General Hospital Discussion Group

Topic: How many

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He shouldn't resent Luke and Laura. That's what pays for his cushy vacations.

He is an actor. He wants/wanted to play a variety of characters, which came to an end after Luke & Laura. That builds resentment. It doesn't mean that he doesn't appreciate what it offered him, but he was a working actor before L&L. His offers dried up, for the most part, after L&L. Casting directors & producers have a nasty habit of typecasting. It isn't a reflection of an actor's abilities, but just the way things are done. They see an actor that they feel is identified w/ONE character & they don't think that the audience will buy them in another kind of role. It is one of the reasons a lot of managers, agents & advisors tell young actors to get in & out of soaps as quickly as possible. A little soap credit it nice, but they are seen as limiting themselves if they become known for one character. The same thing happened to Roger Howarth (ex-Todd/OLTL). He also was seen as 'only' being Todd Manning. His talent got Todd to be more than 'Frat Boy #1', but it was a double edged sword. Like Geary, he was typecast & didn't get the opportunities to play other roles because of it. He came back to soaps for the steady work. eom

None of that justifies trashing L/L for Luke/Tracy>>>>>>>

What is TG going to 'do' about TPTB's decision to 'trash' L&L? Even if he made it clear he was against it, he has the experience to know that actors don't change storylines & can/do get fired for not just sucking it up to do the job they are being paid to do. I was rather amazed at the line a week or so ago that trashed Robin, but SB (?) sucked it up & said the line, as insulting as it was. We don't know if SB objected. Just as we don't know whether TG objected to the line(s) about L&L. I've never heard him say negative things about L&L or GF. I wouldn't take this as a sign that he is ungrateful for the opportunities he had because of L&L. But you've got to realize that it has been a double edged sword for him too, not because of him, but because of narrow minded decision makers who don't think much of the audience & have always gone for the lowest common denomenator. eom

TG has always made his feelings known>>>>>

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Posted by: Rosebud1
Date posted: Fri May 9 19:45:12 2008
Message:
Playing on a soap hasn't been particularly creative for anyone, for yrs.  Most actors are glad to think of the dollar signs, hit their mark, recite their lines & go home.  TG's deal w/ABC allows him over 20 weeks a yr to live & travel in Europe.  Not many gigs would offer than kind of flexibility. 

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What has that got to do with writers totally re-writing a beloved character? Sorry, but i think TF ought to object to this crapola because it makes a lie of the last 26 years. A little respect for his character would be good, both from Guza and from TG. GHFan

I agree with GHFan. Acting isn't an assembly line job, or anyone could do it. There is a creative element. Acting isn't just about simply collecting a paycheck, TG was looking for a job when he found the one on GH. There are other acting TG could get-why would he or any actor stay at a place with no creative inspiration? -lj

OMG, for once, I agree with Rosebud ... Gigi

lj: TG suffered from the same problem many actors do who become identified with ONE character. Casting directors & producers saw him only as Luke Spencer. They didn't think that the audience would see him as anyone else. He didn't do a lot of work during his time away from GH. He came back to GH for the same reason lots of actors come back to soaps, for a regular paycheck. He was fortunate enough to be able to make a deal that allows him to live part of the year in Amsterdam & travel through Europe. TG knows that the truly creative aspect of doing soaps is pretty much over. If he had come to GH today, Luke would have been what he was originally intended to be, a passing character. He wouldn't have stayed because TPTB would have had everything mapped out in a rigid way that wouldn't have allowed Luke to be anything BUT a cartoon character. eom

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