Saturday April 6: 12:45 PM The First Autograph Session

Jack was greeted with cheers and applause as he walked up to the autograph booth in front of the Hollywood Bistro Restaurant at 12:45 PM on Saturday. There was a buzz in the air, you could feel the crowd’s energy and good vibes, everyone was so excited to see him. He was dressed in a beautiful, light gold double-breasted suit with a matching gold tie. I heard more than a few gasps from the audience. He was pumped up, excited, ready to MEET US! He smiled, waved, laughed, talked with us and let us take photos of him. Then he began the autograph line. Jack warmly greeted each person in line. They'd do a quick photo together. Then he'd really talk with each person as he signed his or her photograph. Jack could instantly “read” and respond appropriately to each person’s needs, making each and every person he met feel special. Jack could be intelligent, serious, silly, funny, smart aleck or tender, depending upon the situation. He was especially wonderful with the kids. He'd pick them up, give them a hug, caress or a kiss, and always place them in a central spot for the photograph. Clearly, he adored them. And they adored him.

My assignment was to photograph Jack with his fans during the entire weekend, for THE STAMP COLLECTIVE website and for Jack’s official website. So, I had a reason to be up close, snapping away (such a hardship!) I struck up a conversation with a lady next to me who was busy filming Jack on her new 8mm camcorder. We instantly bonded, chatting together, laughing and talking to Jack. He’d look up, smile and talk back to us. (We have it all on tape!) When we learned that we were both KATHYS, that cracked us up. Poor Jack! Not ONE but TWO Kathys were talking to him, teasing him, and giving him a hard time! Suddenly everyone heard this loud wolf whistle. Jack continued to sign an autograph for about 10 seconds. Then he did a long, slow take, looking RIGHT AT US, with THE LOOK. He was clearly NOT happy. (I would not like to be the recipient of that look very often!) The other (funny) Kathy and I quickly replied, “Hey, that wasn’t us! We didn’t do it!” He started to laugh and continued to sign the autograph. Kathy yelled, “I think it was a guy!” It had to be a guy, it was way too powerful to be a woman’s whistle. Some guy was teasing Jack.

Kathy and I also laughed about the security people and others who were constantly walking RIGHT in front of our cameras at the split second we were trying to photograph Jack. It was both hilarious and exhausting. When the security people told everyone for the tenth time to “step back” or “step off” something that we weren’t even ON, I yelled out, “The crowd’s getting UNRULY out here! We’re totally OUT of control!” (It was a joke. No one was doing ANYTHING; we were just standing there, totally well behaved.) Jack looked at me, smiled and teased, “They are? ALRIGHT!” Thanks, Jack, you got the joke!

Jack was wonderful. People would yell out “JACK! JACK!” He’d look in the direction of the voice, stop, and give that person a gorgeous smile, a wave and say “Hi!” Or someone would make a comment or ask him a question and he’d respond. He made us all feel welcome. This man can do five things at once and do them all well. Talk about multi-tasking! He wanted to make sure we all went away happy. Well, Jack, we did, thanks to you.

Saturday, April 6, Sunday April 7th 1:45 PM -Cavalcade of Stars Parade

You could feel the excitement in the air. People lined up along the entire parade route, cameras ready. The parade began in an area behind the Hollywood Bistro Restaurant. Suddenly, a tall gate swung open and out came a float with the entire cast perched on top, enthusiastically waving to us as the ALL MY CHILDREN theme music played loudly from all the loudspeakers in the park. I had decided to catch the parade at the beginning of the route. Smart move. The cast was perched in tiers on the float. Jack and Susan were arm in arm at the very top and back left side of the float, waving, smiling and greeting fans as they went by. They were even on my side as they went by!!

The float moved past us. Then some of us decided to walk behind the float, so we could keep watching our favorites and enjoy the entire parade to the very end. And the Disney people let us do it! Different actors rotated up to the top and back of the float. Darling Michael Knight joined us and gave us wonderful waves, smiles, he mugged, talked and laughed with people, and he had a great time. Jill Larson came back and greeted us warmly. Walt Willey was there, too, with his big white Mickey Mouse (or was it Michael Jackson) glove, being silly and funny with the fans. Julia Barr briefly came up to the back of the float on Sunday to join Michael. But, lucky me, I was blessed to watch Susan and Jack, who stayed at the top and back of the float during most of both parades.

Suddenly, Jack picked up Susan in his arms. She laughed and waved, he held her close, and then he swung her out OVER THE SIDE OF THE FLOAT, like a gigantic prize! Everyone went crazy! The two of them were adorable, clearly both having a ball. All I could think of was, “Jack, don’t drop her!” She was 20 feet off the ground! He did that three times on Saturday and two or three times on Sunday, and you could always see when they were ready to do it. On Saturday, Walt sneaked up behind Susan and Jack, picked up Susan, held her in his arms, and mouthed the words, “I’ve got her now!” Yeah, but only in the parade, Walt, sorry! Jack’s got her on the show from now on.

Saturday, April 6th 2:45PM Second Autograph Session

Jack did his second autograph session at the Paradise Pier Bridge. I found a good spot behind the rope line to photograph him, but the brilliant afternoon sun played havoc with the lighting. He stood under an umbrella to be in the shade, and many of my photos from this session are too dark. (The funny) Kathy wasn’t next to me this time, so I was well behaved and very serious, totally focused on getting photographs for the websites. Several times in between autographs, Jack silently acknowledged me with a look, smile or a wink, his way of saying “Thank you” for what I was doing for him. Towards the end of the second session I was tired, and I had shot all the film in both cameras. I was just standing there and relaxing.

Suddenly, one of the Disney people walked over to me and said, “Do you want a photo of Jack?” I replied, “Thanks, but I’m TAKING photos of Jack, I don’t need a photo of Jack.” He walked away. A few minutes later, someone else came over and said, “Would you like a photo of Jack?” “Uh, I’m photographing him, thanks, I don’t need a photo of him.” Why are all these people asking me if I want a photograph of Jack? I have 150 photographs of Jack! A third person came over and said, “Jack would like to give you a photograph. What’s your name?” OH!! “Kathy with a K,” I replied. Oh, he wants to give me an autographed photo. I didn’t understand the question! So, I waited a while and no photograph. I asked the nice security lady, “Is he going to give me one?” She hurried over to Jack and he signed a photo for me. A nice gentleman brought me the photo. Thank you, Jack, you were a sweetheart to do that. I didn’t expect it.

Then one of the security guys came over and asked, “Would you like to have a photo with Jack?” I replied, “It’s OK, my cameras are all out of film, thanks, but that’s OK.” He walked away and talked to someone. A young man came back over to me and said, “We have a camera, WE’LL take your picture with Jack.” Now this was getting funny, OK! I move over towards Jack, but I’m teasing this guy, “Whose camera is this? It’s not mine! I’m never going to see that photograph!” He clicked away. He told me it was a Disney camera. Then I went over to the young man and said, “How am I going to get a copy of that picture? How are you going to even know who I am on that roll of film?” He said, “We’ll send it to you.” “Who are you?” I asked. “I’m his agent,” he replied. OH! OK! So I gave one of the people my name and address. Jack, you were a sweetheart to do this for me, but I don’t think I’m ever going to see that picture. Who knows where it is in the Disney kingdom? I’m deeply grateful for Jack’s thoughtfulness in autographing the photo for me and in taking a picture with me, since I wasn’t in the autograph line and didn’t ask for either. Jack is a wonderful guy.

Saturday, April 6: 4:15 PM Casting Call

An excited group of 400 of us quickly filled the large theater. Walt Willey came out to wild applause, cheers and gasps from the audience. WOW! He’s stunning in person. He told us a funny story and then got right down to business. Three female audience members would be selected (based on the answers they gave to questions they were asked when they waiting to come into the theater), to do an audition with Walt. Each woman would read a scene with him (looking at a teleprompter for the dialogue.) Walt would play Jackson Montgomery and they would play Kendall Hart. We, the audience, would be the casting directors. After we saw all three performances, we would vote on the best one. That lucky lady would get to do a scene with Jack Scalia.

Everything went fine until the third contestant. Walt called out her name. She was seated right behind me in the theater. Well, she couldn’t move! She couldn’t breathe! She adored Walt Willey. He had to coax her out of her chair and up onstage. Once onstage, she just stood in front of him and gasped, while we were all laughing like crazy. Walt was doing his best to coax her into doing the scene with him, but she was too stunned to move. She kept telling him how gorgeous he was! It was a priceless moment. But, she needed to do the scene, so we could vote on who would do the scene with Jack. This went on for several minutes. Finally, Jack bounded up on stage and told us that he was dying laughing in the back of the theater, watching this scene with Walt and the lady, but that they needed to do the scene so he could get to the next event on his schedule. He also put his hands all over Walt, sighed and teased in a high voice how much he loved Walt, just like a female fan would do.

Finally Walt got the lady to calm down and do the scene. We selected the winner, and she got to do a short scene with Jack, in which he played Chris and she played Erica. It was a short, serious scene. Jack was seated on a couch, looking at some legal briefs, which he had taken out of his briefcase on top of the coffee table. The woman walked over to him, they did their dialogue and that was the scene. That’s how the scene was SUPPOSED TO GO. Sunday’s performance turned out to be SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT! The woman finished her scene, was congratulated by Jack and Walt, and then left with them to get a videotape of the scene she’d just done with Jack. LUCKY LADY!

Saturday, April 6: 5:15 PM Pine Valley Live Question and Answer Session

Linda Dano introduced Eden Riegel, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Alicia Minshew, Jack Scalia and Susan Lucci, who sat down to enthusiastic applause, cheers and flashbulbs popping. The audience began asking questions. One person asked when each actor began his or her acting career. Eden, Elizabeth and Alicia each gave their answers. Jack answered that on December 27, 1979 he had a spiritual awakening and took his first sober breath. On December 29, 1979, he decided he wanted to study acting, and on January 3, 1980, he walked into Carnegie Hall and took his first acting class. The audience cheered. Susan told us that she wanted to be an actress from her earliest childhood. She would fly across her living room, jumping from one piece of furniture to the other as she acted out parts and sang her heart out. She used the upstairs bathroom curtains for props for many different roles. (The story got better on Sunday!!)

Someone asked if each actor was married and had children. Eden, Elizabeth and Alicia, who are single, each told us briefly of their significant others. Jack told us that his two beloved daughters, 12 and 14, are both accomplished athletes in multiple sports and that one is a fine equestrian. Regarding his marital status, he replied, “I am single.” He told us that at 10:00 AM every day, wherever he is, he calls his daughters in California and tells them to “Clap their hands three times and say, “Today’s going to be a great day.” He delightfully added that they’ve told him that this affirmation works! Susan told us about her 32-year marriage to Helmut Huber, her 27-year old daughter Liza and her 22-year old son Andreas, who is 6’3” and can pick her up and hold her under one arm! She said that Liza quit acting for one year to pursue being an equestrian. Susan added that Liza has decided that she wants to act again. Andreas is finishing college. Susan then said that Jack is a devoted and very involved parent in his two daughters’ lives, even though they are on opposite coasts, and that’s one of the many reasons she adores and respects him. Jack was touched and thanked her for her comments. This was an unexpected and very beautiful moment, clearly demonstrating how much these two people care for each other.

Then someone asked Susan who her favorite acting partner was, excluding Jack Scalia. Susan fell for the bait and said she couldn’t say, who did this person like the best? The person replied, “Walt Willey” and the audience erupted in applause. Susan then walked to Jack, put her arm around him and very pointedly answered everyone, “I have to tell you, this is my favorite partner!” Jack gave Susan a heartfelt “Thank you.”

Sunday, April 7: 9:30 AM - Breakfast with the Stars at the Soap Opera Bistro

The Soap Opera Bistro is a great restaurant with re-creations of sets from all four ABC Soaps. We got our buffet breakfasts and then were directed to different rooms. I was originally directed to a really dark room. I instantly changed my mind and moved to the adjacent room, Kelly’s Bar, from GENERAL HOSPITAL, where there was better light for photographs. We were told that seven stars from the show would be walking through each room and would stop for photos and chats with us as time permitted. WOW! I had the pleasure of sitting with Crickett and Cindy. We instantly struck up conversations like we’d known each other forever. It was wonderful to meet people and instantly connect with them, a real bonus of the weekend.

Suddenly, in walked John Callahan. I’ve loved his work on AMC for nine years, so I was excited. I was finally going to meet the guy. I was supposed to go to his fan club luncheon in 1994. I didn’t quite make it. He walked around, posed with everyone, talked to people. He was very funny, open and accessible, down to earth; he just went with the flow of whoever talked with him. We finally snatched him for our table. I congratulated him on the birth of his new daughter and asked him how much he loved being a new dad. He gave me a big smile!! We had our photo taken.

Next up was Jill Larson. She is a sweetheart, gracious, elegant, very lovely. She clearly loves meeting the fans and she is grateful to us. I have always loved her work on AMC, I think she’s an extraordinary actress. Those scenes where she fused and became Gillian were deeply moving and believable to me. I told her that I think she’s a fabulous actress and that I think she deserves an Emmy nod. She can break my heart in a nano-second. We posed for a photo together.

Then we saw Alicia Minshew. She is GORGEOUS. Drop dead beautiful. She was clearly as excited to be with us as we were to be with her. This is her first up-close fan experience and she’s new on the show, so she was PUMPED UP! I told her that she’s a heart breaker and that I love her work as Kendall. She was very appreciative. She really talked with all of us, and we were laughing together. We asked her how she could stay so THIN. She said it’s genetic in her family and that she was a dancer. BOO! HOO!

Suddenly, in walked Jack. Oh, heart be still! But, he wandered off in another direction. DRAT. Many times the actor would wander right out of the room before he or she got to your table, it was frustrating. You were never sure you would see them again. And Susan Lucci was creating a buzz everywhere, because she was IN THE RESTAURANT! And she was moving in our direction! Jack wandered around our room. I finally called out “Jack!” and he looked at me. After what seemed like forever, Jack walked over to me, put out his hand, shook mine and said, “Hi, Kathy, how are you doing today?” I looked up at that gorgeous face and replied, “Great, Jack, how are you doing?” Then we had our photo taken together. Scintillating conversation, huh? My brain went totally blank. The actors had to be constantly moving to meet as many people as possible, so there was no time for any real conversation. He moved on to the next person and next photo.

Then, there SHE was! I have never seen a tinier person who is an adult. Susan is impossibly petite, stunningly beautiful up close, gracious, grateful and extraordinary with her fans. She moved off in the other direction, too. I walked over to Helmut and said, “We really love your wife. She’s a wonderful lady. And we love her with Jack.” He thanked me and then moved off to make sure she was headed in my direction for a photo. Thanks, Helmut, I love you! After a long, meandering journey through another room, Susan finally headed in my direction. I told her that I loved her work, I loved her with Jack, and that we were working hard to help bring them together on screen. She smiled and said “Thank you,” and we posed for a photo.

Eden Riegel and David Canary also passed through our room for visits and photos with us. They were gracious, friendly and wonderful with everyone. The cast members of ALL MY CHILDREN are extraordinary. Every one of them was warm, gracious, friendly, outgoing and happy to be with us. They generously gave us their time, love and energy to make this weekend a memorable experience for all of us.

Sunday, April 7: 12:00 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

We’re sitting in great seats on the set of “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.” The music’s playing the crowd is getting excited. The lights dim, the music rises, and then the host introduces Susan Lucci and Jack.Scalia! The crowd erupts into cheers and applause. Susan and Jack walk through the door, looking stunning together. They take their places, side by side, in the hot seats. They look a little nervous to me. The host asks Jack a few questions about his career in acting, directing, producing and writing. Jack replies that he loves working on ALL MY CHILDREN the best of anything he’s done in his 20-year career.

The show begins. The lights dim a little. The tension starts to rise. The host starts to ask questions. Susan and Jack confer on each question, letting the tension mount. Do they know the answers or don’t they? They answer question after question correctly, without using any lifelines or asking the audience for help at all. These two know the answers to some tough questions. I couldn’t answer two or three of the questions they got correct. I am very impressed. They make a great team.

The lights dim more. The questions get tougher. The tension mounts. They answer the first 10 questions correctly. Then comes the corker question. “What’s the correct terminology for a dozen eggs that are less than 15 ounces in weight?” Susan and Jack look a little stricken. They are stumped. They decide to ask us for help. The audience groans! WE DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER! We tell them to do 50-50! So now the choices are between “Egglett” and “PeeWee.” They confer with each other. Susan finally gives their answer: PeeWee. It’s WRONG! The correct answer is EGGLETT! There is a large collective groan in the audience, and Susan and Jack are clearly disappointed that they couldn’t get to the top for us. We don’t care. The audience gives them a rousing ovation of thanks as they leave the set together, arm in arm.

Sunday, April 7: 1:00 PM Autograph Session

There was funny Kathy again! We picked up right where we left off, photographing Jack and cracking each other up. Jack looked gorgeous today in a light grey suit with a beautiful blue shirt and a multi-colored tie. (I’m a fashion commentator in my spare time!!) He was also wearing a lei around his neck. This was my best spot yet for photographs. I stood really close to Jack and I had a largely unobstructed view of him with the fans. (I got 50 excellent shots from this one-hour autograph session, the best photos of the entire weekend.) The sun was still behind the clouds, so the lighting was perfect, no shadows. THANK YOU! Jack noticed us and smiled at us a few times. But, we were more subdued today. We weren’t teasing him like we did yesterday. We were laughing, however, about the stupid question on the “Millionaire” show we had just come from, the one that Jack and Susan missed. We both decided that the dumb “Egglett” category was passed as some new regulation during the Clinton administration, designed to create thousands of new jobs (to inspect the eggs), and to drive everyone nuts with new layers of bureaucracy (how to define an egg.)

Sunday, April 7: 2:45 PM Pine Valley Live Question and Answer Session

Once again Linda Dano introduced Eden Riegel, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Alicia Minshew, Jack Scalia and Susan to the audience. Someone asked each actor what was his or her favorite love scene on the show. Eden said she really hadn’t had one yet. Elizabeth talked about how nervous she and Jonathan Bennett were in their love scene as Frankie and JR. Alicia told us that she had just shot her first love scenes with Cameron as Ryan and Kendall. She said they both laughed all the way through the scenes and had a really great time together.

Then Jack was next. He paused. Linda said, “Well, Jack, what’s your favorite love scene to date.” First he replied, “I’ve got the love of my life sitting next to me here,” motioning to Susan. Then he laughed, “Well, just because we haven’t had one yet doesn’t mean I don’t have a favorite. My favorite love scene will be when Chris and Erica finally consummate their relationship!” The audience erupted in cheers and applause for that one! That was a great answer, Jack. He continued, “When you see me raise an eyebrow in a scene, that means that something great’s coming soon!” Well, Jack, when you start looking like Groucho Marx in DUCK SOUP, we’ll know that something REALLY GREAT is coming! Susan then made some funny comment about Jack’s eyebrows that cracked him up. Then it was her turn to answer the question. She looked at Jack and said, “I’m a firm believer that the best is yet to come!” looking at Jack and reaching over to touch him on the shoulder.

They were asked the question again about how each one of them started acting. Everyone basically gave the same answer that they had given at Saturday’s session. Jack was finishing his answer when Susan accidentally dropped her microphone on the floor. She leaned over to pick it up and Jack teased, “Yes, Susan, I’m telling the truth, really. This is me sober.” She looked back at him and said, “This is you sober?” He laughed and replied, “Yeah, aren’t you relieved!” and they both laughed.

Then Susan began to tell her story of wanting to act from her earliest childhood. She told of jumping off the furniture and using the curtains in the upstairs bathroom as props. But then she started to embellish a bit. She told us about using her mother’s jewelry box, filled with wonderful fake jewelry. Then there was this feather boa and these purple shoes in her mom’s closet, which she also used as props. Susan suddenly laughed, “I’m making my mom sound like a hooker, here!” and Jack’s teasing, “Keep going, I’m liking this!” Susan finally finished her story.

Sunday, April 7: 4:00 PM Autograph Session

This was the last autograph session of the weekend. Once again, the bright afternoon sunlight cast very bad shadows, which created very poor quality photos of Jack with his fans. I just gave up early and headed over to the Casting Call session so that I could get a good seat.

Sunday, April 7: 5:15 PM - Casting Call Session

The audience fills into the large auditorium again. We are excited to see Walt and Jack. Walt does his comedy routine again and then picks the three contestants from the audience. One lady refuses to come up, so someone else in the audience volunteers. This time all three contestants are good, and one lovely lady is excellent. She does a great reading with Walt, with the two of them playing Jackson Montgomery and Kendall Hart. We vote for her to do the scene with Jack.

Now, remember how the scene is SUPPOSED to go. It’s a short, serious scene between Chris and Erica. Chris is seated on a couch, looking at some paperwork that he’s taken from his briefcase on the coffee table in front of him. Erica walks in and they say their lines. The entire scene lasts maybe 30 seconds. That’s it.

Jack walks up on the stage. Walt introduces him to his co-star. They shake hands. Walt suggests that maybe Jack might want to take off the lei. Jack says no, he’s going to use it in the scene. Then the scene begins. Jack walks over to the couch, pushes it downstage left, moving it all over the place, lifts it up on end, turns it every which way but Sunday, finally turns it around so that it’s upended and facing the audience. Jack’s really working hard, straining to move this couch, and giving us one gorgeous view of his backside in the process. That suit fits very tightly, Jack! Jack has his back to us, holding the couch up on end. He’s furiously poking through the cushions. Walt innocently asks Jack what he’s doing. Jack replies that he was a bartender, he lost his job, he needs spare change, and he can’t walk yet! The audience is laughing now. What the heck is going on here?

Jack’s turning that couch every which way again, up, over, sideways. He finally puts it back down on the floor and then pushes it flush against the wall. This is not where it was before. He moves the coffee table over in front of the couch and then plops down on the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table. The lovely young lady who has been serenely watching this scene unfold then walks over and sits down at the other end of the couch and puts HER feet up on the table, just like Jack!! She’s going with the flow, she’s going to keep up with these guys, no matter what they do. NO dialogue has been spoken yet. The audience is laughing harder now. Jack gets up, says something about being able to take care of himself now because, after all, he’s been lei’d. He then takes off the lei and puts it on the coffee table.

The audience is laughing hysterically and gasping. The Disney production people are alternately staring bug-eyed and laughing hysterically in the wings. OKAY! Walt comes over and picks up the lei. The lei has nut shells in it. The nice young lady is still seated on the couch, her feet up on the coffee table. I don’t think they have started their dialogue yet. Jack goes back to the couch and sits down, feet up on the table again. Walt says something about holding Jack’s nuts. Jack tells Walt to give him back his nuts. Walt replies that they’re small nuts. Jack begins to laugh hysterically, rolling to his right side and almost falling off the couch. Walt knows everything is out of control, he’s in trouble, but he finally gets in a good line here!

Then Jack stands up, climbs up onto the top of the back of the couch, sits down behind the nice young lady playing Erica, pushes her forward and starts to give her a back rub. She just goes right along, later telling us Jack gives a great back rub! Still no dialogue from the scene has been spoken. She finally sits up and they begin to read the dialogue from the scene. She goofs and reads Jack’s lines and they both laugh. The audience has been in hysterics for about five minutes now. We have no idea where they’re going with this scene, but we’re along for the ride!

At this point Jack and the lovely lady actually do read the rest of the dialogue and finish the scene. Everyone is laughing so hard, we really don’t notice. Walt and Jack go over and congratulate the wonderful woman who played along with them. She is OUTSTANDING. Anyone who can improvise and keep up with these two wild men deserves to be an extra on ALL MY CHILDREN! Jack and the lady leave the stage to go pick up a copy of the VIDEOTAPE that was made for her to keep. OKAY! That’s a keeper! Walt is busy telling us that he’s not sure he still has a job!

This was Jack’s last event at the Super Soap Weekend. We’ll never know when he decided to do this wild improvisation. He either thought of it well beforehand or the idea just struck him as he stepped onstage. Walt sure didn’t know it was coming! Thank you, Jack, for your wonderful farewell gift to us. It was an amazing ending to an unforgettable weekend.

The Rest of the Weekend

I saw Michael Knight at one of his autograph sessions. He’s been one of my favorites on ALL MY CHILDREN for the entire 16 years that I’ve watched the show. He’s incredibly talented as both a serious and comedic actor, and he has the amazing ability to switch from one mode to the other several times within a single scene. Michael, you move, touch and amaze me every day as an actor and you deserve all the Emmys you’ve won! He was absolutely great with his fans, teasing one and telling her to “get a life!” I took a few photos of him.

I saw J. Eddie Peck at two different autograph sessions. He was darling, gorgeous, sweet and funny with his fans and they were all gaga over him. I watched J. Eddie as Cole on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. He was great on that show. I really like him as Dr. Jake Martin on ALL MY CHILDREN. Eddie, you are doing great work in a stellar cast. I look forward to the further development and growth in your character as Dr. Jake Martin takes on the burdens of being Chief of Staff.

I saw Julia Barr at two different sessions with her fans, one in front of the Hollywood Bistro Restaurant. She is gorgeous up close, and she was warm, gracious and loving with her fans. Julia, you are an extraordinary actress and you never fail to break my heart in your dramatic scenes. Kudos on your Emmys as well, they are richly deserved. You are always excellent and wonderful with any gorgeous guy they pair you with. I really love you with John Callahan (I loved the two of you the first time around), but it looks like this relationship is going to be short-circuited again.

I saw Marj Dusay at one autograph session with her fans. She’s one beautiful lady with a deep, husky, sexy voice. She was clearly enjoying meeting all her fans and they her. I leaned over the rope line to tell her that she has been extraordinary as Vanessa, especially as crazy Vanessa, and that I thought she deserved an Emmy nomination this year. She smiled back at me and replied, “There’s always next year!” I’ll be rooting for you!

Closing Thoughts and Thanks

In summary, the April 6-7, 2002 ALL MY CHILDREN Super Soap Weekend in Anaheim, California was an extraordinary event for me. You could meet and watch your favorite actors in a small, intimate and relaxed environment. You could move about freely and really get close up to the people you wanted to see.

I’ve had the pleasure of watching ALL MY CHILDREN for 16 years. I believe this cast is the finest and most awesomely talented group of actors I have ever seen in any medium. Everyone in the cast deserves an EMMY. Every day these wonderful actors bless us with their gifts. They move, involve, challenge, anger and amuse us in interesting, funny, serious, scary, ridiculous and sometimes truly thought-provoking storylines. I look forward to watching them for many more years. I give profound thanks to every one of the amazingly talented actors I have the pleasure of watching every day on ALL MY CHILDREN.