11/05

PORT CHARLES 

Q:        We love your column and we have a question about Karen Wexler.  If Karen is Scott Baldwin’s daughter, then why do they have different  last names?  And we never hear anything about her mother either.  What’s the story?  Thanks.  Janet, Margaret, and Christine,  Univ. of Fla., Gainesville 

A:        Scott, and Karen’s mother, Rhonda Wexler, had gone to high school together. They dated for awhile, then Rhonda became pregnant, but never told Scott about the baby.  Because she was unmarried when Karen was born, Rhonda gave her daughter her last name.  She never told Karen that Scott was her real father.  If my memory is correct, I believe Rhonda told Karen that her father had died.   

            Rhonda was an alcoholic, and would do anything for a drink.  She had affairs with many, many men while Karen was young.  One in particular, Ray Conway, had lived with them and had sexually abused Karen throughout that time.  When Karen grew up, the memory of that constant abuse affected her psychologically.            

            Karen was a junior in high school where she became friends with Jason Quartermaine.  Jason liked Karen, and offered to drive her home several times, but Karen always refused because she didn’t want anyone to know that her mother was there and drunk as usual.  Karen and Jason began dating, then she met Jagger Cates, who had dropped out of school and had also been in trouble with the law.  Jagger took an instant liking to Karen and then enrolled at PC High.   

During that time, Brenda Barrett, who had recently come to Port Charles, started her senior year at PC High and was instantly attracted to Jagger.  When Brenda met Karen, she took an immediate dislike to her because she knew that Jagger liked her, but Jagger also enjoyed being with Brenda, because he liked her style.  Before long Brenda and Jagger had sex.  Brenda felt very insecure about her relationship with Jagger, because she was aware of the feelings that were growing between him and Karen.  Brenda’s sense of insecurity increased when Karen and Jagger  fell in love. 

As Karen’s love for Jagger deepened, she wanted to make love with him, but she froze up whenever he got too intimate. Jagger told her not to worry, that he’d wait until she was ready.  Karen began having disturbing flashbacks.  When Ray Conway began seeing her mother again, Karen’s memories returned.  

            One night while at a party, someone put "ecstasy" into Karen's drink.  A newcomer to PC, Stone, came to her aid.  (Stone later turned out to be Jagger's brother, Mike.)  Because of the sexual abuse she had suffered, she was left with a sense of worthlessness and low self-esteem.  Karen felt as though she was unworthy of Jagger, and she broke up with him.  

Karen  went to work as a stripper at the Paradise Lounge, which was run by Sonny Corinthos.  Before long, Karen was addicted to stripping, pills, and was also sleeping with Sonny.  She tried her best to keep her new life a secret while she worked at Kelly's, the hospital, and  attending class at Port Charles University. 

Jagger and his younger brother, Stone, finally reunited and he did his best to look out for him.  One night, Stone and Jagger argued about him going back to school, and Stone walked out on him.  Jagger followed his brother back to the Paradise Lounge, where Stone had a room above the bar.  When Jagger walked in, he was shocked to see Karen up on the stage, stripping.   

Not long after, Brenda also caught Karen working as a stripper , and made sure she told everyone at school about Karen’s job at the Lounge. 

Later, Jagger  found Karen in bed with Sonny, and beat him up.  Sonny put a hit out on Jagger.  Marco Dane, who had been Jagger’s boxing manager,  promised Sonny a piece of the action in exchange for Jagger's life.  Sonny liked the idea of "owning" Jagger and agreed.  In his next fight, Jagger refused to follow Sonny's  orders to take a dive.  Jagger and Karen ran away and finally made love. 

With the help and support of her friends and family, Karen finally recovered from her addiction. 

Alan Quartermaine, who had been seeing Karen’s mother, Rhonda, (they were not having sex), went to her apartment one night and found Ray Conway kicking her on the floor while she was unconscious.  He threw Ray against the wall, killing him.  Alan anonymously called for an ambulance for Rhonda and dragged Ray's body away. His body was later found outside the ELQ Petrochemical Plant.  AJ  found Alan's cuff link and confronted him, to which Alan then confessed.  Monica, guessed the truth and forgave him.  The  family found it very difficult keeping the secret of what Alan had done, so AJ decided to help his  father by framing Jagger, who was arrested but eventually cleared.  

Stone and Jagger finally rekindled the close relationship they'd had as kids. Jagger stopped boxing and decided to become a cop.  He and Karen, who had received a scholarship to study medicine at Northwestern University, became engaged. 

Jagger, still trying his best to protect his brother, stopped him from driving the getaway van that was being used to help mobster, Frank Smith escape from prison.

 Tragedy struck when the bike Jagger was riding crashed and he was knocked out. Jagger  recuperated from his accident  just in time to marry Karen in a touching wedding ceremony.  After the wedding, Rhonda, at long last, told Karen that Scott Baldwin was her father, to which Karen was overjoyed.  She and Jagger got on his new motorcycle and rode off to the life that awaited them in Chicago.  

Q:          The actress who plays Rachel Locke’s mother is Beverly Garland.  I recognize her from somewhere in the past, but she’s so much older now that I can’t exactly place her on a certain show.  I remember watching her when I was in high school in the 60’s.  Can you tell me what else she’s appeared in?  Donna, AL 

A:            Beverly Garland is a veteran of television, radio, and films.  She has appeared in more than sixty films during her career, including, “D.O.A.” (1950) with Edmund O’Brien, “The Miami Story” (1954), “The Desperate Hours” (1955), “The Joker is Wild”(1957) starring Frank Sinatra,  “Airport 75” with Charlton Heston.           

Some of her television credits include, “The Lone Ranger”(1949) , “Medic” (1954), “Science Fiction Theatre”(1955),   “Zane Grey Theatre” (1956), “Rawhide”(1959), “The Twilight Zone” (1959), “Gunsmoke” (1955), “The Fugitive” (1963), “The Wild, Wild West”(1965), “Here’s Lucy” (1968), “Charlie’s Angels” (1976), “Friends” (1994), “Ellen” (1994), “7^th Heaven” (1996).  

You might also remember seeing her in many of the 50’s sci-fi cult classics such as “Not of This Earth”, “It Conquered the World”, and “Curucu, Beast of the Amazon”.  

Some of my younger readers are probably laughing hysterically at these titles, but believe me, this writer spent many Saturdays at the Tower Theater in Miami with a coke, popcorn, and a box of non-pareils (now known as Sno-Caps), watching these classics from the edge of my seat.  And it only cost a quarter!  Probably her most recognizable role was on TV's "My Three Sons" where she played opposite the beloved Fred MacMurray as Barbara, the stepmother to Robbie, Chip and Ernie during the last seasons of the show. When Beverly is not acting, she and her second husband, Fillmore Crank, are running Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn hotels in North Hollywood, California.

Q:        I just read that during the November sweeps, many of the characters will be killed off because the new writer’s don’t need them anymore.  PLEASE tell me that Chris will be one of them!!  He is and always has been so obnoxious! Thanks, Sandy Townes, Tampa, FL 

A:        Well Sandy, I wish I could tell you that Chris will be going to that great soap opera in the sky, but unfortunately that is something we will all have to wait and see.           

It’s possible that, Barbara Esensten, and James Harmon, the new writers for PC, may want to write out a few of the current characters, because they may not fit in to the new storylines that will be coming up, but this is definitely not written in stone.  So just keep checking back with EOS for the latest news.

ALL MY CHILDREN 

Q:        What circumstances first brought Greenlee to Pine Valley?  Sammie, VT 

A:            Greenlee Smythe and Scott Chandler had attended college together in California.  They had an affair and she came back to Pine Valley hoping to renew their relationship.  The only obstacle standing in her way was Becca (Rebecca) Tyree, with whom Scott was now in love.               Greenlee was green (sorry, I couldn’t resist) with envy and so jealous of Becca that she made sure she found out about her and Scott’s affair.  She also did her best to make Becca feel as uncomfortable as she could, by making comments and sarcastic remarks about Becca being a hayseed from the country.

                Greenlee knew she had to do something to break them up, so she got out an old video that she had made of Scott and her making love in college, and planted it among the other tapes from work that Scott had in his apartment.  Becca fell right into Greenlee’s trap and saw the video.  Thinking that Scott had this tape to remind him of all the “fun” he had with Greenlee, she broke up with him.  She confronted him about the tape and Scott tried in vain to convince her that he was completely innocent and had no idea Greenlee had made the video, but she wouldn’t listen to his explanation. 

            Eventually, Becca had a change of heart and went to Stuart's cabin to talk to Scott.  Greenlee also went to the cabin, to deliver an acceptance letter that Scott had received from NYU.  He was so thrilled when she presented him with the good news that he ended up making love to her (a simple “thank you” would have been nice).  When Becca arrived she saw the two of them in the midst of passion. 

            Several days later, at the Valley Inn, Scott told Greenlee he knew she was only interested in how many conquests she could chalk up.  He told her in no uncertain terms to leave him alone, and walked out on her.  He ran into Becca who had been coming down the hall and she could tell he was upset.  She asked him if anything was wrong and he explained that he’d been an idiot about everything, then walked away. 

Greenlee next set her sights on Ryan Lavery, but this relationship would fail as well. 
 

Q:        How many times has Gillian been married, and to whom?  And when did she go from being bad girl to good girl? Details please!   JC,  Bronx NY 

A:            Princess Gillian Andrassy has been to the altar twice since she came to Pine Valley.  Her first marriage was to Ryan Lavery.  Her second and current husband is Jake Martin. 

Gillian traveled to Pine Valley from Hungary in 1997.  Her father had gambled away the family’s fortune, and she was intent on finding a rich husband who could provide all the luxuries she wanted in life.  When she moved into Wildwind with her cousin, Dimitri, she met his brother, Edmund, and instantly envisioned him as a prime target.  Besides the obvious differences in their ages, Edmund was not the least bit romantically inclined when it came to Gillian. To Edmund’s relief,  Gillian gave up her pursuit of him when she learned that millionaire, Adam Chandler’s nephew, Scott would be getting access to his trust fund on January 1, 1998. 

            Meanwhile, Ryan Lavery showed up in Pine Valley at the beginning of ’98. He was drop dead gorgeous, but behind the good looks beat the heart of a con-man.  Like Gillian, he had come to town in an attempt to make himself rich, any way he could.  He started working for Liza Colby at WRCW, as a media consultant, but when Liza found out that he was taking kickbacks from  advertisers, she gave him an ultimatum, he could go to jail……or he could marry Gillian.  Liza felt very protective of Scott and  wanted to prevent him from marrying Gillian, who had convinced him that it was the only way she could remain in the country. Liza had a secret weapon, she told Ryan that Gillian was rich, which, of course was the farthest thing from the truth, but Ryan’s heart must have skipped a beat at the thought of marrying a rich and beautiful young  woman.  

So Ryan and Gillian were married, each thinking that the other was wealthy.  Of course, later, when they found out the awful truth, they were both greatly disappointed, but they moved into Wildwind and did their best to avoid each other while keeping up the appearance of being happily married, because the immigration department, having dealt with marriages of convenience, put them on a one year probation.  Even though Ryan and Gillian did have feelings for each other, they were both too stubborn to admit it. 

As time passed, Ryan realized that he really did love Gillian. When he learned that the Dept. of Immigration was no longer investigating them, he couldn’t wait to share the news with Gillian, and he planned on telling her how he really felt about her. Ryan was devastated when he found Gillian in bed with David Hayward. He covered his hurt and told Gillian they were now free to get a divorce, but she made it clear that she was going to fight for him and wanted them to have a real marriage.  Gillian tried her best to have a reconciliation with Ryan, but he wouldn’t have anything to do with her. 

In November, when newcomer, Kit Fisher, accused Ryan of raping her, Gillian believed him when he told her he was innocent, and  became his strongest supporter.  A few months later, they went on the run when he was arrested for the rape.  Gillian felt as though they were in a very desperate situation. In order to get some money for them to leave town, she went to David Hayward for help.   David agreed to give her money, if she would sleep with him again.  Later, David enjoyed being able to tell Ryan that Gillian had slept with him for the bail money and had offered to do it again this time. Ryan was  furious, and wanted nothing more to do with her. (again) 

After he was arrested, Ryan was hospitalized with pneumonia. Gillian stayed right by his side and vowed  that she would make him love her again. She continued to support Ryan throughout his ordeal  and was thrilled when Ryan was finally cleared of the charges.  More than anything, Gillian yearned for a reconciliation with Ryan, but he told her she would be much better off without him, even though he still loved her. 

Gillian became very distraught when she happened to see Ryan kissing Hayley at the beach.  She was certain that they were more than just friends.  

During this time, she started to develop a close friendship with Jake Martin.  When Liza Colby decided she wanted to have a baby, she talked to Jake and he agreed to be the sperm donor.  After the initial procedure was complete and Jake’s sperm was sitting in the sperm bank, Adam Chandler bought the sperm bank (is there ANYTHING this man won’t do?) and switched Jake’s with his, as he wanted Liza to have his baby.  After Liza’s baby, Colby, was born, David discovered what Adam had done and did not waste any time telling Gillian that Adam, not Jake, was Colby's biological father.  Gillian was  desperate to find Jake and tell him the truth,  but she encountered Ryan instead.  Ryan refused to let her drive off alone and on their  way to find Jake, they were involved in a car accident. Gillian was seriously injured and had to remain hospitalized.  

She developed aphasia and wasn’t able to speak coherently (how could they tell the difference?).  Now Gillian had no way of telling Jake the truth about Colby.  During this time, Jake and Gillian grew closer.  Jake got her released from the hospital in time for Christmas.  Gillian told Liza that she knew about the baby, but she promised she would not reveal the truth to Jake because it would destroy him.  

Jake decided that he  wanted to make a family with Gillian and Colby and he asked her to marry him at the Crystal Ball.  Gillian accepted Jake's marriage proposal and they planned on a June wedding.  It was very difficult for Gillian to continue keeping the truth about Colby from Jake, but she felt that Jake would be a much better father to Colby than Adam, so she decided to keep the secret to herself.  Jake became increasingly angry over Adam's involvement with Liza and Colby. Fearing Liza would never be able to keep Adam out of her and Colby's lives, Jake decided to sue for sole custody. Knowing that the courts would be more agreeable if Jake was married , Gillian agree, and the two were married before the custody trial.  

            Ryan told Gillian how much he loved her and they even shared a kiss, but Gillian felt as though she had to stand by Jake. At the custody hearing, the truth came out about Colby's paternity.  Jake was heartbroken at the news and devastated that Gillian would keep the truth from him.  He decided to leave town in order to sort things out in his head.  He told Gillian he needed to be by himself for awhile, and he left Pine Valley. 

With Jake gone, Ryan and Gillian still yearned for one another, but they never acted on their feelings because Gillian was still holding out hope that Jake would forgive her and return to their marriage.  

However, one night, at Wildwind,  Ryan and Gillian shared a kiss once again and were just about to make love, when Jake’s father, Dr. Joe Martin, arrived unexpectedly, and they never got the chance to act on their feelings.  Again, in May, they found themselves locked in a sauna together, and they ended up in a steamy kiss, but still neither one of them would admit to loving the other. 

Finally, with time, Ryan and Gillian made love and decided that upon Jake’s return to Pine Valley, she would tell him she wanted to end their marriage, so she and Ryan could plan their future together. 

            Jake remained gone for months, but Gillian and Ryan never gave up hope that  in time they would be able to remarry.  Unfortunately for Ryan, when the opportunity arose for Gillian to talk to Jake, she refrained, and at present, she remains married to him, while Ryan has decided he is through with love. 

            As to when Gillian changed her bad girl image……

I wouldn’t go as far as to say Gillian was ever a dyed in the wool bad girl…….misguided perhaps……money-hungry, certainly,… but not bad.   
 

Q:        I love Eileen Herlie in the role of Myrtle Fargate, she reminds me of my grandmother.  How long has Myrtle been a resident of Pine Valley, and what was the story when she first arrived?  Celia P., NV 

A:        Myrtle Lum came to Pine Valley in 1976.  She was a con-artist, who had spent most of her life working in traveling carnivals.  Now she found herself pretty much down and out, until Phoebe Tyler spotted her and offered her a healthy amount of money to be a part of her latest scheme. 

            Phoebe was having a difficult time keeping her son, Linc, from remarrying his ex-wife Kitty.  When she learned that Kitty had never known her mother, Lucy Carpenter, who hadn't been in Pine Valley for many years,( she was deceased) Phoebe planned to bring about an elaborate and phony reunion.  

            From the start, Phoebe and Myrtle disliked each other, but Phoebe managed to convince Myrtle to pose as Kitty’s mother, hoping she would be able to talk Kitty out of her marriage plans to Linc.  Unfortunately for Phoebe, Myrtle and Kitty hit it off and Myrtle came to care for her as if she really was her daughter.            

            In time, Myrtle grew to love Kitty and hated having to deceive her, so she hired her close friend, Nigel Fargate, to pose as a doctor and say that she had died. In that way she could end the lies. 

            When Linc and Kitty’s wedding day arrived, Phoebe refused to attend, and got drunk to drown her sorrows. After the ceremony, she revealed her scheme to use Myrtle to break them up,  but conveniently forgot to mention that she had masterminded the whole thing.  Erika’s mother, Mona, who had known the real Lucy,  later told them about Phoebe's part in it and that Myrtle truly loved Kitty like a daughter and had only faked her death to end the charade. Eventually, Kitty and Myrtle reunited 

            Not long after, Kitty began suffering from dizzy spells and periods of temporary blindness. The doctors were unable to find anything wrong and said it was psychosomatic.  Finally, Dr. Joe Martin diagnosed Kitty's attacks of blindness and dizziness as an inoperable brain tumor.  Kitty died in her husband’s arms. 

            Shortly after Kitty died, Myrtle sold the Boutique, a shop that Kitty had owned and given to her, and moved back to Minneapolis to marry Nigel, the man she loved. After Nigel died, Myrtle returned to Pine Valley, bought a home and turned it into a boarding house.
 

ONE LIFE TO LIVE 

Q:        I’ve been a devoted fan of OLTL forever, and I remember seeing so many familiar faces who went on to become major stars in films.  Can you please tell me who some of these actors and actresses were?  Thanks.  Sarah Marshall, Long Beach CA 

A:        I’d be happy to list them for you, Sarah.  Although many unknown actors who  went on to become famous, got their start on OLTL, some  performers had already become well known film stars.   

                   Actor                           Character Role/Yrs Played

            Tom Berenger                   Timmy Siegel              75-76

            Michael Callan                 Jack Simmons            85-87

            Arlene Dahl                      Lucinda Wilson          81-84

            Jeff Fahey                         Gary Corelli                82-85

            Laurence Fishburne        Dr. Josh Hall              73-76

            Anthony George               Dr. Will Vernon #2    77-84

            Farley Granger                Dr. Will Vernon #1    76-77

            Tommy Lee Jones            Dr. Mark Toland        71-75

            Barbara Luna                  Maria Roberts            86-87

            Donald Moffat                 Dr. Marcus Polk        68-69

            Phylicia Rashad              Courtney Wright       83-84

            Esther Rolle                     Sadie Grey #2            1971

            Jeremy Slate                    Chuck Wilson           79-87

            Roy Thinnes                    Alex Coronol a/k/a/Alex Crown             84-85
                                                     &  Sloan Carpenter            92-95

            Trish Van Devere            Meredith Lord #1   original cast

            Mario Van Peebles         Doc Gilmon              82-83

            Jessica Walter                Eleanor Armitage     96-97

NOTE: If I have overlooked anyone, please feel free to email me.

Q:        You’ve written so much about the Lord family since your first column, but would it be possible to give me some background information on Viki’s children?  How many does she have, are they all still living, and does she have any grandchildren?  Debbie, TN

A:        Viki has given birth to four children, Megan (now deceased), Kevin, Joey, and Jessica.

 Viki became pregnant by her lover, Roger Gordon, and gave birth to their daughter, Megan, in 1963.     

            Megan first came to Llanview in 1988  to star in a TV soap opera, “Fraternity Row." Megan had a sister, Sarah, a very sweet girl who had grown close to Viki.  Megan, on the other hand, had become a sworn enemy of Viki’s. They were the daughters of environmentalist, Roger Gordon. 

            Viki was invited to her high school reunion, which she planned to attend, but Larry Wolek tried to talk her out of going.  Viki insisted, and found out that no one at her reunion had remembered her being at graduation. She soon learned that she had left school during her senior year, had a baby (delivered by Larry) and had the entire memory of what happened erased by a hypnotist. Viki began a crusade to find her daughter.  When Viki saw Roger Gordon, she felt a strange sensation. Memories started coming back to her, and she soon discovered that one of Roger's daughters was her own, but she didn’t know if it was Sarah, or Megan. 

            In 1989, When Viki, Roger, and several others became trapped in the underground city of Eterna (that’s a whole ‘nother story) Roger  finally confessed his                    long-buried secret .  He was raised in Eterna, but had found a way to escape.  He met Viki when she was in high school, and while they were dating they made love. 

            One day, Viki witnessed in horror as the entrance to Eterna exploded.  Believing that Roger was dead, she turned into her alter,  Niki Smith.   Viki/Niki gave birth to  Roger's daughter, Megan.  She  had carried the baby as Niki,  though she had turned back to Viki during childbirth. When Victor Lord found out, he had his daughter  hypnotized to forget the whole thing. Then he paid Roger to take Megan and leave town. Viki was shocked to learn that Megan, who had been her mortal enemy, was actually her own flesh and blood. 

            Viki enjoyed an uneasy reunion with Megan.   In time, Viki and Megan made peace and came to respect and love one another.  

            One day, Roger had a revelation and remembered that he and Viki had been married when they were very young.  Viki, who was now married to Clint Buchanan, quickly got her still-valid marriage to Roger, annulled. 

            In 1991, Megan married Jake Harrison. Unfortunately their happiness was short-lived. Jake became obsessed with being the breadwinner in his new family, and took an arms-trading job that required him to travel the world.  Megan begged him to stay home, as she felt he would be in danger, but Jake assured her that he would only be gone a short time. However months passed, with only an occasional phone call from Jake.

            Later that year, Megan was diagnosed with a potentially fatal case of lupus. Megan felt lost without Jake and turned to Rev. Andrew Carpenter for support.  As time passed, Andrew realized he was falling in love with her. 

           When Megan suffered kidney failure, Viki donated one of her kidneys, but the transplant was unsuccessful.  Clint joined Viki in a valiant effort to keep Megan alive until Jake could be located and brought back to Llanview.  Andrew was able to locate Jake and brought him back just in time.  Jake and Megan shared several hours together.  He carried her to the window, where she was able to see out onto the hospital lawn. There, with shining paper valentines hanging from its branches, was their transplanted wedding tree.  Megan's face lit up with one last smile, then she passed away in Jake's arms.  

            Viki married journalist Joe Riley in 1970.  On a trip to California to investigate a story, Joe’s car ran off a cliff and his body was never found.  Everyone presumed he was dead.  As time went on, Viki met Steve Burke, whom her father had hired as the Banner’s new Executive Editor.  Viki and Steve fell in love.  She made the decision to sign papers declaring Joe legally dead, and she and Steve planned their wedding. 

            Joe reappeared in Llanview, suffering from a potentially fatal brain aneurism.  He feared that he was going to die, and did not want his family to know he was alive.  As Viki and Steve said their vows, Joe watched them from behind some bushes.  As the newlyweds left on their honeymoon, Joe collapsed.  It wasn’t until their return to Llanview that Viki was shocked by the news that Joe was still alive.  He underwent an operation to repair the aneurism and made a complete recovery.  

            Viki was then faced with having to decide which of the two men she wanted.  Viki chose to remain with Steve, although subconsciously she still loved Joe.  As the months passed, Viki's resistance to Joe began to wear down.   During a snowstorm, they ended up in the same hotel and made love. On the way home, Viki had a car accident, went into a long coma, and eventually awakened with no memory of anything that had happened since Joe had returned. 

            Viki knew she couldn’t live without Joe, and decided to leave Steve, as unpleasant as it would be, so that she and Joe could be remarried.  When she discovered that Joe and writer, Cathy Craig, had become lovers, she hesitated about telling him.  When Viki finally told him that she had left Steve, he was stunned, but he was the happiest man in the world. Viki and Joe began making plans to marry. 

 Viki went to the Caribbean to get a divorce from Steve, and while she was there Joe found out that Cathy was pregnant with his child. Being the honorable man that he was, Joe asked Cathy to marry him, but being a liberated woman, Cathy decided she could not possibly marry him, not even for the sake of her child.  So, Joe and Viki were married in a small church in New York City. 

Cathy and Joe's daughter, whom they named Megan, had been diagnosed with  a congenital heart defect she had inherited from Joe. Larry Wolek wanted Viki to tell Joe, but Viki could not bring herself to do it.  She knew that if she told Joe, he would never  allow her to have his child.  While Viki was watching over her, she stopped breathing and had an attack. Viki tried desperately to get Megan to the hospital during a storm, but had an accident on the way and Megan died.  Joe was devastated, while Viki blamed herself for Megan’s death. 

 After recovering from her car accident, Viki discovered she was pregnant.  She happily told Joe the good news, but did not tell him that the baby could inherit his heart ailment.  On September 12, 1976, Viki gave birth to a beautiful healthy son, Kevin Lord Riley.  Cathy Craig, who had become extremely jealous of Viki and everything that she had in life, kidnapped Kevin.  Viki and Joe separated in 1977 because Joe had a drinking problem, but they reunited when Kevin was finally returned.  Shortly after that, Joe had successful surgery for a benign brain tumor. 

Tragically, in 1979, Joe discovered he was dying from a recurrence of his brain tumor.  Knowing he was running out of time, he decided to pick his successor at The    Banner, Arizona newspaper editor, Clint Buchanan.  As heartbreaking as it was for Viki, who was then pregnant with their second child,  she courageously accepted Joe's sudden death.  Viki gave birth to a boy on January 9, 1980, and named him Joey Riley. 

The same year, con-man Ted Clayton desperately tried to get Viki to fall in love with him, but she had already become interested in Clint.   

In 1981, Viki, who was extremely disillusioned after having been drugged and misled by the now deceased Ted Clayton, refused to let herself  become involved with Clint. Clint didn’t want to work with Viki on a professional basis only because it was too painful, so he made the decision to resign, and went to work for their rival newspaper, the Chronicle.  Later, Viki discovered that her  feelings for Clint were deeper than she had realized. 

In 1982, Viki went to jail when she refused to reveal her sources in a  baby-switching case.  While she was incarcerated, she and Clint decided to marry. They were married at Llanfair, after she evicted Dorian. 

            Two years later, Tina Clayton came back to Llanview trying to find information that would help her find her real father.  She had been led to believe that Ted Clayton was her father, but later found out he had been lying, so she pressured Viki for information about her mother, Viki's best friend, Irene Manning.  Viki began having severe headaches and clouded memory flashes. As time passed, Viki got more and  more paranoid.  

 In 1985, Tina found Victor Lord's secret room which contained a letter to Viki that stated he was Tina's real father.  When Tina questioned Viki about it, she was so traumatized that her alter, Niki Smith returned.  

Meanwhile, Tina's old boyfriend, Mitch Laurence, vowed to drive Viki crazy, and marry Tina to get his hands on the Lord fortune.  Mitch shot and killed Niki's beau, Harry O'Neill, leaving Niki crying over his body. Tina went to trial and was freed when Niki cleared her and implicated Mitch. Though she disliked Clint, Niki slept with him. Clint shocked Viki into returning by arranging for her to catch him in bed with Tina.  However, Niki soon returned.  In order to save herself, Niki decided that she would have to divorce Clint, who unsuccessfully tried to stop it. 

In 1986 Viki’s psychiatrist was murdered at Mountainview Sanitarium, and Clint was blamed.   So Viki, pretending to be Niki went undercover and let herself be committed.  Before Viki learned that the real killer was a psychotic woman named Tracy James, Clint was convicted and sent to jail.  Soon Viki found out that she was pregnant, and told Clint just before they married for a second time at Llanfair. 

            On September 23, 1986, Viki gave birth to a daughter, Jessica. The baby was kidnapped, but was later returned unharmed. 

            Viki would have had two grandchildren, but the baby girl, Megan, that Jessica was carrying was killed in a hit and run accident.  However, Viki does have one grandson from Kevin and Lee Ann Demerest, named Duke. 

Q:        Over the last couple of months I’ve gotten hooked on OLTL, and would love to know much more about Bo and Nora’s past relationship.  I think they’re great together, more so than him and Melanie.   I know they were once married, but what kind of problems were they having that led to them splitting up?  Pam Ziegler, WI 

A:        Bo and Nora, who were married in 1995, started their life together filled with love and trust, but every so often an event would come about that put their faith in one another to the test. 

            In 1998, criminal lawyer, Sam Rappaport came to town.  Sam and Nora had a past working relationship in Chicago years earlier, and they also had an affair.  Nora ended the affair when Sam told her he bought two tickets for them to Tahiti, but Sam never got over his feelings for her. 

            Sam was in Llanview to help Todd Manning, who had been like a son to him when he was growing up.  Todd was going through a divorce and had asked Sam to act as his attorney.  When Sam found out that Nora was the opposing counsel, he was stunned, and pleasantly surprised.  Nora told Bo that she and Sam had known each other and had worked together back in Chicago.  Bo was able to accept Sam, and even grew to like him over time. 

Georgie was becoming more desperate and decided to edit a photo of herself and Bo to make it look like they were making love.  After Nora discovered the photo, she went to the Buchanan lodge in a blind rage and didn't notice Bo as he passed her on the road. (Georgie had demanded Bo meet her there.) When Nora arrived, she saw Georgie kissing someone through the window and naturally assumed it was Bo.            

Nora was so devastated by what she had witnessed that she ended up at a biker bar.  She proceeded to get drunk and things got rowdy. In the process, one of the patrons found her wallet and recognized the name.  He called Sam and told him where she was.  Sam drove to the bar and took Nora to a nearby motel.  Feeling unloved and unwanted, Nora begged Sam to make love to her.  Although he wanted to comply, he resisted her.  Instead, he called Bo, and when Bo got there, he tried to convince her that he had not been with Georgie.  Nora had a difficult time believing he was innocent, but she agreed to go back to Llanview with him.              

            Bo and Nora slowly rebuilt their trust and reunited, but it did not last long because when Georgie was found murdered, Bo became the prime suspect. 

            When his son, Drew, returned to Llanview and had graduated at the top of his class in the police academy, Bo was thrilled, but his happiness was short lived because               he was soon arrested for Georgie's murder.  The night before Bo's arraignment, Drew confessed to him that he had been having an affair with Georgie and was the father of the baby she was carrying when she was killed.  Drew swore to his father that when he left Georgie at the lodge, she was still alive.            

In order to help Drew buy time to find the real murderer, Bo pleaded guilty.  At the same time, in order to protect his father, Drew manufactured evidence to make it look as if he had killed Georgie, and he was arrested. 

            In the end, Rachel confessed that she was the one who killed Georgie, but Nora was desperate to keep her daughter from going to jail, so she got her out of Llanview.  Rachel understood where her mother was coming from, but she also knew that leaving would not be right, as she needed to face her mistakes.  Meanwhile, Bo was able to track Nora and Rachel down and bring them back.  Rachel received a sentence of six months in Statesville prison. 

            Bo and Nora tried their best to resume their life together, but then trouble reared its ugly head once more, in the form of Sam’s ex-wife, Lindsay. 

            Lindsay had followed Sam to Llanview to learn more about Nora, the woman whose shadow she had  lived in for years, and  the love of Sam's life.  Even though Sam had not seen Nora while he was married to Lindsay, she knew he would never forget the one woman who broke his heart years earlier. Lindsay was out for revenge, and soon began to lie and scheme her way into Nora’s life and that of her family. 

Even her recent marriage to Clint Buchanan didn’t sidetrack Lindsay from her goal of ruining Nora’s life, any way she could.  When she found out that Bo and Nora                were thinking about having a baby, she was not pleased to say the least.  The doctor  had told them they should have some tests run, just to make sure they could still conceive a child, but Lindsay found her chance, and had Bo’s test results changed when they were mistakenly delivered to the wrong Mrs. Buchanan.  Bo and Nora were soon notified that he was unable to be a father. 

When Bo’s son Drew was killed, Bo became severely withdrawn and depressed, and no one seemed to be able to get through to him.  Bo took off on a boat in the middle of a storm and it appeared he would die.  Using a ham radio, Nora, suddenly desperate to give him the will to survive, lied to Bo and said that she was pregnant, hoping this news would  give him the determination to get back to port.    Bo returned home, and was hospitalized with pneumonia.  Nora tried to tell him the truth, but things began to spin out of control.   

Desperate to get pregnant, Nora turned to Sam..  At first, Sam refused to be a part of her plan, but Nora was able to convince him that it was the only way to save her marriage.  Sam and Nora made love in the cabana at the country club, hoping that she would get pregnant.  Unfortunately, Lindsay saw them and assumed the worst, and took every opportunity to taunt Nora about it.  A few weeks later when Nora found out that she was pregnant,  she and Bo rejoiced at the idea of  becoming parents.  At the same time, Lindsay tried her best to get Sam to admit he was the father of Nora's baby.  

During this time, Nora fought with her conscience over whether to tell Bo the truth about the baby.  She knew it would break his heart and quite possibly end their marriage, but she hated herself for deceiving him.  Meanwhile, Bo began to realize that Nora was keeping something from him and feared that she was sick.  As it turned out, Nora never got the chance to tell him the truth, because during an awards ceremony to honor Nora, Lindsay jumped up to the podium and announced the news to everyone.  Bo was furious to learn that Nora had lied to him.  Unable to forgive Nora’s deceit, Bo packed a bag and walked out on her.  Soon after, he served her with separation papers.  When Lindsay found out, she knew this would be a prime time to get closer to Bo. 

The stress that Nora had been under started to take its toll on her health and her doctor ordered strict bed rest.  Sam became a constant support for Nora, and he stood by her in case she needed him. Nora went into early labor and Sam hurried her to the hospital.  She was rushed into the ER where she soon gave birth to a baby boy that they named Matthew. 

In the upcoming months, the truth came out that Lindsay had managed to change Bo’s fertility test, to make him and Nora think he could not father a child.  Nora then worried that all she had gone through may have been for nothing, and she managed to lose Bo in the process.  She decided to have a DNA test run on Matthew to prove who the real father was.  Of course, Lindsay once again managed to screw things up.  She bribed the lab technician to make the results show that Sam was the baby’s biological father.  Soon after, for some unknown reason, she had a sudden change of heart and decided not to go through with it, but the only problem was, the lab technician disappeared.  

            When the results came in, the doctor told Nora that Sam was Matthew’s father.  Sam was thrilled at the news.  Lindsay, on the other hand, wasn’t sure if the technician had gone ahead and changed the results or not.    

            In time, everyone involved found out what Lindsay had done.  Neither Sam nor Bo knew for sure who Matthew’s father was, so Sam arranged to have a final DNA test run, only this time it was supervised, making it virtually impossible for anyone to tamper with the results.  Sam was a nervous wreck, worrying that he might lose Matthew and Nora both, if the test proved that Bo was the father.  Bo, started thinking about this also, and began daydreaming about raising a child once again.  

            At the end of this melodramatic moment in time, the results proved conclusively that Sam was Matthew’s father.  Bo told Sam he was happy for him, but underneath there was a sadness and a sense of loss, because he had secretly hoped that Matthew would turn out to be his son.   

NOTE:  During this part of Bo and Nora’s life, there were events that transpired, and  people who became involved in their lives other than Lindsay and Sam, which I have not included, as I wanted to stay focused on their relationship, the two other characters involved, and their subsequent break-up. 

GENERAL HOSPITAL 

NOTE: (Thanks to Laura Gedstern for providing the following information regarding Dottie’s question about General Hospital’s Claude.)  We have been unable to locate the name of the actor who plays Claude or the name of his band.  Anyone know?

             “Claude's Band is his own band from his hometown.  They don't have a formal name and are looking for a recording contract.  They will most likely have a  song or two on the next General Hospital CD in late 2001 or early 2002." 

Q:        Even though Vanessa Marcil is no longer on the show, I’m curious to know what the circumstances were that led her character, Brenda, to Port Charles in the first place?  Arlene Hightower,  Kennesaw GA 

A:            Brenda Barrett had attended several boarding schools over the years, but she continued to get expelled due to her rebellious lifestyle.  She dropped out of the most recent school she had been attending in Europe and came to Port Charles to find her sister, Julia.  Julia had frozen the trust fund that had been set up for Brenda, and she was furious.     

One day, out of the blue, Julia  found Brenda sitting on her doorstep.  Julia knew that Brenda had always been jealous of her because their father, Harlan, considered her his favorite.  Julia loved her sister, in spite of her ways,  and wanted to make up for the hard feelings in the past.  She persuaded Brenda to move in with her and told Brenda, if she finished high school in Port Charles, she would once again allow her access to her trust fund. 

Q:        Would you please tell me when Felicia first got romantic feelings for Mac? Thanks for your help.  Jeanine, Sebring FL 

A:        From everything I have ever read or seen about the couple, Felicia’s feelings for Mac began not long after he hired her as his bartender at the Outback in 1992.  Even with all the arguing between them, there was a definite attraction right from the start.           

This was during the time that Felicia was being stalked by Ryan Chamberlain, who had followed her back from Texas and mugged her, causing the amnesia.  In fact, Felicia still suffered from the amnesia when she started working for Mac. 

Mac did not like Ryan and became very jealous when Felicia began dating him.  After Mac got his detective’s license, he started to investigate what had happened to Felicia.  Mac made arrangements for him and Felicia to fly out to Texas, hoping to come up with some evidence on Ryan.  Ryan, didn’t like Mac either, and when he found out that Mac was flying out to Texas, he tampered with his plane.  He had no idea that Felicia was going with Mac.            

            During their flight, the plane malfunctioned and Mac had to make an emergency landing in a field.  They managed to land safely and found shelter for the night in a barn. Being together all night, they found themselves sexually drawn to one another.   Although neither Mac or Felicia realized it at the time, they were already beginning to fall in love.  They both managed to keep control of their emotions, and did not sleep together that night.  When they returned to Port Charles, Mac finally admitted his feelings to Felicia, and they made the decision to take their relationship slowly.  They became engaged toward the end of the year.  

            It was a rough time for Mac while he and Felicia were engaged. At one point, her ex-husband Frisco Jones returned to be with their daughter, Maxie, when she needed a heart transplant.  Mac watched the two of them and realized they belonged together, so he broke off their engagement.  

            Finally, three years later in 1998, Mac and Felicia planned to be married in a double ceremony with Lucy Coe and Kevin Collins, but they secretly agreed to back out at the last minute.  However, when the time came, Mac and Felicia realized they really did love each other and they were married.                              

Q:        Sonny Corinthos seems like such a good guy, even though he’s supposed to be involved with the mob.   My sister, who has watched GH for years, told me that when Sonny first came to Port Charles, he wasn’t so great, and he ran a strip joint.  Is this true??  Muriel K., OH 

A:        Yes.  In 1993, Sonny ran the Paradise Lounge strip club in Port Charles. When he met young Karen Wexler, he dared her to work as a stripper for his club, and she took him up on it, even though she was underage.  He began an affair with Karen and fought to keep her for himself even when she became hooked on drugs, and sank deeper and deeper into addiction.   At one point, after he ordered a hit on Karen's ex-boyfriend, Jagger Cates, who wanted to help her get her life back,  Sonny even went so far as to threaten Karen herself.

****This is my opinion, you can take it for what it’s worth.****

Throughout his years in Port Charles, Sonny has mellowed somewhat, but has remained tied to the mob in one way or the other.  It’s quite possible that he cannot break these ties, without putting himself and those he loves, in danger.  He has a big heart, that is hidden by his tough exterior, and because of his past experiences, he is  afraid to give his love, for fear of being hurt, and betrayed.   As strange as it sounds, Sonny is an honorable man.  And when he gives his word, anyone who truly knows him can count on him to keep it.