And then I said, laughingly, “Nicholas Cage, are you kidding me? Can you believe the irony?”
“Oh! I’m sorry, I’ve got to run. The column started.”
It’s been announced that two long-time running soap operas have been canceled and will cease production. The classics “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” will air their final shows in September and January, respectively.
Both serials ventured into areas never seen before on daytime television. Gang violence, teen pregnancy and gay issues were introduced on the two shows in a day and age when such topics were taboo. They paved the way for today’s cartoons and Saturday morning programming.
I remember many years ago when my mother would watch two 15-minute soaps every day. Referring to them as “my shows,” her day wasn’t complete without getting her fix of “Love of Life” and “The Secret Storm.” Dad would come home from work and listen as mother filled him in on the quaint and implausible lives of Vanessa Dale and Bruce Sterling.
Mom was still alive when my nephew — her grandson — Mark, joined the cast of “Days of Our Lives.” Mark, a West Point graduate, had left the Army after the first Desert Storm action and was fortunate enough to land a plum role in the highly-rated show as Jack Deveraux. “Days” and Jack quickly became Mom’s favorites. (Gee, I wonder why?) I still remember her tongue-in-cheek chagrin whenever something didn’t go favorably for “Jack.”
“I hope Mark’s all right. At the end of the show, a guy jumped out from behind a door and hit him over the head with a chair. I won’t know if he’s OK until tomorrow at 1 o’clock.”
She always thought it was asinine to leave the audience hanging. “The writers have to be total idiots to do that. It’s so inconsiderate.”
It’s amazing the loyalty and legion of fans that these seemingly innocuous soap operas have commanded over the years. Their impact is far-more reaching than you would imagine. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about — stop me if I’ve told you this already.
After Mark left the show, he got a small role in a Denzel Washington movie called “The Siege.” (Annette Bening and Bruce Willis were also in the film.) The movie was set and filmed in New York City. Mark’s character was named Mike.
During a short break in the shooting, Mark found himself standing on the streets of New York with Denzel Washington making small talk. Mark hadn’t had a chance to really meet the star — and the major motion-picture celebrity was asking Mark about who and what he was.
“I know your name is Mike in the movie, but you’re really Mark, right?”
Now, you really have to hear Mark tell this story because he does a dead-on Denzel Washington impression. Nonetheless, before Mark could answer him, a bus load of tourists — mostly elderly ladies — drove by and recognized Mark from “Days of Our Lives.”
They were all leaning out the windows, screaming, “It’s Jack Deveraux. Hey Jack! Jack, over here. Hi Jack!”
Denzel, quite aware of to whom they were directing their attention, (but unaware of Mark’s soap-opera days) stepped back — in the way only Denzel Washington could — tilted his head to one side and said, “Who are you, anyways?”
How did Mark respond to Denzel’s somewhat rhetorical question? I’ll tell you tomorrow … about 1 o’clock.
And that’s the way it looks from the Valley.
Contact Tom Valley at Tvalley@rochester.rr.com.
Tom Valley
Related Photos
-
Tom Valley is a Medina resident. His column appears every Thursday. Contact him at tvalley@rochester.rr.com.
FROM THE VALLEY: Soap operas: Before and under siege
- Tom Valley
-
-
FROM THE VALLEY: Soap operas: Before and under siege
It’s been announced that two long-time running soap operas have been canceled and will cease production. The classics “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” will air their final shows in September and January, respectively. Both serials ventured into areas never seen before on daytime television.
-
FROM THE VALLEY: Music award shows need a swan song
Seriously, can it get any more narcissistic than the music industry’s penchant for self-congratulatory award shows?
-
FROM THE VALLEY: Wardrobe and brain malfunctions
It’s easy to separate those politicians who are in the game for self-promotion versus those who are truly altruistic and want to serve for the betterment of society. You simply lump them all together because there seems to be none of the latter.
-
FROM THE VALLEY: The whole unholy and holy truth
I get the urge to play prosecutor and ask questions. I’d like a shot at eliminating the extraneous, circumventing and sometimes contradictory information I’m being forced to accept.
-
FROM THE VALLEY: A tale of two pities
Ever since he was young, he knew that his time would come. The time when he’d be the center of attention. He’d heard the stories of how some of the others from the area had grown up to hit the big time. Now it was his turn — this was the year he’d become a star — and he was ready.
-
FROM THE VALLEY: It’s in the Trump cards
As December drew to a close, I had thoughts of doing a column on prognostication — predicting what the new year would bring. Unfortunately, my psychic ability is as non-existent as a Mother Theresa break-dancing manual.
-
FROM THE VALLEY: The search for the perfect gift
My wife and I took the opportunity to do a little Christmas shopping the day before Thanksgiving. We thought by going then, we’d beat the Black Friday rush.
-
VALLEY: Molly is a special little girl
I was talking to my neighbor, Sue, the other day and she told me that they were having a benefit spaghetti dinner for their granddaughter, Molly.
-
VALLEY: Write place at the wrong time
Whether or not you’ve noticed, this column has not been in the paper (or online) over the last few weeks. I took some time off — as I did last year — to vacation on the St. Lawrence River.
-
FROM THE VALLEY: Maggie’s first trip to the river
The old saying is that there are two sides to every story. Most likely, you’ve heard that before. In today’s column, I’ll demonstrate just how accurate that adage really is.
- More Tom Valley Headlines
-
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
