Guiding Light's Most Memorable Actresses, Part 3: Ellen Parker

Ellen Parker joined Guiding Light in 1986 as Maureen Reardon Bauer, replacing Ellen Dolan who originated the role in 1982. Maureen was one of seven children who were raised by their mother Bea in a rambling old boarding house on Springfield's Seventh Street. Maureen married Dr. Ed Bauer in 1983 and quickly became one of Guiding Light's most beloved heroines. Though she rarely drove story, Maureen was one of the most pivotal characters on Guiding Light's canvas. She was part of not one, but two major Springfield families. She was best friends with blue blood Vanessa Chamberlain Lewis and Cedars Hospital nurse Lillian Raines. She was a devoted daughter, sister, and wife. She was the caring and loving stepmother to Ed's illegitimate daughter Michelle. She was a compassionate friend to journalist Fletcher Reade and one of the only friends of town pariah Roger Thorpe. She was a wise and nurturing aunt to her troubled niece Bridget. She stood by as Ed cheated on her with Dr. Claire Ramsey (resulting in Michelle's conception) and with his ex-wife Holly. Maureen was a pillar in the town of Springfield and, after the death of Ed's mother Bert in 1986, Maureen became the heart of the Bauer. And, consequently, actress Ellen Parker became the heart of Guiding Light.

In 1992, the powers at be at Guiding Light decided to write Maureen out of the story after a focus group determined the character was expendable. Ultimately, it was a decision that drove incredible story for months, but that removed a character and an actress that had become essential to the series. That year, Maureen's aforementioned friend Lillian Raines faced breast cancer and ended up having a one-night-stand with Ed. In early 1993, Maureen discovered her husband and friend's transgression and all hell broke lose...and changed life in Springfield forever.

Ellen Parker was powerful and mesmerizing as Maureen confronted her husband and friend, and she relayed the sad story to her good pal Vanessa. Her performances netted her an Emmy in 1993. But, sadly, the storyline meant the end of Maureen Reardon Bauer. After a tense and emotional confrontation with Ed where she intoned, "You have broken my heart," Maureen fled the Bauer's cabin and was involved in a horrific car accident. She later died in the hospital as her families and all of Springfield grieved.

Ellen Parker would later return to Guiding Light on a number of occasions in newly created flashbacks and as a spirit offer guidance and hope to her daughter Michelle and pal Vanessa.

So, step back now and watch the amazing Ellen Parker in action.

Here, Maureen and Vanessa have a heart to heart talk. This scene is the start of Maureen's confrontation with Ed, followed by their heartbreaking final moments together. Finally, the end credits to the episode where Maureen died, a montage of scenes featuring Ellen Parker to the tune of Linda Ronstadt's "Goodbye My Friend."

Guiding Light's Most Memorable Actresses, Part 2: Cynthia Watros

In late 1994, actress Cynthia Watros (later of Lost, Titus, and The Drew Carey Show) joined Guiding Light as Annie Dutton, a new nurse at Cedars Hospital. Before long, Annie was teamed romantically with widower Josh Lewis. Annie quickly won the hearts of Josh's young children Marah and Shayne and the couple were making plans to spend their lives together. But, wouldn't you know it? Trouble was on the horizon. And trouble with a capital R as in Reva, Josh's wife who was presumed dead after driving off a bridge in the Florida Keys back in 1990.

For Annie's first few years in Springfield, she was a typical heroine but with a bit of a past. Back in Chicago, Annie had not only been married to good Dr. Rick Bauer, but she had also battled alcoholism. When Reva finally resurfaced in Springfield, Josh remained committed to his new love Annie but Annie's growing insecurities eventually led her back to the bottle and prescription pills. Eventually, Annie kicked her habit but she soon spiraled out of control as she tried anything, everything to hold onto Josh: pretending to be Reva's long-lost sister, lying to Josh that she was pregnant. To keep her pregnancy lie going, Annie got herself artificially inseminated. Alas, the fetus died and Annie then embarked on a diabolical plan to frame Reva for the murder of her unborn child. During a huge party at the Spaulding mansion, Annie took a tumble down the stairs, thereby miscarrying her child and neatly implicating Reva in the accident. Reva soon stood trial for the crime. But everything finally came to a head in June 1997 when Annie's lies were exposed on the witness stand as Watros turned in an amazing performance that helped her garner an Emmy for outstanding actress. Here Annie begins to admit the truth. Annie continues to unravel in this clip. And, finally, all hell breaks loose in the courtroom as the story concludes.

Watros' performance as Annie Dutton Lewis was mesmerizing from beginning to end as she expertly transformed a heroic character into a flawed, tragic, and villainous creature. Watros departed Guiding Light in February 1998. The role was later unsuccessfully recast with actress Signy Coleman (July 1998-July 1999 and again briefly in 2003). But it is Watros' incredible performance that most resonates with viewers and that lands her in spot #5 in my list of Guiding Light's most memorable actresses.

Guiding Light's Most Memorable Opening Sequences

Before I complete my list of Guiding Light's most memorable actresses, I want to take a few moments to reflect on another major element of the show.

Guiding Light has had numerous openings over the years; some good, some bad, some memorable, some not so much. Today, I highlight what I consider to be the serial's best and most memorable opening sequences.

Number 3. Guided Lightning. In 1981-1982, Guiding Light retired its staid sequence of light shining through the leaves for disco music! What an abrupt change it was for the show's loyal viewers to tune in the day the new opening sequence and theme music debuted. The new sequence featured fast, short clips of the show's characters; a new logo set against a glittering, shining gold background; and a dynamic, pulsing disco-inspired theme song. The new sequence lasted less than two years but was reflective of the sensation that Guiding Light had become at that time with stories of young love, suspense and mystery, and tattered familial relationships.

Number 2. My Guiding Light. The year 1983 was a transitionary one for Guiding Light. Gail Kobe replaced Allen Potter as Executive Producer and in the spring, Pamela Long and Richard Culliton had taken over as head writers, re-energizing the show by introducing new characters and plots and wrapping up long-dangling story threads. To reflect the changes on screen, Guiding Light retired the disco opening and replaced it with a brand-new sequence featuring clips from show and establishing shots of Springfield locations set against a slower, lush, romantic theme song. The logo remained the same. Clips in the opening sequence changed as storylines evolved and as cast members arrived and departed. The theme song was later remixed a few times such as in these 1986 and 1990 sequences. The My Guiding Light theme song was finally dropped in 1991, to be replaced by...

Number 1. Hold on to Love. Of all of Guiding Light's theme songs and opening sequences, none matched the caliber, the beauty, and the poignance of this sequence, which debuted in early 1991. Visually stunning shots of the serial's cast were accompanied by a lush, powerful musical score. Also re-established after a long absence was the image of a lighthouse, which had been featured in previous Guiding Light openings back in the 1950s and 1970s. Hold on to Love, the theme song, was remixed in 1996 with a jazz beat, much to fans' objections. The song was quickly remixed once again with a score more in tune with the original version of Hold on to Love, but with a faster beat. This opening sequence was truncated in 1997 to a short 15-second sequence featuring the lighthouse and series logo. This theme song and opening were finally retired in 2002. Nonetheless, when the Guiding Light cast took their final bow at the Daytime Emmy Awards this past week, they were accompanied by the familiar strains of Hold on to Love.

Guiding Light's Most Memorable Actresses, Part 1

With only three weeks of episodes of Guiding Light remaining, I'm taking some time to reflect on some of the serial's most memorable actresses.

10. Joie Lenz as Clone Reva and Michelle Bauer. In 1998, Guiding Light heroine Reva Shayne was presumed dead after a plane crash. So her grieving lover Josh Lewis did what anyone else would do: he had Reva cloned. Thanks to a miracle growth drug (don't ask), Clone Reva (or Cleva, as she was called online) grew up quickly. And I mean quickly. Actress Joie Lenz (now known as Bethany Joy Galeotti) portrayed teenage clone Reva. Lenz so impressed the powers that be and viewers that Guiding Light brought her back later in 1998 to assume the role of heroine Michelle Bauer. Lenz's Michelle was soon teamed with mob scion Danny Santos in a popular love story. Lenz departed Guiding Light in 2000 and has since gone onto fame on One Tree Hill. Here's Lenz in a scene as the teenaged clone. Over the top story line. But a raw and riveting performance.

9. Amy Ecklund as Abigail Blume Bauer. In 1995, Reva Shayne showed up alive in Amish country after being presumed dead five years earlier. Reva, who had amnesia, was living with the Blume family and had become good friends with the Blume's young daughter, Abigail, who was deaf. In time, the sheltered and shy Abby came to Springfield and fell in love with Dr. Rick Bauer. Ecklund's performance was endearing and heartfelt. In 1997, Ecklund was presented with a powerful story wherein Abby was brutally attacked by a thug. Abby's attacker, Roy, went on trial for attempted rape but was eventually exonerated, leading to a dramatic and surprising showdown in the courtroom. Ecklund stayed with Guiding Light until the summer of 2000. Her presence in Springfield is missed.

8. Mary Stuart as Meta Bauer. Daytime legend Mary Stuart had played Joanne on Search for Tomorrow from the serial's premiere in 1951 until its cancellation in 1986. A decade later, in 1996, Stuart joined the cast of Guiding Light as Meta Bauer who had been off the canvas since the early 1970s. Stuart served as Guiding Light's matriarch until her death in early 2002. Stuart's Meta was a supporting character in every sense, offering loving advice to her family and friends and occasionally sparring with enemies, most notably her niece Michelle's biological mother. After Stuart's death in early 2002, Guiding Light paid tribute to the legendary actress. This clip features Guiding Light's beloved mantra, "There is a destiny that makes us brothers..."

7. Jane Elliot as Carrie Todd Marler. In 1981, actress Jane Elliot, fresh from her stint as bitchy Tracy Quartermaine on General Hospital, joined Guiding Light as heroine Carrie Todd, a new employee at Spaulding Enterprises. Carrie was soon paired romantically with attorney Ross Marler. In time, it was revealed that Carrie had quite a dark side: not only did she have multiple personalities, but she had also committed a number of murders. Elliot's performances were riveting and were the reason I first turned on the Light back in April 1982. Unfortunately, Elliot was fired from the serial shortly after and Carrie faded forever from Springfield in July 1982.

6. Kim Zimmer as Reva Shayne. Kim Zimmer joined the cast of Guiding Light in November 1983 and quickly garnered the interest of the show's fans. Zimmer's Reva was one-of-a-kind in every way. A dirt-poor girl from Oklahoma, Reva showed up in Springfield as a sexy schemer and, over the years, developed into a warm, loving matriarch. Zimmer was presented with lots of meaty -- and preposterous -- material over the years: She married her way through the Lewis family: patriarch HB and his sons Josh and Billy. She attempted suicide. She suffered post-partum depression. She was presumed dead a number of times. She was an amnesiac. She was Amish. She was a princess. She traveled through time. She battled cancer and leukemia. Yet, through it all, Kim Zimmer's passionate and bold portrayal of Reva Shayne earned her legions of fans and numerous Emmy awards. Here is Zimmer in one of her most memorable performance as Reva declared herself the slut of Springfield.

Well, that's the first first 5 most memorable actresses. Up next? Reva's arch-nemesis, the heart of the Bauer family, a regal baroness, a girl from the other side of the tracks, and the actress who was and is the epitome of Guiding Light.

Guiding Light: Nola and Vanessa - You Cow!

Back in the early 1980s, Guiding Light featured a delicious rivalry between blue-blood Daddy's girl Vanessa Chamberlain and poor former bad girl Nola Reardon. Vanessa and Nola abhorred each other though that didn't stop Vanessa from doing the nasty with Nola's brother Tony. Things got even more complicated when Vanessa's father Henry took an interest in Nola's mom, Bea, who ran a boarding house on Seventh Street in Springfield. Then, Nola fell in love with the mysterious Quint McCord, who was eventually revealed as Henry Chamberlain's illegitimate son and, thus, Vanessa's half-brother.

In 1983, Nola and Quint got engaged and a lavish engagement party was held at the country club to celebrate the couple's engagement. And wouldn't you know it that Nola and Vanessa both showed up for the party wearing the same exact dress! The two headstrong women soon got down and dirty in a vicious cat fight. This clip features lots of weddings from Guiding Light's run. The Vanessa/Nola smackdown starts at the 3:45 mark.

The Light Dims: The End of Guiding Light

Today, August 11, 2009 marked the filming of the very last episode of the daytime soap opera, Guiding Light. The finale will air on CBS on September 18, 2009. Guiding Light premiered on radio back in January 1937 and then began airing on television in June 1952. 72 years! What an amazing run!

As Guiding Light draws to its conclusion, I plan to honor this amazing show by blogging about the actors, actresses, and storylines that have touched viewers' hearts over the years. So many amazing actresses: Beverlee McKinsey, Tina Sloan, Ellen Parker, Kim Zimmer, Cynthia Watros, Mary Stuart, Charita Bauer. And outstanding actors: Chris Bernau, Grant Aleksander, Jerry VerDorn, Peter Simon. And captivating storylines: Nola Reardon's wild antics, the deaths of Bert Bauer and Maureen Bauer, Reva Shayne's escapades, Annie Dutton's reign of terror, Abby and Rick's love story.

72 years. Countless memories.

I hope you join me in the weeks ahead as I remember the greatness of this legendary television institution. As Meta Bauer (played by the late Mary Stuart) shared one holiday episode:

There is a destiny that makes us brothers.

None goes his way alone.

All that we send into the lives of others.

Comes back into our own.

LIVESTRONG Challenge

In April 2003, just a few days shy of my 40th birthday, came news that would forever change my life: I was diagnosed with melanoma. Nonetheless, I was fortunate. First, my partner Eric noticed the lesion on the bottom of my foot and told me. (Due to surgeries, I am unable to see the bottom of my foot without the aid of a mirror.) Had Eric not seen the lesion and said something, there is a very good chance I wouldn't be here composing this page right now. Second, my melanoma was caught early. Now, six years have passed and the cancer has not returned.

I don't bemoan my circumstances and my diagnosis back in 2003. Rather, I'm truly grateful because it opened my eyes to the beauty, the fragility of life. It made me realize I need to pursue the dreams of my heart TODAY, not tomorrow. And that's what I've been doing. My diagnosis spurred me on to the dream that has always been on my heart: the desire to write. I've gone back to school, gotten my Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, gotten some fiction published, received and been nominated for writing awards, had over 30 arts and entertainment features published, written a play and a novel, started some new short stories, and begun work on a children's book. And, frankly, all because of my encounter with cancer in 2003.

My life has been enriched immeasurably. And I feel the need to give back. And what better way than the LIVESTRONG Challenge. So, this August, I'll be participating in the LIVESTRONG Challenge. My goal: complete the 10-mile bike ride. I'm stoked and can't wait!

To find out more and help support this cause, check here.