
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 1, 1995                   TAG: 9506020105
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Nancy Reichardt
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Medium

EMMYS WATCHABLE, TASTEFUL|

This year's Daytime Emmy Awards show, which aired on NBC, was for the first time in recent years a very watchable affair - even if you were not an avid soap fan. And, for the first time since the event has been telecast in prime time, soap fans were not embarrassed while watching the chosen clips because there was not an excessive amount of sex, as in years past. The telecast featured tasteful scenes that more accurately represented daytime. In other words, the show demonstrated for the first time that daytime has class.

Those who predicted this would be a winning year for ``General Hospital,'' can now gloat since the show and its cast members walked away with a majority of awards.

Rena Sofer, who has played Lois Cerullo for the past two and a half years, took home her first Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actress.

Sofer's castmate, Jonathan Jackson, who has grown in stature and as an actor during his two years as Lucky Spencer, took the award as Outstanding Younger Actor. It was refreshing to witness Jackson's touching and tearful acceptance of the coveted statuette. He also thanked his on-screen parents, Tony Geary and Genie Francis (who play Luke and Laura Spencer) for helping him along the way.

Rounding out the wins for ``GH,'' the show won for Best Writing (the team is headed by Claire Labine), and topped off the evening by winning for Outstanding Daytime Drama, much to the joy of everyone involved with the show.

With a catch in his voice, Jerry ver Dorn (who plays Ross Marler on ``Guiding Light'') accepted the Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actor.

Sarah Michelle Gellar was named Outstanding Younger Actress for her excellent portrayal of young ``Erica Kane'' in the making, Kendall Lang, on ``All My Children.''

Even Erika Slezak, who plays Victoria Carpenter on ``One Life to Live,'' seemed surprised when her name was called as winner of her fourth Emmy for Best Actress. Slezak has done some extraordinary work during the past year, although many soap aficionados felt Leslie Charleson of ``General Hospital'' would be the winner in this category for the touching and dramatic scenes in which her character, Monica Quartermaine, has dealt with breast cancer.

Justin Deas, who plays Buzz Cooper on ``GL,'' was the only absentee winner (he was with his family). He won an Emmy for Best Actor. Many viewers thought Brad Maule (who plays Tony Jones on ``GH'') was expected to win for this category.

The Emmy for Outstanding Directing Team went to ``All My Children.'' Although the show has received 13 nominations in this category, this marked the first win for AMC.

Ken Corday accepted the Lifetime Achievement Emmy, which was awarded posthumously to his parents, Ted and Betty Corday. As a director, Ted Corday helped the famed Erna Phillips launch ``As the World Turns'' (1956), and later co-created ``Days of Our Lives'' (1965), which was essentially Corday's project. Incidentally, ``Days of Our Lives'' had the distinction of being the first daytime soap opera to be broadcast in color.

Frances Reid, the only remaining original ``Days of Our Lives'' cast member - she plays matriarch Alice Horton - fittingly presented the Emmy statuette to Ken Corday.

by CNB