September 1995
We all know the Eighties was the decade of power and ambition. Our motto was success at all costs. Our careers came first. Schmooze with the movers and shakers by day, and booze with the groovers and players by night. Even on Days of our Lives in the Eighties, nobody had children. We were career actors. You know, I was almost embarrassed when I became pregnant with my first son. Compelled to downplay my condition and sneak around, I fought morning sickness in secret. I couldn’t let it interfere with my work. I was afraid the pregnancy might cause inconvenience and I might be fired. Throughout my pregnancy, I was shot behind ever-growing purses, palm trees and furniture.
In one episode, we had a baby shower for Jennifer. The guests included Frances Reid, Peggy McCay, Suzanne Rogers, and several other women between the ages of 20 and 70. I remember thinking how odd that, except for me and the pregnant Missy Reeves, none had children.
But if the eighties stood for power and career, the Nineties represent family. Perhaps AIDS has played a part in making monogamy fashionable. Or, maybe the top of the ladder was just too lonely. For whatever reason, families are again popular. And this conservative trend is very obvious on the set here at General Hospital. We’ve got kids racing their tricycles down the hallways, we’ve got moms breastfeeding their babies between takes, scenes are worked around to accommodate those with morning sickness and nobody thinks twice. Indeed, these days, a swelling tummy is a source of pride.
Many cast members bring their children and nannies to work. Lynn Herring is accompanied to the studio every day by her two young sons. They live on a ranch and the tots are always dressed like cowboys. Jackie Zeman brings her two young daughters with her. These precious little girls wear beautiful dresses to look like two fairy princesses. And it’s not just the cast. The crew also embraces new family involvement. The makeup artist’s son and the hairstylist’s daughter spend their days playing together at the office.
Often, if someone’s working late, their husband or wife will bring their children over to the studio for dinner. Families dining together in the cafeteria are a common sight. Because so many actresses and actors stay on a soap for a long time, many of these children are growing up together, almost as an extended family. The GH producers add credence to this philosophy by promoting family events like the annual company picnic, complete with clowns and pony rides.
In 1988 when I took my one year old to his first company picnic, I found the drink options were either Perrier or Heineken, and for the organized activities you could either pitch celebrity softball…or your most recent screenplay. We’re sticking with the clowns!
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