Soap Veteran Irene Dailey Has Passed Away At 88

1 Irene Dailey, a late-blooming actress perhaps best known for her roles in television soap operas and for her portrayal of the quick-witted, sensitive mother, Nettie Cleary, in the 1964 Tony Award-winning drama “The Subject Was Roses,” died on Sept. 24 in Santa Rosa, Calif. She was 88 and lived in Guerneville, Calif. The cause was colon cancer, her friend Arleen Lorrance said. From 1974 to 1986, and then again from 1988 to 1994, Miss Dailey played Liz Matthews in ANOTHER WORLD — an upper-class-bred matriarch of a middle-class family dealing with the convolutions of life in the fictional town of Bay City. For that role, Miss Dailey won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding actress in 1979. 1 In 1959, Miss Dailey appeared on the soap THE HOUSE ON HIGH STREET. For a year, in 1969, she played the role of Pamela Stewart in the crime-mystery soap opera THE EDGE OF NIGHT. Her many other television credits included appearances on shows like BEN CASEY, DR. KILDARE, THE TWILIGHT ZONE and THE DEFENDERS. Miss Dailey’s film credits include roles in No Way to Treat a Lady, Five Easy Pieces and The Amityville Horror. It was only after appearing in a long series of Broadway flops that, in 1964, Miss Dailey received critical acclaim in the United States. It was for her portrayal of the mother in Frank D. Gilroy’s three-character drama, “The Subject Was Roses.” The play dealt with an incompatible couple’s love for their 21-year-old son (with Jack Albertson as the father and Martin Sheen as the son) after the son returns after three years in the Army. 1 “Miss Dailey’s Nettie is a luminous creation,” Howard Taubman wrote in The New York Times. “She can suggest hurt and desiccation with a stricken glance. Wearing a plain hat and coat and holding her purse, she can turn to walk out of her apartment so that her back conveys her utter defeat and despair.” Miss Dailey was born in New York City on Sept. 12, 1920, the daughter of Daniel and Helen Ryan Dailey. Her father was the manager of the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. Her brother Dan Dailey gained fame as a song-and-dance man and Hollywood actor. At 8, Irene Dailey was dancing in vaudeville, and at 18 she was working in summer stock. With consistent bad luck, she kept winning parts in what she once said were 13 of Broadway’s worst shows. “Miss Lonelyhearts,” for example, had a nine-day run. Miss Dailey ran a lampshade store and worked as a waitress while making the Broadway rounds. Then, in 1960, she tried her luck in London. She was the 47th actress to try out for the lead in “Tomorrow — With Pictures,” about an American woman trying to take over a British newspaper empire. She got the part and drew rave reviews. “Every plummy-voiced English rose of an imitation actress should be dragged to see Miss Dailey,” The Daily Express critic wrote. “She sweats love, breathes hate, weeps desire.” In an interview with Time magazine at the time, Miss Dailey said: “I shall be 40 in September. I have nothing, really nothing. I’m not married. I have no children.” “All I really care about is the theater,” she continued. “But now, for the first time, I know in my stomach that my work is good.”

Grahn's "On My Porch" Chat Transcript

1 The transcript for last Wednesday night's discussion at NancyLeeGrahn.com with the women of daytime on the Presidential election is now up. Below are the links to the various topic and some interesting quotes from each. Part I - Crisis on Wall Street "...a vote for McCain/Palin is a vote not only against you, but against us, and worse, our children." - Nancy Lee Grahn "We agree this is a crisis but McCain said the fundamentals are strong. He has been a de-regulator; he has taken many limits off Wall Street. He believes what's good for Wall Street is good for the economy." - Kimberly McCullough Part II - Women's Issues "If there was a male character on a soap opera that said a woman can’t make as much money as he does because she needed more education, that character would be considered a villain." - Nancy Lee Grahn "The Republican party opposes advocating a women’s right to choose. Palin is for abstinence only education. They want to regulate women’s bodies, but yet not provide health insurance to protect them." - Bree Williamson Part III - Women, Children, Veterans and Health Issues "I think that one of the biggest differences between John McCain and Obama is how they treat children, health care and day care and helping mothers. They want to control reproduction, but don’t want anything to do with the kid after it’s born." - Heather Tom "There are absentee ballots being sent out to voters that are invalid. People across the country are being 'caged'. Someone needs to make sure they know where their ballot will be sent." - Deidre Hall Part IV - An Emotional, Important Time "I’m a registered Republican. My whole family is very political, very Republican. I hear snickers in the room. You don’t have to vote your party. Just vote as a member of this planet. It is your responsibility to read about the issues." - Michelle Stafford "I’ve been taking my 10 year old with me on the campaign trail. She’s been listening and learning. While in Montana, I bought her a stuffed moose for a souvenir. A man came up and asked her the moose’s name. She said he was Bill Billings from Billings, Montana. Without provocation, she added that Bill’s great grandfather was shot by Sarah Palin from a helicopter. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree." - Nancy Lee Grahn

Soap Stars At RocknRolla Premiere

1 Vail Bloom (Heather, Y&R), Natalie Zea (ex-Gwen, PASSIONS) and Lisa Rinna (ex-Billie, DAYS) were among the attendees last night at the premiere of Guy Ritchie's new film, RocknRolla, at the Arclight Cineramadome in Hollywood.

Reviews Are Coming In For Oliver Stone's "W"

1 Oliver Stone's new film, W., about the life of President George W. Bush will be in full release on October 23. But early reviews are starting to come out on the film which stars Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks. Variety reports: "Oliver Stone's unusual and inescapably interesting W. feels like a rough draft of a film it might behoove him to remake in 10 or 15 years. The director's third feature to hinge on a modern-era presidency, after JFK and Nixon, offers a clear and plausible take on the current chief executive's psychological makeup and, considering Stone's reputation and Bush's vast unpopularity, a relatively even-handed, restrained treatment of recent politics. For a film that could have been either a scorching satire or an outright tragedy, W. is, if anything, overly conventional, especially stylistically. The picture possesses dramatic and entertainment value, but beyond serious filmgoers curious about how Stone deals with all this president's men and women, it's questionable how wide a public will pony up to immerse itself in a story that still lacks an ending." The film has a soap connection with some of the key roles being played by soap veterans. Scott Glenn (ex-Calvin, THE EDGE OF NIGHT) plays Donald Rumsfeld. Michael Gaston (ex-Spike, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) is General Tommy Franks. Jason Ritter (ex-Todd, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) apppears as Jeb Bush. Other actors in the film who have appeared on soaps include Jeff Hoferer, James Martin Kelly and Madison Mason.

10 Years Ago Today, Matthew Shepard was Beaten and Left to Die

It was ten years ago tonight, on the night of October 6, 1998, that Matthew Shepard was beaten by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson and left to die tied to a fence near Laramie, Wyoming. He died five days later, on October 12. This morning, Judy Shepard appeared on THE EARLY SHOW to discuss the progress that has (and hasn't) been made since Matthew's murder. Wyoming still does not have a hate crime law that covers sexual orientation. Said Shepard: "I'd like to say yes it surprises me, but no it doesn't." "Matthew Shepard's story is one of the stories that changed the '90s as a decade and changed the world," reminds AS THE WORLD TURNS two-time Emmy nominee, Van Hansis. "One thing that Judy Shepard told me when I met with her was that there have been hundreds upon hundreds of other hate crimes since Matthew Shepard and they never get national recognition. Without recognition, there's not going to be change." Before a special benefit performance of "The Laramie Project" in 2006, Hansis told Soap Opera Digest: "I really feel that Luke's storyline has been groundbreaking in daytime television. From the response I’ve gotten, Luke has become a very loved character on the show despite his sexuality, which a lot of people might have problems with. They've gone forward in telling the first part of his 'coming out' story, and that has really opened up a lot of people's eyes. I hope they'll continue to show Luke as a full, rounded person. A very important part of 'The Laramie Project,' and ATWT does this as well, is that it shows a community. In everybody's community, there are gay people. It's a fact. You can't turn your back or try to hide from something just because you don't like it. People need to find a way to embrace each other and find out that, as different as people are, everyone in essence is the same."

SWINGTOWN Season 1 DVD

The cover art for the DVD release of the first (and only confirmed) season of SWINGTOWN has been released. The DVD will be out on December 9th. As reported earlier, reruns of SWINGTOWN, the CBS drama about partner-swapping couples in 1970s suburbia, will be shown on Bravo later this fall. SWINGTOWN stars Jack Davenport, Grant Show, Josh Hopkins, Molly Parker, Lana Parrilla, Miriam Shor, Shanna Collins, Aaron Howles and Britt Robertson. 1

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Daytime Soaps

Soap fans are very clever. I saw this "Idiot's Guide" earlier on a fan board and couldn't help but laugh. If only the daytime soaps were written for the intelligent audience I know we are, versus the uneducated, homophobic morons the folks in charge seem to think we are. 1

PREVIEW: Tonight's DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

1 "We're So Happy You're So Happy" - Secrets come out in the open, while others continue to unfold on the season premiere of ABC's DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, Sunday, October 5 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET): Lynette discovers her son, Porter, has a softer side, which she finds endearing; Gaby amusingly attempts to mask her demise in social stature; and the time has come for the men in Susan's life to meet. Meanwhile Bree begins to feel the pressures of balancing marriage and a career, Edie is reminded just how hostile the neighbors on Wisteria Lane can be, and a suspicious Mrs. McCluskey enlists Katherine's help to uncover more about their new neighbor, Dave. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES stars Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Hodge, Eva Longoria Parker as Gabrielle Solis, Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt, Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis, Doug Savant as Tom Scavo, Kyle MacLachlan as Orson Hodge, Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair, Neal McDonough as Dave, Shawn Pyfrom as Andrew Van De Kamp, Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young, James Denton as Mike Delfino, Charlie Carver as Porter Scavo, Max Carver as Preston Scavo, Joshua Moore as Parker Scavo and Kendall Applegate as Penny Scavo. Guest stars include Richard Burgi as Karl Meyer, Kathryn Joosten as Mrs. McCluskey, and Gale Harold as Jackson. "We're So Happy You're So Happy" was directed by David Grossman and written Alexandra Cunningham.

PREVIEW: Tonight's BROTHERS & SISTERS

1 "Book Burning" - Much to the chagrin of her mother and siblings, Kitty decides to publish a tell-all memoir about Robert's unsuccessful Presidential race and the trials and tribulations of the Walker family. Meanwhile, Justin slows his relationship with Rebecca to a near stand still, on BROTHERS & SISTERS, Sunday, October 5 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. BROTHERS & SISTERS stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Maxwell Perry Cotton as Cooper Whedon, Kerris Lilla Dorsey as Paige, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Balthazar Getty as Thomas Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Whedon, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Rob Lowe as Senator Robert McCallister, Sarah Jane Morris as Julia Walker, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden, Emily VanCamp as Rebecca Harper and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper. Guest starring are Cathy Ladman as Carla Hanson, Karl T. Wright as Alan Simms and Marty Ryan as Mike. "Book Burning" was written by Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper-Landsman and directed by Laura Innes.