Daytime Dial Named in Top 50 Soap Opera Blogs

We love that you love us, and we don't care if promoting ourselves seems like self-promotion (say that 5 times fast). So we wanted to let you know that Daytime Dial was named in a new poll of the Top 50 Soap Opera Blogs.

So, go check us out here, and visit some of the other mentioned blogs. Just make sure you visit us more!

Interview: Catching Up With Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas has been acting forever, or so it would seem. He was only 7 when he made his Broadway debut in “Sunrise at Campobello,” soon afterward making his transition to television, where he co-starred on “The Edge of Night” and played Tom Hughes on "As the World Turns.” He’s appeared in numerous films and other television roles, including the iconic role of John-Boy on “The Waltons.” Richard sheds all of those images to star in Hallmark Channel’s latest original movie, “Time After Time,” which premieres Saturday, March 19 (9 p.m. ET/PT, 8 CT). Richard plays Dick, a man who’s come home again by traveling back in time to rectify the mistakes he made as a youth — and hopefully to save the small town he came to love from corporate devastation.

Daytime Dial: First, I wanted to tell you that I loved the movie; it’s really sweet.

Richard Thomas: It is very sweet, isn’t it?

DD: What I also like is that it’s not sticky-sweet — but it’s a nice family movie with a good message.

RT: Yeah, it’s rare. One of the reasons why I was so attracted to it was because they don’t make very many pictures like this for television anymore that have a kind of lightness of touch, and it’s funny and touching and not a hard-sell movie, but it’s human. I liked the characters. I especially liked the character I played.

DD: What did you like about your character?

RT: At first, I liked the idea of playing somebody my own age — although they actually ended up making him younger, because of the age that Kaj (Kaj-Erik Eriksen, who plays the younger Richard) was and then how old I would have had to have been. I would have had to have been closer to like 50 rather than closer to 60.

DD: Looking too young is not too bad of a problem to have these days, especially in Hollywood.

RT: I know, and it’s actually always been that way with me, even when I started “The Waltons.” John-Boy was 16 and I was 21. I have this illusion of youthfulness about me. Actually, it should be delusion. With the movie, I liked the premise. I liked what it said about big, generic, big-box businesses and what they do to local cultures. They do dissipate the local culture frequently, and things become generic. I also loved the idea of meeting my younger self. You know, what would I say? Rarely can you go back in time in a movie and meet yourself. So, that was fun. It rang very true to me. It’s unpretentious, simple and lovely. I just hope people enjoy it.

DD: Did you enjoy working with the cast?

RT: Everybody was great. It was a very well-cast, very friendly, very happy picture. We had a great time making it. This is the third Hallmark picture I’ve made, and it’s nice to do stuff that the family can enjoy together.

DD: Would you like to go back in time to change or fix anything in your past?

RT: Well, you know, I’m of two minds about that because, of course, I would like to go back and erase all the times where I did anything that was hurtful to anybody. My life is not perfect; there are always things that could be better and things that could be worse, but nevertheless, it’s not something that I would trade. If you go back and you change a bunch of it, how do you know if you would still be where you are today?

DD: For you, what is the movie’s central message?

RT: The most important message in the movie is to be very aware of what the present moment is bringing you, because in real life, we can’t go back and change things. We can make certain amends; we can change only so much in retrospect of what we’ve done in the past. And it’s amazing how much we actually can heal from the past if we want to. But we can only do it in the present — we have to make our choices now.

(Web-exclusive content)

DD: You've done a few movies for the Hallmark Channel throughout your career. What keeps you coming back?

RT: Well, I just like making movies for that audience that likes the family pictures. I do a lot of other stuff and that’s great too, but I have a feeling for those audiences who loved "The Waltons," who loved John-Boy and want to see family entertainment. We are in a very good time of television right now, but much of it is much harsher and more aggressive, and that’s not for everybody. There are other audiences out there who want something a little different from that, so it’s nice to be able to give them something.

DD: You have such a diverse career — television, feature films, theater — how do you decide what project to choose next?

RT: It all depends on what comes up. I never know. I worry. All actors worry, but I’ve been doing it for so many years that I’ve learned that the next thing eventually comes up. I’m starting the last week of this Shakespeare production, and sure enough I have a script to read that starts rehearsing the day after I finish here, so who knows. I don’t know if I’m going to do it yet. When I get off the phone with you I’ve got to read it and decide.


And then there’s an offer to do a Broadway play in the fall. We’ll see if that comes up. I just never know what it’s going to be. If two things come up together, it’s like every other career — I think it’s like every other career, I don’t know — sometimes you make the decision to do something because you need the money. Sometimes you make the decision because even though there’s no money involved, it’s something that’s going to feed your creative energies and be satisfying and exciting to do. Sometimes it’s the people you are going to be working with. There are all kinds of reasons.


Doing "Time After Time" was a combination of things. I hadn’t made a television movie in a couple of years. I like the relationship with Hallmark, and when this script came I thought: “Oh yeah. This is just right for me.” And it turned out to be that way.

DD: There is still a huge "Waltons" faction out there, with fan clubs and appearances and such. Do you ever participate in any of the fan club events?

RT: The fan club came once to Hartford to visit me when I was doing a show, but (for most of the other events) I always seem to be doing something else. I’m always doing a play or I'm off filming somewhere, and I haven’t been able to attend any of those. But I do stay in touch with Carol, the head of the fan club and "The Waltons" family. Mary Elizabeth McDonough was just here a few weeks ago and we had dinner. Michael Learned and I are very close friends. We all keep tabs on each other. I saw Kami not long ago. We love each other a lot. We don’t all see all of each other all the time of course but there is a great deal of genuine fondness and familial feeling.

Interview: Catching Up With Heather Locklear

Lifetime Television’s new original movie “He Loves Me” (airing tonight 9 ET/PT), brings “Melrose Place” alum Heather Locklear back to the small screen with a bang. Heather plays Laura, who believes she leads the idyllic life: She’s a successful Seattle real estate agent, presumably happily married to one of the city’s leading cardiologists and mother to their darling 6-year-old daughter. When Laura begins to suspect her husband is cheating on her, she is devastated by his infidelity, despite having a torrid affair of her own. Desperately trying to save her marriage, Laura’s mysterious past begins to emerge. I spoke with Heather recently to learn more about her role in this dark, psychological thriller.

Daytime Dial: When you first read the script for “He Loves Me,” were you excited to play the dichotomy of a woman devastated by her cheating husband who is also an adulterer herself?

Heather Locklear: Absolutely. First of all, her idea, the idea that she knew what Sam (her lover) was about and what her affair was about — she knows it’s not an emotional connection. But now, knowing that her husband has been unfaithful, and not knowing what it’s about, you go: “Well, I know what I’m doing, but I don’t know what his is about. Is his even about love? Does he want to leave me, or is it just about the sex?”

DD: I like that even though your character is far from perfect, you are able to elicit sympathy from the viewer. How did you go about portraying that?

HL: I tried to make her, and her situation, as real as possible. It’s all happening to her, and she has to deal with it, especially when details of her past emerge. I just tried to make it as real as possible.

DD: You have quite a few sizzling scenes with co-star Max Martini (Sam). How was he to work with?

HL: He’s such a man. It’s so funny — just hearing his voice, I’m like, “Oh my god, he’s so masculine.” He’s also very sexy and adorable, and also very sweet and funny. 

DD: The subject of this movie is pretty heavy. How did you lighten the mood on set?

HL: Just by laughing a lot. We laughed at the absurdity of some of the things we had to do. It wasn’t absurd for the movie, but just for us in real life. His wife and kids were there. I met his wife. She’s really sweet. But it was also weird. You always trust an actor that they will take care of you when you feel so naked.

DD: I know that you are a mom yourself, so it was fun to see you playing a mom in this role. How was Megan Charpentier, who plays your daughter Emily, to work with?

HL: She was adorable. It is so easy now for me to squeeze and hug and kiss and be all over kids. I’m thinking, “Oh, I hope the mother doesn’t care.” Because my daughter is 13 now, and it’s harder to kiss her these days. It’s just not cool. But it’s really fun when they are little and sweet, and they talk to you, and they’re just really adorable.

DD: You’ve done a few movies for Lifetime now — what is it about the network that keeps you coming back?

HL: Lifetime always has good stories. They are trying not to call it a woman’s network, but women love this stuff, and I think if your man sits down with you, he would be interested too. The networks don’t make movies of the week so much anymore, so this gives us actors a chance to do something different rather than just a series or hoping to get a feature film. What comes to me from Lifetime is always good.

Days: Such a Tease!

THIS WEEK:

Stefano believes that Rafe (Galen Gering, pictured) has outlived his usefulness.

Philip discovers that Kate and Melanie have been conspiring against Chloe.

Abigail learns that Daniel is the doctor who saved Jennifer’s life.

Nicole asks EJ and Taylor about what’s going on between them.

Victor is determined to find a way to destroy Brady.

Thursday – Abby walks in on Daniel and Jennifer.

Friday – Philip reunites Chloe with Parker.

B&B: Such a Tease!

· Amber’s (Adrienne Frantz, pictured) new living situation isn’t at perfect as it seems.

· Marcus informs Thomas that Dayzee is not available.

· Steffy confesses to Taylor why she really returned to town.

· Ridge attempts to help Thomas with his love life.

· Bill devises a plan to rid Liam of his problem.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

• Kay (Jeanne Cooper, pictured) attempts to disrupt Jill's marriage by playing matchmaker.

• Nikki and Deacon take an important step in their relationship, but will Meggie expose Deacon's secret?

• Jana is threatened by someone from her past.

• Adam's shocking testimony may change the outcome of the Newman lawsuit, but will he stay loyal to Victor?

• Kevin's involvement with Angelo turns more dangerous, causing him to worry about Chloe's safety.

Interview: Catching Up With Mark Pellegrino

Mark Pellegrino (photo credit: Eric Williams) is a versatile actor whose credits include “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Supernatural,” “Dexter,” and “The Big Lebowski” and many more. Now fans can catch him on Syfy’s latest supernatural drama, “Being Human.” In the weeks since its Jan. 17 premiere, it has shattered records for the network, becoming a bona fide hit. This ain’t a flash in the pan either: “Being Human” is an engrossing and thrilling drama about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost all sharing the same house as they try to “live” together as best they can.

Before you start thinking, Oh, it’s another “Twilight” or “True Blood,” you need to watch the show, which airs Mondays on the Syfy network at 9 p.m. I spoke with Mark — who plays vampire-boss Bishop in the series — recently, and he shed some light on “Being Human,” dispelling any comparison to previous vampire/werewolf series.

Daytime Dial: What can you tell me about Bishop, who is not only a vampire, but a lieutenant on the police force?

Mark Pellegrino: He’s not only a lieutenant on the police force, he’s a proprietor of a funeral home, which goes back in the vampire family history. He’s the vampire boss of Boston, and his basic motivation is to consolidate his power and to bring Aidan back into the family. Aidan has decided to quit being a vampire, so I’m trying to bring him back into the fold.

DD: What sets this show apart from the other vampire and werewolf movies and TV series?

MP: It’s literally about humanity. It’s not like it’s a romance novel; it’s people who have very serious issues that they’re contending with. I think that the title, “Being Human,” says it all. Being human is not just about, for these characters, assimilating, but being human is dealing with character flaws. Everybody has to deal with their character flaws, and for these characters it’s literal monsters within them that they have to control and battle with. What I think makes it unique as well is that it’s not just scary, and it’s not just funny, but it’s also a story about family. And I don’t think you get that as much from the other vampire/werewolf stuff.

DD: What do you enjoy about playing Bishop?

MP: I like the fact that Bishop is really, really smart and patient and constant. He knows what he wants. He’s old enough, has been around long enough and is wise enough to know how to make sure all of the cards are in the right place, and I like a guy like that. He’s about family too. Some people might look at Bishop as a bad guy, but I look at him as a guy who just wants to keep his family together.

DD: I love that all of these cable networks — like Syfy, TNT, HBO and Showtime — are developing their own programming, because they can take more risks with their shows. Was this aspect appealing to you as an actor?

MP: I love that. I love that shows are doing that. Television is interesting now, don’t you think? There’s almost too much to watch, and it’s all really, really good.

DD: What are some risky aspects of this show that attracted you to it?

MP: What really nailed me for the show probably wouldn’t be considered risqué per se, but the simple humanity of it. Every situation is based on something that every other human being can relate to. It’s not some mythic romance stuff, but it’s stuff that everybody goes through, just transposed through the supernatural world. To me, that’s where they’re breaking ground. You can touch all of these characters and say, “I’ve seen this guy” or “I’ve experienced this before.” I think that is really cool.

Tune-In Alert: James Franco Back on GH

James Franco returns to "General Hospital" as performance artist Franco on Friday, February 25th and Monday, February 28th to wreak havoc once again in Port Charles as he makes a very important phone call to his arch-nemesis Jason Morgan. James Franco's appearance coincides with him co-hosting the Academy Awards on Sunday, February 27th. "General Hospital" airs Monday-Friday (3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., ET) on ABC.

Interview (GH): Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo Gets Her Man!

Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo had been AWOL from Port Charles since 2003 — that is, until late summer 2010. At that time, she returned in true “Brenda Barrett” fashion: shrouded in glamour and mystery. Her previous beaus (Jason, Jax and even Dante) were left panting in her wake, but her heart still and always belongs to Sonny Corinthos. Now “General Hospital” is gearing up for the wedding of the decade, as Brenda and Sonny finally make it down the aisle. I spoke with Vanessa recently about her return and about Brenda’s coming nuptials.

Daytime Dial: Ever since you left “GH” in 2003, it seemed that every year there was a new rumor that you were returning to the show. What made you decide that last summer was the time to come back?

Vanessa Marcil-Giovinazzo: Bob (head writer, Robert Guza Jr.) and I have been trying to make it work with my schedule and his stories on the show. We finally figured out a way to make both work. I love these people and these characters.

DD: What were those first few days of being back like?

VMG: Very surreal — and I was quite surprised at how much more they shoot compared with when I was here before. It also felt like the best high-school reunion ever.

DD: Did you prepare to get yourself back in the “Brenda” mind-set by watching old video, reading old articles, etc., or is Brenda so ingrained in you that it was like riding a bike?

VMG: I wanted Brenda to be different and changed after eight years of running from the people she loves — shut down in many ways to show how much she needs these people, her family, to be herself again. I wanted her to only begin to blossom again once she was with Sonny.

DD: Of course, now that you are back, Brenda has a huge secret (baby with Dante). Were you excited when you learned you’d be the catalyst in such an explosive story line for so many people?

VGM: Everything Bob writes excites me.

DD: As Brenda and Sonny’s wedding gets closer, so many things threaten it (and Brenda’s happiness), like: Will the secret of the baby come out? Will the Balkan exact his revenge? Will Carly spill the beans? How will Brenda handle all this?

VMG: Brenda handles threats and danger very well. She’s much more afraid of real intimacy. It’s easier for Brenda to have to walk away from people she loves than it is for her to believe in love, safety and happiness. She’s never had that before.

DD: Are you excited to see/read about “GH” fans’ reactions when all of this craziness does air?

VMG: We stay very isolated from watching anything we do or reading anything about ourselves at my house. I don’t think it’s helpful as an artist. In fact, I think it can be very damaging. We are just so grateful to get to do what we love for a living.

DD: Now that you are back, how has the fan reaction to you been?

VMG: “GH” fans are truly the best in the world. I love talking to them. They are smart and lovely people.

DD: After all this stuff has settled down for Brenda, are you excited to see what else the writers have planned for her, or do you think she deserves a little break?

VMG: Maurice (Benard, “Sonny”) and I are very excited to get to portray real-life relatable issues between a married couple.

See Eileen Fulton in Pennsylvania

PRESS RELEASE

Legendary soap star, cabaret singer and raconteur, Eileen Fulton, will appear at Bob Egan’s – New Hope Cabaret, at the Ramada of New Hope, PA on Sunday afternoon, April 17th at 3:00 PM, in a new show, Blame It On My Youth.

Directed by Diana Basmajian, with Bob Goldstone as Music Director and Tom Hubbard on Bass, Fulton will delight audiences when she adds her signature flair to such classic standards as "Fever," "Blue Moon" and "Stormy Weather," among others. She will also perform a special rendition of "Blame It On My Youth," the famous jazz standard written by Oscar Levant and Edward Heyman.

Fulton will also share memorable stories of growing up as a preacher’s daughter in North Carolina; becoming the vixen of daytime television; her time spent in Hollywood and all of her loves and let go’s — the men who got away — and the men who she survived to tell about.

Most recognized for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the popular CBS soap As the World Turns, Fulton is also an established recording artist and cabaret performer as well as author of multiple books. She has also performed on stage in such Broadway productions as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf as well as many off-Broadway productions such as The Fantasticks. She has been the recipient of many prestigious awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award by the TV Academy and was also inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame.

The show has a $25 music charge with a $15 food and drink minimum. The Ramada of New Hope is located at 6426 Lower York Road. (Route 202) New Hope, PA 18938. For reservations or to purchase tickets please call: 215-862-5221 or visit: www.BobEgansnewhope.com