Photo Credit: Twitter

For more than 12 years Sean Kanan has been portraying the role of the flawed Deacon Sharpe on CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Young and the Restless,” but for fans of “General Hospital” he is best known for his portrayal of AJ Quartermaine. Last seen in 1997 as AJ went toe-to-toe with Carly Roberts (now Carly Jacks) as played by Sarah Brown, fans were shocked to find the role recast with actor Billy Warlock. According to published reports, Kanan had been fired by then executive producer Wendy Riche because of issues relating to alcohol use. In 2005, Warlock’s AJ was killed off by a psychotic psychiatrist, but after a 15 year absence from the canvas does Kanan’s return mean the show has decided to undo AJ’s death?

In an interview with TV Guide‘s Michael Logan, Kanan says, ”‘GH’ is one of those places I never thought I’d see again and that makes what’s happened even more exciting. My life has changed completely since those days. I’m newly married and have a baby on the way. I also have an 11-year-old daughter and four stepchildren. I’m not the guy I used to be.” It was announced last week that Kanan and his new bride Michele were expecting their first child together.

Earlier this week Kanan returned to “B&B” for a short stint as Deacon prepares to close out another chapter of his life. When he returns to “GH” expect to see Kanan for the long haul. “Frank [Valentini, Executive Producer] also put his money where his mouth is and gave me a contract,” says Kanan. “These days, in this environment and this economy, there are not a lot of soap contracts being handed out. So, needless to say, I’m extremely happy. I can’t wait to see what the writers come up with!”

Kanan is scheduled to mark his return to the ABC drama series on Monday, October 29. One week earlier (Monday, October 22), former co-star and on screen brother Steve Burton, who has portrayed Jason Morgan on the soap for more than 20 years, will end his run as he and his family move to Tennessee.

ABC has not commented on whether Kanan is returning as AJ, a new character or quite possibly a recast Jason Quartermaine.

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

While Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue lists their last airdate being Wednesday, August 15, both Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux) and Sarah Brown (Madison James) will actually find their characters departing the world of the living much sooner.

On the Monday, August 13 episode, fans saw Madison speak for the last time as she called out for her fiancé, Brady Black (Eric Martsolf). On Tuesday, August 14, Jack departs Salem for the umpteenth time as the elevator cables snap while daughter Abigail (Kate Mansi) and the love of his life Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) look on in horror. Sadly, it looks like Jack is really dead this time! Also according to Digest, Caleb Hunt (Andrew) last airs on Friday, August 17 despite the character escaping unnoticed on the Monday, August 13 episode while Chad (Casey Deidrick) was tending to Gabi (Camila Bannus). Father Matt (Ralph Waite) is also back on the 17th as he shares words with Nicole (Arianne Zucker).

Soap Opera Network has learned Brendan Michael Coughlin will return on Monday, August 20, when his character Tad (aka: T) has a confrontation with Will (Chandler Massey) that eventually leads to a dangerous one with Sonny (Freddie Smith) later that week. On Tuesday, August 21, Brant Daughtery is back as Brian, and Will is none too pleased when he sees him getting intimate with Sonny.

Blake Berris returns as Melanie’s (Molly Burnett) stalker Nick Fallon, who is up for parole, on Monday, August 27. As previously reported, Nick’s mother Jessica Blake Fallon (Jean Bruce Scott) returns to Salem after a 30 year absence on Friday, August 31.

Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Although Soap Opera Digest has since “confirmed” their story on the ouster of several “Days of our Lives” stars with a show representative, according to its website, one actress appears to not have been told as the magazine stated. In fact, it looks like if the firings do hold, actress Sarah Brown (Madison James) has not been told by her bossess of any change to her status with the NBC daytime soap.

“Don’t know if it’s true, but, who ever leaked that story should consider that no one wants to find out they have lost their job via Twitter,” said the actress in a Twitter posting of her own. She followed the tweet with the following, which puts some confusion and mystery to the story:

Ken Corday & Greg Meng are class, they would not do that to us. Wasn’t them who leaked it, & I didn’t hear it first on Twitter. Who leaked?

— Sarah Brown (@sarahjoybrown) April 10, 2012

A “Days of our Lives” representative has not responded to repeated requests for comment by Soap Opera Network.

Brown joined the cast in October 2011 in the contract role of Madison James, “ a powerful and seductive CEO who looks to take on, one way or another, Sami [Brady, Alison Sweeney], Kate [Roberts, Lauren Koslow], Brady [Black, Eric Martsolf], and Victor [Kiriakis, John Aniston].” Her character was paired with Martsolf’s Brady Black and the duo shared some steamy scenes over the time they were on screen together, and that didn’t necessarily include shedding any clothing.

Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) – In an interview posted earlier today by TV Guide‘s Michael Logan, it looked like “Days of our Lives” Co-Executive Producer Greg Meng was alluding to the possible ouster of actress Sarah Brown when he stated “we also brought in the wonderful Sarah Brown [Madison James] and threw her into a lot of material very quickly. Maybe too much too quickly.” Sadly, it looks like he was indeed commenting on Brown’s character on the show in past tense.

Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Christie Clarke (Carrie Brady), Patrick Muldoon (Austin Reed), Matthew Ashford (Jack Devereaux) and Brown are all being let go in what is being now being called phase one of the mass firings expected at NBC’s “Days of our Lives.”

In the case of Clarke, Muldoon and Ashford, the trio returned to “DAYS” in September as part of the soaps big reboot. Brown joined the cast in early October as the first new character introduced by recently ousted head writers Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr.

Last airdates are unknown at this time as a representative was unavailable for comment at press time, however, considering “Days of our Lives” currently films three months ahead of airdate and the new writing teams material is scheduled to hit the air in mid-August, per Meng, look for the quad to last air in August.

Stay tuned to Soap Opera Network as this breaking story continues to develop.

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — October 8, 2011 marks the tenth anniversary of Soap Opera Network, an online magazine celebrating the world of soaps past, present and future.

Soap Opera Network began as an online message board on the then popular ezBoard (now called Yuki) platform by two individuals that wanted to start a more industry based discussion forum for fans of the soap opera genre with the idea that not only could one discuss the comings, the goings or the general news of the day, but have the opportunity to learn more about the names, the faces and the minds of the people that help make daily dramatic serials happen year in and year out. At launch, soap operas “All My Children, “As The World Turns,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Days of our Lives,” “General Hospital,” “Guiding Light,” “One Life to Live,” “Passions,” “Port Charles,” and “The Young and the Restless” were on the schedules of television networks ABC, CBS and NBC.

In November 2002, Soap Opera Network left ezBoard and became its own .com service.

Thanks to elaborate databases such as a ratings archive (how soaps rated over the years), episode count archive (who appeared in episodes of a soap opera each and every month and year), its end credit archive (who wrote, directed or produced each episode), including a listing of episode writers and directors along with profile pieces on more than 80% of the writers, producers and directors, Soap Opera Network has cornered the market on information surrounding the inner workings of the soap opera format.

Over the course of its ten years, Soap Opera Network has interviewed a number of daytime’s biggest stars and behind the scenes personnel including Susan Lucci, Erika Slezak, Melody Thomas Scott, Maurice Benard, Steve Burton, Sarah Brown, Hillary B. Smith, Robert S. Woods, Ilene Kristen, Ken Corday, Cameron Mathison, Cady McClain, Eden Riegel, Judith Light, Bradley P. Bell, Brian Frons, Maria Arena Bell, Sherri Shepherd, Daniel Goddard, Greg Meng, Marlene McPherson, Darrell Ray Thomas, Nancy Curlee, Melissa Archer, Kristen Alderson, Julie Pinson, Ron Carlivati, Frank Valentini, Linda Dano and many more.

Current Soap Opera Network staff is as follows:

Xavier Toups, Co-Founder
Errol Lewis, Editor in Chief; General Hospital Editor; Days of our Lives Editor
Angela Rosa, Managing Editor; All My Children Editor
Scotty Gore, Managing Editor; One Life to Live Editor
Venus Stone-Cutter, The Young and the Restless Editor
Gehrig Burnett Jr., The Bold and the Beautiful Editor

myFOXla.com

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — On Friday, July 29, talk show host Nate Berkus (“The Nate Berkus Show“) was captured by “Good Day LA” cameras and reporter Gina Silva while he was on the set of “Days of our Lives” filming scenes for an upcoming appearance on the NBC soap. While production was halted for the live interview, viewers got their first glimpse at Sarah Brown with newly cut hair before she even debuts as Madison James on Tuesday, October 4.

While character details for Berkus haven’t been revealed due to how far in advance the series films, Soap Opera Network can report that Berkus will first air in mid-October and his character plays a role in helping Brown’s character Madison with some styling matters shortly after her character hits Salem. Berkus and Brown also happen to be friends in real-life.

Also appearing in the “Good Day” clip with Berkus and Brown were Alison Sweeney (Sami Brady), Eric Martsolf (Brady Black) and Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts). If you blink, you may miss Peggy McCay (Caroline Brady), who appears behind the Brady Pub bar talking with production staff.

Gilles Toucas

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Best known for her portrayal of Carly Corinthos and later Claudia Zacchara on ABC’s “General Hospital,” Sarah Brown is returning to daytime for another go after being dropped to recurring status earlier this year by CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful,” where she portrayed Agnes ‘Aggie’ Jones. The three-time Emmy Award winning actress has signed with NBC’s “Days of our Lives” to play the contract role of Madison James beginning Tuesday, October 4.

Brown’s new character is described as a “ a powerful and seductive CEO who looks to take on, one way or another, Sami [Brady, Alison Sweeney], Kate [Roberts, Lauren Koslow], Brady [Black, Eric Martsolf], and Victor [Kiriakis, John Aniston].” In a statement, Brown shared that she’s “excited to join such a talented cast as well as to play such a strong yet feminine character that will inspire our female viewer.”

For his part co-executive producer Greg Meng stated “”We are thrilled to have Sarah join our family at ‘Days.’  We needed a strong actress who can mold this character and go toe-to-toe with other strong actresses such as Alison Sweeney and Lauren Koslow. Madison defines a new femininity, displaying confidence, savvy, and elegance.”

via Press Release

THREE-TIME EMMY AWARD WINNING ACTRESS SARAH BROWN JOINS CAST MEMBERS ALISON SWEENEY & DEIDRE HALL ON ”DAYS OF OUR LIVES”

Actress Joins the Newly Revitalized Show in a Provocative & Powerful New Role

Sarah Brown, perhaps best known to fans for her creation of the iconic, tortured troublemaker Carly on “General Hospital,” has joined the cast of “Days of our Lives,” NBC’s longest-running scripted television series.  Brown is considered one of daytime television’s best working actresses, having won a jaw-dropping three Emmy Awards for ” General Hospital,” and delighting fans on “As the World Turns” and “The Bold & the Beautiful.”  She joins “Days of our Lives” as it begins revolutionary changes to focus on heroic love, intrigue, core family values, and the triumphant return of daytime royalty Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn as Marlena Evans and John Black.

Brown will play “Madison James,” a powerful and seductive CEO who looks to take on, in way or another, Sami, Kate, Brady, and Victor. “‘Days of our Lives’ is one of television’s historic gems,” Brown says.  ”I’m excited to join such a talented cast as well as to play such a strong yet feminine character that will inspire our female viewer.”  Brown joins former cast members Matthew Ashford, Christie Clark, and Patrick Muldoon, who are returning to the show, in celebrating its 46th season on the air.  Greg Meng,  Co-Executive Producer, commented, “We are thrilled to have Sarah join our family at ‘Days.’  We needed a strong actress who can mold this character and go toe-to-toe with other strong actresses such as Alison Sweeney and Lauren Koslow. Madison defines a new femininity, displaying confidence, savvy, and elegance.”

Sean Smith/JPI

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — ABC’s first successful crime procedural in years enjoyed its highest rated episode ever with an appearance by daytime star Sarah Brown (Sandy Sommers, “The Bold and the Beautiful“).

The Monday, January 25 episode of the series entitled “The Third Man,” garnered a 7.4/12 in Households and a series high performance iin Adults 18-49 with a 3.1/8. According to ABC the series also achieved series highs in Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Men 18-49. In total, the episode was seen by 10.5 million viewers. Ratings information is based on Live+SD (Soure: Nielsen Media Research).

In the episode, Brown portrayed the role of Amanda Livingston, who found herself in an awkward position while on a date with novelist Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion, ex-Joey Buchanan, “One Life to Live“), who paid more attention to a case he was working on with Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) then he did on Amanda. In the end, Amanda found herself clicking with another man!

“Castle” is a production of ABC Studios and Beacon Pictures.

Bob D’Amico/ABC

Who hogged the most airtime in all of 2009? After years of coming in second to his female counterparts, did “General Hospital‘s” Steve Burton edge out the competition in 2009?

As the year 2009 came to a close, so did a years worth of tracking appearances of contract and recurring actors on daytime’s remaining soap operas. “General Hospital’s” Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and “Days of Our Lives” Arianne Zucker (Nicole Walker) top the list of appearances in 2009 as the duo respectively appeared in 208 and 207 out of a little over 250 episodes of soap opera hours produced for each soap (except for the canceled CBS sudser “Guiding Light“) last year.

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