VIDEO SATURDAY - THE B-52s IN SPRINGFIELD

"Video Saturday" sometimes takes a look at music videos.  This month, the Inner Toob blog is dedicated to soap operas.  So we're combining them with this post....

Throughout an entire 1982 episode of 'Guiding Light', The B-52s (then the B-52's) hung out in Springfield, where the band performed two songs—"Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can" and "Private Idaho"—at the fictitious dance club Wired For Sound and chatted intermittently (and awkwardly) with the residents.

Frontman Fred Schneider remarked in an interview that "Garbage Can" was an odd request by the producers because it was never released as a single. Schneider also claimed that he was the "worst actor," even though he was playing himself.
- Roger Cormier

From Dangerous Minds blog:
'Guiding Light' holds the record for the longest run of any soap opera. It debuted in 1952 as a narrative doled out in 15-minute increments and made it all the way to 2009, when it was replaced by 'Let’s Make a Deal', hosted by Wayne Brady. When a show is around that long, it’s tempting to say that “everything” happened on it, but that category doesn’t intuitively include appearances by influential new wave bands. Yet that did happen too.

In 1982 the B-52s appeared on an episode during a promotional tour for their David Byrne-produced EP "Mesopotamia". The premise was that there was a venue in the town, which bore the name of Springfield (yes, Springfield), in which musical artists would appear. Apparently Judy Collins appeared in another episode.

The B-52s will be inducted into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame someday.  They appeared as themselves in several other TV series in fictional settings.  More on that when the time comes.....

Until next time.....

FRIDAY HALL OF FAMER - THE FIRST SOAP OPERA CROSSOVER!

The plan for the month of September is to have the Friday Hall of Famers to be soap opera characters deserving of the honor.  And who better to kick it off than the very first soap opera character to do a crossover?  And appropriately, he was a favorite of his "creator", our monthly showcase Hall of Famer, Irna Phillips.

MITCHELL DRU

"If Mitchell Dru doesn't think you have a case,

What makes you think somebody else will?"

Penny Hughes Cunningham Baker
'As The World Turns'

From the IMDb:
Trivia: Mr. Lumb was the first actor (and one of the few to ever) appear on three different soap operas playing the same character. He played attorney "Mitchell Dru" on 'The Brighter Day' (1954), 'As the World Turns' (1956) and 'Another World' (1964).

From the 'Another World' Homepage:

Last Appearance: May 20, 1971

Portrayer: Geoffrey Lumb, November 11, 1964 - May 20, 1971.

Arrival: Contacted by Jim Matthews (RIP) to defend Pat Randolph on a murder charge.

Departure: Left to go on an around-the-world tour.

Introduction Scene: Startled awake by the phone, "Must have fallen asleep again."

Exit Scene: At his farewell party to a crowd, "And I swear I’ll be back... because I do love you all so much...."

Other Whereabouts: Oakdale ('As the World Turns'), Columbus ('The Brighter Day').

Former Occupation: Law partner of John Randolph (RIP). Professor of Law.

Note: A favorite of creator Irna Phillips, Dru also appeared on 'As the World Turns' and 'The Brighter Day', before crossing over to AW. The last-known reference to Dru was on May 9, 1975.

The early days of the soap opera genre are ancient history now.  And it's hard to find information of a particular character of any substance from back then.  So I'm afraid this bare essence look at his career must serve.

But it is enough to recognize the contribution Geoffrey Lumb made with his portrayal of Mitchell Dru as the very first soap opera crossover character.

.Welcome to the Television Crossover Hall of Fame, Mr. Dru!

THEORY OF RELATEEVEETY - LAURA SPENCER & CEARA HUNTER

Genie Francis is best known for playing Laura Spencer on 'General Hospital'.  But she was no stranger to other soap operas, two of which were on ABC.  However, she didn't play Laura in those shows, which one might have expected when 'General Hospital' had a history of crossovers with other ABC soaps.

On 'All My Children' and 'Loving', Ms. Francis appeared as a woman named Ceara Connor Hunter.

Here's a concise biography of Ceara in Toobworld from The Pine Valley Bulletin:

1990: Ceara Connor knew she was a beautiful woman. She also knew her beauty was her greatest weapon. She moved into her Aunt Myrtle Fargate’s Boarding House in Pine Valley. Ceara was determined to marry one of the many rich men that the small town had to offer.

Ceara was hired as a fundraiser for Pine Valley University. There, she met the much younger college student David Rampal. David was the wealthy heir of an old Canadian family. But, before Ceara could put her plan into action, she met David’s father, Jeremy. Jeremy knew what Ceara had planned for his son and began to run interference.

1991: Jeremy succeeded in breaking up Ceara and David’s relationship. Ceara was surprised to find she was falling in love with Jeremy. They were soon a couple. But, Ceara had trouble being intimate with Jeremy.

Ceara’s past had tainted her ability to truly find love. She had grown up in a poor family with seven children. No one heard her cries for help when her father, George Connor, molested her. She had long suppressed her guilt over the situation.

Ceara was forced to confront her past when George appeared in Pine Valley. One night, George made a move on her. She was overtaken by memories. In her psychosis, Ceara reached for a gun and shot her father dead.

With Myrtle and Jeremy’s help, Ceara sought counseling from Dr. Anna Tolan. Finally able to have a healthy relationship, Jeremy and Ceara took their relationship to the next level. They married that New Year’s Eve.

1992-93: Ceara followed Jeremy to Corinth to find Carter Jones. Ceara fell victim to a sniper’s bullet.  

'General Hospital' and 'All My Children' had at least one crossover in its history - when Anna Devane and Robin Scorpio moved from Port Charles to Pine Valley.  So here's a theoretical one based on the information:

I'm not familiar with Ceara Hunter at all, but based on the information, information, information from the Pine Valley Bulletin, it seems like Ceara was the only one of the seven children to be sexually molested by their father, George Connor.

Why did he single her out?  I'm thinking it was because he was not her natural father. 

I think Ceara's mother had an affair with a man whom she met while auditing a college course in the hopes of bettering herself and her situation for the sake of her other children.  But that man was her teacher, Gordon Gray.  And he was already married to Florence.

When Claudia Connor realized she was pregnant, she broke off the relationship with Gordon Gray and passed off the resulting child of that union, Ceara, as George's daughter.

But I think George eventually found out and took out his anger at the situation on the young girl whom he once thought was his own daughter.

By the way, that illicit affair with Mrs. Connor wasn't the only time Gordon Gray cheated on Florence.....

From Wikipedia:

Lesley [Webber] came to Port Charles in March 1973 and immediately joined the staff at General Hospital. Florence Gray became one of Lesley's first patients. Florence was suffering from stomach ulcers, which she thought were caused by her troubled marriage with Gordon Gray. She started seeing psychiatrist Peter Taylor. Florence told Peter about her husband's affair with one of her students years earlier. He had gotten her pregnant but the child died at birth. Peter told Lesley about Florence's history and is shocked to find out that she was that very student who had the affair with Gordon. He reentered Lesley's life and confessed his love to her. Gordon was about to leave Florence and start a new life with Lesley. She asked Dr. Steve Hardyto be taken off the case. Lesley convinced Gordon to stay with his wife. She was then tormented by the memories of giving birth, and losing her daughter.

Shortly after Lesley got married to Cameron Faulkner, she found out that the daughter who she thought has died was only living miles from her away. Lesley did a little research and found out that her daughter Laura was adopted by Jason and Barbara Vining. 

So there's my theory of relateeveety - Laura Vining Webber Baldwin Spencer is the half-sister of Ceara Connor Hunter, both having the same father - Gordon Gray.  And they probably never learned of each other's existence.

Ceara and Laura - two characters played by Genie Francis, joined in a Toobworld theory of relateeveety.

Laura Vining Webber Baldwin Spencer
'General Hospital'
383 episodes

"General Hospital: Twist of Fate" (TV Movie) 

'Roseanne'

- "Suck Up or Shut Up" 

Ceara Connor Hunter
'All My Children'
(1990-92)

'Loving'

 (1992-93)   

Until next time....

TVXOHOF MEMORIAL TRIBUTE - ROBIN LEACH

Space Ghost:
Greetings, y'all! I'm Space Ghost! Welcome to my incredibly entertaining comedy-style interview program, where anything can happen, and usually does. On tonight's big crazy-time joke show, legendary chronicler of high-livin' lifestyles Robin Leach, comedic author Merrill Markoe, and musical guest Bananarama, along with the usual gang of idiots.  

Space Ghost:
Now Robin, all seriousness aside, congratulations on the incredible success of your show, you must be very proud.
Robin Leach:
Back in 1982-83, when we started this, uh, extraordinary show of looking at, uh, the richest people in the world, the most famous people in the world, everybody said we were nuts, we were crazy, we should be carted off and thrown away, um, by the men in the little white coats..
Space Ghost:
Uh huh.
Robin Leach:
You probably know a few of the little men in the white coats, don't you?
(From 'Space Ghost: Coast to Coast')

The way 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' became a TV hit was prepped with the glitz and glamour of the prime-time soap operas 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty'.  And in doing so, Robin Leach became a household name.  And easy to parody.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Robin Leach, the veteran television host who titillated viewers with the rarefied perks of celebrity through “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” has died. He was 76.

The famed celebrity reporter died at 1:50 a.m. Friday after suffering a stroke on Monday while in hospice care in Las Vegas, his son Gregg Leach said by phone Friday.

Leach, who had been hospitalized after a stroke in November, was with family at the time of his death.

Robin Leach was one of those celebrities you really couldn't imagine as playing anybody else but themselves.  Richard Simmons is another.  And the TVXOHOF is full of members from the League of Themselves with a huge body of work in which they played themselves - Joan Rivers, Dr. Joyce Brothers, George Burns, Adam West, etc.

Because 'Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous' was so instrumental in launching Leach's fame in Toobworld, I think his tally of qualifying series has to begin with it.

So let's take a look at many of the other appearances in fictional settings by the televersion of Robin Leach:

All of the plot summaries provided are from the IMDb.  The O'Bservations are mine.

EARTH PRIME-TIME

First off, let me clarify why these two shows are in the main TV dimension....

D.C. Follies
- Nixon's Presidential Library Is a Bookmobile
(1987)

Fred becomes a celebrity for a few minutes when Robin Leach drops by looking for a guest for "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" but is pushed aside for Princess Di.

The Bronx Bunny Show
- Episode #1.7
(2007) 

Bronx Bunny and Teddy T give Robin Leach a glimpse at the seedy side of the 'Rich and Famous.'
    
O'Bservation - Puppets are living beings in Toobworld.  Drawing from a 2nd Century tome, "True History", their ancestors were spirits who gave themselves shape with purple-dyed spider webs.  But today, in Toobworld, their land of the Island of the Blessed is known as Puppetland and they commission puppet shells to house their essence.  In doing so, they take on the nature of the puppet shell they wear. ("True History" by Lucian of Samosota is one of the few books that contribute to my vision of Toobworld.)

Sledge Hammer!
- The Spa Who Loved Me
(1987)

[Producer] Alan Spencer originally wanted ABC president Brandon Stoddard to introduce the episode. But ABC had a policy against ABC executives appearing in network programs. Robin Leach does the introduction instead.  

"Trust me. 

I know what I'm doing."
[From "Sledge Hammer!"]

The Charmings
- Birth of a Salesman
(1988)

In this episode, they have a spoof of "Lifestyles" where they show the Magic Mirror's inner dwellings, complete with narration by Robin Leach.

Thirtysomething
- Born to Be Mild
(1988)

Ellyn and Woodman's weekend is ruined when they are forced to babysit Janey.

O'Bservation: Robin Leach appears in a fantasy sequence, but in order to dream it, Hope Steadman had to know of Leach's existence.

1st & Ten: The Championship
- Take My Wives, Please!
(1990)

O'Bservation: I have no information on this at all.

Palace Guard
- Iced
(1991)

While working security for a royal wedding in Italy, Logan and Cooper must thwart a group of thieves after some valuable jewels.

O'Bservation: Robin Leach covered the wedding preparations of Princess Jacqueline, daughter of Queen Helen of Glendorra, making note that the Princess jet-skied in the nude while at Portafino.  He was seen in a later episode of the show, wrapping up the arrest of the Princess for the theft of the Crown Jewels of Glendorra.  .  .  

Dame Edna's Hollywood
- Episode #1.3
(1993)

O'Bservation; Dame Edna's guests for that last episode were Burt Reynolds, Sean Young, and Barry Manilow, with Cesar Romero as Dame Edna's butler.  I've found clips of them all online, but none with Robin Leach.  It might have happened at the beginning.

Boy Meets World
- On the Air
(1995)

Robin Leach appears in the final scene and conducts a tour of the Matthews' house.

O'Bservation: Actually, he had a check for $100,000,000.00 for the woman who lived next door.  And he and his crew just wanted to relax in the Matthews' house while they waited for her.

Roseanne
- Millions from Heaven
(1996)

After finding out they won the Illinois State Lottery, the Conners and family imagine how to spend their new-found wealth. Kathleen Sullivan and Robin Leach interview Dan and Roseanne in their home.  

O'Bservation: By the end of the series, this was all revealed to be a fantasy in a novel Roseanne was writing.  Based on the show's return to life as it once was, I don't think that book was ever published.  So this was another fantasy sequence for Leach.

Love Boat: The Next Wave
- Captains Courageous
(1998)

O'Bservation: Robin Leach was a passenger on board the cruise liner and he was recognized by another passenger.  She bragged that she was about to come into $10,000,000.  Leach sized her up and he could tell that with her extravagant style, she would spend that much money in just a weekend.  (It was just a glorified cameo, but he still got top billing.)
 
V.I.P.- Escape from Val-catraz
(1999)

O'Bservation: In the pre-credits sequence, Val had hidden a prized microchip in Leach's pocket.  Before an enemy agent could kill him for it, Val rescued the TV personality.

  

Robin Leach:

Valerie Irons! 

I've been wanting to talk to you for my show.

Do I get a hug at least?

Everybody Hates Chris
- Everybody Hates Greg
(2005)

Robin Leach's voice is heard describing the mansion that Chris had inaccurately imagined Greg living in.

O'Bservation: So... another fantasy sequence.
 
Great News
- Carol Has a Bully
&
- Carol's Eleven
(both 2017)

Robin Leach:
Well, I think it's a product people will really want. And since I've definitely got the money to invest, my offer to you, good sir, is 10 billion caviars. 
Contestant:
Well, wrong again, Leach.

THE TOONIVERSE

Family Guy
- Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater
(1999)

Peter changes for the worse after he and Lois inherit a mansion in Newport.  Aunt Marguerite's video for her will is based on 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' with Leach narrating.



Space Ghost Coast to Coast 
- Zoltran 
(1997)

O'Bservation: The show is set in the Tooniverse but the guests are being transmitted in from Earth Prime-Time.  But this isn't actually Robin Leach as Space Ghost's first guest.  It is Moltar's brother-in-law Zoltran who has infiltrated the show by either assuming the form of Leach, or possessing his body.

Robin Leach:
Your talent booking department booked the wrong guest. 
Space Ghost:
How do you mean?
Robin Leach:
I am, in fact, Zoltran,
and I have been kidding you all along.
I have taken the identity of Robin Leach
to fool you, Space Ghost.

NEW TIMELINE 
Seven Days
- Love and Other Disasters
(1999)

Olga and Ballard attend a royal wedding. While there, there's an explosion so Frank is sent to stop it. 

O'Bservation: Leach opens the episode doing a presentation about the wedding for his TV show.  It is pozz'ble, just pozz'ble, that Leach may have died in that explosion.  And in that dimension's timeline, he would remain dead.  But in the new timeline created by Frank's intervention, Leach survived.  By this time in the show's line-up, the team were now several dimensions removed from the original Toobworld's timeline.

SKITLANDIA

'Saturday Night Live'

O'Bservation:  In the sketch comedy TV dimension, Dana Carvey played Robin Leach on 'Weekend News Update', looking at baseball as if he was reporting for 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous'. 

Here's how he sounded as Leach, from a comedy club appearance:

 Good night and may God bless, Mr. Leach.  And welcome to the Hall.

Champagne wishes; caviar dreams, 

And nobody said anything about chips!

Robin Leach

'V.I.P.'

TWO FOR TUESDAY TRIBUTE (2) - CAROLE SHELLEY

As the September salute to soap operas kicked off this past weekend, we got word about the deaths of two actresses who had daytime drama credentials.  This being Tuesday, we'll have  Two for Tuesday Tribute.

With this second memorial, we're honoring an actress who holds a very special place in the Television Crossover Hall of Fame....

From Playbill:

Carole Shelley, known for her Broadway performances in the original companies of "Wicked and "The Elephant Man", died August 31 at the age of 79 at her home in Manhattan.

Her death from cancer was confirmed to Playbill by Ms. Shelley's close friend Barrie Kreinik.

Ms. Shelley made her Broadway debut as Gwendolyn Pigeon in the original Broadway cast of "The Odd Couple" in 1965, a role she would reprise in both the feature film and TV series adaptations of the Neil Simon play. Shelley shares the distinction of being one of only two actors (along with Monica Evans, who co-starred as her sister Cecily) to appear in all three major adaptations of "The Odd Couple" as the same characters.

It was for that reason that Ms. Shelley and Ms. Evans were inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame as multiversal characters back in 2002, the Year of Duos.  For my quatloos, that's the role that should be listed up top as the role she is known for!

As for soap opera roles.....

• On 'All My Children', she played June Hagan.  (I have no other information about the character.)
• Ms. Shelley was Barbara "Babs" Bartlett from 1991-92 on 'One Live To Live'. (For being on the soap opera for almost a year, I would have thought there would be information about her somewhere online.  But I didn't find anything of merit.)
• She was only a temporary replacement as  Iris Cory Carrington Delaney Bancroft Wheeler on 'Another World', making her a recastaway.  (Just trying to remember that name would have been too much for actresses of lesser mettle.)   

I could only find information about Iris from a website dedicated to the two actresses mostly associated with the character.  Appropriately enough, the site is called "Irises".

As Iris in the 1970s, Beverlee McKinsey created the mold for "rich bitch" soap opera characters (the writers of 'Dynasty' even stole one of Iris' many last names when they created Joan Collins' more well-known but far less complex version of the archetype, Alexis Carrington) and served as the dramatic catalyst in the almost decade-long Iris/Mac/Rachel triangle, the only major love triangle in soap opera history in which one of the "couples" was not romantically involved (Iris and Mac were, of course, father and daughter). Iris proved so popular that a spin-off, 'Texas', was created centering around her - too bad the powers that be apparently thought they needed to make Iris nice in order for her to be effective as the main protagonist, and the show ended up being canceled after only two years. 

It turned out, Carmen Duncan could, if not replace Beverlee - for that implies one or both actresses were so one-note that they could be interchangeable - at least create her own vision of the character that was marvelous in its own right. A new Iris blew back into Bay City after nearly a decade away, having evidently traded in her halo from the 'Texas' days for a fabulous wardrobe and willing to go to nearly any lengths to maintain her place in the Cory family. Sadly, Carmen did not get the top billing that Beverlee had; she was mostly pigeonholed as a supporting player. Even when she had little to work with on the page, however, Carmen still brought such pathos to the role that for me Iris was often more compelling just talking to "Daddy's" portrait than much of the rest of the show. 

As a final indignity for one of the most pivotal characters in 'Another World''s history, Iris was eventually written out and shipped off to jail after she managed to accidentally shoot and critically injure Carl in a series of plot developments too ludicrous to recall or describe, while her family, who had by that point realized she was innocent, all but forgot about her. The powers that be had such little respect for history that the character who had set her up was soon turned into some kind of a romantic hero - while living in (a dark, dreary, redecorated version of) Iris' gorgeous apartment, no less! - until one of many new writers/producers wrote him off as well. As far as viewers know, Iris was never released from prison, and in fact she was mentioned on-screen no more than a handful of times in the five years that the show remained on the air after she left. On top of all that, due to a stupid preemption for the OJ Simpson trial, I did not even get to see her final episode (although I still recall Iris being dragged out of the courtroom, begging Carl and Rachel to believe her, in Carmen's penultimate episode).

So there's a recastaway to be dealt with here. 

The author mentions that Iris didn't return to Bay City until about a decade later (after the cancellation of 'Texas'.)  So any number of splainins can be found as to why she looked different - I would suggest plastic surgery as being the most logical, considering we're talking about a soap opera.

But how do we splain away Carole Shelley's appearance in the role in 1980 (probably somewhere between Episode 1.3949 and Episode 1.4052)?

I think we may need to turn to the 'Quantum Leap' splainin.

At some point in the future beyond Dr. Sam Beckett's experiments with the time-traveling device he created, others were leaping into the bodies of people in the past.  And I believe that eventually it became a profitable enterprise for people wealthy enough to pay for the chance to relive certain periods in Time. 

Many of these would be academics, subsidized by the institutions which hired them, in order to study some particular nub in History.  Of course there would also be those who were unscrupulous and wishing to use the technology to enrich themselves or to rid themselves of political opponents for example.  (But of course the Timecops would be monitoring that situation.)

To prevent wide-spread contamination from the Future, quantum leapers would be limited to visiting only certain areas which had been designated "time preserves".  Among the areas selected would be cities and towns like Llanview, Port Charles, Genoa City, Corinth, Monticello, Salem, and in this case, Bay City.  (This is the splainin I came up with the rampant recastaway problem in soap operas.)

Whoever that woman was who impersonated Iris Cory Carrington Delaney Bancroft Wheeler in 1980, I think she was one of those researchers, learning about the society of that time in light of the political events happening at that time.  She may have been there to gauge people's reaction to President Carter's actions against Russia because of their invasion of Afghanistan, including the cultural impact of the "Miracle on Ice" when the US hockey team beat the Russians at the Olympics held in Lake George.

There would also be the grain embargo imposed by Carter and she might have investigated if that had impact on any farmers in the Bay City region.  And of course there would have been the little things she would have learned about - like the first use of the word "yuppie" in an issue of Chicago magazine.

None of this they could garner from the historical archives of the Future, by the way.  Most of those were destroyed in the Eugenics Wars on orders of Colonel Green.

This historian masquerading as Iris Cory Carrington Delaney Bancroft Wheeler was hoping to stay long enough to interview the younger people of Bay City after President Carter imposed a draft on 18 to 25 year olds because of that Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. 

Unfortunately two events forced her "leap" back to the Future - first, while she was visiting nearby Lake Forest for reseach, a bomb devised by Ted Kaczynski seriously injured the president of United Airlines.  "Mrs. Wheeler" happened to be in the same building at the time.

And then there was the intense heat wave from June 23 to September 6, which would ultimately claim the lives of 1700 Americans.  Her superiors back in the Future did not want to add her to the casualty list and so she was brought back against her wishes.

And that's my splainin for the presence of the late Carole Shelley in 'Another World'.

I'll have another look at Ms. Shelley in Toobworld after the September showcase of soap operas has run its course.

Good night and may God bless Carole Shelley......

SHOWS CITED:

• 'Another World'
• 'Texas'
• 'Quantum Leap'
• 'Star Trek'
• 'Timecop'
• 'Dynasty'

TWO FOR TUESDAY TRIBUTE (1) - SUSAN BROWN

As the September salute to soap operas kicked off this past weekend, we got word about the deaths of two actresses who had daytime drama credentials.  This being Tuesday, we'll have  Two for Tuesday Tribute.

With this first post, we'll take a look at the sad news sent to me by Michael Trupia......

From Deadline:

Susan Brown, who is best known for her role as  Dr. Gail Adamson Baldwin on 'General Hospital', died Friday after battling Alzheimer’s disease. She was 86.

'General Hospital' showrunner Frank Valentini took to Twitter to confirm her death saying, “It’s a very sad day in Port Charles as the wonderful Susan Brown (“Gail Baldwin”) passed away today. My sincerest condolences to her family and to all who knew this amazing woman.”

[Ms. Brown] stepped into the role of Dr. Gail Adamson Baldwin in 1977. The character was Monica Webber’s foster mother who married Peter Hansen’s Lee Baldwin. It would only take two years before Brown would receive a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress. She ended up leaving the soap on Dec. 12, 1985, but it wouldn’t be her last appearance on 'Port Charles'. She would pop in from 1989-1990 and made a comeback in 1992 when she was a recurring character.

She would also appear as the character of Victoria Lane’s mother, Janet, on 'Santa Barbara', as businesswoman Adelaide Fitzgibbons on 'As the World Turns' and in 'The Young and the Restless'. She scrubbed once more as Dr. Balwin in the General Hospital spin-off 'Port Charles'. She stayed on the soap until 2004.

She also played first First Lady Pat Nixon in the TV movie "The Final Days" as well as Nancy Reagan in "Without Warning: The James Brady Story".  

Let's take a look at the essential biography for Dr. Gail Adamson Baldwin in Port Charles....

From the 'General Hospital' wiki:
Dr. Gail Adamson Baldwin came to Port Charles in 1977 as a psychiatrist. While in town, it was revealed that she was Monica Bard's former foster mother. Gail had known Monica since she was just a little girl living in the orphanage and she took Monica in and became her foster mother. Gail later met Lee Baldwin and discovered that they were both mourning the loss of their spouses. This bonded them as they grieved together. Lee's late wife Caroline Chandler Baldwin, had been lost at sea with her son and in order to help him move past his grief, Gail contacted Lee's son, Scott Baldwin. Scott came to town, got a job as a clerk at General Hospital and eventually fell in love with Laura Webber.

In the meantime, Gail counseled Monica about her tumultuous love life. Monica was torn between two lovers, Alan Quartermaine and Rick Webber and Gail was there to give her daughter much needed advice and guidance. Gail was shocked, saddened and appalled when she found out that her late husband Greg, had taken advantage of Monica and raped her when she was younger, but with the hard truth finally out, Monica and Gail were able to reconcile. Later when Monica gave birth to her son Alan Quartermaine Jr. during a snow storm, Gail was there and helped deliver her grandson.

In 1980, Gail and Lee married and became very involved in Scotty and Laura's love life, even to the extent that when Laura tried to divorce Scott, Lee burned up the divorce papers. In 1983, Lee ran against Luke Spencer for mayor of Port Charles. Lee hired Scott as his campaign manager and Scott played dirty, going after Luke, (the man who was responsible for destroying his marriage to Laura) hard. Scott planned on digging up and exposing lots of dirt on Luke, and he even planned to use Luke's sister Bobbie Spencer in his quest to bring Luke down. When Lee heard of his son's dirty tactics, he fired him as his campaign manager. Luke won the race, but resigned shortly thereafter and Lee became the mayor and Gail became the First Lady of Port Charles. A few years later, Lee and Gail left town.

In 1994, Gail and Lee were shocked to discover that young Karen Wexler was their granddaughter. She was conceived after Scott had an affair with his secretary Rhonda Wexler. In 1997, Scott returned to Port Charles with his young daughter named Serena Baldwin. Serena is Scott's daughter with the late Dominique Stanton and she was carried by surrogate Lucy Coe, who adopted her after Dominique's death. Gail and Lee were overjoyed to see Scott and their granddaughter Serena again.

A year later, when Dr. Julie Devlin was accused of being a serial killer who was attacking patients at General Hospital, Lee worked as her attorney and got her acquitted by placing the blame on Dr. Eve Lambert. However, a tape was discovered revealing that Julie really was the killer and when Julie was caught, Lee became her guardian. While under their care, Gail tried everything she could to get Julie committed to Ferncliffe, to get the help she so desperately needed.

In 1999, Lee suffered from a Pulminary Embolism, devastating Gail and many others, but due to the care and support of his loved ones, he made a full recovery. Also in 1999, Gail and Lee were overjoyed to gain another granddaughter when Scott and his then-wife, Lucy, adopted a baby girl. Gail was further honored when the baby was named, Christina Gail Baldwin at her christening. In 2003, Gail and Lee were devastated when Karen was killed after being struck by a speeding car. Gail comforted a grieving Scott, and helped him make the decision to donate Karen's blood to help save Lucy's life. The following year, when Lila Quartermaine passed away in her sleep, Gail and Lee attended the funeral and paid their respects. Following Lila's funeral, Gail quietly faded into the background and was written off the canvas.

She was widowed when Lee died in July 2017.

I found it interesting that she played First Ladies in two Republican administrations, Pat Nixon and Nancy Reagan.  As those were TV movies featuring historical actors who would be played by other actors in regular TV series.  To avoid recastaway problems, I usually send those productions off to any one of the other TV dimensions.  And in this case, since there were no overlap historical characters, it amuses me to have both "The Final Days" and "Without Warning: The James Brady Story" exist in the same TV dimension.  And if this Pat Nixon and this Nancy Reagan ever met face to face....?

Good night and may God bless, Susan Brown....