Disney/ABC Television Group

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — There has been much discussed about “All My Children” 2.0 following a report by Soaps in Depth in which the magazine reported on its website that “All My Children,” as conceived by the minds behind the scenes at Prospect Park, has been placed on hold. This of course is after months of rumors and speculation stating that the company had planned to launch the show just days following its September 23 ABC finale and again in January 2012 following the network finale of sister soap “One Life to Live,” which in addition to “AMC” was licensed to Prospect Park for its Online Network (TOLN) in a deal brokered with the Disney/ABC Television Group back in July of this year. But is this really news to the fans or were we all just hoping something else was going on behind the scenes that would suddenly pace the show on the same trek as “OLTL?”

When the deal with Prospect Park was announced many speculated that one of the reasons “One Life to Live” was allowed to continue on post ABC was due in large part to its association with “All My Children,” both in cancellation and its creator Agnes Nixon. After weeks of silence following the big press release touting the renewed life for both series, which were canceled by ABC in April, “One Life to Live” signed deals with four actors in early September to continue on while “All My Children” only signed two. By the end of September “One Life” would not only sign five additional stars, but would also sign an executive producer and a head writer. Frank Valentini, who will continue as the soaps EP once production wraps at the end of this coming week, will also take on duties as VP, Serial Dramas, Prospect Park. In this new role Valentini will be responsible for all aspects of “One Life to Live” and “All My Children,” along with any other serialized dramatic programming Prospect Park puts into production. His duties will include signing off on the hiring of actors, writers, producers, etc along with setting the budgetary tone for each serialized program under Prospect Park.

Disney/ABC Television Group

By the end of October, “One Life to Live” had signed a total of 13 actors in addition to their EP and HW, while “All My Children” signed Darnell Williams (ex-Jesse Hubbard) to round out the current “AMC” 2.0 cast that includes Cameron Mathison (ex-Ryan Lavery) and Lindsay Hartley (ex-Cara Castillo). Williams’ signing was confirmed to Soap Opera Network by a Prospect Park representative, although other publications have yet to confirm the news through proper channels and used a tweet by Hartley as the basis for their initial reporting.  “All My Children” remains without a head writer or executive producer. Last week, Soap Opera Network reported via several sources that ABC had agreed to allow Prospect Park continued usage of “One Life’s” current studio space, which just so happened to be “AMC’s” studio prior to the soaps move to LA in 2010. “All My Children” was said to continue filming at its Andrita studio in LA under Prospect Park, but after nearly three months since production ceased for the ABC run it’s anyone’s guess as to what has since happened to the sets, wardrobe, props, etc.

Prospect Park

With the signing of no more than three actors, no executive producer, and no head writer, there was absolutely no way “All My Children” could continue online or in any other form as planned. Meanwhile, Prospect Park continues to state that their new Online Network (TOLN) is launching in January 2012, and the company has signed a licensing deal with Universal Music Group in which contemporary music would be available in episodes of both soaps and available for purchase online after the end of each episode. Although there are reports that the company is in need of $65 million on hand to get their efforts off the ground and an additional $80 million per year to fund both series each year, the funding necessary doesn’t seem to be stalling preparations for an online version of “One Life to Live” nor does the fact that there is no deal between the required unions such as the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), the Writers Guild of America (WGA), the Directors Guild of America (DGA) or the Producers Guild of America (PGA), among others.

The issues currently plaguing “AMC” rests on the former cast and crew and their ability to now find jobs anywhere in Hollywood now that they are all living their lives comfortably in the Bear state and free from the clutches of ABC. Michael E. Knight (ex-Tad Martin) received an offer from Prospect Park, but turned it down because he wanted a break. Alicia Minshew (ex-Kendall Hart) and Rebecca Budig (Greenlee Smythe) were sure to be in demand by the company, but alas both wish to only return if they were able to remain on recurring status. Series star and soap opera legend, Susan Lucci (ex-Erica Kane), turned down the company’s offer for the same salary she received while working on the ABC version of the soap. Jacob Young (ex-JR Chandler), who returned on screen at “The Bold and the Beautiful” just before “AMC” aired its final episode in September, admitted that he only signed a short-term deal with “B&B” and wants Prospect Park to be more forthcoming with information. “Let’s see what these Prospect Park guys can bring to the table,” he said on Tuesday, October 25 at New York’s Town Hall for the first of several “A Tribute to Pine Valley” sessions with fans. Once Prospect Park gets its ducks in a row, including signing deals with the necessary unions and apparently finding the funding necessary, “All My Children” 2.0 is now said to be geared for a March 2012 launch, while “OLTL” remains on track to launch in January 2012.

Thomas A. Montalto/MontaltoPhotos.com

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Talk about being two faced! After Stacy (Farah Fath) heads south of the Equator to Brazil this week to have her old plastic surgeon Dr. Fascinella make her look like her old self again, the doc himself finally gets a face of his own.

According to Soap Opera Weekly, Portuguese actor and theater director Pedro Carmo has been cast in the recurring role of the nip and tuck expert. Carmo has appeared in numerous foreign films, shorts, and television series.

He debuts as Dr. Fascinella on Friday, December 2, despite the fact that Stacy, Cutter (Josh Kelly), and then later Rex (John-Paul Lavoisier) and Aubrey (Terri Conn) arrive in his Rio office this week.

And, while there, look for Cutter to encounter a very familiar face in Alex Olanov (Tonja Walker) on Thursday, November 17.

No word yet on the name of the actress cast as Dr. Fascinella’s receptionist, who first airs either late this week or early next week.

Disney/ABC Television Group

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) –  With several former cast members, whose characters are currently incarcerated in Statesville Prison for various crimes and offenses, many “One Life to Live” fans have been left wondering what the show has planned for them.

As we previously reported, those currently serving out their time at the jailhouse and likely returning to the canvas are Lindsay (Catherine Hickland), Troy (Ty Treadway), Cole (Van Hughes), Hannah (Meghann Fahy), Mitch (Roscoe Born), and Allison (Barbara Garrick).

Peter Austin Noir, who has played various dayplayer characters on the show on and off since 1987, returns in early January, this time as a convict named Johnny Rocket.

In a video the actor uploaded to YouTube, he gives fans a sneak peak at his character’s scenes, which feature him in prison garb, surrounded by other inmates, sporting a bloody, bandaged arm. So could a jailbreak be in order with several of Llanview’s biggest criminals? Tune in to find out!

Noir’s scenes, which were taped Thursday, November 10, will air January 3. Hickland was also back on set taping scenes this week. On Wednesday (November 9) she posted on Facebook “GR8 1st day at ‘OLTL’ today In spite of being gobsmacked by a wicked cold. @hbsguya [Hillary B. Smith, Nora] looked gorgeous! Good2B w/cast& crew!”

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Looks like another ghostly return for “One Life to Live.” John Wesley Shipp, who played the abusive father of the Ford brothers and ex-husband of their mom Inez Salinger (Jessica Leccia) appears to be headed back to Llanview for the show’s final days on the air. But just what brings the murdered deadbeat dad back to the canvas?

In a lengthy note posted on his Facebook page, Shipp wrote in part that “The ideas for this last week of ‘OLTL’ on ABC truly approach brilliance; when I was told, roughly, what I would be asked to do, it was not what I had thought, and man was I psyched. I tripped on the idea for a week before I ever got the script lol. Kudos to Ron Calivati and his staff, to Exec Producer Frank Valentini whose praises I continue to sing (some show is going to grab him up if they’re not careful) and a technical crew that not only functions with the proficiency that comes from doing this alot of years, but every time you give, they give back, and you feel it.”

Eddie was last seen as a corpse back on April 26 when he was murdered in cold blood by the now comatose Matthew Buchanan (Eddie Alderson). No word on a first airdate for Shipp’s scenes, which were taped late last week, although they are expected to air sometime in early January. It is also unknown if Leccia will be reprising the role of Inez as well.

Click here to read more of Shipp’s Facebook posts about working with the “One Life” cast and crew.

ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Unlike the network, which appears to be going out of its way not to promote “One Life to Live” in its final months of its television run, one ABC affiliate is making the canceled soap one its “Top TV Picks of the Week.”

Watertown, New York’s ABC50 (WWTI-TV), lists “OLTL” fifth on a list of seven shows not to miss for the week of November 14. “Since 1968, ‘One Life to Live’ has been an American soap opera staple. ‘One Life to Live’ will air its final ABC episode in January of 2012 and will be succeeded by a new health show ‘The Revolution.’ Tune in on Friday [November 18], and follow the Lord family for the rest of the year to see how it ends,” reads a statement on the station’s website. Click here to see what other shows made the list.

“One Life to Live” will tape its final ABC episode, which will in January, on Friday, November 18, before transitioning to online distribution with Prospect Park.

IMDb

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — On tonight’s episode of CBS’ “CSI: Miami,” former “General Hospital” and “General Hospital: Night Shift” star Graham Shiels will appear as Michael Galliver, an out-of-work construction worker with no criminal history who, to feed his young family and pay his mortgage, turns to crime.

In the episode entitled “Dead Ringer,” Horatio (David Caruso) finds another corpse with missing eyes. While everything points to his nemesis, “The Taunter” – he has an airtight alibi.

“I got to work with the incredibly generous, classy, and talented Emily Proctor for my biggest scene,” said Shiels when asked about his appearance on the veteran crime procedural.

In addition to his role on “GH” and “GH:NS,” Shiels appeared in episodes of HBO’s “True Blood,” NBC’s “The Event” and ABC’s “The Whole Truth.” Earlier this year Shiels appeared on CBS’ “The Mentalist” as Officer Tom Rowley, who pulls over Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) as Jane’s day goes from “bad” to “worse.”

“CSI: Miami” airs Sundays at 10/9c on CBS.

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — “One Life to Live” tells its Thanksgiving story this year from a unique point-of-view. On Wednesday, November 23, the still comatose Matthew Buchanan (Eddie Alderson) narrates the tale of how the residents of Llanview are celebrating Thanksgiving 2011.

As we first reported in October, after a number of weeks of the absence of his character from the canvas, Alderson recently returned to “One Life” studios to tape more scenes to air this month. When Matthew “returns” to the screen, his condition appears unchanged as his parents Bo (Robert S. Woods) and Nora  (Hillary B. Smith) commemorate the holiday at their son’s bedside.

Also in the episode, fun and laughter bring some Llanview residents closer together, while others spend the day trying to raise the spirits of those in need of a little thoughtfulness and love, and still others reflect on their history together. However, Thanksgiving isn’t all happiness for one family, whose holiday takes a deadly turn, changing their lives forever.

Donna Svennevik/ABC / GSARTS.NET

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — “One Life to Live” is forced to recast the character of Cole Thornhart, who is serving a prison sentence for murdering Eli Clarke (Matt Walton) with Broadway star Van Hughes only one day after Brandon Buddy returned to the role.

According to reports, Buddy became unable to continue with the show after taping only one episode, leaving the show’s producers in limbo as they scrambled to find a replacement, claiming it was too late to rewrite the scenes, since the show wraps production on its ABC run next Friday.

“OLTL” is said to have re-shot all of Buddy’s scenes with Van Hughes, who first taped with Kristen Alderson, who plays Cole’s ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Starr Manning, on Tuesday of this week. No word on the number of episodes the actor will appear in.

This is not Van Hughes’ first time in Llanview. In September 2010, he briefly appeared as preppy art student Simon Ulrich in scenes with Gigi Morasco (Farah Fath) and Cristian Vega (David Fumero). He also had a recurring role on “As the World Turns” as Gil Penn from 2006-07. His first airdate is unknown.

George De Sota/jpistudios.com

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Art imitates life as “One Life to Live” does what it does best by poking fun at itself for an upcoming storyline. Beginning next month, the show’s once popular soap-within-a-soap, “Fraternity Row,” gets canceled due to sagging ratings, leading one loyal Llanview fan to take drastic action to save her soap. The plot mirrors “OLTL’s” own predicament, having been dumped by ABC earlier this year.

The story kicks off on Tuesday, December 6, when Roxy Balsom (Ilene Kristen) learns her favorite daytime drama has been given its marching orders, and decides to do whatever she can to help keep it on the air. According to the November 22 print edition of Soap Opera Weekly, that includes circulating a petition among  the residents of Llanview, including a few surprising individuals, to drum up fan support for the sudser. The magazine even gets a shout out on the air courtesy of fellow soap fan Nigel (Peter Bartlett).

The actress tells SOW that “It’s kind of mirroring our situation [at 'OLTL'] and there’s all sorts of ironies in that. Basically, one of the things that’s been very amazing and really touching is our fan support and that’s really kind of what the storyline is, from Roxy’s point of view, because she represents the fan base of ‘Fraternity Row.’”

According to Kristen, “She [Roxy] goes to Clint [Jerry verDorn] to ask him because he used to produce the show and he’s not particularly interested. Then she goes to Bo [Robert S. Woods]. Then she tries to recruit the most famous Llanview person, David Vickers [Tuc Watkins], because he’s a big movie star! I think the audience is really going to have a lot of fun with it.”

But it doesn’t end there. As we previously reported, “One Life” creator Agnes Nixon will make a special appearance on the show the week of January 9 as Agnes Dixon, the woman who created “Fraternity Row,” when she is interviewed about the the show’s cancellation by Llanview’s hard-nosed reporter Blanca Morales (Carolina Bermudez). Long-time “OLTL” fans may remember that “Fraternity Row” was a major part of the show in the late 80′s and early 90′s.

So will Roxy be successful in her quest to save “Fraternity Row” and, if so, will the soap’s fate mirror that of “One Life to Live” who is moving its production online with Prospect Park? Tune in to find out!

Donna Svennevik/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Have fond memories of a particular character, storyline, or episode from “One Life to Live‘s” 43 year run on ABC? If so, here is your chance to sound off and share your favorite Llanview moments with your fellow soap fans.

The official “One Life” Facebook page is asking fans to take a trip down memory lane by sharing what you consider as being some of the show’s most memorable moments.

Perhaps it was Karen Wolek breaking down on the witness stand while admitting to be a hooker, or the underground city of Eterna, or Viki’s battle with D.I.D, or even the infamous ‘Trading Places’ episode from 2001.

Whatever your fondest memories of Llanview and its inhabitants, it’s time to sound off!