Anthony Geary on how General Hospital grew into a cultural phenomenon
"It’s amazing in retrospect. At the time we were working so hard, I don’t think we really realized the impact that the show was having, or that the marriage of Luke and Laura was having, on its audience. Genie Francis and I were working five days a week, sometimes as much as 70 pages of dialogue a day, so we would finish our work, go home, learn the next day’s work and come back and do it for months at a time. And it really took leaving the studio and going out of L.A. – either making a personal appearance or going to my parents’ home in Utah – for me to realize that the show and this character was having the impact it was having."
ABC buys family drama Black Heart from Prospect Park
In a competitive situation, with two networks interested, ABC has bought
Black Heart, a sprawling family drama from playwright/screenwriter Kelly Masterson (Killing Kennedy) and Prospect Park. Prospect Park’s CEO Jeff Kwatinetz and TV partner Josh Barry executive produce with Masterson.
Alicia Coppola, Brianna Brown join ABC Family pilot Stay
Coppola (ex-Lorna,
Another World), Brianna Brown (Taylor,
Devious Maids) and Leonard Earl Howze have booked series regular roles in ABC Family drama pilot
Stay. Described as an edge-of-your-seat thriller,
Stay centers on a recently widowed police detective and his two daughters who are stranded at a foreboding hotel during a storm and must unravel the hotel’s mysteries to escape. Coppola plays Alison, Jake’s mother and the wife of the conservative, emotionally withdrawn Frank, whom she fears. A steady diet of antidepressants help block out her crumbling marriage and keeps her sane. Brown is Eva, another guest at the Grayfield Hotel, who’s seeking shelter from the storm. A con artist, Eva went down the wrong path in life, let her actions get out of control and is on a journey to right these wrongs.
Former General Hospital star John Stamos out of rehab
Stamos tweeted the update: "I'm back! Took a month to take care of things. Healthy. Feeling grateful for the love & support of family & friends."
Hulk Hogan apologizes for 'unacceptable' racist rant as he is scrubbed from WWE Hall of Fame
Hulk Hogan is speaking out about a just-released audio transcript that features him making racist slurs about his daughter Brooke's love life.
"Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it," Hogan said in a statement exclusively to PEOPLE. The transcript featuring that conversation was published online by the National Enquirer.
"This is not who I am. I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise," Hogan told
People. "I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs."
How to Get Away with Murder to reveal Rebecca's killer sooner than expected
After waiting most of season 1 to discover who killed Sam (Tom Verica) and sorority girl Lila Stangard (Megan West) — the puppy Wes (Alfred Enoch) axed the former, the bulldog Frank (Charlie Weber) the latter —
How to Get Away with Murder is preparing to buck expectations when it comes to the mystery surrounding the death of Rebecca (Katie Findlay). In the season finale, Wes’ angsty emo girlfriend was found dead in the basement by Frank and Annalise (Viola Davis), who both swore they played no part in her untimely demise. Viewers will find out who killed Rebecca in the season premiere on Thursday, September 24.
Nashville promotes Aubrey Peeples to series regular in Season 4
Peeples'
Nashville promotion comes as Layla tests the waters as a Highway 65 artist and figures out her relationship with manager/kinda boyfriend Jeff (played by Oliver Hudson, whose status with the show has changed from series regular to recurring).
Questlove will serve as musical diretor for A+E's new version of Roots
Roots is an adaptation of late author Alex Haley’s 1976 novel about Kunta Kinte, an 18th century African-born man who was captured and sold into U.S. slavery. A TV adaptation aired in 1977 on ABC. This production will air in 2016 and be simulcast on A&E, Lifetime and History.
Baron Blitzkrieg joins Arrow as Baron Reiter, better known in DC Comics lore as Baron Blitzkrieg
Already for Season 4 (premiering October 7),
Arrow has cast Neal McDonough (Agent Carter) as Damien Darhk, Echo Kellum (as tech whiz Mr. Terrific) and Alexander Calvert (as the villain Anarky).
Showbiz411 takes issue General Hospital star Michelle Stafford "sneaking" Scientology into Nickelodeon
Writes Roger Friedman: "Scientology may have been outed on HBO’s
Going Clear but it’s going strong at Nickelodeon. The children network’s Nickmom.com website is currently featuring short films from Michelle Stafford, the extremely mannered actress who jumped from one soap opera,
The Young and the Restless [as Phyllis], to another,
General Hospital [as Nina], last year. Stafford is an avowed member of Scientology. So is her production: everyone involved with her
Secret Mind of a Single Mom is from Scientology. Just about the entire credit list, from actors to crew, are members of the cult."
Kurth & Taylor release new music
Days of our Lives star Wally Kurth (Justin Kiriakis) and Christian Taylor have released their first new song in five years. “It’s about my home state of Montana,” Kurth tells
Soap Opera Digest. The song, “Big Sky Country,” features the band’s trademark harmonies over a bed of electric and acoustic guitars. The tagline of the chorus, “The Last Best Place You Can Find,” is Montana’s state tourism slogan. The song is available as a digital download on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby.
The group has also posted a lyric video on youtube, featuring historical concert footage of the band’s more than 20 years of live performances as well as footage of Kurth shot in Montana. Watch it below:
