Y&R Report (November 18, 2023): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

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

Hi fans, 

Well, that was quite a cup of tea Nikki Newman had with Claire Grace, except that Claire didn't drink her cup and Nikki was drugged.  Claire has revealed herself as a villain, just as we suspected, but who is this mystery woman anyway?  We know that she despises the Newman family.  We also know that she is working with her "Aunt Jordan." Some important questions, however, still remain unanswered.  We don't know Aunt Jordan's identity.  We don't know why she and Claire are seeking revenge on Nikki and the Newman family.

There has been some online speculation as to the identity of Aunt Jordan.  It's been speculated that she may be a long-lost relative of Nikki and her sister, Casey.  This theory holds that Aunt Jordan may actually be their half-sister, the unknown daughter of their abusive father, Nick Reed, whom Nikki killed in self-defemce.  

Another theory holds  that Aunt Jordan is actually be Meggie McClaine  In 2010, Meggie was a bartender Victor met while searching for Adam in Canada.  She played a role in saving Victor from a thug name Shaw.  Meggie had a crush on Victor and she was jealous of Nikki.

The cat and mouse game between Nikki and Claire will continue for a while because the writers want to keep us guessing.  Claire enjoys tormenting Nikki.  She must have some medical background because she attached an IV to Nikki's arm.  She also knows about Nikki's battle with alcoholism and she is taking advantage of that knowledge. 

It seems that Y&R is full of romantic triangles lately.  There is the Daniel, Lily and Heather triangle. We also have Chance and Summer and Sharon.  Then there's Danny and Phyllis and Christine (aka Cricket), as well as Adam and Sally and Nick.  That is a total of five triangles.

As far as Chance is concerned, I think Summer has the edge.  Here's why.  I am sure that Nina, Chance's mother, will come out in favour Summer because Sharon has more baggage from her past.  Nina's opinion will carry some weight with Chance.  Furthermore, Phyllis has given her daughter, Summer, some important information regarding Sharon.  According to Phyllis, Nick is the one that Sharon has always really loved.  You can bet that Summer will use that information to her own advantage, unless her mother does that for her.  However, Phyllis seems too preoccupied with getting "The Bug" away from Danny.Romalotti.  My guess is that Summer herself will attempt to bring Nick and Sharon together again.  The interesting wrinkle is that Nick is Summer's own father.

Although Phyllis is trying to become a better person, expect her cat claws to come out soon.  She is irked by the sight of Danny with Cricket.  She can't help herself.  She can't stand the thought of Christine winning.  Those two are headed for a collision and poor Danny will be caught in the middle.

Daniel should take a deep breath and chill.  He's trying much to hard to show Lily that he's not interested in reconciling with Heather.  His attitude is only making things worse and leaving Lily wondering.  There are forces working against Lily.  Daniel's meddling mother, Phyllis, would love Daniel to reunite with Heather and daughter Lucy.  Lucy would also want her parents to reunite.  Speaking of Lucy, why don't the writers give her a storyline with characters her own age?  It might help draw some younger viewers to the show.  

There's no way that Heather is going to keep her distance from Daniel.  Since Lucy has her own room at Daniel's apartment, Heather has a perfect excuse for showing up there often.  This does not bode well for Lily.

As for Nick and Sally and Adam, it appears that Adam has won Sally's heart, at least for now.  He may do something to alienate her again.  

Dr. Elena hasn't been seen much for a while.  Since she broke up with Nate, she doesn't have much of a part anymore.  She shows up at the hospital when there is an emergency such as when Sally lost her baby or when Chance was recently shot.  Now that Nate has been fired from Newman Enterprises by Victor, he may try to win Elena back, although she does appear to be finished with him.

So, Victor Newman is in control again, exerting his authority and pointing fingers.  I had a problem with him accusing Nate of wanting to send him to the  "looney bin."  Y&R should really be much more sensitive about mental illness. That kind of language does not help.

Has Victor really alienated Princess Victoria for good?  He was very unfair in mentioning all her failed relationships - J.T., Billy and Ashland Locke.  Yes, Victoria hasn't made the best choices in men.  Don't forget Ryan and Cole.  However, Victor has also left a trail of failed relationships.  Let's see now.  There was Julia, Ashley, Hope . . .  He's finally settled down with Nikki, but he has broken up with her many times in the past.  I've lost count of how many times they've married, divorced and remarried.  Furthermore, Victor has always interfered in Victoria's relationships.  Maybe this time Victoria should cut herself loose from Daddy.  Somehow I don't that will ever happen, at least permanently.

It hasn't happened for Nick either.  He always tries to distance himself from Newman Enterprises.  He's tried to start his own ventures.  He ran a magazine called Restless Style.  He had a company called Dark Horse.  He owned and operated a restaurant called The Underground.  Still, he always returns to Newman Enterprises.

So Nina and Jill want Chance to enter the business world.  I can understand how Nina, as his mother, and Jill, as his grandmother, feel about him putting his life in danger all the time as a cop.  However, they shouldn't pressure him into working for Chancellor-Winters.  It's true that Chance doesn't seem too pleased with his position as Genoa City's police chief and he seems to want to try something new.  Yet, he doesn't appear to be the type for the corporate world.  I can't picture him wearing an expensive suit and sitting behind a desk.   I'm sure he's going to end up there anyway.  After all, Nate Hastings transformed himself from a surgeon to a business man, didn't he?  It happens so easily on Y&R.

Kyle must not be the sharpest knife in the drawer.  Why did it take him so long to recognize that Audra was just using him?  Duh!!  He should stay as far away as possible from that unscrupulous woman and her partner in crime, Tucker McCall.  But he won't.  

I'm looking forward to watching Y&R's Thanksgiving episode with the Baldwin/Fisher clan. The show did not have a Fourth of July episode this past summer.  Nor did it have a Halloween episode.  Holiday episodes are very popular with the fans, so Y&R's writers should include them.  According to an online spoiler, Michael and Gloria will return from Singapore with some shocking news.

CAST NEWS

Soap veteran Barbara Zenk appears as Claire's "Aunt Jordan"

The actress who plays Claire's "Aunt Jordan" is no stranger to soaps.  She is no newcomer either. Barbara Zenk portrayed Barbara Ryan on As the World Turns for 32 years.  She played the character from 1978 until the show's demise in September of 2010.  Since the cancellation of As the World Turns, she has appeared in episodes of Blue Bloods, American Criminal, Tainted Dreams and After Forever.  It will be interesting to see what Barbara does with her juicy new role.

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki)

Well fans, no one realizes that Nikki is in trouble yet.  Will she get home in time for Thanksgiving, or will she return for Christmas?  Will her disappearance help to bring her family together?  Is it inevitable that Victor will rescue her?  What do you think?  Respond to the poll below and let me know.

 

Will Victor save Nikki from the clutches of Claire and her aunt?

Yes. I have no doubt that Victor will ride in like a white knight and rescue her.

No, Nikki will escape by herself.

Nikki's children, Nick and Victoria, will rescue her.

Someone else who Nikki knows will save her.

A stranger will rescue Nikki.

Other

 

pollcode.com free polls

NOTE TO READERS

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

My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca 

That's all for now.  Please remember that the next will appear in this space on Saturday, December 2, 2023.  To my American readers, have a very Happy Thanksgiving 

Take care,

Joanne

Mary Kay and Johnny: The earliest sitcom/reality show on television

 

Are you ready?  Let's go way back to a time when television was in its infancy and owning a TV set was a novelty.  You may not have heard of Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns, but they were trailblazers.  In the post-World War II era, they were ahead of their time.  If you think I Love Lucy was the first sitcom on network television, you'd be wrong  Before there was Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz or George Burns and Gracie Allen, there was Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns.  This real-life married couple were the stars of American television's first situation comedy.  Their show, Mary Kay and Johnny, ran from 1947 until 1950.  It finished its run before I Love Lucy premiered in October of 1951, and it paved the way for the famed Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz sitcom.  It was also an early version of a TV reality show.

Mary Kay and Johnny began as a 15-minute program on the old DuMont network on November 18, 1947, exactly 76 years ago today.  The sitcom aired on DuMont until August of 1948.  In subsequent years, however, it was broadcast on NBC (October 1948-February 1949), CBS (March 1949-June 1949) and then NBC again (August 1949-March 1950).  It ended its run as a 30-minute program.

The Stearns played fictional versions of themselves in a domestic comedy about the lives of a newly married couple in New York.  Johnny Stearns' character was employed at a bank and he and his zany wife, Mary Kay, resided in a Greenwich Village apartment.  Johnny, who wrote the episodes, often took his inspirations from the couple's real life experiences.  Unlike the more well-known Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, the Stearns' characters slept in the same bed, something that would become taboo in early television sitcoms.  However, it should be remembered that Mary Kay and Johnny was not constrained by the Code of Practices for Television Broadcasters, which came into effect in December of 1951.

Mary Kay and Johnny was filmed live in front of a New York studio audience.  Unfortunately, very little footage remains in existence.  It cannot be found on YouTube.  Unlike I Love Lucy, it is mostly recognized by TV trivia buffs.  When Mary Kay and Johnny was launched, television was a new medium and its future was uncertain.  As Mary Kay put it in a 1997 interview with The Associated Press for the 50th anniversary of Mary Kay and Johnny, "Television was just one of those things that your did to help pay the rent while you were looking for a real job in the theatre."

Mary Katherine Stearns (née Jones) was born on October 27, 1925 in Glendale, California.  Her father Walter, was employed by the Bank of America.  Her mother, Katherine Jones, was a homemaker.  Mary Kay, as she was called, was raised in Santa Monica and she graduated from North Hollywood High School.  She began her show business career at an early age.  At two and a half years old, Mary Kay appeared as an actress and singer at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California.  "I wore a bunny outfit," she recalled when she and Johnny sat down for an interview in 1999 with the American Television Academy as an oral history for the Archive of American Television 

Mary Kay made her made her film debut with a tiny part in the 1946 comedy Our Hearts Were Growing Up.  She then moved to New York in order to work in the theatre.  She was soon hired as an understudy in Dear Ruth, a comedy that had been appearing on Broadway since 1944.  It wasn't long before she became a replacement player.  In an attempt to improve her career prospects, Mary Kay had tea with Edith Bond Stearns, founder of of the Peterborough Players, a summer theatre based in Peterborough, New Hampshire.  Edith was Johnny's mother and during the tea, he showed up unexpectedly.  By the time the tea was over, Mary Kay was smitten with the young actor.

John Stearns was born in Billerica, Massachusetts on October 13, 1916 and he was a member of his mother's theatre troupe  which she founded in 1933..  Johnny began acting at the age of 14 at the Mariarden Theater in Peterborough.  He made his Broadway debut in Night Music with Group Theater.  He also performed in Broadway musical productions such as One Touch Venus with Mary Martin in 1943, On the Town in 1944 and Are You With It in 1945.

Inn 1946, Mary Kay Jones and Johnny Stearns were wed.  Mary Kay had been performing on Broadway when her agent suggested that she audition for a new television fashion show, actually a New York garment maker's. couple were not impressed.  Johnny told the American Television Academy the following: "What it consisted of is Mary Kay, looking 14 years old, wearing junior dresses and modelling them and telling about the belt and this and that."  

After making it clear that he disliked the fashion program, Johnny put forth a proposal.  "I said there are a lot of very successful domestic comedies on radio, but nothing had ever been done like that on TV, he told the Associated Press in 1997.  "We got the go-ahead to try one episode.  So I went back to our apartment in the (Greenwich Village, and I wrote a little script about a young married couple - and played it for comedy."

The Stearns needed a sponsor to back their fictional series based on a young newlywed couple, not unlike them.  That sponsor turned out to be Anacin, a pain relief medication whose executives feared they might be wasting money on a show with a sparse audience.  In those days, there were no Neilsen ratings (the measurement of ratings began in 1950).  However, Anacin found another way to gauge the popularity of the show.

During one commercial spot on Mary Kay and Johnny, Anacin offered a free pocket mirror to the first 200 viewers who requested one  To be on the safe side, the company purchased 400 mirrors, in case the requests were twice as large as they anticipated.  Although the ad was only shown once, they received almost 9,000 requests for mirrors.

According to Mary Kay, the show was "tremendously popular actually at the time, because there was little else on TV."  The couple received a high volume of mail, Mary Kay explained, "because people had never seen a husband and wife in real life doing skits that were based on what really happened in our marriage.  So people became tremendously identified with us as people, and they did all sorts of wonderful things, like knitting Christmas stockings for our children." 

In December of 1948, the real Mary Kay Stearns gave birth to the couple's son, Christopher William Stearns.  Mary Kay's pregnancy and the child's birth was incorporated into the script.  The birth was worked into an episode on the exact day that Mary Kay delivered the baby.  Since the show was done live, Mary Kay had to be absent.

On the day of Christopher's birth, the episode that night featured the fictional Johnny anxiously pacing the waiting room floor.  Days later, the infant, also named Christopher, was displayed on the show.  He joined the cast less than one month after his birth, appearing in his bassinet.  According to Ripley's Believe it or Not, he was the youngest cast member of any show in television history.

Christopher's 1948 birth predated the January 1953 birth of Desi Arnaz Jr./"Little Ricky" by about 4 years.   In 1952 and early 1953, Lucy's real-life pregnancy stirred up controversy over whether it should be incorporated into the show.  There was no such apprehension for Mary Kay and Johnny.  They easily wove the pregnancy into the show.  "I decoded, well, Mary Kay and Johnny is about us, and Mary Kay is pregnant, so I just wrote it into the script," Johnny said in the interview for American Television Academy.  

Mary Kay accepted a couple of  TV roles after the series ended.  She appeared in a 1951 episode of Armstrong Circle Theatre entitled "Danny's Tune" (Season 2, Episode 2, Air Date: September 25, 1951) and she played the role of Cinderella in a 1952 episode of Kraft Theatre, alongside Leslie Nielsen's Prince Charming.  In 1951 and 1952, Mary Kay hosted Mary Kay's Nightcap, in which she informed NBC viewers of the next day's schedule on the network.  However, she mostly retired from acting after Mary Kay and Johnny.  Johnny went on to become one of the original producers of  the precursor to The Tonight Show with Steve Allen on WNBC in New York.  He also produced and directed The Arthur Murray Party, a musical variety show.

When the Stearns family moved to California, Johnny continued to pursue work as a television producer, director and host.  In 1961, he began a lengthy career in public affairs television as producer and host of NBC's Agriculture U.S.A. (later known as AG-USA), which aired on the network until 1990.

Johnny Stearns passed away on December 5, 2001 after complications from a fall.  He was 85 years old at the time of his death in a Newport Beach, California hospital.  Mary Kay died on November 17, 2018, five years ago yesterday.  She died in Newport Beach at the age of 93.  Her death was not reported until two months later.       

Mary Kay and Johnny are largely forgotten today, but they were truly television pioneers.  They hold an important place in TV history.

END NOTES

* Mary Kay and Johnny had three children together: sons Christopher and Jonathan, and daughter. Melinda.  It was Jonathan who reported Mary Kay's death to The New York Times for an obituary.

* The supporting cast on Mary Kay and Johnny consisted of Hoard Thomas, who played Johnny's best friend Howie, and Nydia Westman, who portrayed Mary Kay's mother.

*In the early 1950s, Mary Kay and Johnny appeared in live commercials for the U.S. Steel Hour.  The couple promoted U.S, Steel around the United States.

SOURCES:  Deadline (www.deadline.com), "Mary Kay Stearns Dies: Star of Pioneering 1940s Sitcom Was 93," by Greg Evans, January 10, 2019; Los Angeles Times, "Johnny Stearns: 85: Paired With Wife in Trailblazing TV Sitcom of the Late '40s," by Dennis McLellan, December 9, 2001, Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

- Joanne

Y&R Report (November 4, 2023): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

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

Hi fans,  

Cricket . . .er Christine. . .poured her heart out to Danny Romalotti about the collapse of her marriage to Paul Williams.  Here's what bothered me.  Cricket claimed that she and Paul had differences of opinions and issues.  Yet, she never spelled those issues out.  She never told Danny what was the cause of the tension between her and Paul.

Speaking of the Cricketmeister, I must say I enjoyed the special episode that paid tribute to Lauralee Bell's 40 years on the show.  I enjoyed the flashbacks, especially the ones with Paul (Doug Davidson).  I really miss Doug on the show.

Cricket is still feuding with Phyllis after all these years.  Although Phyllis claims that she wants to make peace with Christine, she'll be up to her old tricks to prevent Cricket and Danny from getting together.  That's bound to happen because it seems as if she has her heart set on a romance with Danny.  She invited him to have dinner with him, but he hemmed and hawed when Cricket entered the room.  

Kyle Abbott has to be the biggest fool in Genoa City.  He is a spoiled rich kid.  What makes him think he is more entitled to the Jabot CEO job than Billy.  Billy is the son of John Abbott, the founder of Jabot, not someone outside of the family.  Jabot is just as much Billy's birthright as Kyles's.  Why should he be pushed out of the company for Kyle's sake?  Kyle is simply arrogant.  Where would he be if his last name wasn't Abbott?  His unholy alliance with Audra and Tucker is doomed to failure and he is headed for a big fall.  It might be the best thing for him.  He is certainly in need of some humility.

Good for Mamie for standing up to that snake-in-the-grass, Tucker McCall.  She told him exactly what she thinks of his behaviour.  I'm glad she put him in his place.  Devon also called him out after catching him in one of his many lies.  

It's hard to believe that someone like Ashley would still have feelings for Tucker McCall after all he's done to her and her family.  Tucker may shed a tear over Ashley, but he never stops all his lying and scheming and cheating.  

CAST NEWS

Christian LeBlanc battles cancer

Christian LeBlanc has not appeared in his onscreen role as Michael Baldwin for months.  The 65-year-old actor has been battling a blood cancer called multiple myeloma.  Christian first portrayed lawyer Michael Baldwin on The Young and the Restless from 1991 to 1993.  He returned to the role in 1997 and has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award eight times and won for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2005, 2007 and 2009.

Christian revealed to New Orleans CBS affiliate WWL-TV that Y&R viewers alerted him to a sign of the disease after noticing a change in one of his eyes,  If it hadn't been for the fans, he wouldn't have caught it as soon.  He explained that the cancer may have progressed further if he had not had an eye exam. "It's a very fast cancer, and that is the danger of it, but it's also because the speed of which a cell reproduces is a signifier of cancer," he told the TV affiliate.  

Eventually, Christian was informed that there was a tumour in his sinus cavity.  He said he was diagnosed in June.  "I'd never spent a day in the hospital in my 65 years, until this year,' he stated.  Christian lost a great deal of weight and he experienced symptoms of the disease on the set such as nose bleeds. He underwent surgery and immunotherapy treatment in hospital.  The cancer is now in remission and Christian will return to the show on the Thanksgiving episode, which will air on November 23rd on CBS and November 22nd on Global TV.

On a personal note, I have met Christian a few times at Y&R teas for the March of Dimes charity,  He is very friendly and has a good sense of humour.  He is one of my favourite actors on Y&R and I wish him well.  

Baldwin/Fisher family Thanksgiving

Greg Rikkart (Kevin)

The Baldwin/Fisher family will be reunited for Thanksgiving.  Christian LeBlanc as Michael Baldwin will appear with Greg Rikkart (Kevin Fisher). Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren Fenmore), Judith Chapman (Gloria Fisher) and Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Mitchell).  

Greg Rikkart hasn't appeared as Kevin since January for the special episode marking Tracey Bregman's 40 years on Y&R.  He's been busy playing Leo Stark on Days of our Lives.  He has a major role in a storyline and there is no indication that he will be leaving Days anytime soon.

As for Judith Chapman, she too hasn't been seen in her role as Gloria since Tracey Bregman's anniversary episode.  Back in July, it was revealed that Gloria was in Singamore and that Michael was going to help her out of some legal mess.

Eizabeth Hendrickson has made some appearances as Chloe, but she hasn't had much to do except warn Sally Spectra, her friend and business partner, against the evils of hooking up with Adam Newman again.  Chloe also serves as Nick Newman's cheerleader, constantly telling Sally what a great guy he is.

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Trevor St; Joh (Tucker McCall)

Michael Mealor (Kyle Abbott)

Who is the most unlikeable male character currently on The Young and The Restless?  Is it terrible Tucker McCall or spoiled Kyle Abbott? They are both scoundrels.   Respond to the poll below and let me know.

Who is the most unlikeable male character on Y&R right now, Tucker McCall or Kyle Abbott?

Tucker McCall

Kyle Abbott

I don't know.

Other

 

pollcode.com free polls

 NOTE TO READERS

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

My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca 

That's all for now.  Please remember that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, November 18, 2023.  Keep in mind that's it's the November sweeps.  

Tale care.

Joanne

What to expect in Season 6 of The Crown

 

The Crown debuted on Netflix in November of 2016.  Its first season, consisting of ten episodes, focused on the early days of the marriage of Princess Elizabeth (played by Claire Foy) and Philip Mountbatten (played by Matt Smith).  Four other ten-episode seasons followed, chronicling the saga of the British royal family, 

I recently finished watching the first five seasons of The Crown, which means that I have viewed a total of 50 episodes.  However, there will be an additional ten-episode season in this royal soap opera.  Netflix has announced that the sixth and final season of The Crown will be released in two parts.  The first part is comprised of four episodes and will be available on November 16, 2023, while the second part, comprised of six episodes, will be available on December 14th.  Part one will be mainly about Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed.  Part two will focus on Prince William, Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, and Charles and Camilla.  

Of course, the sixth season of The Crown will deal with the shocking death of Princess Diana and its aftermath in 1997.  Elizabeth Debicki will return as Princess Diana, and Dominic West will continue in his role as Prince Charles.  In September, Netflix hinted that the final season will depict the 2005 wedding of Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles.

In April, photos from the show's last season were released featuring Ed McVey as Prince William and Meg Bellamy as  Kate Middleton when they met as students at the University of St. Andrews  in Scotland in the early 2000s.

It is understandable that the royal family would be deeply offended by some of the scenes in The  Crown.  I was not particularly pleased to learn that the ghost of Princess Diana will appear in the sixth season.  It bothers me and I don't think it's necessary.

The Crown is not a documentary and it can't be expected to be historically accurate.  In fact, it is laden with historical inaccuracies.  I had to remind myself that the conversations are scripted.  Most of the events actually happened, but not without some embellishment for dramatic effect.

Nevertheless, Andrew Morton, the journalist who wrote the 1972 bestselling book Diana: Her True Story, based on audio recordings provided by the Princess of Wales, was left "shaken" about watching the portrayal of his association with Diana on The Crown.  In an interview with Good Morning America, he commented on Season 5, where Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) is seen recording answers to his interview questions at her home in Kensington Palace.  "When you see Diana talking," he said, "you're really seeing what happened, and she's using many of the words which she sent me through tape recordings."

The sixth season of The Crown covers the years 1997 to 2005.  Therefore, it will not depict the wedding of Prince William and to Kate Middleton in 2011, nor the births of their three children.  Nor will it touch upon Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle, their move to California, their Oprah interview and Harry's book.  There could be a seventh season focusing on Harry and Meghan's exploits and how they affected the rest of the royal family.  However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would likely sue Netflix for enormous amounts of money.

- Joanne

Whatever happened to Paul O'Keefe (Ross from Patty Duke Show)?

Here's a blast from the past.  Remember Paul O'Keefe from The Patty Duke Show.  He played Russ Lane, the younger brother of Patty Lane, Patty Duke's character on The Patty Duke Show.  With the death of Eddie Applegate, who played Patty's boyfriend, Richard Harrison, on October 17, 2016,  Paul is the only surviving member of the main cast of the show.    

Paul was born on April 27, 1951 in Everett, Massachusetts, near Boston.  He was a child performer in his home state.  He studied music at the New England Conservatory and performed in shows such as Annie Get Your Gun at the Carousel Theater in Framingham.  His sister was also involved in theatre work.  At the age of seven, Paul played Winthrop in the 1959 Broadway production of the musical The Music Man.  In 1959, he sang in an episode of The Ed Sullivan Show.

Paul also appeared in the daytime soap opera Ass the World Turns as Danny Stewart (aka Jimmy Lowell) from 1962 to 1963 and as Tommy Hughes from 1967 to 1968).  He had minor roles in three episodes of the TV comedy Car 54, Where Are You? in 1962 and 1963. - "Toody's Paradise" (Season 1, Episode 19, Air Date:: January 28, 1962) , "Quiet! We're Thinking" (Season 1, Episode 29, Air Date: April 8, 1962), "See You at the Bar Mitzvah" (Season 3, Episode 24, Air Date: March 3, 1963).  He also appeared in a 1963 episode of the crime drama Naked City entitled  "Robin Hood and Clarence Darrow, They Went Out with Bow and Arrow" (Season 4, Episode 17, Air Date: January 9, 1963).

In 1963, Paul was playing the role of "Oliver" on Broadway when he was cast as Patty's bespectacled kid brother on The Patty Duke Show.  The Patty Duke Show was created by Sidney Sheldon and William Asher.  The series was designed as a vehicle for the teenage Patty who had won an Academy Award in 1963 for her performance as Helen Keller in 1962 film The Miracle Worker..

The Patty Duke Show ran on the ABC Network from 1963 to 1966,  It chronicled the adventures of the Lane family of Brooklyn Heights, New York.  Patty Duke portrayed rambunctious teenager Patty Lane.  She also portrayed Patty's sophisticated look-a-like cousin, Cathy Lane.  

Martin Lane, the father of  Patty and Ross is the managing editor of the New York Chronicle.  Cathy's widowed father, Kenneth Lane, is Martin's identical twin brother.  He is the Chronicle's foreign correspondent, and is often away.  Hence, the brainy, well-travelled Cathy stays with her relatives in Brooklyn Heights, where she attends high school with her all-American cousin, Patty.  Cathy spoke with a Scottish accent and a split screen effect was used so that the cousins could appear on screen together, despite both being portrayed by Patty Duke.

Patty and Cathy in the same scene

The Patty Duke Show was cancelled in 1966 after three season.  Paul O'Keefe went on to guest stars in a 1967 episode of My Three Sons.  He portrayed Norman in an episode entitled "The Computer Picnic" (Season 8, Episode 12, Air Date: November 25, 1967).

In the 1972 horror film Child's Play, Paul portrayed a Catholic school student whose character is beaten up and loses an eye.

Paul's last television acting performance was in the 1999 TV movie The Patty Duke Show: Still Rockin' in Brooklyn Heights, a reunion of the show with original cast members.  

Paul O'Keefe first saw Rent on stage about 25 years ago.  He was greatly impressed by Jonathan Larson's production.  About a year into the show's Broadway run,  Paul was invited to become a sub-musician by his friend, Tim Weil, the musical supervisor of Rent.  He jumped at the opportunity, but was anxious about being required to play multiple instruments.  "It was kind of daunting," he told Metro.US.  The first few performances I managed to do okay and not screw anything up, but it was a real stretch for me artistically.  I was really pleased when things settled down and I was accepted and approved by everybody."

Paul O'Keefe never really established an acting career as an adult.  Since he left acting, he has kept his personal life very private.  I could find very little online about his recent activities or his current whereabouts.  Since Paul is the only surviving member of the Patty Duke Show's cast, fans of the show would appreciate an update on him.  Paul, if you are reading this, I would appreciate it very much if you would email me a few lines about yourself and what you have been up to lately.  My email address is jmadden16@yahoo.ca

Paul O'Keefe

END NOTES

* Paul O'Keefe is the cousin of actor Ellen Pompeo who is also a native of Everett, Massachusetts.  Ellen is well known for her role as Dr. Meredith Grey on the popular medical drama Grey's Anatomy. 

* Three members of the cast of the Patty Duke Show died in 2016.  Jean Byron, who played Natalie Lane, the mother of Patty and Ross Lane, died on February 3, 2006.  William Schallert, who played their father, Martin Lane, as well as Martin's twin brother, Kenneth, passed away on May 8, 2016.  On March 29, 2016, Patty Deke died of sepsis from a ruptured intestine.  She was 69 a t the time of her passing.

Jean Byron

William Schallert

* In 2019, Paul O'Keefe served as the assistant musical director of Rent for the show's 20th anniversary tour. 

SOURCES: Metro.US, "Rent is all about family for Everett's Paal O'Keefe," by Matt Juul, October 31, 2019; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

          

- Joanne

Y&R Report (October 21, 2023): The Latest on the Young and the Restless

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

Hi fans,  

Claire Grace, Nikki's new assistant at Newman Media, is bad news.  She is gong to be trouble with a capital T.   From the beginning, I felt that something was not right with her.  She is far too eager to please.  She bows down to Nikki and the Newmans and compliments them incessantly.  You'd think she was Nikki's servant, not her employee.  She's up to something sinister.  She's planning to sabotage them. That's why she was studying pictures of the Newmans and looking up information on them on her computer.  Could she be in league with Audra Charles and Tucker McCall?

I've wonder why sweet Aunt Mamie would join forces with a snake-in-the-grass like Tucker McCall.  Is she not aware that Tucker is out to destroy the Abbot family?  She loves the Abbots and they consider her part of the family.  What is going on with her?  It seems she has really changed since her years in the Abbott household.  She's tougher.  She has more of an edge to her, and she's more worldly.  The days when Mamie made delicious cinnamon buns for the Abbott breakfasts are long gone.  This is very determined Mamie.  Her main goal is actually the same as Victor's.  She wants her whole family, including Nate, united and working for Chancellor-Winters, just as Victor wants his family to work together under the Newman umbrella.  

Why can't Victor and Mamie just stay out of it and let their loved ones make their own decisions?  Of course, Victor has always been controlling, and now Mamie is behaving the same way.  However, she also has another motivation.  She wants to get back at her nemesis, Jill.  Mamie and Jill are on a collision course, especially when Jill discovers that, thanks to Mamie, Tucker has his grubby hands on Chancellor-Winters.

I am glad that Victor Newman is not really losing it, that he is just putting on an act.  Y&R fans definitely do not want another story about dementia or Alzheimer's.  We've already been through that with Dina.  It would be depressing to go through that again, especially with someone as vital and feisty as Victor.  Given all the turmoil in the world right now, we need a little harmless escapism. It seems that Victor has his children and Nate fooled, especially Princess Victoria.  At the moment, Nikki is going along with her husband's plan, but she's not happy about it.  She's texted Victoria to meet with her and I'm sure that she'll reveal the truth to her daughter.  From the previews and spoilers, I can tell that Victor will be forced to admit that he's been faking it.

What's with Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope)?  Why is she afraid to go back to Adam, especially since she admitted that she still has feelings for him?  Is she afraid he might hurt her again?  I can't blame her for that.  He's so unpredictable.  Sally seems to be in agony over Adam.  It's the old story.  She can't live with him, but she can't live without him either.

Have you noticed that some Y&R characters have just quietly faded away?  For example, Noah and Allie are barely mentioned anymore.  What happened to Noah's nightclub, his pride and joy?  Would he just go off and leave it for months and months?  Who's managing it during his absence.?  I guess the writers  just can't come up for a storyline for those two.  What about Dr. Elena Dawson?  Ever since she broke up with Nate, she has had very little screen time.  She's really not a factor in any storyline.  

VIEWER FORUM

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

My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca

I received an email from longtime Y&R viewer, Carly in Barrhaven, Ontario.  She wrote the following:

I am happy that Victor has taken back control of his company.

The marriage celebration of Jack & Diane was OK.

Chance should be with Summer, much closer in age. Of course that means Nick & Sharon will reunite.

Thanks for your comments, Carly.  I am also pleased that Victor Newman has taken back control of his company.  It's about time Princess Victoria was taken down a notch.  Of course, Victor is way too controlling and he has interfered far too much in the lives of his children.  However, Eric Braeden shines in the role of Victor when he is tough and bossy.  Victor is not the type to just sit at home and play chess.  He has to be part of the action.  So, apparently, does Eric Braeden.

Kyle is behaving like a spoiled jerk.  He has a sense of entitlement and he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  He wants the co-CEO job at Jabot, and nothing else will do.  He knows that Billy has the job for the foreseeable future. If he can't have what he wants, he is willing to betray his own family by joining an unholy alliance with the despicable Tucker McCall and the duplicitous Audra Charles.  How childish and petulant!

Kyle will eventually have a downfall.  He will realize that selfish Audra is just using him.  He will want Summer back, but she will turn him down because of Chance.  Kyle has broken so many hearts.  Think about how he treated Summer in the past, a well as the way he just dumped Lota to be with Summer again.  This time, he will have a taste of his own medicine.  Kyle is playing with fire and I can safely predict that he is going to burned.

I think Nick and Sharon belong together. The problem is that if they are happy together, there isn't any conflict and not much storyline.  

CAST NEWS

Lauralee Bell (Christine Blair Williams aka Cricket) will celebrate 40 years on Y&R

It's hard to believe, but Lauralee Bell, the Crickmeister, will be celebrating 40 years on Y&R, the show her parents, Willian and Lee Phillip Bell created.  She literally grew up on screen, before our very eyes.  Longtime viewers of the show will remember when she was Miss Junior Jabot, a teen model.  She later became a lawyer and a district attorney.

To mark Lauralee's four decades on the soap, Y&R will air a special episode with classic flashbacks.  Christine will receive support from her friends as she attempts to sort out the professional and romantic aspects of her life.  The special, "40 years of  Cricket," will air on CBS on Thursday, November 2, 2023 Wednesday, November 1, 2023 on Global TV.

 Lauralee began playing the role on July 15, 1983, when she was just 14 years old, and she is the only actress to have played Cricket.   For a number of years, the actress was on  contract.  She now appears on the show on a recurring basis.

The special episode will feature fan favourites Michael Damian (Danny Romalotti) and Tricia Cast (Nina Webster).  According to Soap Central, the throwback flashbacks will include Cricket's romances through the years and her  marriages to Danny and to Paul Williams (Doug Davidson), as well as her epic rivalry with her arch-enemy Phyllis Summers, who refers to her as "The Bug."  

Doug Davidson had a bad case of COVID

Doug Davidson (ex-Paul Williams) returned from the Dominican Republic with a severe case of COVID.  He had significant trouble breathing and was taken to emergency.  His former castmate Lauralee Bell wrote to him, "Thanks to all of them who helped you!  Thank God for first responders!! So appreciated.!!"

As readers of Y&R Report know, I think Doug was terribly mistreated by Y&R.  He didn't deserve to be nudged off the show after devoting 40 years of his life to it.  Fans miss him.  All the best to you, Doug.

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope}

Adam Newman (Mark Grossman

It appears that Sally Spectra and Nick Newman are done, at least it looks that way.  What now?  Should Sally go back to Adam and risk getting hurt again?  What do think, fans?  Respond to the poll below and let me know.

Should Sally go back to Adam?

Yes, it's obvious Sally really wants to be with Adam, not Nick. She should follow her heart.

Yes. Sally and Adam are better persons when they are together.

No. Adam is untrustworthy. He'll just break her heart again.

No. She's better off with Nick.

I don't know.

Other

 

pollcode.com free polls

That's all for now.  Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, November 4, 2023.

Take care,

Joanne

Looking back at Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson (The Hardy Boys)

Stevenson and Cassidy in The Hardy Boys 1977

THE HARDY BOYS

Detective shows were all the rage on American television in the 1970s.  There was Columbo, Kojack and The Rockford Files, to name a few.  During that time, ABC needed something to bolster their Sunday night lineup.  Producer Glen A, Larson was assigned the task of of developing a hipper (yet still wholesome) hour-long series featuring the youthful sleuths from Edward Stratemeyer's popular Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books.

Lawson found three attractive actors to star as slightly older versions of the well-known characters, and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries was launched in 1977.  Shaun Cassidy, 18, was cast as  amateur sleuth Joe Hardy.  Parker Stevenson, 25, played his older brother, Frank Hardy, and Pamela Sue Martin, 24, was chosen to portray Nancy Drew.  

Although Shaun and Parker played sibling detectives, the two had very different interests in real life..  Parker was an aspiring architect and a recent graduate of Princeton University.  He was about to enter the business program at New York University (NYU) when he auditioned for The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.  Shaun, meanwhile, was not as academically inclined.  He was a rising pop singer.

Of his relationship with Shaun Cassidy, Parker told Entertainment Weekly, "Shaun and I couldn't have been more different, but we have the same sense of humour.  We have a kind of bizarre, dry sense of humour, and we cracked each other up all the time.  It didn't really make sense because I was a preppy Ivy League kid, and he was the heir to this entertainment family.  But I came out and did a screen test with him and got cast right away."

As the series progressed, the character of Nancy Drew received less and less screen time.  Pamela Sue Martin departed in Season 2 and was replaced by Janet Louise Johnson.  For the third season, (1978-1979), the character of Nancy Drew was dropped and the series was retitled The Hardy Boys.

The Hardy Boys was abruptly cancelled in January of 1979, halfway through Season 3, due to low ratings.  Concerning the cancellation, Parker Stevenson told Entertainment Weekly (EW): "I don't know what would have happened to the show if we had kept making it.  At what point are we getting too old to be running around with flashlights."

SHAUN CASSIDY

Shaun Paul Cassidy was born on September 27, 1958 in Los Angeles California.  The former teen heartthrob recently turned 65 years old.  His parents, actors Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy, married in August 1956, soon after Jack's divorce from his first wife, Evelyn Ward, with whom he shared a son, the late David Cassidy.  David, who passed away in 2017, also became a teen idol while starring on The Partridge Family with his stepmother, Shirley Jones.

Shaun is the eldest of of the three sons of Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy.  His brother, Patrick Cassidy, was born on January 4,1962.  The youngest sibling, Ryan Cassidy was born on February 23, 1966.  Both Patrick and Ryan are actors.

While still in high school, Shaun signed a contract with a division of Warner Brothers records.  In 1977, his first solo album, Shaun Cassidy, was released in the United States.  The album included "Da Doo Ron Ron," which became a number one single in the U.S.  At the same time, Shaun began starring in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.

After the The Hardy Boys ended its run, Shaun starred in Breaking Away, a 1980 comedy-drama that was based on the 1975 film of the same name.  The TV series was set during the year before the events in the film and Shaun took over the role of Dave Stohler, played by Dennis Christopher in the film.  The character had a passion for bicycle racing and all things Italian.  Unfortunately, the series was caught up in the 1980 Screen Actor's Guild strike.  Although strongly promoted by ABC, it received low ratings and was cancelled after the filming of eight episodes.

In recent years, Shaun Cassidy has built a successful career as a television writer and producer.  He has created series such as American Gothic and Invasion.  He also served as an executive producer of NBC's hit medical drama New Amsterdam.  In 2020, Shaun brought his one man show, The Magic of Midnight Sky, to the stage.  It was his first live music performance in nearly 40 years.

Shaun Cassidy has been married three times and divorced twice,  He has seven children.  His first wife was model/actress Ann Pennington (born June 3, 1950),.  Shaun and Ann wed on December 1,  1979.  They had two children, a son named John Cassidy (also known as Jake). and a daughter, Caitlin Ann Cassidy.  Shaun and Ann divorced in 1993.  

On May 7, 1995, Shaun married TV actress/director Susan Diol.  They had a daughter named Juliet Jones Diol Cassidy (born March 19, 1998).  Shaun and Susan divorced in 2003.

Shaun wed his current wife, producer Tracey Lynne Turner, on August 28, 2004.  They have four children.  Their first child, a son named Caleb Turner Cassidy, was born on March 3, 2005.  Three more children followed: Roan Howard Cassidy, Lila Tracey Cassidy and Marin Cassidy.

Shan

Shaun and Tracey

PARKER STEVENSON

Parker Stevenson was born Richard Stevenson Parker, Jr. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 4, 1952. He is the son of investment advisor Richard Stevenson Parker, Sr. and Sarah Meade, an actress who appeared on Broadway and in many television commercials.  Parker's mother brought him to filming sessions when her was five years old.  The youngster made a couple of minor television appearances, despite his father's disapproval.

In 1971, Parker graduated from Brooks Preparatory School in North Andover, Massachusetts.  At Brooks School, he performed in a few plays, but his intention was to be an architect rather than an actor.  He enrolled in the architecture program at Princeton University.  

So, why did he Parker change course from architecture to an acting career?  In an interview with Classic Film & TV Cafe, he said, "I graduated from the architecture program at Princeton, but decided I didn't want to keep doing architecture and I really didn't know what to do.  I'd been acting since I was 14, doing movies, television, and commercials.  Just as I was graduating, I got offered The Hardy Boys, so I made the switch and really committed to acting at that point."

After graduating from Princeton, Parker moved to Hollywood where he landed a role alongside Sam Elliott in the 1976 film Lifeguard.  Television stardom followed when he was cast as  Frank Hardy in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.  He told Classic Film & TV Cafe that he got the role "because the producers had seen a couple of the movie he'd done.  "In fact, I had done one with Pamela Sue Martin a couple of years before (1974's Our Time) and she ended up being Nancy Drew.  So, I think that was the connection for them."

After The Hardy Boys, Parker Stevenson went on to appear in series such as Falcon Crest, Baywatch, and Melrose Place,  On Falcon Crest, he had the recuring role of Joel McCarthy from 1984 to 1985.  On Melrose Place, he played Steve McMillan for six episodes in 1993.  From 1989 to 1999, he portrayed Craig Pomeroy in 28 episodes of Baywatch. His role in Lifeguard  helped him win the part..

Parker played Billy Hazard in North and South, Book II, the 1986 sequel to the 1985 hit TV miniseries.  His then-wife, Kirstie Alley, also co-starred a Virginia Hazard, Billy's sister.  

In 1988, Parker starred in a short-live crime/comedy series called Probe, about an eccentric prodigy and his secretary who investigate mysteries. Parker stated that Probe was his favourite of all the TV shows he's done.  He said, "My favourite was Probe, which I did for ABC,  It ran a year.  I loved the show.  It was Isaac Asimov's Probe, so it had really trippy interesting stories.  It was up against The Cosby Show, or something, so it struggled in the ratings.  It was the closest to me in terms of how I think and what I'm like in real life."

Parker appeared in episodes of Judging Amy (2002) and Bull (2016), as well as TV movies such as His Secret Family (2015), A Christmas Reunion (2015). The Perfect Daughter (2016) and My Christmas Prince (2017).

Most recently, Parker starred in Netflix's Greenhouse Academy as Louis Osmond.  From 2017 to 2020, he appeared in 39 episodes of the series.  He also played the role of Simon in the 2021 science fiction film Last Call in the Dog House.

Parker Stevenson has been married twice.  His first wife was actress Kirstie Alley, whom he married on December 1983.  They adopted two children, a son, William True Stevenson, in 1992 ,and a daughter, Lillie Price Stevenson, in 1995.  They divorced in 1997.

On September 29, 2019, Parker wed for a second time, to celebrity chef Lisa Schoen.  The wedding took place at the Demetria Vineyards in Olivos, California.

Parker

END NOTES

* Parker Stevenson's first wife, Kirstie Alley, died of colon cancer on December 5, 2022.  She was 71 at the time of her passing.

* Parker co-starred with Burt Reynolds in the 1983 film Stroker Ace.  The car racing film was unsuccessful both critically and at the box office.

* Parker Stevenson's younger brother, Hutch Parker (born November 19, 1963) is a producer and actor.

* From 1993 to 1995, Shaun Cassidy appeared in the musical Blood Brothers on Broadway.  His half-brother, David Cassidy, was also a member of the cast.

* Pamela Sue Martin, the original Nancy Drew on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, went on to play socialite Fallon Carrington on the primetime ABC soap opera Dynasty from 1981 to 1984.  Below is a 1977 publicity photo of her for the Nancy Drew Mysteries series.

SOURCES:  Entertainment Weekly (EW.com), "The case of the dreamy detectives: Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson remember The Hardy Boys,"  by Kristen Baldwin, March 16, 2023; Classic Film Cafe, "Parker Stevenson Talks About The Hardy Boys, Prob, and His Passion for Photography," July 24, 2014; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb).

- Joanne