This is the April 21st issue of Soap Opera Weekly with the news of Guiding Light's cancellation splashed across the cover. I bought my copy at the local grocery store. I predict that there will be other such stories published by the other soap opera publications as well. I really wasn't expecting there to be any front page news this soon...since CBS gave a deadline of September 18th...and this is the first few days of April and anything can happen, hopefully for the good, between now and then if you're remaining optimistic. It's been noted by several insiders that they do not feel that another broadcast network will take on the show...but they hadn't lost out hope with cable networks. Now, wouldn't this be ironic if GL increases it's viewership by a significant margin during the next several days/weeks/months as the show comes to it's end?? You know, I wouldn't be surprised if viewers who'd never watched GL before would suddenly start watching on a whim to experience the feeling of watching the final episodes of a landmark daytime drama. The thing that should still be kept in mind is P&G isn't the one that's canceling the program, it's CBS; given the sheer longevity of the program, I've said it once and i'll continue to say it from now until September, but given the sheer longevity of the program I don't feel that it's going to just go off the air without someone at the last minute stepping up and making an effort to keep the show going. Some may feel that's daydreaming or wishful thinking...but I'm leaning toward something coming up in the next several weeks...maybe next month...but I don't feel the show or P&G is going to keep the audience hanging and hanging with the promise of doing everything they can to continue the show but then come the first week of September and there's still no definite plans being made...I don't think they will do that sort of thing. If anything, P&G should strike a deal with another network well before the final air-date on CBS hits and I'm hoping that's what the people behind the scenes have been attempting to do ever since the news broke on April 1st. There's a part of me that thinks P&G is hoping CBS will change it's mind but I don't believe they will...given how far in advance they've issued the cancellation.
The three faces of Alan Spaulding below...top row: current player Ron Raines, who began playing the role in 1994 and has played the role to perfection; in black and white we have Daniel Pilon who played the role during 1988-1989, it was Daniel Pilon's portrayal of Alan that clued Phillip in that Beth was still alive...this was also the era in which Alan and Nadine as well as Alan and Blake became lovers. In the picture below the top two we have Chris Bernau, the actor who originated the role of Alan in 1977. Chris would play the role for seven years, 1977-1984...but then return in 1986 and stay with the show until 1988...he became ill and Daniel Pilon was cast as Bernau's successor. The writers wrote the character off in 1989...having him sent to prison for five years...returning in 1994 in the body of Ron Raines.
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