Earlier this month Soap Opera Network asked “What About the Music?” shortly after word first leaked that Prospect Park would be resuming plans to produce new episodes of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” for the web. Today, we can report that Prospect Park’s deal with Universal Music Group is back on and fans should expect music, e-commerce and artist participation to new productions of both series, as originally outlined in an October 2011 press release (see release below).
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Although many had speculated that when a gunshot went off during the series finale of “All My Children” on ABC in September 2011, in a quasi “Dallas” redux where instead of “Who Shot JR?” it was “Who Did JR Shoot?” it appears as though the character of JR Chandler is very much alive and not in jail?!
On Tuesday, January 22, Prospect Park provided soap fans with casting, writing and production updates for its soaps “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.” While the company officially confirmed that Susie Bedsow Horgan and Thom Racina would be helming “OLTL,” the status of who’d be leading “AMC” remained unclear. Today, Soap Opera Network can confirm that former “Days of our Lives” Head Writer Marlene McPherson has been named Head Writer of Prospect Park’s online version of “All My Children.”
A Prospect Park representative has confirmed to Soap Opera Network that Stephen ‘Foz’ McDermott, who was officially named head of production for the company’s internet hub TOLN on Monday, January 7, has been let go. The rep tells us that McDermott’s departure from the company will not put a dent in production of “All My Children” or “One Life to Live,” which will begin filming in Stamford, CT next month.
Prospect Park first announced plans to move “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” to the web back in July 2011 after striking a license holding deal with Disney/ABC Domestic Television. Sadly, plans fell through by November 2011 after apparent financing and union discussions fell through. Since that dreadful time period, Prospect Park has resumed work on returning the soaps to your [computer] screens, only this time with financing said to be in place and union deals already signed with the DGA (directors), SAG-AFTRA (actors) and the WGA (writers). With more than a year gone by since “One Life to Live” last aired, we thought it would be a great opportunity to see which stars have (so far) signed on to return to “AMC” and “OLTL” compared to the list circling back in 2011.
Hours after Prospect Park officially announced that they had signed deals with a number of “One Life to Live” stars including Kassie DePaiva (Blair), the actress posted a new blog entry expressing her excitement to be returning to Llanview.
According to a posting on his facebook page, “One Life to Live” co-head writer Thom Racina let it slip that the online reboot of the series may hit the web as soon as April. “I sincerely hope you will support us and tell your friends and start watching One Life To Live come April!” the writer stated in his message to his followers.
As you may, or may not know, Prospect Park’s reboot of “One Life to Live” is currently recasting the roles of Matthew Buchanan and Destiny Evans, last played by actors Eddie Alderson and Shenell Edmonds on the ABC version of the soap. According to a character breakdown Soap Opera Network readers had been discussing ad nauseam over the weekend, it looks as though Prospect Park may be taking the title of the soap a little more seriously as it gets ready to transition into its new online format. According to a summarized breakdown, the soap appears to be including profane words and apparently is portraying Matthew as a deadbeat father.
Prospect Park today announced an initial listing of writers, producers and cast members who have signed on for the online reboots of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.” The company has formally announced Susie Bedsow Horgan and Thom Racina as head writers of “OLTL.” Thorsten Kaye and Jill Larson bring the “AMC” cast count to 7 stars signed. “OLTL” adds Erika Slezak, Tuc Watkins, Kassie DePaiva, Florencia Lozano, Melissa Archer, Hillary B. Smith, Kelley Missal, Josh Kelly and Andrew Trischitta, who join previously signed Robert S. Woods, Robin Strasser and Jerry verDorn. With the exception of Strasser, Woods, Smith and Watkins, Prospect Park has secured most of the actors signed on during the first round of plans to reboot the soaps back in 2011.
The list of former “One Life to Live” stars signing on to continue their roles in the Prospect Park reboot of the cancelled drama series continues to grow. According to published reports, Robert S. Woods has become the latest “One Life” vet to help the soap transition to the web.
As expected, ABC has issued an official statement on the matter of Starr Manning, Todd Manning and John McBain, characters currently being seen on the network’s “General Hospital,” as it pertains to the license of the characters originally from the soon to be rebooted “One Life to Live.”
According to a report by Daytime Confidential, ABC’s “General Hospital” will be temporarily losing the characters of Starr Manning, Todd Manning and John McBain as Prospect Park has exercised its right to utilize the characters for its online reboot from the agreement the production company signed with the Disney/ABC Domestic Television Group, part of the Walt Disney Company, back in July 2011.
The resurrection of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” has moved another step closer to reality with published reports that the production company has hired Alison Goodman as casting director for the defunct ABC soaps.
Robin Strasser has become only the second “One Life to Live” alum to announce their decision to bring their Llanview alter ego over to Prospect Park’s upcoming online revival of the now defunct ABC daytime serial, making the announcement this morning via her Twitter page.
According to published reports, Thom Racina and Susan Bedsow Horgan have been named Co-Head Writers of Prospect Park’s re-boot of “One Life to Live,” which is slated to hit the company’s The Online Network (TOLN) later this year. While Racina appears to be a newbie when it comes to the town of Llanview and its citizens, Bedsow Horgan is more familiar as she served as an Associate Head Writer and later Executive Producer of the series in the 1990’s.
With Prospect Park now signing agreements with key unions SAG-AFTRA (actors), the DGA (directors), and the WGA (writers), with an expectation to begin filming episodes of “All My Children” as soon as next month, we wondered who you wanted to see act on the soap when it moves to the web. Your choices can include past actors as well as wishful casting (recast and new characters are welcomed). We also wondered who you want to join the writing team now that thousands of writers are at Prospect Park’s disposal courtesy of their agreement with the WGA, as well as who you want to direct episodes of the series. Keep in mind that Agnes Nixon, who created both “AMC” and “One Life to Live,” is currently working as a consultant for Prospect Park, according to Foz McDermott, head of production for TOLN (Prospect Park’s The Online Network). Also note that actors Jordi Vilasuso (Dr. Griffin Castillo), Darnell Williams (Jesse Hubbard), Debbi Morgan (Dr. Angela Hubbard), Vincent Irizarry (Dr. David Hayward) and Lindsay Hartley (Dr. Cara Castillo) are all confirmed as signing on to return to “AMC” when it moves to the web. Alicia Minshew (ex-Kendall Hart) has reported that she’s been approached, while Cameron Mathison (ex-Ryan Lavery) hope’s he can be involved. There’s no word yet on the status of Susan Lucci (ex-Erica Kane), who was the only original cast member from the first season of “AMC” that had remained with the show without interruption from its debut on January 5, 1970 through its final ABC broadcast on September 23, 2011.
Daytime Confidential’s Jamey Giddens reported earlier today that an agreement between Prospect Park and the WGA (Writers Guild of America) had been made regarding online versions of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.”
Jordi Vilasuso, who tweeted, “Wishing everyone a happy and safe NYE! BTW, Is someone paging Dr.Griffin Castillo? 😉 #AMC @prospectpk,” back on Monday, December 31, 2012, has just announced via SoapCentral Live that he has in fact signed on to return to the drama series when it moves to the web later this year. The actor portrayed Girffin Castillo on the soap from November 2010 until the program concluded its ABC run in September 2011. He re-teams with on screen sister Lindsay Hartley, who was the first actor to have been confirmed as returning when the show resumes production for episodes set to air via Prospect Park’s TOLN (The Online Network) website.
As he did back in 2011 when news of Prospect Park’s plan to move “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” to the web first hit, actor Jerry verDorn has announced that he will be returning to Llanview once more as Clint Buchanan. The actor made the announcement yesterday evening on his Facebook page:
In a press release issued just a short time ago, Prospect Park has confirmed plans to move forward with “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” online. The company states that Agnes Nixon, who created both series, has been working as a consultant on the project. They confirm that they have signed deals with the DGA and SAG-AFTRA, but nothing in regards to the WGA. Jennifer Pepperman has been hired on as Executive Producer of “OLTL,” Ginger Smith is EP of “AMC.”