CASTING NEWS: Beth and Ricky Reunited Again

It didn't take long. Right on the heels of Ricky Paull's Goldin exit from Guiding Light as Gus Aitoro, his friend and co-star Beth Ehlers has chosen to leave the Light as well. Goldin is now the new Dr. Jake Martin on All My Children, and AMC has wisely decided to capitalize on the duo's popularity by hiring Ehlers. Rumor has it she will be the new Liza Colby, last played by the marvelous Marcy Walker who is now a children's minister outside of Charlotte, N.C. AMC won't confirm the role of Liza is now Ehlers' and may, in fact, have another part for her in mind, but either way, I'm sure she will be sharing scenes with Goldin, if not paired up as his love interest.

When Goldin and Ehlers had great story, they were must-see TV. I hope the writers for AMC can do them justice. With a lot of fans and actors disgruntled with GL's new format, I'm worried this might soon be the last of the Light, a soap I've watched since I was 8 years old. Maybe they can use the budget freed up from Goldin's and Ehlers' contracts to return to the traditional 3-camera studio format and hire back some old faves like Grant Aleksander (Phillip), Paul Anthony Stewart (Danny), Jerry ver Dorn (Ross, now Clint on One Life to Live), among others.

Question for GL fans out there, will you be tuning in to AMC just to watch Goldin and Ehlers?

CASTING NEWS: GL Star to Join AMC

OK, I must have been under a rock last week, because I just found out that Ricky Paull Goldin, who has portrayed Gus Aitoro on Guiding Light for the past 7 years, is leaving. And, to top it off, he is soap-jumping to All My Children, where he will be playing Jake Martin. Last we saw Jake, he was leaving for Kenya to go on a mission for Doctors Without Borders back in 2003.

Ricky is slated to start appearing in Pine Valley, and on your TV screens, sometime in April.

He expressed his sadness about leaving GL on his Web site: "My seven years on Guiding Light have been a wonderful experience. Now it's time for a new adventure, a new chapter in my life. I will especially miss working with Beth Ehlers (Harley Cooper), since it doesn't get any better than Gus and Harley."

Like you, I've been frustrated by your waning story line, they fact that your talents have been underused, and just the "can't choose between all these women" scenario that they had thrust at you. All the while, taking you away from your true soulmate, in my opinion, Harley.

Springfield certainly will miss you, but hopefully you'll have more to do over at AMC.