And the Emmy Nomination Goes to...

David Canary (Adam/Stuart Chandler) is the only All My Children performer to garner a nomination this year. Canary already has five statuettes from his work as a Lead Actor in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 2000. Canary joined All My Children in 1983, and took on dual roles in 1984.

Canary is one of only three ABC Daytime actors to be nominated. In recent years, the Daytime Emmy Awards have fallen victim to block voting where entire casts vote for only stars on their own network. The stars of the CBS shows have benefited the most this loophole.

All My Children has also been consistently left out of the acting categories since the Emmy nomination rules were revamped in 2002. Once an emmy darling, All My Children has only seen one actress, Eden Riegel as Bianca Montgomery, win an award since.

For a full list of nominees, check out SON's coverage of today's announcement.

What do you think Canary's chances are? Post your submission ideas in the comments section.

You Don't Know Jak(e)

SoapNet.com has an awesome picture gallery showcasing Jake Martin's history in Pine Valley. When you're done checking out their pictures, refresh your memory with a look at Jake's Quick Guide Biography, available only here at the All My Children History Project.

Jake (then-J.Eddie Peck, l.) is pictured with his former leading ladies Mia Saunders (Amelia Heinle) and Greenlee duPres (Rebecca Budig).

Daytime Emmy Nominations to be Announced Tomorrow on The View (11am EST)

Here's the list of All My Children's contenders:
Outstanding Lead Actor:
David Canary (Adam/Stuart Chandler)
Thorsten Kaye (Zach Slater)
Michael E. Knight (Tad Martin)

Outstanding Lead Actress:
Bobbie Eakes (Krystal Carey Martin)
Susan Lucci (Erica Kane)

Outstanding Supporting Actress:
Jeffrey Carlson (ex-Zoe Luper)
Billy J. Miller (Richie Novak)
Jacob Young (JR Chandler)

Outstanding Supporting Actress:
Alicia Minshew (Kendall Slater)
Sabine Singh (ex-Greenlee duPres)

Outstanding Younger Actress:
Melissa Claire Egan (Annie Lavery)
Leven Rambin (ex-Ava Benton/ex-Lily Montgomery)
Chrishelle Stause (Amanda Dillon)


All the outstanding Lead Actors and Actresses have at least one nomination under their belt. Of course the Lead Actor category has Emmy favorites Canary and Knight. All three have the material to make the final list. Canary shined in the scenes where Adam confronted Krystal for infidelity. Kaye's subtle performances around Ian's birth were perfection. Knight's performance as Tad shined in the time around Dixie's untimely death.

Lucci shined as Erica cared for Kendall after Ian's premature birth. Eakes gave equally strong performances around Jenny Martin's paternity reveal and her subsequent kidnapping.

The Supporting categories are a little weaker. The fact that the show considered Singh worthy of nomination goes to show what is wrong with the show. Minshew also has a slim chance against the competition. Though she had worthy material, her propensity for over acting makes the scenes almost painful to watch.

The Supporting males are equally overshadowed by their competitors. Carlson and Miller really did not have the material, though are both great actors. Previous Emmy Winner Young may be able to pull a nomination out of the hate, but is not a contender to win. I still think he was robbed in 2004 after his Judas speech against Adam when he colluded with Erica and Jackson to give Miranda back to Bianca.

No Younger Actors, but the Actress category looks good. Rambin is a shoe in for taking on double roles, and Stause and Egen both got their share of great material this year. Stause and Kate Collins (Janet Dillon), are magic together and Egen got to sink her teeth into some meaty material when Annie's sociopath brother Richie came to town. Both actresses come off as so mature in their roles. I did not realize either qualified as a younger lead.

Breaking News: Sydney Penny Let Go

Rumblings on SoapZone have Soap Opera Digest reporting that Sydney Penny (Julia Keefer, 1993-1996, 1997, 2002 and again from 2005-present) has been let go from All My Children. Could she be the person SOD has not making it through May Sweeps?

According to SON, Jeff Branson (ex-Jonathan Lavery) and Leven Rambin (ex- Lily Montgomery/Ava Benton) have also made their last appearances. The onscreen lovers were let go outside of the regular contract cycle, suggesting something went down behind the scenes. Both stars joined in 2004, at one of All My Children's peaks of success.

Check back for more news on these major cast shakeups.

Flashback: Brooke Learns Laura is Dead, 1989



Man, I wish Julia Barr was still in Pine Valley.

For more of this storyline check out Brooke's Quick Guide Biography.

Another Return?

Soap Opera Digest is reporting rumblings that Brian Gaskill (ex-Bobby Warner, r.) is heading back to All My Children. Gaskill was the first "adult" Bobby, playing the legacy character from 1995-97. Gaskill is currently recurring as Dylan Lewis on Guiding Light.

A lot of storyline potential was wasted when Bobby (then Christian Campbell) returned to Pine Valley in 2004. Other than an unholy alliance with a jealous Kendall Hart, and the breakup of his marriage with high school sweetheart Anita Santos, Bobby spent months off the canvas (to facilitate Campbell's other commitments).

All the while fans were clamoring for a reunion with his estranged son Sam Grey, or more family drama at Corltandt Manor and Wildwind. Bobby was not the little boy so many long time fans watched grow up onscreen. He was a familiar name tagged on to a new face. Even longtime adopted/step-grandmother Opal Cortlandt did not even recognize Erica Kane's new boytoy, Roberto (Megan McTavish at her worst).

Bobby still has some links to the current canvas worth exploring. He left Pine Valley after extorting money from his late brother-in-law Edmund Grey. He witnessed former employer Zach Slater in some clandestine meeting. Frankly, Palmer always needs more family in town and there is no one better than his spoiled rotten grandson.

In a way, the prodigal son returns.

Character Studies

Cameron Mathison (Ryan Lavery) and his bevy of former brides: Melissa Egan (Annie Lavery), Rebecca Budig (Greenlee duPres) and Alicia Minshew (Kendall Slater) all star in homemade videos for the new SoapNet.com.

These amateur short videos are truly enjoyable to watch. Egan especially stands out as a humble, very funny young woman, a great departure from the manically depressed and teary eyed Annie she plays onscreen.

Other funny moments include Mathison with his two children, and Minshew doing the worm down the halls of All My Children's dressing room.

If only SoapNet still had shows about soaps, sigh.

Welcome Home Dixie

This week Soap Opera Digest has exclusive photos from Dixie Cooney's (Cady McClain) return to Pine Valley as Adam Chandler's (David Canary, pictured r. with McClain) ghostly vision. The man who once made her think she was going insane, gets a taste of his own medicine for keeping one of the Valley's biggest secrets.

Let's hope they make it clear Dixie is Adam's vision and not a ghost, like they did with Maria Grey in 1998 when Eva LaRue returned for a handful of episodes after Dimitri Marick (then Michael Nader) saved Edmund Grey (John Callahan) from the aqueduct. ABC may be trying to write their wrongs, but to this long time fan they are just digging a deeper hole.

McClain's first airdate is May 2.

The Couple that Works Together...

Pine Valley supercouple Hayley and Mateo Santos are going strong after three walks down the aisle, two onscreen and one offscreen that is.

Real life husband and wife team Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are set to launch a new production company, Milojo Productions, with a set of non-scripted series for TLC according to TVGuide.com.

Ripa will continue to co-host her talk show, Live With Regis and Kelly. Ripa pulled double duty on All My Children and Live until 2002. Consuelos and Ripa exited the show together for other opportunities.

In a 2008 Live episode with guest star Susan Lucci (Erica Kane, as if I needed to tell you), Ripa commented that no one has ever asked her to reprise the role of Hayley on All My Children.

Let's hope the producers are listening and remedy that soon.

Welcome Home Jake

Here is a glimpse of Ricky Paull Goldin as Dr. Jake Martin. Looks like resident hero Aidan Devane's (Aiden Turner) rescue attempt did not got off as planned.

Hopefully, the reinforcements are on the way.

After all, Ryan Lavery's still in town isn't he?

Where are they now? Gil Rogers (ex- Ray Gardner, 1977-79, 1982, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2001)

As his onscreen brother Rob Gardner weasels his way into the lives of his family in Pine Valley, Rogers returns to Daytime in an extended run as Hawk Shayne on Guiding Light, a role he originated in 1985. His first air date is May 1.

Rogers continued to make appearances as the devlish Ray even after his onscreen death in 1982. His real life daughter played the role of Dr. Carolyn Finn, Jake Martin's fiance, in 2003.

We'll Always Have Vegas

Hollywood rumblings have AMC alums Josh Duhamel (ex-Leo DuPres, pictured right in a promo photo from 2000) and Justin Bruening (ex-Jamie Martin) teaming up for a Las Vegas/Knight Rider crossover this fall. TVGuide.com reports Executive Producer Gary Scott Thompson wants to give Las Vegas fans closure after they were robbed of a proper series finale because of the 2008 Writer's Guild of America Strike.

Duhamel originated the role of Leo from 1999-2002. Leo is missing and presumed dead after falling off Miller's Fall, much like Hannah Nichols (Stacy Haiduk). Duhamel gained instant success in Hollywood with 2003's Dating Tad Hamilton, and 2007's Transformers.

Bruening took over the role of Jamie in 2003, when he took frontburner status in a love triangle with onscreen brother Jacob Young (JR Chandler) and real life wife Alexa Havins (Babe Carey). Havins and Bruening left All My Children upon the completion of their first contract in 2007. He was cast as the son of Michael Knight in the new NBC series Knight Rider, which has been picked up for the fall season.

These two stars never worked together onscreen, but have very many similarities. Both former models spent many a show shirtless, or wearing even less.

Leo was known for his tight leather pants, a reference Duhamel would make in many of his interviews about his time in the Valley.

Who Says You Can Never Go Home

Three major returns come to Pine Valley: one classic hero, a ghost, and an old friend with a new face.

Topping off the list of returnees is Laurence Lau as Greg Nelson, a role he played from 1984-86. Lau’s Greg brought national attention to All My Children for his star-crossed romance with Jenny Gardner (Kim Delaney) from 1982-84. After Jenny’s untimely death, Greg fell into the backburner. His last Pine Valley romance was with Robin McCall (Hunter Tylo, then Deborah Morehart), who was actually in love with brother-in-law, Tad Martin (Michael E. Knight). Greg left for Hong Kong, and kept his distance, especially from his overbearing mother Enid Nelson (Natalie Ross).

Lau’s return coincides with best friends and former business partners Jesse (Darnell Williams) and Angie Hubbard’s (Debbi Morgan) third wedding. His return is slated to be short-term starting May 20.

Also expect appearances by Cady McClain return as a ghostly vision of the late Dixie Cooney (pictured left with Knight as Tad). Dixie was killed for a second and what looks to be final time in 2007. McClain played the role from 1986-96, 1998-2002, and again in 2005-07.

Bad writing and a lackluster storyline botched her long anticipated return in 2005. Longtime Tad and Dixie fans were robbed of a true reunion of the one time super-couple with their long lost child, Kate Martin. Kate now resides in Pine Valley as Kathy Mershon Keefer, Julia Keefer’s (Sydney Penny) adopted daughter.

Hopefully they will make it clear McClain’s visits are only a vision so that the door could be left open for her long-term return. Then again, viewers saw Jesse in heaven on multiple occasions, and we see where he is now.

McClain’s first airdate in May 2.

Daytime veteran Ricky Paull Goldin takes over the role of Dr. Jake Martin this week. The Martin heir was last seen in 2003 (portrayed by J. Eddie Peck) when he came home to announce his engagement to fellow Doctor Without Borders colleague Dr. Carolyn Finn.

Somewhere along the way, Jake has found himself being held prisoner in war torn Darfur. This is not the first time Jake found himself in hot water. In 2000, Jake was presumed missing in action in Chechnya while volunteering for DWOB.

Site Updates

Check out the new Hubbard Family Tree. Also, many of the Quick Guide Biographies have been updated with new pictures. Drop me an email if there is anything else you want to see on this site.