One Life To Live "Bridges" Opening, February 1990 Update: Tina Departs...But Dorian's Back!

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For those of you who (like me) began viewing OLTL in 1993 or later and may not be up on the show's history prior to then, know that the great Robin Strasser-while easily the longest-tenured and most familiar actress to play Dorian Lord-was hardly the only actress to play Dorian Lord.
In fact, there's been four full-time Dorians in all since the character was introduced in 1973: Nancy Pinkerton from 1973 to 1977, Claire Malis from 1977 to 1979, Strasser from 1979-87, 1993-2000, 2003-11 plus 2013, and the actress who makes her OLTL opening debut here, Elaine Princi (1990-93).
At first glance of this opening, which debuted 2/26/90, Princi looks almost identical to Strasser-I was fooled the first time I saw her image, in fact, and probably would have testified Princi was Strasser if required to. Of course, in live action the differences between the two actresses are quickly discernable; both were excellent in the role IMHO-but in different ways.
Princi debuted as Dorian in January 1990 and is the only new addition to the sequence. Removed is the image of Andrea Evans (Tina Lord), who departed OLTL for the second time in January 1990. Evans originally played Tina from 1978-81 and re-joined OLTL in early 1985; she was added to the three-month-old "Bridges" opening that March.
It was later revealed that an obsessed stalker helped drive Evans, whose role of Tina would be twice recast in the 1990s, out of Llanview. Evans did return as Tina on a short-term contract in 2008 and for a guest stint in 2011; she passed away in 2023 at 66.
Also removed is the image of James DePaiva (Max Holden). In the OLTL storyline, Max had plastic surgery and by March 1990, was being played by Nicholas Walker. Walker remained in the role until October 1991, when DePaiva reclaimed it-with no explanation for Max's new/old face.
Aside from those changes, a few actors' images were shifted from L-R or R-L from the previous update. Linda Thorson (Julia Medina), Lucinda Fisher (Debra Medina), Brenda Brock (Brenda McGillis), Bronwen Booth (Andy Harrison), John Martin (Jon Sanders), and Michael Palance (Daniel Wolek) found themselves swapping sides.
Other than Princi/Dorian inheriting Evans/Tina's curved bridge background, no others were changed. The fountain background last used for Strasser/Dorian in 1987 does not appear in this version of "Bridges" and I'm not sure yet if it was ever used again...stay tuned.
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Featuring:
Phil Carey - Asa Buchanan
Erika Slezak - Victoria "Viki" Lord
Clint Ritchie - Clint Buchanan
Robert S. Woods - Bo Buchanan
John Loprieno - Cord Roberts
Grace Phillips - Sarah Gordon
Robert Westenberg - Raymond Hohenstein
Jessica Tuck - Megan Gordon
Lucinda Fisher - Debra Medina
Fiona Hutchison - Gabrielle Medina
Michael Palance - Daniel Wolek
Bronwen Booth - Andy Harrison
Brenda Brock - Brenda McGillis
Jeff Bankert - Tyler McGillis
Elaine Princi - Dorian Lord
John Martin - Jon Russell
Larry Pine - Roger Gordon
Linda Thorson - Julia Medina
Michael Storm - Larry Wolek
Anthony D. Call - Herb Callison
Ken Meeker - Rafe Garretson
Marilyn Chris - Wanda Wolek
Dennis Parlato - Michael Grande
Patricia Elliott - Renee Divine
#oltl #onelifetolive #onelifetoliveopenings #oltlopening1990 #elaineprinci #abcsoaps #theskillzreport #andreaevans #jamesdepaiva