Re: TAN: Lights Out for Daytime???

In rec.arts.tv.soaps.misc on Thu, 13 Nov 2003 18:02:25 -0500  in Msg.#
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Dana Kiehl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:

> They did offer her recurring status (off-contract player) 

Well, it wasn't an offer per se. They told her what they were going to
do, which was to take her off contract but that they would want to
still use her at times, which may or may not be true. 

> but her son Jeff Byron still whined about it to the press. ... 

Since, of course, no one was calling instantly to find out a reaction
or see if Anna wanted to give them an exit interview? That's not the
way it works. He didn't have to seek out an outlet. Not that this is a
defense of Jeffrey Byron.

> He seems to think it's 
> ABC's duty to employ his mother forever because the family didn't plan 
> ahead on finances. 

Or is it a time when increasingly an industry that has always relied
on certain loyalty from actors is restructuring itself & throwing out
the values & priorities they had for ... lessee over 30 years.

> The problem apparently is that she's broke, depleting 
> her finances to take care of her ill (now dead) husband. Plus, she 
> apparently needs a caregiver to help her get dressed and to the studio 
> and there's no insurance to cover the costs (Byron does live with her 
> and helps her on various things).
> 
> My feeling is, perhaps it's time for her to retire if the expenses to go 
> to work are more than she can handle. Plus, her family should be 
> supporting her and helping her and shouldn't expect her employer to do so.

Probably the most important aspects of all are that Anna Lee says that
Wendy Riche told her she would have a job at GH for as long as she
wanted one & that getting to be on the show the few times she does is
an activity she looks forward to & that kind of thing can help prolong
life in terms of awareness, will to live, fighting depression, etc.
Plus, it's truly unlikely that she cost the show very much. How many
times is she on per year? I'm sure her guarantees were low & that her
gross pay was, therefore, also low. And the rest was simply a question
of benefits, that would keep her union health insurance, etc. in
force.

As for me, I'd much rather see the show cut Jill Farren Phelps' pay,
or Bob Guza's. I could go on & list many I'd cut ahead of Anna Lee.
But, the biggest reason I think it was a mistake is that this will
just buy GH & Frons more ill will in reputation & add to the
impression that they are in so much trouble there & the emperor is
running around nekkid that they're firing little old ladies who want
to still work & don't put much overhead on the budget & who has been
loyal to them for years & whose prestige they have never hesitated to
use.

-- 
DonnaB  <*>  8^>  
"Well, I'm sure you've enjoyed your little Nancy Drew moment." - Babs to Rose, ATWT, 
11-3-03