Browsing: Michael E. Knight

On Monday afternoon, Vincent Irizarry learned of Jamey Giddens (of Daytime Confidential) rather strong implication on Twitter that [Irizarry’s] lack of cooperation along with Agnes Nixon and Lorraine Broderick’s “story projections” were a major reason production company Prospect Park decided to reportedly halt early production efforts to move “All My Children” to the internet. Read on to find out how the none too pleased Daytime Emmy Award winner responded to the claim on Facebook on Monday evening.

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?”

On Saturday, October 1, the National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) met for the final time in 2011, as previously reported. One of the topics of discussion was Prospect Park and its transitioning of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” to the web in January 2012. While exact details of the meeting are still unknown in that respect, a representative speaks to Soap Opera Network exclusively on where things stand at this time between the actors union and Prospect Park.

This week has been full of well deserved tributes, accolades and goodbyes to a 41-year old television institution, “All My Children.” Lost in the avalanche of interviews with the actors who have contributed their talents to the popular soap opera may have been several of the shows most popular actors sharing if they have been asked to follow it to the internet and if they’re willing to. The production company that has licensed their soap opera, Prospect Park, has recently stepped up talks with “AMC’s” cast members locking in deals with Cameron Mathison (Ryan) and Lindsay Hartley (Cara). Where do “AMC’s” other popular stars, including their biggest star Susan Lucci (Erica), stand on moving to the net? Continue reading to find out.

On September 26, “All My Children” will be replaced on ABC Daytime by a lifestyle program – with a focus on food – titled (arguably in poor taste) “The Chew.” Early this morning, Entertainment Weekly revealed that CBS Daytime reached out to several actors from the cancelled ABC drama to assist them in some interesting counter-programming beginning on September 26.

Moments before the announcement that production company Prospect Part had licensed “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” from ABC and saved it from imminent cancellation, it was announced that Debbi Morgan (Angie) had already signed on to “The Young and the Restless.” She will debut on the popular CBS soap this fall. Not too long after that, Jacob Young (JR) announced that he was unable to ignore the call back to “The Bold and the Beautiful.” He returns as Rick Forrester on Monday, September 26. At this moment, Prospect Park is still trying to work out a deal with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) that will allow them to begin negotiating with actors for a hopeful January 2012 relaunch of both ABC soaps. This leaves the actors of “AMC” with free time and a contract with ABC that dissolved earlier this week. In the September 13, 2011 issues of Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly, it is revealed that Alicia Minshew and Chrishell Stause have also both been contacted to join another soap.

Cady McClain returned to “All My Children” during the Tuesday, May 17 broadcast of the soap despite filming her first scenes just seven days prior (May 10). So why did the show rapidly insert her scenes into already taped episodes of the soap? “AMC” was canceled of course! During fan club weekend last month, McClain spoke with Soap Opera Network about her return, what the cancellation news meant for cast and crew, the reunion of Tad Martin (Michael E. Knight) and Dixie Cooney (McClain) and even how she got to wear sweats to work while filming scenes of Dixie laying in bed.

“All My Children” is scheduled to last air on ABC on Friday, September 23. Although “AMC” and “One Life to Live” are slated to go on in a different format thanks to a licensing deal between ABC and production company Prospect Park, several events have been organized to assist the actors and viewers in saying good-bye to “AMC” in the format fans have come to know and love it in for the first 41-years of its existence. These events will be held on the East Coast where the soap was produced for four decades before being moved to Los Angeles in January 2010.

Soap Opera Network first reported that Sarah Michelle Gellar was interested in returning to her roots for a guest appearance in May. Today, the same day that film-star Josh Duhamel first aired on “All My Children” in his return stint as Leo du Pres, it was announced that Gellar’s interest had come to fruition. Early this afternoon, Soap Opera Digest broke the news that he 34-year-old actress will appear on “AMC” for one episode before the September 23 finale on ABC.