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BILLIE BACK ON DAYS?
Days of Our Lives is promising a big twist to unfold later this month. Could that include the resurrection of Billie Reed in the form of Julie Pinson, who ends her run as The Young and Restless's music manager Shiloh on May 12? Pinson first auditioned for Billie when its originator, Lisa Rinna, vacated the role in 1995, and again during her hush-hush exit from Port Charles in 2002. Pinson admits to TV Guide Online that she hasn't been contacted by Days a third time, but chuckles, "If they are [bringing Billie back] and they start auditioning, sign me up!" Pinson, who joined Y&R
on Feb. 16, was fully aware her stay in Genoa City could be a short
one. "I always knew it was a three-month gig," she says. "But I was
hoping they might figure out a way to write Shiloh in permanently." The
plucky actress is prepped to return to the audition circuit to test for
more guest-starring roles on sitcoms (she played a lesbian on The Drew Carey Show in 2002), but her heart will always belong to daytime. "I like the schedule and I love the camaraderie," she gushes. As for Days, a show rep states there are no plans to bring Billie back to the canvas at this time. BRAUN TO STAY PUT
Don't expect Tamara Braun (Carly), who benchmarks her third year with General Hospital this month, to pull a reverse Lesli Kay (Molly) (see related story below). Earlier this week, GH confirmed that Kay will end her seven-year gig on As the World Turns and assume the role of Lois Cerullo, last played by Emmy winner Rena Sofer.
Braun, who's reveling in her first Emmy nomination, is eager to stay in
Port Charles. In a recent interview with TV Guide Online, Braun
revealed she has "no intention of going to another show" when her
contract is up. ATWT'S KAY JUMPS TO GH
If Lesli Kay's (Molly) jump from As the World Turns to General Hospital
is a big surprise to viewers, it's an even bigger one to her co-stars.
"I didn't know anything about it; she didn't mention it," admits her ATWT colleague Martha Byrne
(Lily). "I want her to be happy, and if it's going to make her happy,
I'm happy for her." Kay's change of coasts is in support of family
aspirations. "[Her husband] Keith Coulouris (ex-David, ATWT) is a screenwriter, and if you want to be a screenwriter, you've got to be in L.A." In an official statement, ATWT executive producer Chris Goutman says, "Lesli expressed a desire to relocate to Los Angeles. When the opportunity from General Hospital arose, we chose not to stand in her way." The actress migrates to Port Charles on June 10. OLTL GETS A HEART
Christopher Durham is once again strapping on a stethoscope on One Life to Live.
This time he'll play Dr. Gardner, a cardiologist who tends to Viki's
heart condition. Durham first appeared on the show in 1992 as Dr.
Michael Jonas. The soap vet has also done stints on As the World Turns, Ryan's Hope and Capitol. His first airdate is May 20. BRYTON TO Y&R
Teen pop star Bryton is getting a change of address. The 17-year-old has been cast as Devon on The Young and the Restless. Bryton made his television debut at age 3 playing Richie on the '90s sitcom Family Matters. SPEEDY REPLACEMENT
Aiden Turner (Aidan) is leaving All My Children,
but just temporarily. Due to a personal family matter, the actor has
taken off for several episodes. During Turner's absence, professional
driver and actor Tom Archdeacon will step into the role. His first airdate is May 13. DAYTIME TIDBITS
General Hospital's
Courtney painkiller-addiction storyline has won a PRISM award, which
recognizes shows that address drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse. The
ceremony will air on May 16 (6 pm/ET, FX)... Anne Sayre (Mitzi, ATWT) and her husband are the proud new parents of John Sayre Grimaldi, born on May 3. Both mother and baby are doing wonderfully... Former ABC Daytime President Angela Shapiro has been named President of Fox Television Studios, effective May 24... Guiding Light director Bruce Barry will end his 27-year run with the show when his contract expires in August... As the World Turns' Martha Byrne (Lily) has started an official website, Marthabyrne.net... ATWT is casting a sexy and strong twentysomething female to mix it up with the boys in Oakdale.
CASTING CALL
As the World Turns: Jennifer Barnhart is Dalma the babysitter on May 10 and 11... On May 11, Gareth Saxe appears as a process server and Thomas Sadoski plays the WOAK station manager... Jay Boryea plays a goon named Rocco on May 12... Marisa Redanty plays Nurse Showcroft and David Adkins is Dr. Tanner on May 14.
Guiding Light: New York Daily News reporter Breanne Heldman appears as a travel agent on May 11.
One Life to Live: Jennifer Miranda Holmes plays a female student on May 14.
Passions: On May 11, HBO's Taxi Cab Confessions star driver Rita Scott appears as herself; Alex Hernandez plays a paramedic... Kate Rodger portrays Nurse Jean beginning May 12.
The Young and the Restless: That's Michael Graziadei in the third incarnation of Danny Romalotti Jr.... Julie Pinson's (Shiloh) last airdate is May 12... Lyndsy Fonseca's (Colleen) last day is May 14. ODDS AND ENDS
Las Vegas's Josh Duhamel (ex-Leo, AMC) gets on the couch on The Ellen Degeneres Show on May 10 (SYN).
Cynthia Gibb (ex-Suzi, Search for Tomorrow) plays a mother accused of poisoning her child on Law & Order: SVU on May 11 (10 pm/ET, NBC).
Self-proclaimed All My Children fanatic Carol Burnett, who guest starred on the show as Langley Walliford's loopy daughter Verla Grubbs, revisits her comedic path in a new special, Carol Burnett: Let's Bump Up the Lights, airing on May 12 (10 pm/ET, CBS).
Who says soap stars don't have a sense of humor? Some of soaps' biggest names, including All My Children's Susan Lucci (Erica) and Rebecca Budig (Greenlee), Susan Flannery (Stephanie, B&B) and Emmy nominee Eric Braeden (Victor, Y&R), will have a little fun with their genre when they appear on the May 14 finale of Hope and Faith (8 pm/ET, ABC). Former daytimer Kelly Ripa (Hayley, AMC)
stars as Faith Fairfield, an out-of-work soap actress who's briefly
back in the limelight as she vies for an award at the Daytime Emmys.
Ripa's co-star Ted McGinley has never been on a soap, but he
recently got a little taste of the daytime production schedule. "We did
two episodes at one time," he says of the hourlong season ender. "So
what we'd normally do in two weeks, we did in one." The 3 am wrap
hardly phased the daytime vets. "They were used to it because they
shoot long all the time. For them it was nothing," McGinley praises,
"but the rest of us were walking around like we couldn't believe it."
Despite having daytime divas on hand, there were no attitudes to match,
at least none that McGinley will fess up to. "I wouldn't answer that
with a 10-foot pole," he chuckles. But leaving their moments of
afternoon melodrama behind seemed to put the daytime guest roster in
the best of moods. "Our stage is all about having fun," McGinley notes.
"They do heavy dramatic stuff, so it was nice to do nothing but laugh
all day."
MY POV: They say once you're married to the mob, you can never
get out. But I just can't get back into bed with Danny's return to the
Mafia on Guiding Light. When we first met Danny, he was truly
his mama's son. His eye-for-an-eye vengeance for his brother's death
led him to Michelle Bauer, a woman whose love would change him. He saw
the underside of the family business and got out. For months we watched
Danny run for mayor, only to learn it was a plot devise for Jeffrey to
blackmail him back into the mob. Reverting back without a fight just
doesn't seem to make sense, especially with his mom, Carmen, out of the
picture. Danny's hatred for the illegal world he once knew grew even
stronger as he witnessed the cruelty his mother could dish out
(deliciously served by Saundra Santiago). Sure he wants to
protect his wife and cousin Tony, but I'm more apt to believe Danny
would take his chances on the run if Mama's not a part of the picture.
Now if it's revealed that she is indeed connected to Danny's trip back
into the life that almost broke him, all will be justified. If not,
throw this story out with the fishes. — additional reporting by Damian Holbrook
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