Saturday, April 10, 2010

Colleen Zenk Pinter Arrested on Suspicion of DUI

Colleen Zenk Pinter, who plays Barbara Ryan on As the World Turns, was arrested last week on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Colleen, 57, was pulled over by police in Wilton, Connecticut, for erratic driving and crossing into the oncoming lane of traffic around 1:00am on Thursday, April 1. Police administered field sobriety tests, which she failed. She was taken into custody and charged with DUI and improper lane usage.

The Norwalk Hour reports that Pinter had a blood alcohol count of .119, which is over the limit of .08. The actress is scheduled to appear in court on April 15. She could face a $1,000 fine and up to three months in jail.

Friday, April 09, 2010

Interview: Catching Up With Melora Hardin

Melora Hardin (photo credit: Kirstin Knufmann) has come a long way from ABC Afterschool Specials and the nighttime dramas Once and Again and Judging Amy. This singer/dancer/actress extraordinaire has released a new movie called You, which she stars in and directed. It also was written by and co-stars her husband, Gildart Jackson. You truly is a family affair, as the movie also features her mom, Diane Hardin, and her dad, Jerry Hardin, as well as her children and many friends of the family — who also happen to be famous actors (Brenda Strong, Joely Fisher and Amy Pietz).

Oh, and she just released her first full-length album, All the Way to Mars. I caught up with this busy woman recently to discuss her latest projects.

Celebrity Extra: How did the idea for You come about?

Melora Hardin: My husband wrote the screenplay. We had had that real moment in the beginning of the movie where I was nursing my daughter and planning what I was going to say at her wedding. That really happened when we had our first daughter. Gildart then had to go out of town for an acting gig and, as he would say, he “cragged” the script out in a few days. It was one of those wonderful real-life moments that inspired a whole screenplay.

CE: You are fortunate to have so many talented friends and family members to call upon to help bring this movie to life for you.

MH: Absolutely — I really am fortunate. It was definitely a family adventure. Having our kids in it and our friends, it really was quite a fun journey to take together. We used our own home for a lot of it, and we had our production offices here. We were wearing a lot of different hats at all times. It was both really exhausting and very fulfilling.

CE: Paula Cole is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. How long have you two been friends, and was she anxious to help with the film?

MH: We’ve been friends for about nine years. We met when we were both pregnant with our first children. We hit it off right away, and have been really close ever since. I told her I was making the movie, and she was really excited and totally behind it all the way. She was really happy for me. So I asked her to write the title song for me. She sings it in the movie, and I recorded a version of it for my record.

CE: What do you hope people take away from the movie after watching it?

MH: It’s a really moving movie, very life-affirming. I think it speaks to familial connection and really appreciating the time you have with your family. I am just really proud of the movie.

CE: Now tell me about your new CD, All the Way to Mars. What made you decide to cut an album?

MH: I am really proud of the record. It’s been a really amazing experience making the record. I met Richard Alexander, my producer, a few years ago, and we really clicked. He liked my original songs and really liked my voice, and I thought he was a lot of fun and gifted and talented. He had just directed Barbra Streisand’s European tour, and he’s worked with Bernadette Peters and Bette Midler and Johnny Mathis. He has an incredible breadth of experience behind him. I was honored that he thought I was great, because I think he’s pretty great.

For the past few years I’ve been singing every day and writing, and we realized we needed to get into the studio and make a record.

CE: I think a lot of your fans who know you from your acting work like The Office and Monk will be surprised when they hear that you are such a great singer, too.

MH: Most people don’t know that I can sing, so it’s exciting to be able to let people in on it. I am absolutely floored by how much people love the album — the feedback has been tremendously supportive. You don’t hear many real, grounded female-vocal records like this nowadays; it’s simply produced, not overproduced.

CE: Speaking of The Office, please tell me Jan Levinson will be popping up again soon!

MH: She is coming back. I had lunch recently with Greg Daniels, the executive producer of The Office, and we tossed some ideas around. We just haven’t landed on the what/when/why of her return, but it will happen. I miss Jan, so we will make this happen.

Melora’s film, “You,” and new album, “All the Way to Mars,” are available online and wherever DVDs and CDs are sold.

Ricky Paull Goldin's TLC Project

Today, TLC announced plans to premiere SEEING VS BELIEVING, a one hour special featuring soap star Ricky Paull Goldin and his skeptic friend Jeff Gurtman as they journey across America to seek the truth behind great stories of unexplained phenomena. The one-off will premiere May 2nd at 8PM (ET/PT) only on TLC.

Ricky Paull Goldin is a well-known soap star and is the son of a prominent figure in the spiritual world. Prior to his role on “All My Children” as Jake, he could be seen on “Guiding Light” as Gus Aitoro. Ricky is a life-long ‘believer’ in the metaphysical world, but knows that not every story out there is the real deal. That’s where his skeptic friend Jeff comes in.

Jeff Gurtman, host of shows such as Travel Spies, Frugal but Fabulous and Cube Fabulous, has always been a skeptic- he needs proof before he’ll buy any theory. His analytic thinking allows him to be a perfect, rational companion for Ricky on his quest to discover the truth behind unexplained phenomena.

Armed with a journal from Ricky’s late father and a GPS, Ricky and Jeff travel in search of abnormalities, unexplained phenomena and the paranormal. Their journey across America leads them to a man who refers to himself as a Perceptionist, to Arkansas in search of the devil and finally, they land in Missouri to track down a boy who survived a tornado. Who will prevail in the quest to explain the unexplainable?

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Days: Such a Tease!

NEXT WEEK:

* Adrienne admits to Carly that she was worried for Justin.

* Arianna believes that refocusing Rafe will get him back with Sami (Alison Sweeney, pictured).

* Nicole urges Chloe to fight for her man.

* Brady thinks Sami is making a big mistake by trusting EJ.

* Philip overhears Melanie and Stephanie talking about the letter.

Thursday – Philip witnesses Melanie and Nathan’s reactions to each other.

Friday – Stefano realizes that EJ is in love.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Julianne Moore Returns to Oakdale

UPDATE: Julianne's return will air Monday, April 5. THAT'S TODAY!! TUNE IN!

(from CBS Soaps In Depth)

Big-screen superstar Julianne Moore is returning to As the World Turns and the role of Frannie Hughes — if only for an episode — this spring. CBS is at last confirming the hottest rumor of the last few weeks — that Moore will make a special return to the soap that helped launch her career! The Oscar-nominated star played the dual roles of half sisters Frannie and Sabrina Hughes from 1985-’88 and won the Outstanding Ingenue Daytime Emmy in 1988, the year she exited the soap. While details regarding her stint are being closely guarded, sources share with Soaps In Depth that it's likely Frannie's arrival will coincide with Bob and Kim's anniversary. Stay tuned for more details as they become available!

Interview ATWT: Eileen Fulton and the Infamous "Granny Clause," Pt. 2

In her 50 years of playing Lisa Grimaldi on As the World Turns, you can bet Eileen Fulton has seen pretty much everything. From on-air accidents to offset death threats, Eileen has been through it all. But in true Lisa fashion, Eileen, like her alter ego, is a survivor.

Daytime Dial: Doing the show live every day, there must have been some mishaps you had to try to work around.
Eileen Fulton: I remember some horrible things that happened live on the air. Penny and Chris were having a very serious conversation in the kitchen, and Don MacLaughlin went over and opened the refrigerator, and everything fell out. But you were timed down to the second, so you had to keep on. He had cut himself, and Rosemary Prinz was taking care of his hand, wrapping it up in a dishtowel, picking up the stuff, and they still got it all timed. I thought that was amazing.

DD: I know you caught a lot of flak for instilling the “Granny Clause” in your contract. Any regrets about that?
EF: Absolutely none whatsoever. I thought it was clever. That was about 1974. I had gone on vacation, and when I came back, they had grown Tom up, and he was marrying Carol. I said, “I will not be a grandmother.” I was on the phone with Irna Phillips, and she said: “Oh yes you will. This is what happens.” I said: “No, I will not. I am in the middle of a big love affair with Michael Shea. If that happens, you’ll have to kill me off.” And she says, “Well, you have to.” And I said, “Well, I haven’t signed my contract.” They had a fit, but they finally wrote in the clause. Therefore, Carol became sterile — sterile Carol.


And it really did save my career. I remember that Claire, played by Barbara Berjer, was married to the man Lisa was having the affair with. A guardian angel must have been on my shoulder that day we were taping and told me, “Go into the control room.” One of the directors was saying how Claire, who had grandchildren, was about to become a great-grandmother, because one of her grandchildren was going to be a parent. He said: “We can’t have Barbara being a great-grandmother; she’s too young. We’ll have to kill her.” And they hit her with a truck.


It did cause me trouble later on when Tom, played by Greg Marx, married Margo, played by Hillary B. Smith, and Greg wanted to go back to the West Coast. They were like, we’ve just gotten Tom married — he can’t go. And they didn’t know how to handle it. How can they break up Tom and Margo? Back then, they didn’t replace actors so quickly, like they do now. They had Margo get pregnant and lose the baby. She decided to go on duty (as a police officer), and she had a miscarriage. People blamed me — that was ’85 or ’86. I had such horrible, threatening mail. They called me a baby-killer. I had to have a bodyguard.

DD: What was your reaction when your good friend Colleen Zenk Pinter was diagnosed with oral cancer a few years back?
EF: I was devastated, absolutely devastated. She is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever known — how she’s handled it, how she’s made it public to warn other people. I think she’s a terrific mom, and to hold down a career — words cannot express my admiration for her.

DD: How would you like to see the show go out when it wraps up in September?
EF: I think they should really wrap up the characters that people most care about, in a good way. I also think it should be done in a glamorous, fun way. I think they’ll do the best they can. Lisa needs to get with one other person, at least. She should marry a nobleman, and then she could be Lady Lisa. She needs a title! I personally want to ride out of town on a golden coach drawn by gorgeous horses.

DD: What are your plans for after the show ends? Will you do your nightclub acts, maybe write another memoir?
EF: I am already doing a big nightclub act in New York at Don’t Tell Mama’s on April 16, 17 and 18 — that’s when our last fan-club luncheon is going to be. I am going to do a tribute to “ATWT” in this show. 

The last memoir I did was in 1990, so I guess I need to do another one. I’ve been thinking about that; in fact, I’ve been encouraged by people to do it. That is definitely something to think about.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

* Kevin gets a mysterious clue that could lead him to Jana’s whereabouts.

* When a gas leak causes an explosion at the Masquerade Ball, will everyone make it out alive?

* When Lauren disappears from the G.C.A.C, Michael (Christian LeBlanc, pictured) wonders what Ryder and Daisy’s involvement is.

* After Nina catches Chance and Chloe in a compromising position, the two women face off.

* Lily and Cane give Mac life-altering news that could change everything for her.

B&B: Such a Tease!

· A disappointed wife finds comfort in an unlikely ally.

· Estranged friends give one another a second chance.

· An ex-wife is warned to stay away from an unavailable man.

· A new and sexy advertising campaign is introduced at Jackie M.

· One woman’s mistake comes back to haunt her

Being Erica Season Finale


Don't miss the shocking season finale of Being Erica, "The Importance of Being Erica."

Erica's perfect life is turned upside down when she finally makes some big decisions: Will she and Ethan stay together or will she choose Kai? And will she take a big leap with her career?

Plus, Dr. Tom adds a major twist to her therapy that opens up a world of possibilities. The season finale of Being Erica, airs WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7 (10:00 – 11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on SOAPnet.

Trust me — you don't want to miss this!