On Saturday, November 17, 2012, Gene Bua (“Somerset,” “Love of Life” and “How To Survive a Marriage”) passed away after battling Parkinson’s disease for the past 13 years according to a posting on the actor and his wife Toni’s website Bua Acting for Life. “The great Master Teacher and my hero and Lion King for 47 years, Gene Bua, passed into the Light on Sat. Nov. 17th at 1:40, after battling 13 years of Parkinson’s and yet still going on to teach, write songs, be a mighty friend, and enjoy much of his life. I am surrounded by his power, love and radiance as I walk through these coming days with as much Grace as God will allow me. Very much love to you all,” said Mrs. Bua of her husband on the website.

With news of Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell’s ascension to the top of the “Days of our Lives” writing team after the NBC daytime soap let go Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr., less than a year after the two were hired to replace Dena Higley, Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue (issue dated April 16, 2012) is reporting that Tomlin and Whitesell has added the multiple Emmy award winning talents of veteran writer Lorraine Broderick to its new regime.

Soap Opera Network has learned that Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr. were fired and replaced by Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell.

Yesterday afternoon, Soap Opera Digest reported that “General Hospital” has named breakdown writer Shelly Altman as its Co-Head Writer working alongside Head Writer Garin Wolf. Per the magazine’s website Altman’s new role is effective immediately.

With the cancellations of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” back in April it was unclear at the time as to where their replacement shows “The Chew” and “The Revolution” would film their daily episodes. Now with “Chew” filming in New York and soon “The Revolution” set to begin filming in New York as well, Soap Opera Network has learned that ABC Daytime is shifting much of its operations to New York City including talent management and media relations.

Original “One Life to Live” cast member Doris Belack passed away Monday of natural causes in Manhattan. Belack potrayed Anna Wolek Craig on the show from 1968-77. She was 85 years old.

“One Life to Live” remembered the recent passing of the show’s long-time director David Pressman by dedicating the Tuesday, September 27 episode of the soap in his memory.

Daytime Emmy Award winning television and stage director, actor, and teacher David Pressman died of natural causes on Monday in New York City at the age of 97. Pressman is best remembered by soap fans for his three decades of directing daytime dramas, including “Another World” and “One Life to Live.”

When Rex (John-Paul Lavoisier) and Natalie (Melissa Archer) arrive in Kentucky at the Spotted Pony Strip Club later this week, fans may recognize the face of the man tending bar behind the counter. A.C. Weary, the husband of Kim Zimmer, who returned to the role of Echo Di Savoy last October after a nearly thirty year absence from the show, has been cast in the recurring role of Theo, the club’s manager. But don’t expect husband and wife to be sharing screen time anytime soon, however.

After a week of unconfirmed (by the show) firings of numerous actors, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” has now fired its co-executive producer, Gary Tomlin. The news was first reported by TV Guide Canada’s Nelson Branco on Twitter. News of Tomlin’s firing comes on the heals of last months firing of head writer Dena Higley and the recent firings of actors Crystal Chappell (Carly Manning), Louise Sorel (Vivian Alamain), Bren Foster (Quinn Hudson), Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe Lane), and Tamara Braun (Taylor Walker).

Today “Young and the Restless” co-executive producer Paul Rauch announced that he will be stepping down from the drama series as of Friday, April 1, which ironically enough is April Fool’s Day. This of course is no joke.

After 72 years on air between radio and television, CBS’s “Guiding Light” will cease broadcasting on the CBS Television Network due to low ratings. Love may save the world, but apparently it wasn’t enough to save television’s longest running daytime drama. Even with having its name published in the Guinness World Record Book and winning three Daytime Emmy’s for Best Drama Series (the most recent being in 2007), “GL” found itself unable to withstand the mass exodus of viewers from the traditional daytime soap format in recent years.

Gary Tomlin officially takes over “Days of our Lives” from Ed Scott.

SOAPnet, the new way to watch soaps, is changing some elements of its lineup beginning in 2007.