For the week leading up to the Daytime Emmys, the cast and crew of General Hospital were abuzz! Our show had lots of nominations, including best original song, soap opera, lead actor, lead actress, supporting actress, younger actor, writing, directing and costume design! Flowers came daily, tears flowed freely and hugs ran rampant.
Wendy Riche, our producer, is the motherly type. “We’re all team players,” she says. On the Thursday before the Emmys, the entire show flew to New York where the awards would be held the next night. We filled the first class section and it was as if we were on our own private jet!
Matt Ashford, now a permanent cast member, was my seatmate. At the airport in New York, we were greeted by Kristoff St. John (from Y&R), who joined our party. The excitement continued as we sped through the city in limousines. Everyone from our show was staying at the Marriot Marquis Hotel, on Broadway, near Times Square. This was the very hotel where the Emmys would be held!!
We hardly slept. Next morning, I was working out in the hotel gym when in comes Wally Kurth. He normally jogs, but when he saw the treadmill he said: “This is great!” I said: “Watch out—these things can get away from you.” When he stepped on to the treadmill, he zipped backwards, arms and legs flailing. Luckily he wasn’t injured. He told me Rena Sofer (nominated for best supporting actress) was a wreck and he was there to support her. I said I hoped she never saw him on the treadmill!
That night, Wendy Riche hosted a party in her suite for all the actors. We arrived at 4:30 pm, all in gowns and tuxes and all very excited. Part of the thrill of an awards show is the arrival of the “stars” out front. They walk down the red carpet as the paparazzi snap pictures and fans shout for their favorites. Last year, the GH people, staying in the same hotel, simple rode the elevator down to the ballroom. But not this year! Ushers arrived at Wendy’s suite at 8:30 pm to take us down in groups. We tiptoed through the kitchen, out the back door, down the sidewalk and around the corner to the front. Voila!
We “arrived” and strolled down the red carpet as if we’d just emerged from the congestion of limos. Inside, as I rubbed elbows with Oprah (Winfrey) and Leeza (Gibbons, from Entertainment this Week), it struck me the Emmys isn’t cut- throat. Everyone is warm and supportive, even people from other shows. I enjoyed seeing all my old buddies from DOOL. John Aniston was there with his daughter Jennifer, who’s currently starring on Friends–the No 1 show in the US.
This is the popular actress who grew up watching me act with her dad. Yikes! When GH was named best drama series, we leaped to the stage. It must have looked like a class photo. GH picked up four honors, for writing, supporting actress (Rena Sofer) and younger actor (Jonathon Jackson) and costume design. Including the 10 writers and six producers, we had about 20 statuettes! At midnight, we ended up at a Times Square nightclub and I just relaxed. And I looked around at our 20 statuettes on every tabletop, like so many centerpieces! Oh, what a night!
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