Drake and Deidre Are Back on Days!

Day's supercouple is finally reuniting! Days of Our Lives made it official today by announcing that Drake Hogestyn will reprise his role as John Black on Sept. 26. He joins Deidre Hall, who will also return to the NBC sudser to resume her role as Marlena Evans. The two are expected to begin production this week.

“We are thrilled that Deidre and Drake are rejoining the show, said Executive Producer Ken Corday in a statement. “I know their return will excite loyal fans and intrigue new viewers. We are gearing up for some amazing cast surprises and guest stars visiting Salem in the fall, launching a grand event airing on September 26.”

Patrick Muldoon and Christie Clark (Austin and Carrie) are heading back in September as well. Yay!

Read the rest here.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

* While Kevin battles his growing feelings for Chloe and his lingering love for Jana, Jana uses Noah to get Kevin’s attention.

* As couples fall back into old habits, Adam plots to intervene at the Harvest Festival.

* Cane (Daniel Goddard, pictured) starts keeping secrets from Lily again in order to protect her and the twins but does Lily know more than he realizes?

* Things start to fall apart for Meggie when someone from her past recognizes her.

* Friends and family remember Colleen on the anniversary of her death.

CASTING NEWS:
Emmy winner Michael Badalucco (“The Practice”) will be playing the role of Hogan, a charismatic tough guy bookie, who will be involved with Jeff and Kevin in finding new avenues of revenue for Jeff and Gloria's nightclub/restaurant, Gloworm. He starts airing on October 13.

Paul Leyden (“As the World Turns”) arrives in Genoa City as Blake, a police officer. His first airdate is October 6.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

· As Adam’s trial approaches, will Sharon (Sharon Case, pictured) be able to take the stand against Adam?

· Unaware of the danger he is in, Chance sets out to expose who is behind the drug
ring in prison, which could end up getting him killed.

· Neil and Malcolm face-off when Neil goes out of his way to create tension with
Sofia.

· Meggie finds herself a new ally when she is attacked unexpectedly.

· When Victoria learns the truth from Jill about her deal with Tucker, will
Victoria be able to forgive and forget with Billy or is it already too late?

Tune in to QVC on Tuesday, August 10 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time for the debut of Sharon
Case’s new fashion jewelry line, Pomp.


CASTING NEWS:

Signy Coleman appears as “Hope Wilson” on August 13.

Eric Roberts appears as “Vance Abrams” on August 9, 10 and 13.

Lauralee Bell appears as “Christine Blair” on August 12.

Sean Young appears as “Meggie McClaine” on August 10 and 12.

Don Swayze appears as “Shaw Roberts” on August 10.

Sean Young to Appear on Y&R

Actress Sean Young (Blade Runner, Dune) will be appearing The Young and the Restless in a brief story arc that will tape in May to air in mid-June.

Sean will be playing Meggie, a sexy, tough-as-nails barmaid who is involved in a mystery with business tycoon Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). In 2007, Sean co-starred with Eric in the film, The Man Who Came Back.

This role will mark her first foray on a daytime drama.

Days Casting News: Calliope Is Back

Arleen Sorkin returns to Days of Our Lives for a limited run as fan-favorite Calliope on May 10. Her appearance isn't all fun and games — she is on a mission to expose one Salemite's devious secret!

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!

Casting News: Y&R

Vail Bloom (pictured) is out at Heather Stevens. Eden Riegel of All My Children joins the cast, with her first airdate scheduled for April 20.

Guiding Light alum Marcy Rylan begins taping scenes as an "aged" Abby Carlton beginning in April. No first airdate has been announced yet.

Casting News: Daniel Cosgrove Joins ATWT

Daniel Cosgrove, who is best known for playing Bill Lewis on Guiding Light, will join the cast of As The World Turns in early 2010. Daniel is best known for his roles on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Dirty Sexy Money.

Familiar Faces Return to Oakdale

Lesli Kay reprises her role of Molly Conlan beginning Tuesday, November 17.

Paul Leyden reprises his role of Simon Frazier when we first see him on location at the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, PA on Friday, November 20.

Tom Pelphrey Is Back on Daytime

Don't miss today's episode of As the World Turns. Tom Pelphrey joins the show as Mick. Tom is best known for his role on Guiding Light where he won two Daytime Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Jonathan Randall.

BREAKING NEWS: Victor Is Back!

Unless you've been under a rock, you know that Eric Braeden, aka Victor Newman of The Young and the Restless, was as good as gone from his 30-year tenure on the No. 1 rated soap. (In case you were indeed under said rock, check out my previous interview with Eric to get the scoop.)

Well, the news broke just before the weekend that both sides had hammered out a deal and Eric has inked a new three-year deal with the soap — and a collective PHEW! could be heard throughout the industry. I spoke with Eric about this wonderful news last night, and he was definitely back to his happy self, with a lift in his voice that I was very glad to hear.

Daytime Dial: So tell me, last I heard, you were as good as gone. How did it come about that you were able to come to an agreement?

Eric Braeden: I can only talk about my experiences in the world of sports, where you fight tooth and nail, and afterward you have a beer. This was a hard fight, no question about that. It hung by a thread, to be honest with you. We came to a mutually beneficial arrangement. But it was a tough fight. And there’s give and take, as there is in sports.

DD: How did the tide turn?

EB: Both sides made certain gestures to continue negotiating.

DD: How are you feeling now that this is all settled?

EB: To be frank, what really deeply moved me was the reaction of the fans. I did not expect that and it has touched me greatly.

DD: I know a lot of fans will be happy to have you back — if you've kept up with any of the message-board chatter, then you know public opinion was definitely leaning toward you.

EB: I was made aware of it and I read a lot of it, and it really affected me in a very emotional way. I did not expect that kind of reaction, and I am deeply grateful for it, and I am deeply humbled by it.

DD: You must have been going through a lot internally, because you were off the show for a few weeks and you had probably gotten into the mind set of "I'm not Victor Newman anymore."

EB: When you go through something like this, it is sort of like a divorce, in a sense, because 30 years is a long time. Thirty years of having given whatever you can as an actor, emotionally, it is very difficult. You go through some of the early withdrawal — whether it’s denial, whether it’s anger, whether it’s all kinds of things. I hadn’t reached the point yet where I had really stepped back and looked at the whole thing. It was still very emotional. As in everything in life, when you have a separation or a kind of loss, it affects you differently at different times. It takes a while to gain an objective perspective. I am glad that we resolved it. That’s all I can tell you. But I am mostly deeply impressed by the fans’ reactions. That’s really important.

DD: Have you had any reactions from the cast about your reinstatement?

EB: Melody (Thomas Scott) has been very supportive throughout all of this. And so has Sharon Case. So I’m grateful to expressions of support, you bet.

DD: Do you know yet how Victor will be written back in?

EB: I honestly don’t know that yet, but I trust Maria Bell. I always have. I think she is very good. She’ll find a very good way to reintroduce him.

DD: So we should all just keep watching, because Victor WILL be back.

EB: With a bang. He’s gonna come back and wreak some havoc.

DD: We hope so!

DEVLOPING NEWS! Eric Braeden and Y&R Producers Come to Agreement

DEVELOPING NEWS: It seems that Eric Braeden and the producers at The Young and the Restless have come to an agreement, and Eric has inked a new three-year deal. I'm going to be speaking with him later today and will give you the full scoop as soon as I get it.

UPDATE: It's official!! According to Entertainment Weekly, talks have dissolved and Eric Braeden is officially OUT as Victor Newman. What are your thoughts? What will this mean for the future of The Young and the Restless?

The news hit the fan late last week. The headlines were blaring: ERIC BRAEDEN TO LEAVE THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (mostly true); ERIC BRAEDEN STORMS OFF THE Y&R SET (not true).

I spoke with Eric yesterday to clear up rumors from truth, and to get the word straight from the horse's mouth. I asked him to tell me, step-by-step, what happened, so there would be no confusion or cause for speculation. The following is what Eric had to tell me:

On what actually happened: To put it succinctly, I signed a contract two years ago in which I volunteered a reduction in pay, in order to lead by example. That contract was supposed to be for three years — it would be up in November 2010. They suddenly invoked a clause that most of us don’t even read in the contract — the 26-week clause — which allows the producers to revisit the contact every half-year within that three-year period. That had never been invoked before, in my case. I was not really aware of it — obviously, I should have been.

On how he was approached regarding the pay cut: We are all aware of economic times being tougher, but the way it was done: The Internet was used in order to threaten me with the possibility of casting someone who would be equally as powerful, and the story line dovetailed with the end of this contract cycle that I had never thought of. In other words, one was blindsided in a way I do not appreciate at all, especially after having loyally publicized this show and pushed this show for 30 years, being proud of it and proud of the character. To be dealt with in this kind of manner does not sit well.

It is the worst of corporate America, to be honest with you. Corporate America and all those Harvard Business School graduates who sit in the upper levels, they have to know how to deal with human beings. You do not simply, in a wholesale manner, destroy something that obviously has been No. 1, in this case, for 27 years. That is extraordinary. That is singular in Hollywood’s history. You handle that kind of thing very carefully.

There are certain actors you approach on a certain level, as far as I’m concerned. You don’t approach them in a standard, procedural way. There are certain actors who have contributed more to a show that other people have, simple as it is. To claim otherwise is hypocrisy. What corporate America needs to learn is when they simply apply the paradigms learned by Harvard Business School graduates and Wharton School of Economic graduates and Stanford Business School graduates, you need to learn how to deal with human beings.

The personal touch is always more important than anything. Obviously they are endangering the goose that lays the golden egg. I am not talking only about myself; I am talking about others on the show as well.

To be quite frank with you, this notion of signing the three-year deal, and then suddenly have the producing side be able to revisit that after three months but I don’t, there seems to be something grossly unfair about that. But that is a problem our union should not have allowed to exist.

It certainly should not apply to someone who has been on the show for more than 10 years. If you don’t know by now if someone is contributing to the show or not, then you don’t deserve to be in the business.

The 26-week clause was initially thought of because say you hired an actor and you find out well, it hasn’t really worked out, you can terminate him quickly. But, I beg your pardon, after 29 or 30 years on the show, you don’t know who’s who? Give me a break!

On rumors that he stormed off the set: I had 62 pages myself that last day, and only as an actor do you know what that means. Sixty-two pages of the script I did that last day — emotionally exhausting with flashbacks and everything else, and Victor’s life sort of rolls by him. It just suddenly hit me: This has been a part of my life for 30 years.

At the end of [filming], I sat there quietly. The booms were still rolling and the cameras were still rolling, and I said: “I want to thank all of you, crew and cast, for a wonderful time on the show. You have all worked extremely hard; I have nothing but respect for all of you. I may not see you for a long time, or perhaps never again.”

It was a very emotional, very quiet moment, there was not much said, except the crew and cast, with tears in their eyes, we all hugged each other and nothing else was said. So, the storming off is simply not true. I did not storm off that set; it was not that emotion. It was a very quiet, very sad moment.

On the possibility of working something out: It is not entirely fait accompli yet, but it is hanging by a thread. There is a minimal chance [of working this out]. It entirely depends on how one is being approached. The world I come from, a handshake is a handshake and a contract is a contract. Period.

On his counteroffer: They had approached me the year before about a slash-and-burn reduction, which I took. [This time] I came back with a counteroffer, offered a fairer reduction, and that was dismissed.

It is not that one is asking for special favors; it is not that. After that many years of helping take that show to where it is — and I say “helping” because it is about our wonderful actors, everyone has helped. But to be dealt with in such a cold manner is something that just doesn’t sit well with me. I like to shake your hand, look you in the eye and deal with you. I don’t like to be dealt with by e-mail. I want to be dealt with in an honorable way, between men. Look oneself in the eye and say, “OK, let’s talk about this.” Not through some corporate bullsh*t.

After 30 years, you need to be taken to a restaurant, together with the people involved, and you all sit down and say, “OK, how can we work this out?” That’s what needs to happen. You don’t want to be treated like a number.

On the support of his fans: I am very touched by the reaction of the public. The fans have been very supportive and I’ve been very blessed by it.

Hollywood is a tough business. But what business right now isn’t tough?

On his feelings for Y&R, in general: I am enormously proud of the show and of the character I play, and have been enormously supportive all those years. I am very proud of the actors I work with and the kind of work we do given those very limiting circumstances. Many of the actors on the show are wonderful, and many of the story lines are wonderful — I’ve loved Maria Bell’s story lines, by and large, a lot.

But the days of Bill Bell, when he ran that show all by himself, those are over. Now you don’t even know who you are dealing with.

Jonathan Jackson Is Back!

The soap world was a-buzz at the end of last month with the news that Jonathan Jackson (pictured left, photo credit Carol Kaelson/ABC) was back in as Lucky Spencer on General Hospital, and Greg Vaughan was out. I spoke with Jonathan last week about his return to the show. The interview will be printed in its entirety on Oct. 23, but for now, here's a bit of the interview to whet your appetite:

Acting alongside old friends helped smooth the transition for Jonathan. “Working with Tony (Geary, Luke Spencer) was really awesome,” he reveals. “It was a fun dynamic having that history with him, and yet it’s been about 10 years since we’ve actually worked together. And yet everything was right there. The same goes for working with Becky (Herbst, Elizabeth Webber) — I was able to settle in really quickly.”

In respect to the Lucky/Elizabeth/Nikolas love triangle, Jonathan is eager to see where it all ends up. “I am jumping into a moving stream when it comes to all of that. There is definitely a lot of tension there to work with, and it’ll be interesting to see how the whole thing plays out.”

Jonathan is eager to get back to basics as far as Lucky’s family and love life is concerned. “There’s a lot available to work with. The relationship with Luke, there’s a lot that could happen there. And I am a big fan of the love story between Lucky and Elizabeth, so there’s a lot of potential there for tapping into some of those original elements we had going.”

Rebecca Budig Is Back!

ABC has confirmed that Rebecca Budig is returning to All My Children as Greenlee Smythe. She was presumed dead last February when Kendall ran Greenlee's motorcycle off the road. Headwriter Charles Pratt Jr. confirmed: "Greenlee didn't die but is being cared for by Nurse Gayle in Gloucester on orders from Dr. David Hayward."

Eric Braeden Says Goodbye to Genoa City

It has been whispered about for weeks, and now it is official: Eric Braeden who has starred as Victor Newman on the #1 rated soap The Young and the Restless, a role he originated in February 1980, has departed the soap after being asked to take a huge salary cut in the middle of his contract.

While it is not unusual in these economic times to ask to take a salary cut when renegotiating one's contract (see Jess Walton and Melody Thomas Scott), it's quite unheard of to be asked to take a pay cut on an already determined salary, and in the middle of one's contract.

I'll be talking with Eric later this week about it, and will bring you the full story ASAP!

Sarah Brown to Join B&B

Three-time Emmy Award winning actress Sarah Brown has been cast in the role of Sandy Sommers on The Bold and the Beautiful, Executive Producer and Head Writer Bradley P. Bell announced today. “Sarah’s powerful screen presence and vast range as an actress has intrigued me since she first appeared as Carly on General Hospital,” said Bell. “I look forward to challenging her with this new role that will be unlike anything she’s done before. Teaming Sarah with Jack Wagner, Ashley Jones and Rick Hearst will create a fresh and formidable platform for The Bold and the Beautiful.”

Brown’s portrayal of Sandy Sommers will kick off a story arc surrounding Bridget (played by Ashley Jones), Nick (played by Jack Wagner) and Whip (played by Rick Hearst) that will touch on a very specific woman’s issue and emotionally touch the hearts of the B&B audience. Her first tape date is October 1, 2009 and her first air date is scheduled for November 5, 2009.

GL: The Hits Keep Coming

Hot on the heels of the news that many fan favorites — Morgan Englund, Maureen Garrett, Melissa Hayden, Lisa Brown — will be back to help Guiding Light ride into the sunset in a fury of style and nostalgia, comes word that Jay Hammer will return to Springfield as Fletcher Reade on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Days' Arianna Casting Switcharoo

Actress Lindsay Hartley will join her former Passions co-stars on Days of Our Lives, as she takes over the role of Arianna from Felisha Terrell. Lindsay previously portrayed Theresa on Passions, with Galen Gering (Rafe, Days) playing her brother Luis, and Eric Martsolf (Brady, Days) playing her hubby, Ethan.

Crystal Chappell to Return to Days

According to TV Guide Magazine, Crystal Chappell is returning to Days of Our Lives as Carly Manning as soon as Guiding Light ends. She starts taping in September, with her airdates beginning in October.

Many Otalia fans had been hoping the couple would switch over to As the World Turns to continue their budding romance. Since it appears that won't be happening, maybe we'll have a Bo and Carly reunion? Or maybe Lawrence Alamain (played by real-life hubby Michael Sabatino) will be hot on her heels?

UPDATE: Crystal confirmed the Lawrence Alamain will be returning to Salem via this Twitter message: "Michael will indeed pop up on DOOL." The Alamains keep coming, as Louise Sorel is set to reprise her role as Vivian Alamain as well.

This is good news for Days fans, as the show and the story lines have been floundering for quite a while. The reintroduction of Carly could breathe some much-needed life into the flailing soap.

GL Casting Tidbits

Maureen Garrett (pictured) brings Holly back to Springfield on Wednesday, August 26.

Jessica Leccia (Natalia) returns to Springfield from her maternity leave on Monday, August 17.

David Andrew MacDonald returns as Edmund on Friday, August 7.