct Records, Joan Jones of Hollywood Records, author Jane Anderson (How to Make an American Quilt) and choreographers Jacqui and Bill Landrum (O' Brother, Where Art Thou?). The evening will include a silent auction featuring memorabilia from the entertainment industry, with all profits going to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. For more information, visit Reckell's Web site.

Jason Biggs, who played As the World Turns' Pete Wendall before fighting for screen space with baked goods as American Pie's Jim, is headed for Broadway next April. Biggs will portray Benjamin Braddock, the role made cine-famous by Dustin Hoffman, in the new stage adaptation of The Graduate. Kathleen Turner (who did the soap thing earlier in her career, when she was Nola Aldrich on The Doctors) will be Mrs. Robinson.

Several New York soap stars added their voices to the high-voltage celebrity chorus that producer/songwriter Nile Rodgers gathered together to re-record his 1979 hit "We Are Family" as a fundraiser for victims of the World Trade Center attack. Along with such music luminaries as Diana Ross and Sister Sledge, the songfest attendees included All My Children's David Canary (Adam/Stuart), plus four One Life to Live stars - Erika Slezak (Viki), Nathan Purdee (Hank), Catherine Hickland (Lindsay) and Hillary Bailey Smith (Nora).

Julian McMahon (ex-Ian Rain, Another World) co-stars with former Charmed castmate Shannen Doherty in Another Day, a USA Network original motion picture, airing Tuesday night, October 2. In this supernatural drama, Kate (Doherty) enlists the help of her friend David (McMahon) to alter the course of time in order to prevent the death of her lover, Paul (Max Martini).

Kimberly J. Brown, who was once nominated for an Emmy Award for her portrayal of pre-teen Marah Lewis on Guiding Light, reprises her role of Marnie Piper in Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge. A sequel to Halloweentown, this Disney Channel original movie airs Friday night, October 12. Marnie is a resourceful teenager who must test her recently acquired witching skills by joining forces with her magical grandmother Aggie (Debbie Reynolds) to foil the plan of a devious warlock. Judith Hoag (ex-Lotty Bates, Loving) co-stars as Gwen, Marnie's overly-protective mother.

Due to the tragic events that occurred in New York City on September 11, As the World Turns' Martha Byrne has canceled her annual fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The "Eighth Annual Daytime Television Salutes St. Jude" event was scheduled to take place at New York's Marriott Marquis Hotel on Friday night October 19. A statement issued jointly by Martha Byrne and the St. Jude regional representative Michelle Kahn apologized for "any inconvenience this decision may cause." It promised that a letter to fans would follow "outlining the procedure regarding ticket refunds or transfer of reservations to the 2002 event." (This is tentatively set for Oct. 18 or Oct. 25 of 2002).

In a related development, SoapCity's As the World Turns "Auction for Kids" will be postponed indefinitely. This online charity auction, organized to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, was coordinated in support of the Martha Byrne fundraiser. We will keep you informed about the rescheduling of the As the World Turns "Auction for Kids."

The Wednesday night, September 19th broadcast of ABC's 20/20 focused, among other things, on the impact of the World Trade Center/Pentagon tragedies on upcoming motion pictures and the fall primetime TV season. The 20/20 segment included an interview with Angela Shapiro, ABC Daytime President, who spoke about the "huge" effect that coverage of this global crisis is having on soap programming. According to abc.com, 20/20 reporter Brian Rooney then interviewed actor Jon Lindstrom (Kevin) on the Port Charles set, who revealed that an upcoming PC storyline - involving a character "under suspicion of being a terrorist" - has now been scrapped.

Days of Our Lives has announced that Robert Cuthill, who joined the Salem canvas on July 27, is being replaced. Beginning Thursday, October 11, Australian actor Justin Melvey assumes the role of Jennifer's Euro-mystery man, Colin Murphy. Cuthill, who hails from Syracuse, NY, airs for the last time as Colin on Monday, October 1. His replacement, Justin Melvey, is a former professional skier and model, who became a household sensation starring on the Australian primetime soap, Home and Away. In fact, Melvey earned a Logie (the Australian equivalent of an Emmy) as most talented newcomer. For more about the Aussie heartthrob, check out his website.

Just days before his September 26th birthday, All My Children newcomer Eric Dearborn (Gabriel) is in the process of saying goodbye to castmates and crew. He acknowledges that AMC's decision to write him off - just five months after his Pine Valley debut - took him by complete surprise. "They had put so much time and effort into building the Rosa/Gabriel storyline," he says. "There was so much emphasis on it this summer. That's why it shocked me when I was told I was going to be leaving." To find out about the young actor's plans for the future, click here.

In an exclusive interview with SoapCity, Justin Carroll, who plays Passions' intriguing interloper David Hastings talks about everything from fitness fatigue to fits of laughter on the soap set. How does he really feel about having to constantly remind Grace, "Honey, we're married" when she can't even remember what dish pattern they chose? To find out, click here.

As the World Turns has cast Maureen Flynn as Barbara Ryan's nurse, Ingrid, beginning Monday, September 24. Lisa Brown returns as Iva Snyder Benedict (Rose and Lily's biological mother) on Thursday, September 27. Ms. Brown was an Oakdale regular from 1985-93 and has since made frequent guest appearances on the show. Prior to that, she was a familiar face to Guiding Light fans as feisty heroine Nola Reardon Chamberlain.

On Guiding Light, Corey Parker Robinson has been cast as college student Remy Boudreaux. He begins airing on Monday, September 24. Also, Jim Davidson joins the Springfield mix as Alonzo Baptiste. His first air date is Thursday, September 27. Davidson's previous credits include a starring role as TC Callaway on Pacific Blue and guest-starring stint on Ally McBeal and Charmed.

Hispanic superstar Maria Laria will appear in four episodes of Days of our Lives. Laria will portray a compassionate nurse from Puerto Rico who cares for comatose patient Philip Kiriakis (Jay Kenneth Johnson.) Laria's episodes are scheduled to air on Wednesday October 3, Friday October 5, Monday October 8, and Tuesday October 9. This marks Laria's first appearance on a daytime television drama, perhaps the only medium Laria has yet to conquer; the multi-Emmy award wining television personality is a talk show host, an executive producer, journalist, and concert pianist as well as an actress. The Cuban-born Laria was the first Hispanic woman to produce and star in her own Spanish-language talk-show in the United States, Telmundo's Cara a Cara con Maria Laria. She later went on to develop and headline the world-wide syndicated show The Maria Laria Show and has produced and hosted numerous award-winning prime time specials that have aired all over the world.

In the wake of the tragic events that happened on September 11, Deidre Hall's upcoming Las Vegas event - "Deeva Las Vegas" - has been cancelled. The event was scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand on Saturday and Sunday, September 22-23. For refund information, please log onto Deidre's website at www.marlena.com. Meanwhile, the Days of our Lives star is continuing her efforts to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. For an exclusive interview with Deidre - and more details about the St. Jude project - click here.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson will be playing the recurring role of Dr. McMillan, Laura's psychiatrist, on All My Children starting Wednesday, Oct. 3. The actor was previously seen on daytime as police captain Billy Cooper on Another World. Some of his other credits include the feature film Shaft (2000), the TV movie American Tragedy (as O.J. Simpson prosecutor Chris Darden), and guest spots on several TV shows including Law & Order, The West Wing and Third Watch.

Passions has been selected as a nominee for the 17th Annual Shine Awards in the Daytime Drama category. Presented by the Media Project, the Shine Awards honor television programs that present the complicated issues surrounding sexuality with frankness and sensitivity. Passions' nominated clip package is titled "Let's Talk About Sex," and involves scenes that aired April through June 2001. In these scenes, Theresa and her fianc?, Ethan (Lindsay Korman and Travis Schuldt) scuttle their lovemaking when they realize that they don't have adequate protection. Theresa then talks to her future sister-in-law, Sheridan (McKenzie Westmore) about obtaining birth control. This year's Shine Awards will be presented Wednesday, October 24 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Amelia Marshall - who made a lasting impression on soap fans first as Guiding Light's Gilly, then as All My Children's Belinda - arrives on Passions next month as Liz, a character whose background so far remains a mystery. But Marshall isn't worried. "I'm just happy to be working again with [creator/head writer] James E. Reilly," she says. "He's so creative and unpredictable." To find out how she knows Jim Reilly, and how she feels about motherhood, Los Angeles, laptops, and the state of African-American characters on other soaps, click here for her exclusive SC interview.

Ellen Bethea reprises the role of Rachel Gannon (Hank and Nora's daughter) on One Life to Live in a two-episode stint airing Monday, September 3 and Friday, September 7. Bethea originated the role in 1992 and stayed until 1995; she then returned for a brief period last year. (The character was also played by Mari Morrow, 1995-96, and Sandra P. Grant, 1996-98.) Some of Rachel's past storylines include a failed engagement to Kevin Buchanan, a successful battle with drug addiction, and a six-month incarceration for the murder of Georgie Phillips, Nora's psychotic assistant. Following her first departure from OLTL, Bethea focused on theater acting, was seen in television commercials and appeared in the feature film The Siege. Bethea also appeared in the TV movie The Moving of Sophia Myles, which aired earlier this year. In other OLTL news, Isa Thomas plays the recurring role of Sister Katherine, a nun at St. Ann's who encounters Allison Perkins (Barbara Garrick), beginning Thursday, September 6. Thomas' credits include the feature films Red Betsy and Harvest of Fire.

Newcomer Hunter Garner has been cast in the contract role of Billy Ross, son of the long-absent Cricket Montgomery, on As the World Turns. Garner's first air date is Tuesday, September 4. The character of Cricket - Craig and Margo's sister - shook things up in Oakdale back in the early 1980s and was played by former child star Lisa Loring (Wednesday of the original Addams Family). Storywise, Cricket was involved with Cody Sullivan, but when she became pregnant Cody bailed on her. Cricket subsequently married nice guy Ernie Ross, who raised Billy as his own son. (Cricket and Ernie have two children of their own.)

On August 16, General Hospital's Real Andrews (Taggert) and his wife, Michelle, became parents of a beautiful son, Marcus Jeremiah Andrews. Not wishing to crowd the GH events calendar, the very considerate tot arrived one day before Alan and Monica Quartermaine's on-air wedding anniversary (August 17) and two days before Lucas Jones' on-air b-day (August 18). Actually, it's been an anxious time for the brand-new parents, who first went on full-scale Lamaze alert ten days before Marcus actually put in an appearance. On August 6, dad-to-be Real was scheduled to model designer men's wear at an L.A. charity bash, but had to drop out at the last minute when Michelle thought she might be going into labor.

"It's like a wedding without the honeymoon," jokes As the World Turns' Martha Byrne (Lily/Rose) when you ask her just how much preparation (and perspiration!) go into planning her annual Daytime Television Salutes St. Jude fundraiser. (Last year, Martha's blowout raised $180,000 for the famed Memphis children's research hospital.) This year, Martha's eighth annual gala will take place in the grand ballroom of NY's Marriott Marquis Hotel on Friday night, October 19. For an exclusive interview with the Emmy winning actress... and details about SC's "Auction for Kids" to support the St. Jude campaign drive, click here.

On Guiding Light, Yvonne Kopacz has been cast as Felicia's daughter, Melissande "Mel" Boudreaux. Mel is an intern at Cedars Hospital. Kopacz begins airing Tuesday, September 4. Also on GL, Erin Cottrell plays Camille starting Wednesday, September 5. Prior to GL, Cottrell was seen on All My Children as Marilyn, a character who was involved in last year's Esther/Stuart storyline. While she was on AMC, Cottrell became friendly with Rebecca Budig (Greenlee; ex-Michelle, GL); it was through Cottrell that Budig met her boyfriend, musician Chris Barron. "[Erin] had a birthday party, and Chris sang [at the party]," Budig recently told SoapCity.com. "I met him there."

Meanwhile, after an extended summer leave of absence, Genie Francis and Kin Shriner return to GH as Laura Spencer and Scott Baldwin Wednesday, September 5. Off-screen, it's a busy time in Genie Francis' household. While she's gearing up for her GH return, her actor/director hubby Jonathan Frakes is wrapping up Star Trek X, which is due in theaters sometime in 2002. In this latest cine-Trek opus, Frakes reprises the role of Commander William Thomas Riker, a character he originated in the long-running TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and subsequently played in other Star Trek movies. Also appearing in Star Trek X is Kate Mulgrew, who will be seen as her Star Trek: Voyager alter ego, Captain Kathryn Janeway. Both Frakes and Mulgrew appeared on soaps earlier in their careers. Frakes played Tom Carroll on The Doctors, while Mulgrew was Mary Ryan Fenelli, one of the original female leads on Ryan's Hope. (FYI: Frakes and Francis met and fell in love when they both starred on the short-lived prime-time soap Bare Essence.)

Sad news in the world of soaps. Gerald Gordon, who played Dr. Mark Dante on General Hospital from 1976-78, and again from 1982-83, died at the age of 67. Prior to joining GH, Gordon starred on The Doctors from 1966-76 as Dr. Nick Bellini, where he established his trademark performance style of tenderness wrapped in a gruff exterior and became one of soaps' sexiest leading men. His long-running leading lady on The Doctors was Elizabeth Hubbard, whose feisty Althea was a perfect match for his fiery Nick. (Hubbard now plays Lucinda Walsh on As the World Turns.)

Talk about growing pains! As The World Turns' recent decision to turn Duncan and Jessica McKechnie's daughter, Bonnie, into a 21-year-old woman (wasn't she playing with dolls not that long ago?) certainly took her TV parents by surprise. In a delightful chat with SC's Alina, Tamara Tunie and Michael Swan talk about returning to World Turns, rapid soap aging and other transitions in their lives. Click here for their interview.

This fall All My Children apparently has exciting new complications planned for Laura, Leo and Greenlee -- and Nurse Zora (Laura's cardiac-care warden) returns to the mix to offer her special brand of hug therapy. Catrina Ganey (Zora) was actually visiting the AMC studio when casting director Judy Wilson stopped her in the hallway and mentioned that the show would need her back for a new round of taping on September 14. Ganey's backstage pals Laura Allen (Laura) and Josh Duhamel (Leo) went wild over the news, and Vincent Irizarry (David) immediately treated her to a celebratory lunch. Meanwhile, Ganey - who's a diehard camera buff - admits she can't wait to open her next script... and her next roll of film. (She's been snapping her castmates like crazy since day one in P.V.) For a candid peek at her photo album, click here.

Two As The World Turns couples are enlarging their nurseries: Kelley Menighan Hensley and her husband, Jon Hensley, (Emily and Holden) are expecting their second child in February 2002. They have a two-year-old daughter, Sophie Mae... Maura West (Carly) and her husband, Scott DeFreitas (Andy), are infanticipating a return visit from the stork as well. Their son, Joseph, is 16 months old. Maura also has a five-year-old son, Benjamin, from a previous marriage.

Colleen Dion will return to All My Children in the recurring role of Leslie Colson starting Tuesday, October 9. Dion first played Leslie in 1999 and was back for a brief stint in 2000. A familiar face on daytime for 16 years, Dion's other soap credits are Search for Tomorrow (as Evie Stone, 1985-86), Loving (Cecilia Thompson Sowolsky, 1986-88), The Bold and the Beautiful (Felicia Forrester, 1990-'92, 1997) and Another World (Brett Gardner, 1993-94).

All My Children's new scribe, Richard Culliton, appears to be making some intriguing story shifts - therefore, watch for the appearance of several new faces on the Pine Valley canvas. For starters, Terri Ivens has been cast in the contract role of Simone. Simone is sent to work as a waitress at the S.O.S. club by Edmund, who wants her to help Mateo serve more than drinks. Ivens (whose credits include the prime-time series Second Chance) will air for the first time on Thursday, October 4.

On Monday, September 3, Port Charles kicks off its fourth book-style, long-arc story, "Tempted." In the third book, "Tainted Love," residents of Port Charles were forced to confront the forces of good and evil. Now as several couples (i.e., Eve and Ian, Gabriela and Caleb, Kevin and Lucy, and Jack and Livvie) try to mend their relationships and look to the future, will they be able to trust what they once knew? In December 2000, PC embarked on "Fate," the first in the series of 12-week story arcs. Each 12-week arc is titled as a book. "Time in a Bottle" was the second book in the series, followed by "Tainted Love." Since the new format (a combination of traditional daytime drama and telenovelas) began, PC audiences have increased and ratings continue to grow.

Actress/television broadcaster Donna Hanover (whose divorce from New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been making front-page headlines) is reviving her soap career. She will appear on back-to-back episodes of All My Children, airing September 4 and 5. This time around Hanover will play a board member of Pine Valley Hospital. In 1999 Hanover portrayed Judge Virginia Casey. Hanover has appeared on other soaps, including Another World, As the World Turns, Guiding Light and One Life to Live.

Tim Thomerson has been cast on Days of Our Lives as Oliver Wentworth, a financier who becomes involved in a business venture with Jack. His first air date is August 27. Thomerson's numerous credits include the movie Car Wash, guest appearances on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch and Ally McBeal, and regular duty on the 1981 sitcom The Two of Us. In his latest film, The Devil's Prey, Thomerson teams with Ashley Jones (Megan, The Young and the Restless). The film chronicles the scary adventures of a group of teenagers pursued by devil worshippers. Thomerson plays the sheriff.

Anne Sayre is getting a nifty birthday present this year. (She blows out the candles on August 30.) Sayre is returning to As the World Turns as Rose's ditsy cohort, Mitzi Matters, at the end of this month. When Sayre first signed on as the blue-collar casino cutie - at the beginning of the Rose/Lily/Simon storyline - she was told the role was only supposed to last five episodes.

According to published reports, Darlene Vogel (Melanie, One Life to Live) has been let go for storyline reasons. Apparently, the show's writers felt that Lainie and Bo (Robert S. Woods) just didn't have a future as a couple - and conjecture among industry buffs is that OLTL may be thinking of reuniting Bo and Nora (Hillary B. Smith). Bob Woods himself has often joked that his character Bo has no luck when it comes to romance. During the two decades since Bo first hit town, the list of Bo's failed and/or tragic relationships includes such charmers as Pat Ashley (Jacqueline Courtney), Becky Lee Abbott (Mary Gordon Murray), Delilah Ralston (Shelly Burch), Sarah Gordon (Jensen Buchanan), Megan Gordon (Jessica Tuck) and Cassie Coronal (Laura Koffman).

Keith Coulouris will reportedly join One Life to Live in September in a villainous guise, which should be a snap for this talented actor, considering his two-year run on As the World Turns as demonic David Stenbeck. (David pulled every sick trick in the book from bedding a mentally unhinged Julia while pretending to be her therapist to kidnapping a very pregnant Lily and then stealing her baby.) Writing for Coulouris' new character should also be a snap for OLTL's head scribe, Lorraine Broderick. She penned some of his most monstrous Oakdale shenanigans. Off-screen, Keith is actually a devoted family. He and longtime love, Lesli Kay (Molly, As the World Turns), are parents of a son, Jackson William, born on February 22, 2000.

All My Children has cast newcomer Elizabeth Hendrickson in the contract role of Frankie, a woman who will stir up trouble in the Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) household. Her first air date is September. 21. This role should not be confused with the character of Frankie Hubbard (Jesse and Angie's son), who was played by Alimi Ballard from 1993-96, first on Loving, then on The City.

On Passions, there's a hilarious new wrinkle in Julian Crane's Bermuda shorts. While visiting the British crown colony, the aging Lothario has been desperately trying to lure Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald into his hotel bed. Ben Masters, who really uses his Crane-ium to approach his soap opera sexcapades, is quick to defend the "Woody Allen/Soon-Yi" overtones of a Julian/Theresa match-up. And wait till you hear his tart comments about Days' John Aniston (Victor) bedding nubile Arianne Zuker (Nicole) on camera. Just click here for the whole scoop!

Eric Dearborn, who plays All My Children's Gabriel, is leaving the series. His departure is storyline dictated, according to an AMC spokesperson. Dearborn, who joined the show in April 2001 as Anna's long-lost kid brother, will air through mid- to late-September. To check out the young actor's first press interview when he joined AMC, click here.

Barbara Garrick is reprising the role of Allison Perkins, the woman who kidnapped the infant Jessica (Erin Torpey) many years ago. Allison (whom Garrick originally played from 1985-86) is now at St. Ann's and seeks Viki's (Erika Slezak) forgiveness for her actions. Garrick's first air date is Wednesday, August 15. The actress is currently starring on Broadway in A Thousand Clowns, opposite Tom Selleck. Garrick was recently seen in the Showtime miniseries Further Tales of the City, and in the TV-movie Oprah Winfrey Presents: Amy and Isabelle. From 1998-99 Garrick played Rita Renfield on As the World Turns. (Coincidentally, her ATWT storyline involved a baby's abduction, too).

Wondering what ever happened to John O'Hurley, who played Christine's dad, Jim Grainger, on The Young and the Restless? He went on to immortalize the role of catalogue king J. Peterman on Seinfeld and host the syndicated version of To Tell the Truth, which begins a new season on September 17. O'Hurley's fall lineup of guest panelists will include Peter Bergman (Jack, The Young and the Restless) and Winsor Harmon (Thorne, The Bold and the Beautiful). O'Hurley admits he's partial to luring longtime soap pals onto Truth turf, and even had good friend (and ex-wife) Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, All My Children) on as a panelist last season. For a complete update on the savvy businessman/actor, click here.

A spokesperson for Guiding Light has confirmed to SoapCity.com that Terrell Tilford and Victoria Platt (David Grant and Victoria Spaulding) are leaving the series. GL has not released Tilford's final air date; meanwhile, "I believe we have already seen the last of Victoria," the spokesperson notes. Tilford and Platt, who both joined GL in 1998, are engaged and have already ordered the invitations for their upcoming wedding on September 29.

General Hospital's Real Andrews (Marcus) was scheduled - along with a slew of other daytime hunks -- to model trendy designer togs at an L.A. charity bash, but had to drop out at the last-minute when his pregnant wife, Michele, thought she might be going into labor. The "Fashion Bash," which was held on August 6 at the Napa Valley Grille, was organized to raise funds for Our House, a nonprofit support center for grieving children. The tony list of participating daytimers included David Lago (Raul, The Young and the Restless), Justin Torkildsen (Rick, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Kyle Lowder (Brady, Days of Our Lives). As for the Lamaze alert, it turned out to be a false alarm. According to an ABC rep, at presstime Real and his wife were still waiting patiently for the stork to arrive.

Just weeks after leaving The Young and the Restless, soap vagabond Christopher Douglas had landed what could turn out to be a permanent home on Passions. Douglas has been cast in the contract role of Brian, a cryptic figure who's sure to add a new element of mystery to the mix. "Brian is a character who is abruptly thrust into the lives of the citizens of Harmony," says Passions' creator and head writer, James E. Reilly. "We won't know much about him at first, but we will immediately see his impact on the lives of four of our characters, and the consequences will be major."

Douglas first gained soap fans' attention in 1994 when he debuted as Dylan Moody on One Life to Live. His character quickly became embroiled in a tempestuous triangle with Marty (Susan Haskell) and Patrick (Thorsten Kaye) that dominated the Llanview canvas. Douglas left OLTL in 1997, but turned up on Y&R earlier this year as Sean, a free-spirited web designer with romantic designs on Jabot diva Jill Abbott (Jess Walton). Although Douglas was hoping for a longer run, he only stayed five months and the role was recast.

The Young and the Restless/The Bold and the Beautiful alum Tracey E. Bregman is reviving her role of international fashion maven Lauren Fenmore for ten episodes. On Friday, August 24, Lauren returns to Y&R and - as always - is sure to make a big splash. During her last guest appearance in Genoa City, Lauren played Vogue-style fairy godmother to the Chancellor clan and helped outfit Katherine's wallflower granddaughter, Mac, for the prom. (This time around, will she interact with any of her former flames, such as Brad or Paul? Tune in to find out.) Bregman, by the way, won the very first Outstanding Ingenue Daytime Emmy back in 1985.

One Life to Live's Antonio Vega may be a serious-minded cop, but he's been known to bust a few moves whenever there's a block party at Angel Square. Actually, Kamar de los Reyes, who plays the Llanview law-enforcer, is a professional dancer - and his fancy footwork will be on display in The Way She Moves, a VH1 original movie airing Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). The Way She Moves is a dance-filled romantic drama that unfolds inside the world of Salsa dancing. Stockbroker Jason and his fianc?e, aspiring photographer Annie (Annabeth Gish), receive dance lessons as a wedding gift. But when Jason decides that closing a big deal is more important than learning to dance, Annie takes lessons herself from handsome Latino instructor Nicholas (de los Reyes). Soon after agreeing to perform in the upcoming Salsa Festival, Annie and Nicholas begin to fall in love, forcing Annie to choose between his world and the safety of her own.

Olivia Birkelund is returning to All My Children as Arlene Chandler, Hayley's (Kelly Ripa) mother. Arlene goes back to Pine Valley to see her daughter and her expected new grandchild, but does she have more up her sleeve than a family reunion? Viewers can start speculating on Tuesday, Sept. 4, which is Birkelund's first airdate. Birkelund joined AMC in 1996; she made limited returns in 1998 and 2000-01. In addition to AMC, Birkelund was on One Life to Live in 1991 as Sondra Hall.

Passions creator and head writer James Reilly is one busy guy. He's just inked a deal with NBC to create a Saturday morning spin-off of his popular daytime soap. The show will be entitled Harmony, after the town where Passions is set. Reilly will also be tapped to create some prime time shows as well. Will there be crossovers between the daytime version and spin-offs of Passions? Reilly hints there might be.

Lea Salonga, whose last airdate as Lien on As the World Turns is August 9, has been cast in the leading role of mail-order bride Mei Li in Flower Drum Song. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, which originally debuted on Broadway in 1958 (and was adapted for a 1961 film), will open in previews at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles on October 2. For information, call (213) 628-2772. Salonga is no stranger to musical theater, having won the 1991 Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her tragic portrayal of the abandoned Kim in Miss Saigon; she also appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables.

Mark Rydell, who was one of soap opera's earliest heartthrobs before becoming an Academy Award-nominated director (On Golden Pond), is the director and co-executive producer of James Dean. The made-for-television film, which chronicles Dean's meteoric rise to fame and his elevation to icon status after his death, airs Aug. 5 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT) on TNT. During As the World Turns' early years, Rydell played Jeff Baker, a spoiled rich kid who ran off with sheltered teenager Penny Hughes (Rosemary Prinz), much to the dismay of her mom Nancy (Helen Wagner). In fact, long before Bo & Hope, Jeff and Penny were actually soaps' first teen supercouple. By the way, in the upcoming Dean telebio, Wendy Benson, who appeared on ATWT as Meredith Delaney, plays actress Julie Harris, Dean's co-star in the film classic East of Eden.

After months of speculation, it appears that Melody Thomas Scott’s (Nikki) contract negotiations with Y&R have stalled, and the actress will be departing the show. Scott will definitely be off-screen for the duration of her run in the play The Vagina Monologues, which begins July 31 and ends August 19. As for whether she’ll return following that project, a spokesperson for the actress declined to comment to Soap Opera Digest or Soap Opera Weekly, and Y&R reps are remaining equally tight-lipped.

So far it hasn't been a relaxing summer for Passions' Tabitha and Timmy - not with axe-wielding loony tune Norma Bates back in town, terrorizing them non-stop. Marianne Muellerleile, who plays the horrific hacker, claims Norma is such a fun character that everyone on the set of Passions would love to trade places with her, especially some of the show's directors. To find out how Muellerleile fares backstage with Juliet Mills and Josh Ryan Evans, click here.

All My Children's two-time Emmy winner Julia Barr thinks her long-suffering character, Brooke, deserves a break from tragedy. In fact, Barr recently told the powers that be at AMC, "Brooke needs some happiness. If she has one more bad thing happen in her life, you might as well write a depression/suicide story, because no one is going to believe [she could handle it]." Barr feels a little romance every once in a while is important "in a medium where you have so much sturm und drang because it's a reward [for the viewers]. It represents hope and the future." Indeed, the actress wouldn't mind seeing the writers revisit the unfinished love story between Brooke and Edmund (John Callahan). "Both our characters are itching to get out of the starting gate again," she says. "There's so much history. Why not plumb that?" Since Brooke and Edmund are both investigative reporters - and since Edmund's wife Maria was killed in an air crash - "Wouldn't it be interesting," Barr muses, "if Brooke and Edmund wound up working together on a story about disaster survivors?"

Casting maven Ellen Novack, who discovered such daytime high-achievers as Anne Heche, Roger Howarth and Ryan Phillippe, has started ActorLaunch, a telephone lifeline for shell-shocked young actors trying to break into the biz. Novack, an ex-thespian herself, says, "The impulse to start ActorLaunch came from my memory of moving to New York to be an actor right after I graduated from college. I knew absolutely no one in show business. I was frightened and confused and would have given anything to talk with someone who could provide support and practical career advice." For more about ActorLaunch, plus Novack's fascinating recollections of her casting days at Another World and One Life to Live, click here.

As the World Turns' Lesli Kay (Molly) is currently dealing with two cast situations: On Thursday, August 9 Carl T. Evans turns up in Oakdale as Nick Scudder, Molly's bad news ex-boyfriend who's sure to create a few storm clouds on her horizon. (See "Good Golly, Ms. Molly's Past Comes Back to Haunt Her!" below). Meanwhile, the actress is sporting a small cast on her foot, the result of a recent running injury at a celebrity softball game. The cast is not visible on screen.

Erika Page's last airdate as One Life to Live's Roseanne is Tuesday, July 24. "Roseanne needs to get out of town and away from all of her mistakes," an ABC spokesperson in New York says. (Among those lapses of judgment was Roseanne's decision to be R.J.'s mole in the Llanview police department.) According to published reports, Page and her husband, country western singer Bryan White, will move to Los Angeles to seek other acting opportunities. Prior to OLTL, Page, who created the part of Roseanne in 1998, was a regular on the prime-time series Second Noah. She appeared in the TV-movie Without Consent and the feature films Little Bigfoot and Little Bigfoot 2: The Journey Home.

One of the nastier characters to ever come down the soap opera pike was All My Children's Ray Gardner, the abusive biological father of Tad and his late sister, Jenny Nelson (played by future primetimer Kim Delaney). Although Ray is long dead, he shows up with some of the other deceased citizens of Pine Valley on Tuesday, July 24. Gil Rogers (who was also Hawk Shayne on Guiding Light) once again plays the Ray of unsunshine.

Robert Benvenisti, who plays nerdy high school student Kevin Lambert on Days of Our Lives, has signed a contract with the series. Benvenisti, who grew up in the Long Island, N.Y. suburb of Commack, notes that his own high school days (at Commack High School) were nothing like his alter ego's. "I was somewhat popular in high school," says the actor, who excelled in ice hockey and played left wing on his school team. "My buddies from back home can't believe it's me up there on the screen playing Kevin, wearing thick-rimmed glasses and being made fun of." Kevin may be the butt of the jocks' jokes, but he's getting the last laugh: Kevin has proved to be quite the lothario, having had his share of kisses with some of the prettiest co-eds at Salem High.

Beth Ehlers (Harley, Guiding Light) gave birth to a 7 pound, 15 ounce boy named Will on Monday, July 16 at 10:33 a.m. (ET). Ehlers and her husband, Matt, are also the parents of 2-year-old Henry. Ehlers went on maternity leave in June and is scheduled to resurface in Springfield in early September. Will is but the latest addition to GL's backstage boom. In the last few years Crystal Chappell (Olivia), Elizabeth Keifer (Blake) and Laura Wright (Cassie) have all gone the maternity route.

If you've been following the saga of Laura's heart transplant on All My Children, then you know that Laura's no-nonsense private nurse, Zora Jones, has certainly had her hands full, keeping Laura's hubby Leo in line and comforting her mom Brooke. Now that Laura's on the road to recovery, Catrina Ganey, who plays the earnest RN, hopes they'll keep Zora on the P.V. canvas. After all, Dr. Joe Martin could use a new coffee pal -- and maybe Zora could play matchmaker for Brooke and Edmund. (It's no secret that Julia Barr would love to see a Brooke/Edmund romantic reunion. The characters have a history together, and Brooke needs a break from tragedy, Barr feels.) Meanwhile, for more about Catrina's Ganey's backstage adventures in Pine Valley, click here.

Great news for Esta TerBlanche fans! The actress, who has been playing Gillian on All My Children -- both in a live and dead version -- has inked a new deal with the ABC soap. She's scheduled to continue with the soap until December. By the way, it's not all heavenly for Gillian. She will encounter a hellish Ray Gardner soon when Gil Rogers makes a guest appearance on AMC in that role.

In August, Carl T. Evans joins the Oakdale mix as Nick Scudder, a man from Molly Conlon's past who'll blow into town just as her life with new love Jake seems to be on the upswing. Joining As the World Turns will give Evans an opportunity to work with recent Emmy winner Lesli Kay (Molly) and powerhouse actor Tom Eplin (Jake), but Evans is no stranger to soaps. From 1987-89, he portrayed Alan-Michael Spaulding on Guiding Light, then did a limited run as Jonathan Casten on Beverly Hills, 90210.

Days of Our Lives has cast Robert Cuthill as Jennifer's Irish mystery man, Colin Murphy. He makes his Salem debut on Friday, July 27. Cuthill, a Cornell graduate, got his soap start playing a less-than-Lethal Weapon-type at the stationhouse on As the World Turns. "I was fearless officer Don Barker," he recalls. "Don was not the swiftest policeman in town. At the time, Margo [Ellen Dolan] had just been jailed for a crime she didn't commit, and I was in charge of keeping her behind bars. Yet somehow she tricked me out of my keys - she escaped and I ended up in jail!" Cuthill is optimistic that his Days character Colin will have a brighter future. "Colin's in a tough spot when he first arrives," Cuthill confides, but adds with a hopeful grin, "I'm rooting for him to someday become the mayor of Salem and live with Jennifer in the mayor's mansion!" (For a revealing interview with this exciting newcomer, click here.)

Not long after Robert Cuthill makes his debut on Days of Our Lives as Colin - Jennifer's mystery man from Ireland - Colin's English fiancee, Elizabeth, shows up in Salem. She will be played by Serena Gabriele, starting July 31. (The part is recurring.) According to Cuthill, some of the mystery surrounding Colin hinges on the fact that he's "in a bit of a bind" over this engagement. "I think he's aware that she's not the right girl for him, but he's sort of trapped," Cuthill tells SoapCity. "He's got a lot of agendas. It will be interesting to see how things play out."

Those dishy dolls of The View - Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Joy Behar and Lisa Ling - made room on their popular coffee-clatch-arama for an even talkier living doll! Yes, Passions powerhouse Josh Ryan Evans (Timmy) spilled the beans about fame, fortune and his character's intimate hex life with Star Jones on Monday, July 16 when she interviewed him during her trademark "Heart to Heart" segment. Next, on Wednesday, August 1, All My Children's Susan Lucci (Erica) guests on The View. Bet Joy, Meredith and the gang are sure to ask her about her brand-new leading man Jack Scalia (Chris).

Anthony Herrera is returning to As the World Turns as James Stenbeck later this summer. (A first airdate has not been released.) James will no doubt interact with Paul (Scott Holroyd), his son by former wife Barbara (Colleen Zenk Pinter). At ATWT's anniversary party this past April, Herrera, a cancer survivor, told SoapCity that he was doing much better healthwise and looked very fit. Herrera was last seen on the soap in 1999; he has played James on and off since 1980. He is also familiar to ABC soap fans from his mid-1980s stint on Loving as Dane Hammond.

General Hospital's Nancy Lee Grahn is definitely on a roll. Last month, Soap Opera Digest named her Outstanding Supporting Actress of the year. Now she's gracing the July cover of California Lawyer magazine, and the accompanying headline touts her GH character, Alexis Davis, as "the best lawyer on television." John Jay Osborn Jr. (who wrote The Paper Chase and The Associates) penned the piece with Deborah Rosenthal, an associate editor at California Lawyer. Although Calista Flockhart and Sam Waterston might be a tad upset to read this, Osborn and Rosenthal conclude that "Alexis has more legal skill than the attorneys on Ally McBeal and more charisma than the lawyers on Law & Order." They also rate her higher than The Practice's crack legal team.

Two roles were not too much for Finola Hughes to handle on All My Children, so she didn't hesitate to take on a prime time role as well. Hughes who has been playing Anna and Alex on the ABC soap will be back on the primetime hit Charmed this fall, reprising the role of the Charmed sisters' mom. (Of course, Finola is now taking a break from playing Alex; the character is currently in Europe. Anna, however, is still in Pine Valley.)

As Guiding Light's cold-blooded Colonel Dax, Thom Christopher certainly has his hands full keeping San Cristobel's frisky royal family in line. Recently, though, the Emmy-winning actor stepped out of his Caribbean stormtrooper garb to accept a role in Israeli director Amos Kollek's new film, Beirut, the saga of a New York City woman desperately seeking romance, who winds up involved with a strange group of international characters. Wonder if "Dax" (who runs things in San Cristobel with an iron fist) and Kollek talked politics? After all, Kollek is the son of Jerusalem's renowned mayor, Teddy Kollek. By the way, Christopher tells SoapCity that the film will probably be released toward the end of this year.

Back in the 1970s, Tom Selleck (sans mustache) got his start playing Jed Andrews, Lauralee Brooks' bodice-ripping book editor, on The Young and the Restless. When he stepped out of the shower and grabbed Jaime Lyn Bauer (Laurie) for some highly erotic liplock, the scene caused a sensation. Now the Magnum P.I. and Three Men and a Baby star is making his Broadway debut in a much tamer property - a revival of Herb Gardner's heartwarming comedy-drama, A Thousand Clowns. Selleck portrays Murray Burns, a manic nonconformist struggling not to lose custody of his orphaned nephew. Barbara Garrick (formerly Charlotte Wheaton on Guiding Light and Allison Perkins on One Life to Live) co-stars as the nervous social worker investigating the Burns household (and trying not to fall for Murray). Garrick may be doing double duty soon; sources say that the actress is heading for a New York-based TV show. We'll keep you posted.

Days of Our Lives' woebegone waitress Fay Walker will have even less reason to smile when scuzzy hubby Paul Mendez gets sprung from the slammer later this month. Eddie Velez, who just signed on Days to portray the monstrous Mendez, acknowledges that his character is "cruisin' for a bruisin'" when he shows up in Salem. "Fay and my daughter Nicole are not too happy to see me. Nobody is. I have my own agenda now, and I'm here to get what's mine!" Is Mendez evil or just misunderstood? "He's really bad, totally bad," Velez admits, "and he's understood, make no mistake about it. He's always got some scam going. He abused his wife and children; he supposedly put his daughter into porno films. I mean any guy who could do something like that... I don't see how he could have any redeeming qualities."

Passions' poison dispenser Julian is getting a friend. The Crane crony is named Bruce, and he is being played by TV/movie veteran John Beck. The part is recurring, and Beck's first air-date is August 3. Daytime viewers will remember Beck as David Raymond on Santa Barbara; he was also on the primetime soaps Dallas (as Mark Graison), Flamingo Road (Sam Curtis) and Peyton Place: The Next Generation (Dorian Blake). Dallas fans will recall that Mark Graison wed Pam Ewing; it was while married to Mark that Pam woke up one morning and found former husband Bobby (who was dead) in the shower. (It turned out that the previous season - 1985-'86 - was all a dream; Bobby was very much alive and still married to Pam.) Some of Beck's many other television and feature film credits include Baywatch, Diagnosis Murder, Trade Winds, Hunter, Midnight Caller, Sleeper, Audrey Rose, The Other Side of Midnight and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. Beck, a father of three, was born in Chicago.

Mary Beth Evans knows what she'll be doing this summer - playing Sierra Esteban Montgomery for a limited run on As the World Turns. This is the second time Evans will be playing the character, who is Craig's (Hunt Block) ex-wife, Bryant's (Todd Rotondi) mother and Lucinda's (Elizabeth Hubbard) daughter. Evans' first airdate is July 25. Prior to ATWT, Evans played Katherine Bell on General Hospital; she is best known, of course, for being one half of uber-couple Patch and Kayla on Days of Our Lives. Presumably, Evans will bring her three children, Danny, Katie and Matthew to New York with her, while her husband, Dr. Michael Schwartz, holds down the family fort on the West Coast.

Days of Our Lives has cast Robert Cuthill as Jennifer's Irish mystery man, Colin Murphy. He makes his Salem debut on Thursday, July 26. Cuthill, a Cornell graduate, got his soap start playing a less-than-lethal-weapon type at the stationhouse on As the World Turns. "I was fearless officer Don Barker," he recalls. "Don was not the swiftest policeman in town. At the time, Margo [Ellen Dolan] had just been jailed for a crime she didn't commit, and I was in charge of keeping her behind bars. Yet somehow she tricked me out of my keys - she escaped and I ended up in jail!" Cuthill is optimistic that his Days character Colin will have a brighter future. "Colin's in a tough spot when he first arrives," Cuthill confides, but adds with a hopeful grin, "I'm rooting for him to someday become the mayor of Salem and live with Jennifer in the mayor's mansion!" (For a revealing interview with this exciting newcomer, check back here next week.)

For General Hospital fans who are curious about Dr. Tony Jones' status on the show, here's the scoop direct from his portrayer Brad Maule: "All I can is say thank you to Jill Farren Phelps [the show's new executive producer]. She's really been my savior, even though she can only do so much." Maule is referring, of course, to the fact that ever since Farren Phelps replaced Wendy Riche, Tony has emerged somewhat from the shadows of oblivion again. "The last regime basically got rid of me," Maule admits. "I'm not under contract anymore, but Jill seems to like me. At least she has enough respect for actors so that when I'm in an episode, I open my mouth and actually speak. For that, I thank her daily." Meanwhile, the actor is keeping busy on several fronts. He's working on a new CD, tentatively called In The Livng Room. (Brad's daughter Lily shot the cover photo.) He's also teaching soap acting, which has become a true labor of love. "I come out of there drenched in joy," he says. "It's like going to church for three hours a week. I love it so much," he jokes, "my wife is afraid I'll become an evangelist or something."

Guiding Light's Beth Ehlers (Harley) begins her maternity leave in two weeks. While she's off the show, her character will remain active on the Springfield canvas (after all, Harley is currently embroiled in a sticky triangle with Rick and Phillip!). During Ehlers' absence, her role will be played by Hayley Sparks, the same actress who filled in when Ehler gave birth to her first child.

Brady's brazen attorney, Cameron Reese, is back for a two-day Days of Our Lives stint the week of July 16. Rolonda Watts, who plays Cameron, is a former WABC-TV news reporter in New York, who also hosted her own syndicated talk show, Rolonda, back in the mid-1990s. (During an era when Jenny Jones and Jerry Springer were dumbing-down the TV talk-show scene, Watts refused to do sleazy shows. She once taped, but did not air, a show called "Men Are Pigs" because she decided the male-bashing content was too offensive.) Watts actually made her soap debut in 1994 doing a cameo as an undercover cop on Guiding Light.

Sherri Saum has found another "beach" head on daytime. The actress who is best known for her role as Vanessa on NBC's Sunset Beach, has been cast as Keri Reynolds on One Life to Live. Keri is a professor at Llanview University and may play a significant role in Antonio's (Kamar de los Reyes) life. Look for Sherri to pop up in Llanview late this summer.

Starting Monday, July 16, former All My Children star James Kiberd (ex-Trevor) temporarily assumes the role of top cop Hal Munson on As the World Turns while Benjamin Hendrickson is on medical leave of absence. Collaring Kiberd on short notice wasn't hard for ATWT's Executive Producer Christopher Goutman. The two guys have been pals ever since Goutman's directing days in Pine Valley. "I've always admired Chris Goutman," Kiberd reveals, then adds wryly, "There was a shared esthetic, and we exchanged books and ideas [over the years]. I've actually written letters and made calls on his behalf suggesting him as an executive producer. Nobody listened to me, but finally I see that my premonitions were right! So when he called me and said, 'Would you come and do this role?' I said, 'Sure.' He's a good friend."

As for stepping into Hendrickson's shoes, Kiberd says, "I want to honor Ben's creation of the character, and I hope he gets back to As the World Turns as soon as possible." Meanwhile, Kiberd feels very lucky to find himself in such a welcoming, creative atmosphere. "I'm really impressed by the esprit de corps here," he says. "Everybody is so in tune, and the writing is great. It's the best writing I've ever seen in daytime... Chris Goutman [and his team] are doing something very special out there. It just shows that if you leave the heart in the art, you'll be successful."

Pat Falken Smith, the renowned soap opera writer who orchestrated Luke and Laura's phenomenal General Hospital adventures in the early 1980s, died on May 19, just one day after the Daytime Emmys - and (in a strange twist of fate) just one month before GH's current writers pulled the plug on Luke and Laura's topsy-turvy 20-year marriage. Smith, who also penned Days of our Lives and Guiding Light during her long scripting career, tried to launch a daytime version of the Judith Krantz novel Scruples during her later years, but the project never gained momentum.

As the World Turns' Terri Conn (Katie) is having a blast working with acting vet Don Chastain, who plays Cooley, the Don Juan-abee beachcomber who's pursuing her on the island where they're stranded. Last week's seduction scene, she admits, needed to be handled with special sensitivity, and Chastain was very understanding of her feelings. "Don is the sweetest, most gentle person ever," Terri says, "and he knew that [doing that scene] was going to be kind of weird for me, so he was very supportive." Speaking of support, the actress gets plenty of TLC and encouragement off-screen from husband-to-be Arthur Colombino.

Quick, name three things that The Young and the Restless' two youngest actresses, Lyndsy Fonseca (Colleen) and Camryn Grimes (Cassie), have in common. Answer: They're both native Californians, they both excel at soccer and they just happen to have the same birthday - January 7. (They're in good company. Paul Revere, Nicolas Cage and Katie Couric were also born on that day.) Newcomer Lyndsy, who plays the teenaged daughter of Brad (Don Diamont) and Traci (Beth Maitland), attended the Barbizon School of Modeling in San Francisco and got off to a sweet start on TV, starring in a nationally syndicated commercial for German chocolate.

On Thursday, June 28, Tamara Tunie returns to As the World Turns as D.A. Jessica Griffin (Bonnie's mom and Duncan's ex). During her Oakdale absence, the actress carved out a noteworthy film career with featured roles in The Devil's Advocate, Snake Eyes and Eve's Bayou. Recently, she co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson in The Caveman's Valentine, an offbeat screen saga about a cave-dwelling man trying to track down the killer of a homeless boy. Tunie is also familiar to NYPD Blue fans as Lillian Fancy (wife of Lt. Arthur Fancy, played by James McDaniel).

All My Children's Kelly Ripa (Hayley) and Mark Consuelos (Mateo) welcomed a daughter, Lola Grace, on Saturday, June 16 at 6:30 a.m. The baby weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces. The couple also have a son, Michael Joseph, who recently celebrated his fourth birthday. Ripa is currently on maternity leave from both her AMC role and her co-hosting duties at Live With Regis & Kelly.

Infanticipation! In further Pine Valley baby news, John Callahan (Edmund, All My Children) and his wife, Eva La Rue (ex-Maria, AMC) have announced that they are expecting their first baby sometime in December. Strangely enough, Eva will not be back when AMC does its heaven sequence with dearly departed cast members like Travis (Larkin Malloy) Cindy (Ellen Wheeler), Natalie (Kate Collins) and even Harold The Dog. Does that mean there's a possibility that Maria could be alive after all and planning to resurface at some point? Just asking.

This summer Days of our Lives fans will finally have a chance to learn everything they've wanted to know about their favorite teens from Salem High. Every Monday, exclusively on AOL, SoapCity is presenting dazzling video, text and photos on one of the Dotcom denizens. Profiles on Kirsten Storms (Belle), Jason Cook (Shawn) and Farah Fath (Mimi) are already available for your delectation and delight, and next Monday, June 25, look for a dynamite exclusive on Jay Johnson (Philip).

The fans wanted it and now he's back! Rick Hearst will soon be reprising his role as Matt Clark. Look for his reappearance on the Genoa City canvas on July 9. Hearst is well-remembered by Guiding Light fans for his portrayal of rich kid Alan-Michael Spaulding, a role that earned him a Daytime Emmy in 1991 as Outstanding Younger Leading Actor. (Trivia dish: That year's Outstanding Younger Leading Actress was future film star Anne Heche, for her Vicky/Marley machinations on Another World.)

"I'm not a young May and he's not an old September," insists Fiona Hutchison. She's referring of course to One Life to Live's recent surprise decision to marry off her character, Gabrielle, to OLTL's resident gray panther, Asa Buchanan (played by Phil Carey). Defending the storyline, Hutchison says, "I see the beauty and potential in a May/September relationship. I think Asa gets a little giggle and a little lift out of Gabrielle, and she gets a tremendous feeling of support and security from being with him."

In a move that gives new meaning to the phrase "musical chairs," Richard Culliton has been named head writer of All My Children. The announcement comes just two weeks after fellow scribe Jean Passanante left AMC to join the As the World Turns writing team, where she's now churning out story breakdowns alongside Culliton's longtime wife, Carolyn. "We are thrilled to have Richard Culliton join our team as head writer," Angela Shapiro, president, ABC Daytime enthused. Culliton has previously served as head writer of Another World and General Hospital. He and wife Carolyn are co-creators of Port Charles, along with Wendy Riche.

Starting July 25, look for soap vet Louise Sorel to enliven the Pine Valley canvas as Judge Campobello, a recurring character slated to become professionally involved with Adam (David Canary) when legal troubles arise. AMC is the actress' fifth soap jaunt. She previously played Judith Sanders on One Life to Live, Augusta Lockridge on Santa Barbara, Vivian Alamain on Days of our Lives and Donatella Stewart on Port Charles.

Taping the annual General Hospital/Port Charles Nurses Ball is truly a marathon event. Rehearsals begin at 8 a.m. and cast and crew usually don't close up shop until 1 or 2 a.m. the next morning. This year was no exception. "It's a killer day," admits John Ingle (Edward Quartermaine). "Fortunately, there's overtime, so you say, 'Don't bitch about it, because you're getting wonderful overtime.'"

Monday, June 25 is a must-see day on As the World Turns when Henry (Trent Dawson) and Cooley (Don Chastain) share a memorable moment (to put it mildly)! Actually, this is Chastain's second role on World Turns. In the 1980s, he portrayed a Wyoming truck driver who became a surrogate parent to Holden and Lily during a rough time in their relationship. For a delightful interview with the actor/writer who portrays cool-hand Cooley, click here.

Amber Tamblyn is leaving her role as Emily on General Hospital a little sooner than anticipated. She is taping her last scenes on June 22, so look for her to exit some time in early July. There's no word on whether or not the role will be recast, but execs are reportedly already looking for a new love interest for Zander (Chad Brannon) who is staying with the soap.

"They're going to do big things with my character," hints All My Children newcomer Eric Dearborn, who's blowing his horn as Gabriel Devane this summer. The L.A. actor moved to NY virtually overnight after screen testing twice - first with Laura Allen (Laura), then with Finola Hughes (Alex/Anna), but managed to bring his collection of Nolan Ryan baseball memorabilia with him. Dearborn won't comment on a possible story romance with Rosa Santos (played by Alana de la Garza), but smiles mischievously, "I've met her. She's a nice person... and a very good-looking girl!" For a closeup on Eric Dearborn, click here.

Eddie Velez is joining the cast of Days of our Lives in the contract role of Paul Walker, Nicole and Brandon's father, who has just been paroled from prison. Eddie's first airdate is scheduled for Monday, July 16. Velez recently appeared in the critically acclaimed film Traffic and was featured in the NBC min-series Drug Wars. His prime-time guest stints include Just Shoot Me, Profiler, and JAG. For the past year and a half, Velez has been appearing as Detective Garcia on General Hospital and Port Charles.

ABC will commemorate the "Day of Compassion" on Thursday, June 21, with special programming on its entire soap lineup. On AMC, Stuart Chandler (David Canary) will host an art-gallery charity event, paying tribute to his late wife Cindy (Ellen Wheeler), who lost her battle against AIDS in 1989. On OLTL, Rev. Andrew Carpenter (Wortham Krimmer) will announce his decision to go to Africa to help fight the AIDS epidemic there. And GH and PC will join forces for the eighth annual Nurses Ball. (Expect tragedy as well as farce this year.) Among the treats: Mac (John J. York), Edward (John Ingle), AJ (Billy Warlock), Taggert (Real Andrews) and Roy (A Martinez) slogging their way through "The Shoop Shoop Shoop Song." "It's a big musical number," declares Andrews. "If you picture the pink hippo in Fantasia, that little ballerina, that's kind of what our routine is like."

You can bet that GL's Mark Dobies (Noah) and Jerry verDorn (Ross) will be spending Father's Day with their kids. Dobies absolutely dotes on his daughters Francesca, 3, and Olivia Christina, 14 months. "You grab sleep whenever you can. Patience is a virtue; that's the most important thing!" he says. "Fatherhood changes your life and gives you a different perspective. It's all about them, and that's a good thing. They love you unconditionally and no matter how your day was, you're still No. 1 in their eyes." Jerry ver Dorn is equally devoted to sons Jake, 17, and Peter, 15. "When they were first born," he says, "I thought to myself: It's like having a bowling alley installed in my brain; it's wonderful chaos. But, now that they are older, I'm hoping my son will give me what I've always wanted -- my car keys!"

Look for daytime vet Roscoe Born to appear on two different CBS soaps this summer. Later this month, he plays Detective Adamski on As The World Turns; he then segues to Guiding Light for a short-term stint as a San Cristobel royal minister. Born's extensive resume includes creating such memorable roles as The City's Nick Rivers, All My Children's Jim Thomasen and Santa Barbara's Robert Barr.

Look for a new wild card named Mia to stir things up in Pine Valley. This charmer, played by former soaper Amelia Heinle, hits All My Children on July 19. In her first scene, she connects with Ryan (Cameron Mathison) in a poker game. The 28-year-old actress, who hails from Phoenix, Arizona, played Steffi Brewster on Loving from 1993-95. During her Corinth sojourn, she fell in love with and later wed co-star Michael Weatherly (ex-Cooper). The couple, now divorced, have a five-year-old son, August. Heinle's post-Loving credits include Sally Hemmings: An American Scandal and the Steven Soderbergh film, The Limey.

Ingo Rademacher certainly has his hands full. Not only is he preparing to tackle the role of Jax again on General Hospital; he and his parents are also renovating a house Rademacher bought in Pacific Palisades, on a canyon with an ocean view. "It's on a cul-de-sac [in a] really quiet neighborhood and it's close to the beach," Rademacher explains. The actor and his folks are working on the house bit by bit. "Mom built the new shower. [My dad and I] tore the crap out of that house. We filled up three big dumpsters." Rademacher shares his new dwelling with his sister and brother-in-law. "They just had a baby, Ella Sofie," says the proud uncle, who admits that he "pretty much bought everything, even the stuff that Mom [already] bought" for his niece. "I'm really excited about it," Rademacher adds. "Everyone asks, 'What's it like living with a baby?' She's part of my family, so I've taken to her a lot. I was there right after she was born, helping my sister."

Scott DeFreitas, whom As the World Turns fans fondly recall as Andy Dixon, celebrates his first Father's Day on June 17. He and his wife, ATWT's Maura West (Carly), have a son, Joseph, who was born March 29; Scott is also the stepfather of West's 5-year-old son, Benjamin. "I think it's the most important thing I can do," DeFreitas notes about being a dad. "It's my vocation now. I'm an actor, but I'm also a father. It's the best thing I could possibly do."

Starting Wednesday, June 20, daytime newcomer Jennifer Gee assumes the role of Salem High student Susan Adamson. She is replacing Lindsay Hollister, who left Days of Our Lives due to a scheduling conflict. The role is recurring. (Susan, as Days fans know, is an overweight teen, who has been victimized repeatedly by Jan and her delinquent cohorts. Recently, Susan has been befriended by a sympathetic Chloe.)

Wonder what kind of SAT scores you need to get into Llanview U? (Don't know, but we bet a good agent helps.) On Monday, July 16, daytime newcomer Melissa Archer joins the cast of One Life to Live as Natalie, a college student who befriends Jessica (Erin Torpey) and Al (Michael Tipps). Apparently, it's all part of Executive Producer Gary Tomlin's plan to expand the college focus. (Will Natalie hook up romantically with Al and/or Seth, played by newcomer Brandon Routh? Just guessing.)

Stepping into another actor's shoes is always challenging, to say the least. When All My Children's Michael Nader was arrested on drug-related charges in April, soap vet Anthony Addabbo was hired on short notice to take over as hotblooded Hungarian Dimitri Marick and keep the storyline from turning into a bad goulash. ABC has been vague about how long Addabbo will remain at Wildwind, announcing only that Dimitri will be taking off sometime this summer, nor have they revealed what Dimitri's - or, for that matter, Nader's - future on the canvas might be. Nader recently pled guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to three years' probation. (Plus, he was ordered to enroll in a court-approved rehab program.) Meanwhile, Addabbo continues to do an impressive job on AMC. To find out how he feels about pinch-hitting in Pine Valley, click here.

Now that he's not playing chess and plotting mayhem in Salem, what would Days departee Joseph Mascolo (Stefano) like his next move to be? "What haven't I done?" he recently mused. "I'm sure there are thousands of things that I would like to do. I can't think right off the top of my head. I would like to be able to jump out of a plane, which I'll never do, because I don't even like to fly. It's just the challenge of life. Each day, you take it and try to fill it as much as you can."

Do you know the best soccer team in the MLS? If you don't, it's the New Jersey MetroStars. We recently went to a MetroStars game and guess who kicked out the first ball... you got it, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless). Michelle, being a sports enthusiast, enjoyed meeting the players; she met Clint Mathis, one of the stars of the team, and our favorite, goalkeeper Tim Howard. "It was such a wonderful feeling standing in the Giants stadium kicking out the first ball for the home team," stated Michelle. "I was a little disappointed because I thought I was going to kick the ball across the field -- in actuality you kick the ball within the little circle to the referee that's about 5 feet away from you -- but I had a good time." You should have seen the crowd when Michelle walked onto the field -- they loved her. Michelle Stafford, our official Soccer Queen! You go girl!

Look for As the World Turns grad Jordana Brewster (ex-Nikki Munson) in the summer action film, The Fast & the Furious, which opens nationwide on June 22. The film stars Vin Diesel as a street-gang leader mixed up in illegal car racing. As Diesel's kid sister, Jordana Brewster gets romantically involved with Paul Walker, an undercover cop investigating the gang.

Three-time Emmy winner Michael Knight is not opposed to a permanent Tad/Dixie reunion. "I'm not one of those people who worries about being a 'couple' in the soaps," he reveals. "If I was to work with Cady McClain [Dixie] another twenty years, I'd be a really, really lucky man. She's fantastic, and she's never looked better. I mean absolutely drop-dead gorgeous." Meanwhile, Vincent Irizarry, who plays spoiler David Hayward, confides that in 1998, when Cady McClain first returned to the show, AMC's writers wanted to use David to break up Tad and Dixie, but Irizarry urged them to wait. "I said to them, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" he recalls. "'This would concern me. We're talking about some hallowed ground here.' I knew my character had a lot of potential, but he wasn't developed yet. They still had to give him a history. Dixie had just come back, and at that time, the audience wanted Tad and Dixie together. It would have been a no-win situation for me." (AMC listened, shelved the Tad/Dixie/David triangle for a few years, and hooked up David with Erica instead.)

At the red carpet arrivals prior to the Tony Awards, which were held June 3 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, Larry Bryggman (John, As the World Turns) was spotted sporting a silver pin in the shape of a Scottish terrier on the lapel of his tuxedo. Bryggman explained that the pin represented a beloved family pet. Bryggman was nominated in the Featured Actor in a Play category for his role in Proof, in which he portrays a brilliant mathematics professor who may be slowly going mad. Was the actor himself any good at math when he was a schoolboy? "No," he replied. "I was fine up until algebra and geometry. I just don't have [the knack for it]."(Later that evening Bryggman, who is leaving Proof June 10, lost the award to The Invention of Love's Robert Sean Leonard.)

Meanwhile, Christine Ebersole (ex-Maxie McDermott, One Life to Live) said she was surprised at winning the Tony award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in 42nd Street. "I knew I had a good chance of winning, but you always have to give yourself an out because anything can happen." (Ebersole, who walked off with just about the only musical-category trophy that didn't go to The Producers, got her soap start playing Lily Darnell on Ryan's Hope before moving on to OLTL.)

NBC will become the first network to broadcast its entire daytime schedule with a Spanish closed-captioned translation when Days of our Lives and Passions begin the service for all NBC-affiliated stations on July 9. The closed-captioning feature will continue throughout the summer on both shows. Viewers will see a message appear on-screen during each show, indicating that closed-captions are available "en Espanol."

This week Port Charles kicked off its latest long-arc storyline - "Tainted Love" - with an extreme off-road race sequence that proved the fledgling soap is not just spinning its wheels. Shot on location in early May at Tejon Ranch in Lebec, Canada, the race sequences involved several big-name big wheelers including Off-Road Racing champions Destry Abbott and Ty Davis.

Sometimes it pays not to get the job. If you don't believe us, just ask One Life to Live newcomer Brandon Routh, who originally screen tested for the role of Al Holden. The 21-year-old Iowa native was barely out of makeup, after doing his audition scene with Erin Torpey (Jessica), when Executive Producer Gary Tomlin tossed a new set of script pages at him and asked him to read an entirely different scene, this time with slightly older siren Gina Tognoni (Kelly). No, Brandon didn't get the part of Al (it went to Michael Tipps), but he was quickly cast as Seth Anderson, a poor kid from the Angel Square side of the tracks, who's best buds with Cristian (David Fumero). For more info on Brandon Routh, click here.

Lisa Peluso isn't all torn up about her character Gina's abrupt end on One Life to Live. She'll be glad to have the extra time at home with baby daughter Phoebe. Unlike other actresses who regularly tote their kids to work, Lisa only brought Phoebe to the studio at the very end of her short-term run. "I need to be focused when I'm at work," she explains, "and when I'm with my daughter all I want to do is be with her. Plus, I had an hour commute to the studio everyday, and usually a 7:30 a.m. call time. So it would have meant taking her out of a warm bed before daylight to bring her along with me."

In mid June, newcomer Alana de la Garza will assume the role of Mateo's kid sister Rosa on All My Children. Will this mean a resurgence of story time for the once-prominent Santos family? Hopefully so. Back in the 1990s, two of AMC's most popular stars - Sydney Penny and Eva LaRue Callahan - dominated the canvas, playing Julia and Maria (two older Santos siblings) respectively. Now apparently it's Rosa's turn.

On the heels of her Emmy win, As the World Turns' Lesli Kay (Molly) talked about her character Molly's romantic future. "I think she and Jake have so many possibilities," the actress told the press. "I know [the writers] are not going to bring in an outside party to [create] a triangle. Executive Producer Chris Goutman pretty much told me that Molly and Jake are beyond that. They've both had so many horrible, past love affairs that they really appreciate what they've got."

Guenia Lemos, who just finished her short-term run as As the World Turns' Ruby Frank, may go the telenovela route next. The actress, who was born in Topeka, Kansas but raised in Brazil, confides that she'd love to do a Brazilian soap opera. "I actually dream about it," she says. "I'd love to go back to Brazil and work there a little bit, just for the sake of speaking my own language. It would be so much easier not to have to worry about my accent." But Brazilian TV does have one drawback - the long hours. "You shoot something that airs the next day, so the hours are grueling," Lemos admits. "You work from seven in the morning till 10 at night, usually seven days a week. It's crazy.

Jean Passanante, who currently serves as co-head writer of All My Children, will put down her Pine Valley pen and start scribbling Oakdalese. Passanante will join As the World Turns' Emmy-winning writing team, effective July 16. She will serve as co-head writer, alongside current co-head writer Carolyn Culliton and head writer Hogan Sheffer. Prior to her AMC assignment, Passanante plotted storylines for Another World and One Life to Live. ATWT executive producer Chris Goutman notes, "Having worked with Jean at Another World [where Goutman was executive producer], I know her to be an imaginative and skilled writer, with a highly developed sense of plot, structure and character."

Guiding Light's real-life nearlyweds Victoria Platt (Vicky) and Terrell Tilford (David) are doing something really radical: They're not registering for wedding gifts! Instead the engaged couple are hoping to save up for a down payment on a house. "We have enough furniture, candles, dishes, knives, forks and spoons to stock our own store," laughs Tilford. "If we have another blender in the house, we could open a juice bar!" adds his appliance-weary fiancee.

This month Port Charles celebrates its fourth anniversary on ABC Daytime. The still-struggling General Hospital spinoff was launched on June 1, 1997 with Kin Shriner (Scotty), Lynn Herring (Lucy) and Jon Lindstrom (Kevin) all crossing over from GH to become mainstays on the fledgling half-hour show. The initial "reign of terror" storyline focused on a disgruntled, gun-toting medical intern Greg Cooper (played by David Holcomb) who held most of the cast hostage.

Over the years Days of our Lives has hit several ratings milestones during its 35 year run. On Friday, May 25, Days of our Lives added another notch to its already impressive belt. Days celebrated 300 weeks (six years) as the number one daytime drama among women 18-34 years of age. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Sheraton Kalouria, NBC's Senior VP of Daytime Programs, presented Executive Producer Ken Corday with a celebratory cake to commemorate this remarkable achievement. Kalouria stated how important Days of our Lives is to NBC and that it has always been and will continue to be the cornerstone of NBC's daytime schedule. Ken Corday graciously accepted the cake from NBC on behalf of his cast and crew. He also thanked the fans for continuing to support his show.

Congratulations to Vincent Irizarry (David, All My Children) and wife Avalon. They're having another baby. The blessed event will occur on or about November 20. Vincent and Avalon have another child, Aria, who is three years old. Vincent also has a daughter, Siena, age 11, from his marriage to Signy Coleman (ex-Hope, Y&R). During Siena's spring break from school, the Irizarrys flew down to Cancun with both girls. "I relaxed, kicked back with a few margaritas and didn't even think about David's problems," Vincent confides.

Billy Kay, who plays Shayne on Guiding Light, has been cast in Miramax Films' Halloween 8: Evil never Dies. Jamie Lee Curtis, Tyra Banks and Busta Rhymes star in the scarefest, which will shoot in Vancouver. Billy seems to be on a roll. L.I.E., the independent film in which he headlines, will open in theaters nationwide in early September.

Every year on The Day Of Compassion soaps take time to raise AIDS awareness through their stories. General Hospital and Port Charles stage their annual Nurses Ball to highlight this theme. On June 5 Neil Tadkin, The Day of Compassion founder, begins appearing on Port Charles to help prepare for the Nurses Ball. He'll play a character named Don.

Passions adds the contract role of David Hastings to its ranks next month. Justin Carroll has been cast as the mysterious man who arrives in Harmony looking for Grace. Carroll's credits include the films To Protect and Serve, Shame and the short-film, which he wrote and produced, Which Way to Oz? Justin is also a stand-up comic, who plays regularly at comedy clubs in Los Angeles. Look for Justin on Passions starting June 20.

What's up with Michael Lowry, who played Jake on All My Children before the role was taken over by J. Eddie Peck? He's coming to the big screen soon as the star of Coronado, an action flick about a federal agent who is on an undercover assignment pretending to be an international lawyer. In the story, Lowry's character finds himself mixed up in a Latin American revolution.

Chad Tucker, who plays Curtis on As the World Turns, will join Phylicia Rashad in the Roundabout Theatre production of the musical, BLUE. Tucker plays 12-year old 'Reuben.' Performances begin June 1 at New York City's Gramercy Theatre, 127 East 23rd Street. For ticket information, call the theater at (212)777-4900 or Ticketmaster at (212)307-4100.

Daytime vet Robert Kelker-Kelly has been tapped by ABC to revive the role of Stavros Cassadine on General Hospital. The character of Stavros, who is Stefan's brother (and Nikolas' dad), was first played by John Martinuzzi. Fans will remember Kelker-Kelly from his front-burner run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives (1992-95) and his two heartbreak-hero stints on Another World. (He played Sam Fowler from 1987-90, then resurfaced as Bobby Reno/Shane Roberts during AW's last four years on the air.) Ironically, Kelker-Kelly's arrival on GH could end up reuniting him with former Bay City buddy Jensen Buchanan (ex-Vicky), who now plays Melissa Bedford. The big question: Will their storylines cross? His first airdate on GH will be June 1.

Former Dallas star Jack Scalia will literally sweep his way into All My Children's Pine Valley on June 28. He's been cast as Chris Stamp, a janitor, at Enchantment (who may rapidly prove to be upwardly mobile since insiders hint at an on-screen romance with Susan Lucci). Scalia has portrayed every sort of ladies' man imaginable, including the role of Joey Buttafuoco, opposite Alyssa Milano as Amy Fisher, in the TV movie, Casualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita Story.

Michael McDonald, star of the FOX hit, MAD TV, joins the cast of Passions in a mystical role. Portraying "The Face in the Pool," Michael will have some fun creating mayhem and misery for Tabitha and Timmy as well as others in Harmony. In addition to his weekly comedy chores on MAD TV, for which he also receives a writing credit, Michael has appeared in the feature films, Austin Powers and Picture Perfect. He has guest starred on Seinfeld, Drew Carrey Show, and Just Shoot Me. Air dates for Michael McDonald as "The Face in the Pool" are Tuesday, July 3, Wednesday, July 4, and Monday, July 9.

As the World Turns' Barbara Ryan gets a new dose of parental angst this summer when long-absent son Paul returns to Oakdale. Newcomer Scott Holroyd will portray the perenially troubled Stenbeck heir. Danny Pintauro, Andy Kavovit and John Howard have all previously handled the role. Holroyd begins taping his scenes in mid-June. Holroyd has appeared in the feature films The Program and Modern Love and has appeared on television in episodes of Matlock and America's Most Wanted.

Congratulations to Josh Ryan Evans (Timmy, Passions), who was named recipient of the 2001 Vision Award. The Vision Awards are presented annually to organizations and individuals who have exhibited exceptional "sight, foresight and insight" in their creative contributions for the public good. Josh will receive his 2001 Vision Award on June 28 during a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.

As the World Turns' Tom Eplin (Jake), along with Guiding Light's Crystal Chappell (Olivia) and Wesley Ramsey (Sam), are scheduled to appear at The New York Daytime Fan-Fete Luncheon to benefit Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The event will take place at New York's Marriott Marquis Hotel from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 24. For ticket information call (732)566-7178.

May 1 was a special day for soaps. Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, in conjunction with the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honored this year's Daytime Emmy Award nominees in a special ceremony held at City Hall in New York City with certificates of appreciation for their contributions to daytime television. Among those honored are All My Children's Susan Lucci (Erica), Josh Duhamel (Leo), Eden Riegel (Bianca) and Jesse McCartney (J.R.), and As The World Turns' Lesli Kay (Molly), Martha Byrne (Lily/Rose) and Michael Park (Jack).

Wondering what has been up with Mitch Longley since he left his role as Matt on Port Charles? He isn't heading back to soaps, but he did just land a prime time job. He's now appearing in the hit CBS series Judging Amy. Longley is trading in his hospital whites for pin stripes as he plays an attorney who comes to Maxine Gray's (Tyne Daly) aid.

On Beverly Blvd. begins their Guilt-Free Shopping Days, running until June 1, 2001. For every purchase you make, 10% of the purchase price will benefit the school or charity of your choice. On Beverly Blvd. is located in Los Angeles, CA at 8601 Beverly Blvd., across from L.A.'s famed Beverly Center. Keep in mind you leave looking good and feeling good, knowing that you've helped raise funds for your favorite school or tax-exempt chariy. This puts owners Lauralee Bell (Y&R's Christine) and Shauna Stein in a category all by themselves!

Ingo Rademacher will soon be gracing the hallowed halls of General Hospital, insiders report. Ingo who played Jax on the ABC soap until leaving for the prime time series, Titans, is said to have signed on to reprise that role beginning in June. If Jax is back, can Brenda (Vanessa Marcil) be far behind? Rumor is that she's coming back soon as well. Stay tuned!

NBC soaps go country! The Country Music Association has announced a partnership with NBC Daytime for Fan Fair 2001. For this event, stars from NBC's daytime dramas, Passions and Days of our Lives will travel from California to Tennessee to participate in the Nashville event from June 14 to 17. NBC soap stars will sign autographs at the convention center and perform at the NBC party to be held at the Wildhorse Saloon on June 16.

Welcome back! Michael Easton, who is best remembered by soap audiences as Tanner on the NBC soap, Days of our Lives, and to prime time audiences as Glenn on both Ally McBeal and The Practice, has taken a role with ABC's Port Charles beginning May 11. Easton will be playing the role of Michael, a character who fits into the next arc of stories on that soap. Look for Michael to be on the storyline canvas for the summer.

Nicholas Pryor who plays Victor on the ABC soap Port Charles couldn't be busier or happier these days. He just finished shooting a television sitcom pilot called, Bliss. In Bliss, Pryor plays a doctor who is quite eccentric. The show also stars Teri Garr and Susan Ruttan. Nicholas can also be seen on CBS in an upcoming episode of Diagnosis Murder.

Sean Kana, who plays Deacon in the CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful is pulling double duty these days. He was recently cast in the feature film Chasing Holden. Why double duty? Sean is not only the star of the flick, he also wrote the script for it. The move is slated to begin shooting in Montreal for five weeks. No word on how Sean will fit this into his busy soap schedule.

Kim Zimmer (Reva) of Guiding Light will serve as the Honorary Chair for the 2001 Ronald McDonald Celebrity Classic. The Classic, known for the past twelve years as the Michael Jordan Celebrity Golf Classic, will be held in Greenville, North Carolina on June 21 to 24, to raise money to support the four Ronald McDonald Houses in North Carolina. For more information on tournament events, or information on how you can participate visit their website or call (252)355-3222.

If you hurry up, you might get the chance to participate in the chat with Y&R's Ryan (Scott Reeves) tonight, and if you'll come back tommorow, you'll be able to participate in the chat with DAYS' Kate (Lauren Koslow) & Phillip (Jay Johnson). Also, if you are a fan of Y&R's Billy (David Tom) & Raul (David Lago), you might want to come back on Thursday, April 26th, as they chat on yahoo! chat, hosted by Soapcity.

Don't look for Susan Lucci to be part of this year's Daytime Emmy broadcast on NBC. It has nothing to do with network affiliation, however. The truth is that Susan, who has been nominated this year in the Outstanding Actress category, will be in Atlantic City that weekend on a singing engagement at Resorts International. She won't be the only nominee in Atlantic City waiting out the results in New York. Joining her at Resorts will be Regis Philbin, talk show host nominee.

Sean Kanan, who plays Deacon in the CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful is pulling double duty these days. He was recently cast in the feature film Chasing Holden. Why double duty? Sean is not only the star of the flick, he also wrote the script for it. The move is slated to begin shooting in Montreal for five weeks. No word on how Sean will fit this into his busy soap schedule.

How time flies! Erika Slezak recently celebrated her 30th year playing Viki on One Life to Live and received a special honor from the city of New York where OLTL is taped. Mayor Guiliani declared March 16 as Erika Slezak Day. She was then treated to a video montage of her three decades on the ABC soap. Erika actually took over the role of Viki on March 17, 1971.

Steve Burton is again leaving his role as Jason on the ABC soap, General Hospital. Burton reprised his role in January, but a chance to appear in his first feature film sent him packing. Burton will be in The Castle, which will star Robert Redford and The Sopranos' James Gandolfini. There are no plans to recast the role of Jason. His last airdate in April 24.

Seems like old times. Emmy winning actress Susan Haskell is headed back to the soaps after a four year absence. Susan was on One Life to Live from 1992 to 1997. It's not surprising that Susan would start popping up on Port Charles since her on screen love on One Life to Live, Patrick Thornhart was played by Thorsten Kaye is now playing Patrick's brother, Ian on PC. Look for Susan to stop by beginning April 18.

Linda Dano recently presented the first Linda Dano Heart Award to talk show host Rosie O'Donnell. The award is part of HeartShare's recognition of people who work tirelessly to fulfill the needs of children. The award was presented in New York City at a cocktail reception for the black-tie fundraiser at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. It was a double treat for Rosie. She celebrated her 39th birthday that evening as well.

Good news on a personal level for two Guiding Light stars. GL's Beth Ehlers (Harley) and hubby, Matt Christian are expecting second baby this summer. Their first child, Henry Jack, was born in 1999. Setsiders say the pregnancy will be written into the show. Ryan Brown (Bill) became engaged to his gal pal Victoria Albert. Ryan and Victoria plan to get married in December.

On Monday, March 26, rhythm-and-blues singer Tamia performed her latest hit, "Stranger In My House," on As the World Turns. The musical guest will be the newest member to join a list of talent who has graced the stage at the Java Underground. Tamia sets the mood with her singing at Java Underground as 'Lily' (Martha Byrne) bumps into former flame 'Simon' (Paul Leyden). Tamia's performance is part of a continuing effort to book musical talent for ATWT. Past performers include 98 Degrees, Kristine W, and Tonic.

The Nominees were announced for the 28th Annual Daytime Emmys® and the big news was As the World Turns with 25 nominations! Jay Kenneth Johnson (Days), Josh Duhamel (AMC), Kassie DePaiva (OLTL), Peter Parros (ATWT) and Beth Chamberlin (GL) were on hand to list the nominees at New York's famous Rainbow Room. All My Children received 21 nods, The Young and the Restless followed with 12, Passions received 8, One Life to Live took seven nods and The Bold and the Beautiful had six nominations. The Emmy Ceremony will be held Friday, May 18, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. For a complete list of nominees, click here...

United Cerebral Palsy held their 15th Annual Champagne Stakes on March 1, 2001, at New York's Etoile Restaurant. The event honored Todd A. Harrison, president of Cramer Berkowitz & Co. and a featured commentator on TheStreet.com's RealMoney. Mr. Harrison is the recipient of United Cerebral Palsy's Outstanding Achievement Award. Click here to see pictures of some of the soap world's attendees at the benefit.

The Young and the Restless welcomes both Eva Longoria (Isabella), and Christopher Douglas (Sean Bridges) to the show. Eva's storyline finds her as Doug Davidson's (Paul) newest client, while Christopher is mostly playing against Jess Walton (Jill) as Glow by Jabot's new Webmaster. Some of you may remember Christopher from his role at One Life to Live. Look for them on the show now as they have already started to air.

Y&R's Don Diamont (Brad), is this year's honorary chair of 'The MS Walk' starting at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California on Sunday, April 1. Don will be joined by Y&R cast members Peter Bergman (Jack), Scott Reeves (Ryan), Kristoff St. John (Neil), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), Christian Le Blanc (Michael), Rick Hearst (Carter), and Ashley Bashioum (Mac) as they walk toward a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. If you would like or are able to join the walk you can register online at www.msevents.com or just pick up the phone and call MS Walk's speed registration line at (310)479-4456 or 1-800-FIGHT MS. Don't forget, it's "Team Young & Restless code-1538"!