ATWT News Archive - 2009

AS THE WORLD TURNS: Canceled
It's a tragic day for soap operas. After nearly 54 years on the air, word comes that ATWT will follow its sister-soap GUIDING LIGHT gently into the good night. "We are disappointed and saddened by the news that the show is not being renewed. It will certainly be a loss for all of us, and for the show's loyal audience," said executive producer Chris Goutman in a statement. The show will last air in September of 2010.

The Weatherman Says!
WCBS-TV weathercaster Lonnie Quinn revisits his soap star past when he pops up on today's (Nov. 17) AS THE WORLD TURNS as himself, after Jack hits New York City hot on the trail of Simon Frasier. Quinn played the first Will Cortlandt on ALL MY CHILDREN from 1988-89 and also played Rich on SANTA BARBARA from 1992-93. Of course, Quinn's isn't the only familiar face Jack encounters in the Big Apple: Welcome back, Molly (Lesli Kay)!

Daniel Cosgrove joins ATWT
Soap Opera Digest has learned that Daniel Cosgrove (ex-Bill, GL) is heading to Oakdale and is set to air in early 2010. The actor — whose character name hasn't been released — joins former GL co-star Tom Pelphrey (ex-Jonathan) who debuted this week on ATWT in the role of Mick Dante. Be sure to check back at soapoperadigest.com for more late-breaking updates regarding Cosgrove's new role.

ATWT Casting News
Former supermodel Paulina Porizkova will appear on ATWT in a multi-episode arc as a woman named Clarissa who shares a past with Simon (Paul Leyden). She will first air January 5.

For more on Porizkova, visit her IMDB page here.

Kay on ATWT Return
Lesli Kay (Molly, ATWT) is headed back to Oakdale, though she's still working at B&B as Felicia. The actress, who will have to commute to ATWT's Brooklyn studio from her Los Angeles home and be away from husband Keith Coulouris (ex-David, ATWT) and sons, Jackson, 9 and Alec, 4, kept the secret of this historic move since June. "It didn't get out until recently and I got a call from the makeup room at AS THE WORLD TURNS and it was just eruption and people were screaming in the background and everyone was really excited and that was a good feeling," she says. "And so are those [ATWT] message boards. The fans are amazing. I told Chris Goutman [Executive Producer] that I was having this really bad moment the other day and it's like the equivalent of Sally Field in Soapdish going to the mall. All I have to do is go on the AS THE WORLD TURNS message boards and there are pages and pages of really cool things and people are speaking very nicely. People seem very excited." For more from Kay, pick up the new issue of Digest.

Peck at the Movies
Austin Peck (Brad, ATWT) admits he wasn't thrilled to hear he was being written out of Oakdale. "I love playing Brad and I love working with the people there," he says. "I love coming to work. It's just extra added chaos in my life right now that I just don't really need [laughs]." But Peck has a lot to be happy about: He has a starring role in The Blue Tooth Virgin, which premieres September 25 at movie theaters in New York and Los Angeles. "It's an artistic Hollywood satire," says the actor, who filmed it before he landed his ATWT gig in 2007. "I play a character named Sam, who has had success in the past as a writer commercially, but it's been a long time coming since then. He's been trying his hand at drama and writing this very provocative, esoteric, avant-garde script called The Blue Tooth Virgin. He asks his friend, who is also a writer, to read it and of course, that causes complications in the friendship. So, it's really about the insecurities and neuroses in the artistic process, the humanity of it all, I guess you can say. Anybody who tries to be creative in any way would be able to relate to it." The film, written, directed and produced by Russell Brown, was shot in eight days in Los Angeles. "It was guerilla filmmaking and we had a fantastic time," Peck recalls. Check out www.thebluetoothvirgin.com for more. Or, if you are in New York, head to Quad Cinema (34 East 13th Street) or Laemmle's Music Box Theater on Wilshire in Los Angeles (9036 Wilshire Blvd.). "It's going to be out for a week and depending on how well it does, considering it's an independent film, it will stay longer. It's gotten excellent reviews," says Peck.

Big ATWT Casting News!
Soap Opera Digest can confirm that Mark Collier (ex-Mike), Paul Leyden (ex-Simon) and Peter Parros (ex-Ben) will join Lesli Kay (ex-Molly; B&B's Felicia) in returning to the show in November.

Pelphrey Joins ATWT
A rep for AS THE WORLD TURNS confirms the buzz coming out of Emmy weekend: Tom Pelphrey (Jonathan, GUIDING LIGHT) is joining the show in the newly-created role of Mick. Stay tuned to Digest and Weekly in the coming weeks for more about Pelphrey's move to Oakdale.

Lesli Kay Back To ATWT
Big Oakdale news! Lesli Kay, who is currently airing as B&B's Felicia, is returning to ATWT. The actress, who appeared on ATWT from 1997-2004 and earned a Supporting Actress Emmy in 2001, will reportedly appear on both shows simultaneously and travel cross-country from Los Angeles to ATWT's Brooklyn studios to shoot. Look for her to return in late fall.

Peck Out
AS THE WORLD TURNS' Austin Peck (Brad) has been let go. Sources say that Peck, who began airing in January of 2007 as Jack's newly de-aged brother, will be wrapping up his stint at WORLD TURNS in a shocking fashion. The role will not be recast. A rep for ATWT had no comment.

Tunie Returns To WORLD TURNS
A spokesperson for AS THE WORLD TURNS confirms for Digest/Weekly that veteran actress and fan fave Tamara Tunie is indeed reprising her role as legal eagle Jessica Griffin! Tunie, who was last seen in Oakdale in February of 2007, also stars on LAW & ORDER: SVU as Dr. Melinda Warner. The details and duration of Tunie's return are still under wraps.

Maddie About You
Deadbeat mom Audrey Coleman's going to have a lot of 'splainin' to do. A rep for AS THE WORLD TURNS confirms that Alexandra Chando will be returning to the show as Maddie. Chando last played Maddie in 2007. Actress Kelli Barrett briefly stepped into Maddie's shoes in December 2008, playing the role until the first week of January '09.

GL Head Writer To ATWT
GUIDING LIGHT co-head writer David Kreizman is heading to sister soap AS THE WORLD TURNS effective immediately. He'll team up with existing head writer Jean Passanante. "I am thrilled that Dave and Jean will make up the new head writing team," said ATWT executive producer Chris Goutman in a statement. "Both writers have an incredible respect for the show's rich history and I am confident this partnership will generate the exciting, character-based stories for which ATWT is known."

ATWT Casting News!
Soap Opera Digest has learned that Stuart Damon (Alan, GH) is reportedly joining the cast of ATWT in a new role. He joins fellow GH/PC pals Jon Lindstrom (Craig), Julie Pinson (Janet), Lynn Herring (Audrey) and Marie Wilson (Meg). Since the show is so far ahead with their taping schedule, look for the actor to debut sometime around September.

ATWT Casting News!
Don't look for Judi Evans (ex-Adrienne/Bonnie, DAYS; ex-Paulina, AW; ex-Beth, GL) to join Wally Kurth at DAYS. Soap Opera Digest got the exclusive with Evans, who is joining the cast of AS THE WORLD TURNS on August 26. "I need to get back to New York; I have a 20 by 20 storage unit full of furniture that I have to clean out," Evans laughs. "I was going to go this summer anyway, so it was very out of the blue and it was certainly welcome. I'm looking forward to working with Chris Goutman [executive producer, who she worked with on AW] again and I can't wait to see Julie Pinson [Janet; ex-Billie, DAYS]. I miss her!" Details of her character, Maeve, and who she'll interact with are being kept under wraps for now.

Herring In Oakdale
Lynn Herring (ex-Lucy, GH/PC) gabbed with Digest and Weekly about her new role as ATWT's Audrey, Henry's mom. "The beauty of it is, Henry is such a unique character," she smiles. "Kin Shriner [ex-Scott, GH/PC; ex-Keith, ATWT et al] had known him when he had done the show and said Trent [Dawson, Henry] was so much fun. [Audrey] comes off sympathetic, then she kind of comes off dastardly, so the juxtaposition is awesome to play." For the full interviews, check out both magazines.

It's A Girl!
AS THE WORLD TURNS' Maura West and Scott DeFreitas (Carly and ex-Andy) have welcomed a baby girl, who joins her four older siblings, Benjamin, 13, Joseph, 9, Katherine, 7, and Basil, 2. And soap fans can thank West's soap pals, not the stork, for breaking the news! Martha Byrne (Andrea, GH; ex-Lily, ATWT) beamed on Facebook, "Congrats Maura and Scott on their baby girl!!" while Cady McClain (Rosanna) Twittered the good tidings: "Maura had her baby!!! A beautiful little girl."

The couple named the baby Birdie West DeFreitas. She weighed in at 7 lbs 13 oz and is 20 inches long. "Mom and baby are doing great," reports a spokesperson.

Woods To ATWT
Michael Woods (ex-Dr. Ackland, PASSIONS; ex-Alec Wallace, AS THE WORLD TURNS) has been cast as Jay, a man with a past connection to Audrey (Lynn Herring). He begins airing again on ATWT July 31.

She's Ba-ack!
Fan favorite Lynn Herring (ex-Lucy, GH/PC) returns to daytime — and while she's in New York, it certainly isn't Port Charles. She'll play Audrey, the avaricious mother of AS THE WORLD TURNS's beloved martini-swilling gambler, Henry. Herring first airs on the East coast sudser July 24. The short-term gig reunites her with former PC co-stars Jon Lindstrom (Craig; ex-Kevin/Ryan, GH/PC), Julie Pinson (Janet; ex-Eve, PC) and Marie Wilson (Meg; ex-Karen, PC).

Soap Creator Dies
Katherine Phillips Hughes, daughter of legendary soap creator Irna Phillips (GUIDING LIGHT, AS THE WORLD TURNS etc.) died May 12 in Brentwood, Calif. She was 65. Born and raised in Chicago, Phillips Hughes eventually created a soap of her own — A WORLD APART — for ABC in 1970. The series was inspired by her own life as a child adopted by an unmarried soap opera writer. Patrice Kahlman, the heroine of the short-lived series, was played by Susan Sarandon. Hughes is survived by a brother.

ATWT Casting News
Soap Opera Digest has learned exclusively that Forbes March, who won hearts as OLTL's Nash, is joining ATWT on July 14 as Mason, Noah's college advisor. "Mason's gay, too, so [he and Noah] have that in common. And we'll see where it goes!" says March. The actor is aware of the strong "Nuke" contingent out there. "Well, having received death threats when I played Nash and I had to deal with Antonio fans, I think I’m ready for them," he cracks. For the full story, see the next issues of Digest and Weekly.

It's Official!
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has officially announced that the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast on the CW television network on Sunday, August 30 at 8 p.m. The show will take place in the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. "The Daytime Emmy Awards are one of the cornerstones of our business," said Frank Radice, president and chief marketing officer, NATAS. "There wouldn't be a television awards season without them. From the extravagant red carpet to the great entertainment, the viewer will experience the show through new approaches which will make this year's show more robust and relevant than ever before."

Major nominations will be announced on May 14, 2009 on NBC's TODAY show with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. The complete list will be available that evening at a nominating event at the Hearst Tower.

ATWT Awarded!
It was a great weekend for Oakdale residents as AS THE WORLD TURNS' Van Hansis (Luke) and Jake Silbermann (Noah) accepted a GLAAD Media Award for ATWT in the Outstanding Daily Drama category and Mick Hazen (Parker) took home a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series-Recurring Young Actor. Congrats!

Daytime Emmys To Air On The CW
GoldDerby.com reports that The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences are about to announce that the Daytime Emmys will be broadcast on The CW network in late August, most likely on Aug. 31. The news ends months of speculation on the dismal fate of the awards show. Though The CW doesn't air any daytime soaps, it is the home of GOSSIP GIRL and various talk shows that are also in the Daytime Emmy world.

DVDs of performances from all the pre-nominated actors (Check out the pre-noms here) have been mailed out today to the voters. Nominees in the major categories will be announced on May 14 during the fourth hour of the TODAY show. The remaining nominees will be announced during a reception that evening at the Hearst Building in New York City.

ATWT Casting News!
Cady McClain is returning to the role of ATWT's Rosanna Cabot on May 20. "She is going to have gone through a transformation," McClain tells Digest exclusively about what's in store for Rosanna. "It's timely and relevant and I'm very excited about that."

Daytime Emmy Update
"There will definitely be a broadcast and it will be a cool event!" confirms an insider. The nominations will be announced for the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy awards in late April. The broadcast is slated for early June. Check back with SoapOperaDigest.com for updated information.

Oh, Baby!
Congratulations to Colleen Zenk Pinter (Barbara, ATWT) and Mark Pinter (Agent Rayner, GH), who became first-time grandparents on March 15. Daughter Siri Pinter and boyfriend Carson Daly welcomed Jackson James Daly, who weighed in at 7 lbs., 8 oz.

AS THE WORLD TURNS Casting!
Soap Opera Digest can confirm that Paolo Seganti (Damian) is returning to Oakdale in mid-March. The actor was last seen in August 2006, when Damian wanted to send a gay Luke away to be "deprogrammed." Look for him to mix it up with Luke, Noah, Lily and Lucinda.

February Sweeps Moved To March
Those of you who love February because of all the big storylines will have to wait just a little bit longer. Because of the digital transfer in the television world — everyone will now need a cable box — Feb. sweeps will happen March 5 to April 1. Things are back to normal in May — sweeps run from April 23 to May 20.

ATWT Star Expecting!
In the 2/10 issue of Digest, we report that Maura West (Carly, ATWT) and husband Scott DeFreitas (ex-Andy) will welcome baby No. 5 later this year. The couple's brood already includes Joseph, who will be 9 in March, Katherine, 7, Basil, 2, and Benjamin, 12, from West's first marriage. Word is that the pregnancy will not be written in.

Daytime Emmy Update
Though there's nothing to mark on your calendars yet, an well-placed insider involved with the Daytime Emmys says, "I'm assured there will be a telecast. Lots of work has been going on in the background by good people to make this happen. There will be a show."

ATWT Wins WGA Award
AS THE WORLD TURNS took home a Writers Guild of America award on Feb. 7 in the outstanding Daytime Serials category. Congrats!

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