Chapman Baehler/TOLN

On Thursday, May 16, Prospect Park‘s The OnLine Network announced its decision to reduce the episode order of both “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” from 168 original episodes (excluding Fridays MORE shows) each per  year to just 110. “AMC” star Jill Larson (Opal Cortlandt) recently spoke out on the decision, which has fans of both soaps currently divided, on her Facebook page:

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Steven Bergman Photography

On Friday, May 17 at 3:30 PM PST, “The Young and the Restless‘” Angell Conwell (Leslie Michaelson) will be appearing on Black Hollywood Live.

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Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

According to a report by Deadline Hollywood, Prospect Park‘s The OnLine Network has opted to reduce the yearly episode orders of both “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” from 168 to 110. In addition, new episodes of “AMC” will now be made available on Mondays and Wednesdays, while new episodes of “One Life to Live” will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays via Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes. The “MORE” recap shows will continue to be provided on Fridays. The change goes into effect beginning Monday, May 20.

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ABC has announced its new fall primetime schedule which includes the trimming of “Dancing with the Stars” from two nights to just one (now only on Mondays) with “Castle” remaining in its slot for the fifth year running. Tuesday nights finds the introduction of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” a spin-off series from the “Avengers” film franchise, followed by new comedies “The Goldbergs” and “Trophy Wife.” New drama “Lucky 7” replaces “Body of Proof,” which was canceled.

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ABC

Just days before its upfront presentation to Madison Avenue on Tuesday, May 14, the Disney/ABC Television Group has announced that viewers of ABC programming in New York City and Philadelphia (via their WABC and WPVI affiliates) will be able to watch ABC‘s Live 24/7 linear broadcast network programming online for the first time ever through the new WATCH ABC application. Viewers can access WATCH ABC online at ABC.com or by downloading the WATCH ABC app on their iOS or Kindle Fire devices. The WATCH ABC app will be available on Samsung Galaxy devices this summer.

“WATCH ABC is a game-changing innovation for the broadcast television industry. We’re extremely excited to offer this open access preview to our WABC and WPVI viewers in New York and Philadelphia. This announcement represents a defining moment in technology and distribution, as well as for our advertising and affiliate partners, as we ensure that our high-quality content is available to viewers on a variety of devices,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks, and president, Disney/ABC Television Group. “Our mission with this special preview is to gather key learnings about the service and the consumers who utilize it in order for our WATCH products to be the gold standard experience of authenticated multiplatform viewing.”

WATCH ABC allows viewers of such programs as “General Hospital” to view their shows in real-time, in sync with the WABC/WPVI broadcast airings of ABC programming.

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Gilles Toucas

In a statement released just a short time ago, Lee Phillip Bell, co-creator of CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” said, ”JEANNE COOPER: respected colleague, industry icon, woman of passion and grandeur; most important, beloved friend. She was a shining beacon. Her love was unexpendable, and was given freely to all, from fans to great celebrities. She was not jaded by success, nor impressed by wealth and fame. Her crowning glory was her family: her children Corbin, Collin and Caren and her grandchildren, whom she adored, and all of whom adored her in return. Her presence resonated in the lives of all those around her. Through her personal and professional journey, she saved hundreds, possibly thousands, from the depths of alcoholism. She embodied compassion and forgiveness. No daytime icon has ever been more influential in the lives of millions. She will be terribly missed, but her light will shine on forever. May angels guide you on your journey, dear Jeanne. I will love you forever.”

via Press Release

INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ACTRESS JEANNE COOPER
DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT

John Paschal/JPI Studios

May 10, 2013, LOS ANGELES, CA … Internationally renowned actress Jeanne Cooper, who played the vibrant and tough grand dame with a heart of gold, Katherine Chancellor on “The Young and the Restless”, died on May 8, 2013 after a brief illness.

She was born Wilma Jeanne Cooper in Taft, California on October 25, 1928, of English, Irish and Cherokee Indian descent, something she’s always been extremely proud of, to Albert Troy Cooper and Sildeth Evelyn Moore. After graduating high school in the rural oil field town, she attended the College of the Pacific and performed in the Civic Light Opera Company and Revue Theatre in Stockton, California before graduating from the famed Pasadena Playhouse School in Pasadena, California.

Her professional career began with the film “The Redhead from Wyoming” with Maureen O’Hara in 1953, followed by many classics such as “The Man from the Alamo” with Glenn Ford, “There Was a Crooked Man” with Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda, “The Boston Strangler” with Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda and George Kennedy, “Tony Rome” with Frank Sinatra and Jill St. John, “The All-American Boy” with Jon Voight, “The Glory Guys” with James Caan, “Kansas City Bomber” with Raquel Welch and “Let No Man Write My Epitaph” with Shelly Winters. More recently, Cooper starred in the feature films “Carpool Guy”, directed and starring her son Corbin Bernsen, as well as “Three Day Test” and “Over the Hedge”, also produced by Bernsen’s film company, Public Filmworks.

Additionally, Cooper became a recognizable name by starring in many early television shows such as “Playhouse 90”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Perry Mason”, “The Untouchables”, “The Virginian”, “Maverick”, “Bracken’s World”, “Ben Casey”, “Bonanza”, “The Big Valley”, and many others.

Cooper’s most notable stage credits include starring roles in “On the Town”, “The Miracle Worker”, “Plain and Fancy”, and the touring production of “Plaza Suite”. She also starred in the critically acclaimed “Love Letters” at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills.

In 1974 she joined the William J. and Lee Phillip Bell daytime drama “The Young and the Restless”, which just celebrated its 40th anniversary on CBS, in the iconic role of Katherine Chancellor. Cooper was the longest-running cast member on the series. In 1984, footage of Cooper’s real-life facelift was televised on “The Young and the Restless” as her character underwent the surgery at the same time. Additionally, she made public, through Y&R, her struggle with alcoholism. She liked to say that she was the first reality show on television.

During her 40 seasons with Y&R, Cooper garnered 10 Daytime Entertainment Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, winning in this category in 2008, and one Daytime Entertainment Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Additionally, she received the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Lifetime Achievement Award in May of 2004.

In 1962 she was nominated for a Prime-time Emmy Award for her role on “Ben Casey.” In 1987 she was nominated, again, for her recurring role on “L.A. Law,” playing the mother to her real-life son, Corbin Bernsen in the category of Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series. Bernsen subsequently joined his mother on “The Young and the Restless” making several guest appearances as the priest Father Todd.

Additionally, in 1989 Cooper received a Soap Opera Digest Award and the Soap Opera Digest’s Editor’s Award for her portrayal of Katherine Chancellor on Y&R. She was awarded two First American in the Arts Awards as Lead Actress in a Drama Series and in 2009 was the recipient of the coveted AMEE Award from the AFTRA Foundation. Cooper received her star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993.

In 2012, Cooper published her memoir, “Not Young, Still Restless”, which she wrote with her dear friend Lindsay Harrison, which was a New York Times best-seller.

Cooper has been the spokesperson for “No2Debt.com”, a company that helps people reclaim their lives by getting out from under the burden of debt. She also is extremely proud of “Spring Board Center” in Midland, Texas, a facility for drug and alcohol addiction that she co-founded.

Cooper was pre-deceased by her parents and brother, Jack Cooper. She is survived by her three children, Corbin, Collin and Caren, eight grandchildren as well as her sister Evelyn Rader, and her beloved animals, Bishop, Daisy, and Crackerjack. Services are pending.

On Tuesday, May 28, CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” will air a special tribute episode honoring the life of the late Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor). Cast members, friends and family of the beloved actress will gather on set next week to shoot a celebration of the life of Cooper, who passed away this week at the age of 84. Cooper, who portrayed Katherine Chancellor for more than 39 years, was the show’s longest-running cast member.

John Paschal/JPI Studios

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As previously reported, Matthew Cowles is returning his dastardly evil character Billy Clyde Tuggle to “All My Children” beginning Thursday, May 16. In a newly released image from The OnLine Network, Billy Clyde is about to butt heads with Ray MacDonnell‘s Dr. Joe Martin, in what appears to be a motel room.

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David M. Russell/Prospect Park

In a growing list of popular artists appearing on or performing in episodes of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” including Hot Chelle Rae on today’s “AMC,” The OnLine Network has announced that multi-platinum recording artist Jason Derulo will perform on the soaps Wednesday, July 3 episode. The episode finds the artist appearing as himself singing his new single “The Other Side” after receiving an invite to perform as part of a gala event hosted by Brooke English (Julia Barr).

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