Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 7, 1990 TAG: 9006070110
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Nancy M. Reichardt
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
Marie Masters (Dr. Susan Stewart), Michael Swan (Duncan McKechnie) and Lisa Brown (Iva Snyder), who were early arrivals for the evening, were soon joined by Fulton's fellow 30-year veterans of the soap, Don Hastings (Dr. Bob Hughes), the first on-screen husband for Fulton and Patsy Bruder (Ellen Stewart).
"Newer" cast members Heather Rattray (Lily Walsh), Margaret Reed (Shannon McKechnie), Anne Sward (Lyla Peretti), Ellen Dolan (Margo Hughes), Michael Louden (Ian Duke Kramer) and real-life newlyweds Peter Boynton (Tonio Reyes) and Susan Marie Snyder (Julie Snyder) also joined in the fun.
The 56-year-old Fulton - looking youthful as a schoolgirl, albeit a glamorous one - was nearly an hour late for her own party as she swept into the room escorted by veteran movie actor Farley Granger. (Granger played her sixth on-camera spouse Earl Mitchell).
Amid thunderous applause, popping flashbulbs and TV camera crews rushing toward Fulton to capture her big entrance on film, the actress dazzled the crowd with her figure-caressing scarlet-red spaghetti-strapped gown with matching scarf draped across her neck. Her accessories included sparkling diamond and onyx dangling earrings and a diamond "tennis" bracelet.
Asked how she feels about being one of daytime's longest-running divas, Fulton replied, "I love the show and the people, so it really doesn't feel like 30 years. I've been too busy to get old. I'm able to keep my work fresh after all these years because I do a lot of outside things, like various theater roles, my cabaret act and writing books."
Everyone stood silently as club owner Peter Stringfellow read aloud letters of tribute to Fulton from New York City Mayor David Dinkins, Gov. Mario Cuomo and first lady Barbara Bush, who admitted she is a fan of "As the World Turns."
Fulton later joked in her Southern drawl that she's "not used to cameras or anything. I didn't think I'd ever see this night. I'm so impressed by the letters. My mother's going to faint."
The grand dame of soapdom also saluted her fellow veterans Hastings, Bruder and Helen Wagner (Nancy McCloskey). "This is their night, too," she said. Fulton praised the cast and crew of "ATWT" for making her many years on the show such happy ones. She also thanked her friends and co-workers for attending the soiree and Granger for accompanying her.
The evening was capped off by Stringfellow making a champagne toast to Fulton and Granger, after which the actress commanded the revelers: "Let's dance, let's do it. Yeah!"
Most of the partygoers, as well as Fulton's fans, would wholeheartedly agree with the final words in Cuomo's letter: "I hope I'll be celebrating your 50th anniversary as Lisa with you."
Send your questions about soap operas to Nancy M. Reichardt, "Tune in Tomorrow," in care of the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010. Questions cannot be answered personally, but those of general interest will be answered in future columns. United Features Syndicate
by CNB