Ron Raines

Otalia Reunion, Plus Justin Deas at So Long Springfield Event in Vegas!



 On Dec. 5, one day after Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia reunite in the highly-anticipated web soap opera Venice, the sapphic supercouple will be on hand for uber event promoter Mike Gold's "So Long Springfield" event at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas!

"Our last event was in Atlanta on November 7 and it was flawless," says Gold. "The fans and actors had a great time and we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback." READ MORE

So Long Springfield Packs the House in Pittsburgh


Fans came out in droves to the Hyatt Regency in Pittsburgh this weekend for the So Long Springfield event, saluting 72 years of The Guiding Light. Since the event was sold out, it was clear that it would be crowded, but I certainly wasn't prepared for the amount of people who turned out to say goodbye to something that they hold so close to their hearts. READ MORE

So Long Springfield Heads to Las Vegas


Guiding Light fans on the West Coast will now have a chance to say "So Long Springfield" when the event makes a stop in Las Vegas. The hot Nevada destination will mark the third city on the tour that plays host to popular GL stars, following Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Appearances by twelve stars are scheduled for Saturday, December 5, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino for an afternoon and evening session. More details after the jump. READ MORE

Pittsburgh and Atlanta Say So Long Springfield

Guiding Light may be off the air, but some fans will have a chance to give the show and some of it's stars a proper send off. Pittsburgh will kick off a "So Long Springfield" event that will host ten actors from GL. Pittsburgh has long been a core fan base and as a result, it was chosen to be the first stop. There is an afternoon and evening session slated for Saturday, October 24 and an afternoon session set for Sunday, October 25.

If you can't make it to Pittsburgh, then head on down to the next stop, Atlanta. An afternoon and evening event is scheduled for Saturday, November 7. The website has important information, so click HERE to get the scoop before you make your plans. Don't miss out on your chance to say so long to Springfield!

Requiem for a Daytime Drama, Part Three

The third in a highly personal, non-objective series highlighting various aspects of the last episodes of Guiding Light, which will end its 72 year run on September 18th.

The third from the last episode of Guiding Light was all about reactions and coming to grips with the demise of Alan Spaulding, mirroring the mixed emotions of the show's fans as the series takes its final bows.

As news of Alan Spaulding's (Ron Raines) death rippled through town, we were treated to one of the most honest portrayals of how people react in such circumstances as has ever been seen on daytime. Over the last 30 years, Alan had committed any number of heinous crimes against most of the citizens of Springfield and yet his passing left many stunned (Ashlee, Blake, Reva, Jonathan, Frank), some confused (grandson Rafe), and others shocked & saddened (Lillian, Buzz).

When all is said and done, today's episode was rocked by Grant Aleksander (Phillip), Zack Conroy (James), and Marj Dusay (Alexandra). READ MORE

Requiem for a Daytime Drama, Part Two


The second in a highly personal, non-objective series highlighting various aspects of the last episodes of Guiding Light, which will end its 72 year run on September 18th.

Let me begin by making an audacious claim. In my opinion, the September 15, 2009 episode of Guiding Light — the fourth from its last broadcast ever — may just go down as one of the series' greatest episodes of all time. This is not hyperbole; maybe not top five, but certainly top twenty.

Picking up immediately after the magnificent double wedding, the expertly paced episode had everything: the heartfelt engagement of Phillip & Beth; Josh's bittersweet decision to leave Springfield and find himself; the advancement of the romances of the teenaged James & Daisy and the smoking hot Mel & Cyrus; the ongoing tease of a courtship between Frank & Blake; and the long overdue reconciliation of Lizzie and Sarah, as Jonathan gave the Spaulding heiress shared custody of their daughter.

Every actor was spot on, including the sometimes over-the-top Tom Pelphrey. However, if Monday's episode belonged to Tina Sloan (Lillian), Tuesday's honors were split between Robert Newman (Josh) and Ron Raines (Alan). READ MORE

Requiem for a Daytime Drama, Part One

The first in a highly personal, non-objective series highlighting various aspects of the last episodes of Guiding Light, which will end its 72 year run on September 18th.

These final weeks of Guiding Light have been pure torture to watch. I don't mean "the new production model" (a phrase I never hope to hear again in my lifetime) or Bonnie Dennison's (Daisy) futile attempts to remember her lines. No, what has been extraordinarily difficult for me as a viewer — who vividly remembers when Roger (Michael Zaslow) kidnapped Holly (Maureen Garrett) in the Caribbean and Ed (then Mart Hulswit) threw him off a cliff — is watching the series' stories come to their inevitable conclusions. READ MORE

Guiding Light Final Promo

Damn it! This just makes me teary eyed – and pissed at a certain executive producer... Thanks to beautreal for the tip and tvobsessive2008 for the clip!

Guiding Light on 60 Minutes: A Review

On Sunday evening, 60 Minutes paid magnificent tribute to Guiding Light.

Viewers were treated to a retrospective segment featuring brief interviews with Tina Sloan, Frank Dicopolous, Ron Raines, Grant Aleksander, Michael O'Leary, Peter Simon, Beth Chamberlin, and of course, Robert NewmanKim Zimmer. There was also a sure-to-be lambasted short sit down with Ellen Wheeler and GL's last de facto headwriter Jill Lorie Hurst, which will probably send ex-headwriter David Kriezman (now at As the World Turns) into a soap-style catatonic state. READ MORE

Guiding Light Promo

Two more weeks until the oldest dame on the tube is gone...