Who Shot Roger Thorpe

Poor Roger--First they Beat Him then they

[@djintheatl]

This clip is a love letter to the brilliance of Zaslow.

[@laminage]

Yep! Before there was Stefano DiMera on Days Of Our Lives, Palmer Cortlandt on All My Children, and last but not least Victor Newman On Young & The Restless, and when he was saluted at the Soap Opera Digest Awards back in the day, both David Canary (Ex-Adam/Stuart Chandler) and Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) both know that in some ways they were riding on his Shoulders.

[@carlosharris1349]

One of the BEST SCENES in soap opera history!

[@laminage]

You should check out the UK Soap Opera Eastenders The Sins Of Archie Mitchell, he could give Roger Thorpe a run for his Money for cruelty. Also, Slice Of Advice, never go to a UK Soap Town for Xmas if you want to have a happy one.

[@kona2860]

Michael Zaslow was such an amazing actor!

[@anthonybumbrey976]

You can't stand losing yet another man to Mindy Lewis' bed. Classic Roger Thorpe.

[@Aquaria]

Guiding Light was the best television show on the air from 1990-1994. Nothing else even came close to the intensity of the plots, and the quality of acting.

[@dontreldontrel416]

Some may say All my children were the best in those days Some may say Another World was best in those days Days of our lives as the world turns

[@stevenpurdie4412]

Damn, I forgot how good of an actress Fiona Hutchinson is. I love how she said, "Just go" to Roger. That is passion, that is pure, raw anger. Well done.

[@kona2860]

I don't think there has ever been a scene quite like this, Nick and Mindy's engagement party, all hell breaks loose! Roger sure knows how to bring excitement where ever he goes! These were the times when soaps were at it's peak! The scene with Roger and Alex and also the scene with Roger and Jenna, Michael Zaslow at his best!

[@zt1053]

But the thing is he was minding his own business and didn’t say anything until he was provoked

[@djintheatl]

I read that the double slap between Marj Dusay and Michael Zaslow was unscripted but both actors felt that it was appropriate in the heat of the moment to just go with it. I adore Beverlee McKinsey but Marj was a worthy successor.

[@nicoleackerman205]

I like Roger because he called people out on there hypocrisy.

[@Statefarmfan21]

I love Alexandra, Beverly never played the role for laughs like this Alex. Next, I love this. Roger was kicking ass and taking names. Best Engagement party EVER.

[@laurenceamspoker782]

Roger in his own way was calling out his enemies on what hypocrites they were. Finally! It's about damn time!

[@rcardoso25]

Now THIS is a soap opera villain. There was no one better then Roger Thorpe. Michael Zaslow played the hell of these scenes especially the engagement party.

[@robminmonaca]

rcardoso25 it seemed like after he was fired the show really went downhill.

[@MSSiren]

Completely agree. I think GL in the early to mid-nineties was one of the best periods in Soap Opera history. All the actors were fantastic, the writing was great, and there was, like you said, an ensemble feel to it.

[@ksbaxter]

"There's no place on this earth that you can run that I won't find you." Strong words right there.

[@laminage]

Absolutely! He had people all over the world. You should have seen how Archie Mitchell threatened his Daughter Roxanne aka Roxie on Eastenders. She was lead to believe that her daughter Danielle died when she was 14 but she didn't and when Roxie believed her the Child died right in front of her, then Archie scared the bejesus out of her.

[@laminage]

God Bless Fiona Hutchison who yesterday was part of the Michael Zaslow Tribute. I didn't watch GL at that time, I was into All My Children but wasn't Spaulding such an obsession for Roger. He was the consummate professional especially since he worked with Four Blakes, Two Hollys, and Five Harts, then Two Alexandras and Three Alans.

[@rockyracoon3233]

True!

[@laurenceamspoker782]

Shocking how many of the actors are no longer with us. 🕊

[@Cartooncountdown]

I'm not the biggest guiding life fan but this is regarded as one of the greatest soap opera scenes ever

[@tanicathornton8249]

Best soap villain ever!

[@anthonybumbrey976]

The great Roger Thorpe played by a one of a kind actor in Michael Zaslow. I was always on Roger's side. I hated Billy, Ross, Alex and the rest of those hypocrits in Springfield.

[@laminage]

Yes, I told UK Soap Fans about him and they were appalled when I told him about being Fired for having ALS. You want to see a SOB. Type in Eastenders: The Sins Of Archie Mitchell. It is a UK Soap Opera that debuted in 1985 and Archie Mitchell sometimes makes Roger Thorpe look like a Boy Scout.

[@zt1053]

Probably the most detested soap opera villain though is Michael cambias because he raped the beloved Bianca

[@briecokos624]

This is by far one of the best soap scenes I have ever watched. Just masterclass. Thank you for posting! Any other uploads from GL Dec 1993? This just makes me want more lol so good

[@StanBennet]

Toward the end-- this is day time at its best. Where is the masterpieces today? Zaslow was also a great writer and a great influence on the writing team.

[@harlee490]

Thank you I'm a lighter to the end but this is when P&G had proud in their soaps, I would love loooooong clips and stories with Beverly McKinsey.

[@jjh2456]

Marj Dusay is incredibly underrated. She played Alexandra Spaulding to the hilt.

[@rockyracoon3233]

I agree.

[@Mia-dt3gl]

No kidding. You’d think she’d been playing the role for decades at least at that point with her gusto.

[@sateaparty]

this was roger at his greatest.

[@kenhill8272]

Roger had the joint jumping

[@zt1053]

The irony is Roger was minding his own business and didn't say anything until he was provoked

[@dusayfan]

One of the most exciting GL scenes..thank you patc2000

[@djintheatl]

Fiona Hutchison vs. Michael Zaslow is daytime (or nighttime) gold!

[@Mia-dt3gl]

I thought it was a nice touch that only Holly was able to bring Roger back down to Earth by calmly saying, “Roger, get out of here”.

[@melissa1300]

roger thorpe best villian on daytime ever

[@Jaz8064]

It feel weird to hear Roger say ‘I love you’ to anyone other than Holly

[@renushianngorham2061]

Go Roger !!! Cleaned house

[@RD-lx1gy]

Hear me when I say this Kim Zimmer was my favorite. But it seemed like 90-95 GL was on fire when she was gone. The show was focused on the entire cast. Wow

[@JamesBrady-qc6zy]

I agree every since her returns it became the Reva shaye show.

[@laurenceamspoker782]

Roger choking Dylan, earlier tossing him over the balcony shows Roger can fight pretty darn good and shouldn't be crossed. R.I.P. Michael Zaslow. 🕊

[@zt1053]

I think his character had goverment training in hand to hand combat. He was some sort of agent. In the spring of 93 David Grant tried to take a shot at him and Roger blocked it

[@MRInvincible569]

Roger also beat the crap out of Fletcher.

[@laurenceamspoker782]

@@MRInvincible569 When did Roger beat up Fletcher?

[@MRInvincible569]

@@laurenceamspoker782 August 21st and 22nd 1995.

[@laminage]

​@MRInvincible569 Also keep in mind that Roger used a chokehold when he thought that Roger raped Holly again. Jenna wails on what Roger did she wasn't a saint, she lied, scammed and stole, and then she thought Spaulding was hers. She also allegedly gave Gilly Grant a hard time which wasn't very nice. I would love for Amelia Marshall to do The Gates.

[@MRInvincible569]

I think Roger would have been more prepared for Billy this time. He may have still lost but he would have put up more of a fight.

[@laminage]

It kind of reminds me of Dallas when Cliff Barnes finally comes to terms about his "Real" Father Digger Barnes and how his downfall wasn't Jock Ewing's fault.

[@schuyler10]

"...and may you go to hell tomorrow, Roger!"

[@RonnyCarlton]

I thought I was the only one who noticed it. Songs were in my head for years

[@laurenceamspoker6739]

Don't "f" with Roger Thorpe!

[@laminage]

Roger Thorpe was "Gangsta". He really scared Jenna but considering how bad she was when she first came to Springfield, she discovered the big payback.

[@Romanjezabel]

This was the best time of Guiding Light for me. I wish it could have grown from this and not changed to what has happened in the last 5 years.

[@canton731]

I agree, I was only 11 yrs old during this period, but I always held "Guiding Light" to this standard. We got hints here and there of greatness from GL, but 1990 to 1994 was just great. There were a couple of bumps after that period but we got the incredible Brent/Marian storyline and everything during that era followed by the Reva/Annie/Josh saga shortly thereafter. The early nineteen-nineties "Guiding Light" was just fantastic. Jill Farren Phelps just happened to be the EP at the time. She could have taken the series to number one in the ratings if she would have stayed another 3-5 years. She left with her tail between her legs but her work at GL is her best work to date.

[@fiyeroselphaba]

did u see how holly told roger to get out of there? she still loved him then...even after everything that happened! she didn't want him hurt!

[@patc2000]

That's Bess Lowell--she had been Brandon's secretary and Mistress--she knew all about and had papers that disputed Jenna's claim to Spaulding--everyone was trying to get her to tell the truth and she was bleeding everyone for all it was worth--That's what I remembers very sketchy Patc

[@laminage]

The one thing Iearned about this part is that there are "No small actors, just small parts." Alison Janey went from being a "Maid", then having one in The Help, then winning an Emmy for Mom, then an Oscar for The Tonya Harding Movie.

[@djintheatl]

I think the non-Reva years 91 thru 95 were the best years of GL. No offense to Kim Zimmer because she is fabulous, but during this time the writers wrote for the whole ensemble.

[@keeganthorpe]

djintheatl I always said the same thing. I loved the character of Reva but when she was on, nobody else seemed to really matter.

[@Mia-dt3gl]

@@keeganthorpe In my opinion it’s really hard to see Reva as a heroic figure when I look back on storylines and see that SHE was the root cause of a lot of issues in conflicts but still came out smelling like roses.

[@JalalLatif]

Roger Thorpe was the most ruthless villian in soap hisotry, anytime the SL involed him I was glued to the tube. This is classic stuff here, I forget who did shoot Roger?

[@zt1053]

Billy

[@laminage]

​@@zt1053Harlan "Billy" Lewis Jr, was such a basket case sometimes. They knew that Geoffrey Scott try as he might couldn't hold a candle to Jordan Clarke. Also i remember seeing the scene where Beth & Phillip were getting married, Vanessa went with Ross and how upset he looked. When he found out that Matt & Vanessa were having problems in their marriage he was secretly delighted because she was the only woman for him.

[@amyanda]

Classic Guiding Light. Thanks for this, it's great!

[@laminage]

Yes she was. Alot of GL Actors appeared on AMC and Vice Versa. When I saw this Scene on 50 Years Of Soaps in 2002, I remember being blown away by Michael Zaslow. I think he and Victor Newman are the two most frightening Soap Characters on Soaps.

[@QonOUTview]

The Best of the Best!

[@mrs.rucker2448]

So sad, you can hear Michael Zazslow having pronunciation problems, no idea at the time that was an early symptom of his ALS. Such a great actor.

[@jacktheman2895]

Let sleeping dogs lie. It is never a good thing to push Roger Thorpe too far.

[@laminage]

If there was one thing that Michael Zaslow (RIP) has in common with Larry Lamb (Ex-Archie Mitchell) on Eastenders is that everyone who works with them can't sing their praises highly enough. Another thing they have in common is that they can go from being a Bad Guy on One Show and then another Show they are so nice. Larry was on a Sitcom called Gavin & Stacey and for some fans it was hard to believe it was the same man.

[@tarikhelo4269]

He indeed havent lived long enough RIP

[@scootover7]

Wish I had the money to start a soap opera channel . Guiding Light would be one of the soaps I'd run . I'd probably start with 80s because not sure how many tapes are destroyed.

[@adelgado75]

Is the actress who played Bess the same one who played the Cortland housekeeper on All My Children?

[@laminage]

adelgado75 Yes.

[@laminage]

I think that Roger's "Betrayal" was the moment that Jenna could never have "normalcy" with anyone. She was so Heartbroken knowing that Roger "Lied" to her from Day One and in one way who could blame her. Didn't she know what he did to Holly Raping her, what he did to Alexandra, getting Mindy pregnant, etc. His lying drove Hart away and God knows what else. I really feel that his and Alan Spaulding not having their Mothers growing up affected them more than they realize. Kind of like with Jill Foster Abbot and Brooke Logan Forrester on The Young & The Restless & The Bold & The Beautiful with their Fathers.

[@JamesBrady-qc6zy]

Roger was right about them 😂😂😂

[@laminage]

Every Woman Roger was Married to had alot of "Daddy Issues". Holly, Alexandra, Jenna, Dinah and Amanda. That's so devastating, and Jenna realizes that she's worse off "Now!" than she was "Before".

[@QonOUTview]

Watching this and watching today it is hard to see the same show.

[@djintheatl]

Beverlee would have played it as cool as a cucumber--like her July 4th scenes where she fired Roger from Spaulding and from the Club "if she could manage it".

[@JoeyT1]

LOL Dylan looked so weak

[@laminage]

God it parallels Cliff Barnes finding out the truth about Digger and what he said about Jock Ewing as opposed to what really happened. Jenna grew up thinking her Father was "Bad" so she goes for "Bad Boys" hoping she could change them but she never could. Now she, Jeffrey Morgan, and Roger Thorpe are all "Dead". Roger Thorpe and Josh Lewis were so much alike they could only truly "Love" one Woman. For Josh it was Reva and for Roger it was Holly.

[@JasonAlredge]

EXCELLENT thing Jenna ended up with Buzz instead of Roger!!!

[@laminage]

Buzz, Alan Michael wasn't raised with "Bank". He lived in Chicago, Ill with his Drunk of a Mother Hope and Chicago, Ill has a major history with Springfield. Rick Bauer worked there and did his Community Service and Natalia Rivera and Rafe lived there as well not to mention Gus.

[@patc2000]

Billy Lewis shot Roger and unlike people most characters who commit crimes today, Billy went to jail Thanks for the comments people

[@laminage]

Dear God, by today's standards he would be described as Narcistic.

[@aca2547]

Hi, could you please tell me in which episode is there Hugh Panaro?

[@uamusme77]

@losmania29 Mine too!!!!!! Roger and Zaslow was on FIRE!

[@patc2000]

Hi-Peter is Hart and Bridget's son--making Roger Peter's grandfather--that's why all the people wanting to get rid of Roger

[@laminage]

Fiona Hutchison would have been perfect on The UK Soap Opera Emmerdale, she could play an archrival for Kim Tate played by Claire King on and off since 1989.

[@patc2000]

It is so very sad-- They can't make a good story no matter what they start with

[@laminage]

Also they both worked on One Life To Live but at different times.

[@djintheatl]

The Blackout of 92 (documented on youtube plus the Roger Thorpe mystery made for exceptional drama!)

[@laminage]

"We become what we attract". That was Jenna's Mantra throughout the whole time she was in Springfield. She never could have a proper relationship with a Man. Roger Thorpe, Jeffrey Morgan. Even with Buzz she wouldn't have been happy. Living above a Diner, not having much she would have gotten a case of the "Itchy Feet", and wanted to do another Jewelry Heist.

[@laminage]

She wanted so much to have a better life. If anything she was like Tom Ripley she felt that it's better to be a fake somebody instead of a real nobody.

[@toony826]

wow!!! i am just blown away buy the intensity and drama and galmour. its hard to believe that gl is crap now.

[@philmendoza9910]

ah Jenna I think you underestimate Roger Thorpe

[@laminage]

Yes she sure did. She didn't have Roger wrapped around her finger like she had with Buzz, and after the nightmare she had with Roger you would have thought that she would have learned her lesson with Jeffrey but she didn't.

[@djintheatl]

Also: What was Tangie Hill's purpose? (besides lurking in the shadows, btw).

[@rockyracoon3233]

Writers didn't know what to do with her character.

[@Aquaria]

Oh, I could. She did it a few times around Roger. Or over him.

[@patc2000]

Check out the other two video responces if you think this is wild lol Patc

[@djintheatl]

Allison Janney as Ginger!!

[@laminage]

+djintheatl She played a Maid on Guiding Light and then she played a Woman who fired her Maid in "The Help" played by Cicely Tyson who was the first African American Woman on the Show and Daytime TV.

[@Firespawnable]

I know this post was 5 years ago but I found it interesting that you said Michael Zaslow wrote, and I wanted to know how did he help in creating Guiding Light to be the masterpiece it once was. What did he write?

[@laminage]

I don't know if he had the status to write for Guiding Light but he did write for it's Sister Show Another World. It was sometime in the 1980's. It's cool when folks go from being in front of The Camera to behind the Camera. UK Soaps don't do that. They either do a Regular TV Series, or another soap or The West End (The UK Equivalent Of Broadway).

[@adelgado75]

When did Zaslow's ALS start to appear while on the show?

[@laminage]

Around 1997 shortly after the Cedars Ball Storyline. I thought it was a Stroke but when I found he had ALS, I felt so bad for him. In The UK there is a Soap Actress named Leah Bracknell who was on a Soap Opera called Emmerdale who is battling Stage Four Lung Cancer. Fans rallied to help her with treatment that she can't get on her own.

[@laminage]

adelgado75 I will say one th thing Michael Zaslow would have been so disgusted how Guiding Light ended up.

[@laminage]

Didn't Jenna not know what he did to Hart Jessup and the farm, he's sick.

[@Cartooncountdown]

Shut up Roger lol

[@Farr50]

Who exactly did shoot him that night? I was all caught up in the story on other channels, but never found out....

[@djintheatl]

It ended up being Billy Lewis when Geoffrey Ewing was playing him.

[@Farr50]

@@djintheatl oh so is that why Billy was in that halfway house? Now it all makes sense

[@ellie7720]

I'm so confused! Help! Which time period is this? Is Blake (Chrissy) married to Phillip right now?

[@laminage]

No, also keep in mind this was the Longest Running Blake (Liz Keifer 1992-2009). Phillip and she were divorced and Grant Aleksander I believe was on All My Children as Alec McIntyre. The Blake who you were thinking of was Elizabeth Denehy (Blake #2). Phillip and Beth were living in Phoenix, AZ., where Phillip worked and did his Community Service along with Dr. Rick Bauer in Chicago, Ill.

[@ellie7720]

@@laminage thanks!

[@laminage]

@@ellie7720 You are quite welcome although it's Two Years Late. 😁

[@patc2000]

It's at the top of the page lol

[@laminage]

I think that's why Alan Spaulding and Roger Thorpe were always at loggerheads because they both knew the pain of losing a Mother and having a bad relationship with their Father. Was Adam a Bad Father to Roger or something?

[@kelvinblack4867]

Adam was a workaholic most of Roger life

[@laminage]

@@kelvinblack4867 Oh okay. Did you know that Robert Milli (Ex-Adam) played Wayne Addison on it's Sister Show Another World and Michael Zaslow wrote for Another World in the 1980's. Another dysfunctional Couple is Sharon & Phil Mitchell on The UK Soap Opera Eastenders. No matter how bad Phil is to her she always goes back to him. She never had her real parents and the Parents who raised her weren't exactly good people. Her Father Den aka Dirty Den got her Best Friend Michelle pregnant as a teenager. Now she's messing around with a Neighborhood Mechanic young enough to be her Son.

[@laminage]

When Ilook at this scene, it kind of reminds me of Lou Pearlman The Boy Band Impressario (N'Sync The Backstreet Boys). He does "Bad" Things then justifies it. As for Roger's Relationship with Adam, his Father loved him but he was "hard" to love, how can a Man show pride in his son who committed an act of Sexual Violence towards a Woman. As for not being a Family Man, how could you, when you treated the Love Of Your Life Holly horrifically.

[@Aquaria]

It wasn't the only reason! Good grief, he'd cheated on Alex with Mindy. Roger and Billy had been business enemies forever. Roger screwed over Dylan, causing him to lose his company. For once, Holly, Ed and Ross weren't t in the middle of this, but were trying to keep the peace. As if that could have been done with Alex determined to make an ass of herself.

[@patc2000]

Hi--thanks I have plenty more to come-- come see my website--devoted.to/astheworldturned-- I have plenty of clips from ATWT and GL Pat

[@patc2000]

I posted the video above--enjoy

[@Rogerthoroegirl]

Alan Michael and Gilly Grant would have been a much better match than him and Lucy.

[@laminage]

Yes but in the US Interracial Soaps between Black and White is still a No No. In The UK it's no big deal. in fact on Eastenders there was a character named Vince Hubbard who was involved with Veronica "Ronnie" Mitchell and they showed them having Sex. On Coronation Street Steve McDonald finds out that Emma Brooker is his long lost daughter. Here's another fun quirky fact. Many of the Actros from the UK Prison Drama Bad Girls "Reunite" on EastEnders and as many of you know a lot of Actors who worked on Guiding Light also worked on All My Children and vice versa.

[@zt1053]

@@laminage one life to live, had an interracial couple at the time

[@dfangirl72]

I was soooo glad when sonia satra left gl i found her as lucy soooooo annoying and irritating and alan michael with another " cooper " 🤨😒