ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 1996 TAG: 9604110004
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TUNE IN TOMORROW
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: NANCY REICHARDT
In 1956, when CBS nixed Erna Phillips' idea to expand ``Guiding Light'' to an unprecedented half-hour format, the first lady of daytime soap opera did the next best thing by creating a whole new soap that debuted live on the network April 2, 1956. That new show was ``As the World Turns,'' which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary at a New York City restaurant. The guest list included nearly everyone from the show's current cast as well as many former cast members.
One has to wonder what Phillips (she died in 1973) would think of her creation and its many ground-breaking story lines. When viewers were first introduced to Oakdale, the stories revolved around the Hughes clan, which was headed by lawyer Chris (played by Don MacLaughlin, who died in 1986) and his wife, Nancy, still played by Helen Wagner (the only original cast member, Wagner has appeared on the show for nearly all of its 40 years).
On Dec. 1, 1975, ``As the World Turns'' expanded to a one-hour format and began taping episodes for the first time. For 19 years (beginning in 1959), ``As the World Turns'' was ranked No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings. It was presented with an Outstanding Daytime Drama Emmy in 1990. Timely topics have included drug and alcohol abuse, rape and stalking. Much revered head writer Douglas Marland, who died in 1992, created a gay story line about Hank Elliot, a fashion designer. An AIDS story line was also featured. Breaking out of the routine soap set, ``As the World Turns'' has taken its audience on location shootings over the years including the most memorable filmed in Greece with Kim and Nick Andropolous (played by Kathryn Hays and Michael Forest).
``As the World Turns'' was also the first daytime soap to spin off another soap, ``Our Private World'' (1965), which starred Eileen Fulton, who took her ``As the World Turns'' character, Lisa Hughes, into the realm of prime-time television. The show only ran from May to September, and Fulton did not return to ``As the World Turns'' until two years later.
Although no longer ranked at the top of the Nielsens, ``As the World Turns'' has a legion of devoted fans, who have literally watched many of the show's long-time characters grow up on the air. To its credit, the show has featured story lines revolving around younger characters, without excluding such ``old'' favorites as Nancy, Lisa, Kim, Bob Hughes (played by Don Hastings), and John Dixon (played by Larry Bryggman).
Several talented alumni of the soap include Meg Ryan (``When Harry Met Sally'' and ``Sleepless in Seattle'') as Betsy Andropolous, Marisa Tomei (who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for ``My Cousin Vinny'') as Marcy Thompson, Richard Thomas (``The Waltons'') as Tom Hughes and James Earl Jones (who currently stars in the film ``A Family Thing'') as Jerry Turner.
Here's to another 40 years!
Last October Ricky Martin, like his character Miguel Morez of ``General Hospital,'' wanted to devote more time to his music. And in a case of life imitating art, Martin trusted his instincts and he is again doing what he truly enjoys.
``It's been crazy, but I'm lucky,'' says Martin, during a phone interview from Miami, where he was set to perform in concert. ``It's been incredible. The feedback that I'm getting is just amazing.''
Martin has performed on stage and in concerts for most of his life. His main priority is keeping his audiences satisfied.
``When you put all your soul into what you do - in this case its your music and your honesty and your sensibility - I think you can conquer anything,'' he says. ``With music you get the rush and the audience and that connection.''
During his performances, Martin loves to establish a rapport with the crowd.
``The first thing I say when I have my first dialogue with my audience is. `Listen, forget about your problems at home and at work. Lets just be,''' says Martin. ```If you feel like crying at a ballad, let's cry. Let's dance. Let's have fun. Let's feel the moment.' I did everything for my concert to have those ups and downs. I will take you to places. It feels good when you see the crowd feeling so touched by a song.''
Late last month, Martin's dream of performing live as a solo act in New York's Radio City Music Hall became a reality. He last played the Hall as a teen-ager with the Latin American rock group Menudo.
``I had to do it again,'' says Martin. ``I told my manager, `I want to do Radio City. I don't want to play New York until I perform there.' I'm looking to get the credibility for audiences of all ages, and I get that in Radio City Music Hall. That's what I'm looking for. That's what I'm fighting for.''
Martin will wrap up his tour in South America. Upon his return to the States, Martin is set to make New York his home for six months when the actor joins the Broadway cast of ``Les Miserables.'' He steps into the role of Marius starting June 24.
``It has always been a dream for me,'' says Martin, who had always expressed an interest in working on Broadway. ``I became injected with this passion toward theater, and I said I want to do Broadway. ``The play is very pretty. It's very passionate. It's going to ask a lot of me as an actor.''
The challenge will, Martin maintains, help to boost him to a new level in his career.
``And for me,'' he adds, ``I'm going to feel so satisfied. I'm going to feel so secure, very sure of myself to keep on going on. I'm going to take advantage of every second of it that I can say, `Hey, I did it.'''
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Wagner, Martinby CNB