IMDb user comments for
"The Guiding Light" (1952)

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22 comments in total

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15 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
Please watch Guiding Light and Save television history from cancellation!, 14 October 2002

Author: Sylvia Marciniak (sylviastel@aol.com) from United States

I love Guiding Light. In fact last Friday, our CBS affiliate in New York interrupted for "breaking news" within minutes of the show's finale. It's bad enough on a Friday a few minutes before the credits ran. I have watched Guiding Light for 14 years now and I am hooked. This year, CBS will decide it's fate. With only 2 million Nielson viewers, the show could be canceled and replaced with useless television talk shows which are cheaper to make. If Guiding Light and As The World Turns are canceled, daytime television would be in enormous trouble. I remember a time when New York City was the capital of the soaps but now only 4 soaps remain. I was furious with Mayor Giuliani for not preventing the cancellation of Another World in 1999. He did nothing but yet his wife appeared on the show and others as well. If Guiding Light gets canceled, Irna Phillips and Charita Bauer would be turning over in their graves over the loss. I hope CBS makes the right decision! I hope you watch the show for its continuous excellence in acting, writing, and directing. This show deserves to be recognized as a part of American history. Believe me, the Roger and Holly relationship far outweighed any couple on daytime or prime-time television. I love Doug Hutchison's portrayal of the mysterious Sebastian Hulce. I love my veteran performers like Marj Dusay, Ron Raines, Jerry ver Dorn, Maureen Garrett, Beth Ehlers, Frank Dicopoulos. Believe me, there is nothing on prime-time or in the cinema that is like Guiding Light! If you can watch Desperate Housewives, give daytime a try. You just might like it.

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
The longest running series in broadcast history, 12 December 2004
Author: tpcktt from Jamaica, NY

For nearly 7 decades, THE GUIDING LIGHT has become one of most beloved daytime dramas. GL has the distinction of being the longest running entertainment program in American broadcast history. Created by Irna Phillips, GL originally told the story of Reverend Ruthledge and his flock of parishioners when it began on radio on January 25, 1937. In 1948, the focus of the show shifted to the Bauers, a German-American family. On June 30, 1952, GL was the first radio soap to successfully switch to television (from 1952 to 1956, GL ran on both radio and TV). The Bauer clan was led by Frederick Bauer (played by Theo Goetz from 1948 until his passing in 1973). Frederick Bauer was affectionately known to those who knew him as Papa Bauer. He had three children: Trudy (briefly played in 1952 by Helen Wagner, who eventually went on play matriarch Nancy Hughes on another Irna Phillips creation called AS THE WORLD TURNS in 1956), Meta (played by longest by Ellen Demming: 1953-1975), whom many of early story lines revolved around, and son Bill (who later became an alcoholic) and his family. Bill's family included wife Bertha, also known as Bert, who would become one of the most beloved matriarchs in daytime television (she was played by Charita Bauer from 1950 until her death in February, 1985) and their two sons Michael and Edward. In the 1960s and 1970s, Michael and Edward became the focus of the show with their various professional and personal problems, including Ed's alcoholism. Beginning in the late 1970s, other families became part of the show's fabric (the Marlers, Spauldings, Coopers, Lewises, Chamberlains, Norrises, Reardons and Thorpes). Like many soaps, GL has had some memorable characters. One of which was Roger Thorpe, the most infamous villain in soap history (played to perfection by the late, great Micheal Zaslow on-and-off from 1971 to 1997). During the years 1995-2004, the show lost its focus. Those years were filled by incompetent producers and writers who created some of the worst story lines in the show's history. Some of these clunkers included the cloning of Reva, the Santos family, the San Cristobal story (the only good thing about that one is the emergence of Our Prince of Darkness---Edmund Winslow), and the Mary Anne Carruthers mystery. In early 2004, GL seems to be getting back on track with competent producers and writers at the helm, who have created story lines that make good use of the show's long history (the only down side is that Grant Aleksander, who played Philip Spaulding since 1982 was sacrificed).

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6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Guiding Light, 21 December 2005
Author: rjcoll from United States

I have watched Guiding Light for 45 years. My mother started watching when it first started. The story lines have been great. Between Reva and Joshua's ups and downs. I hope they find their way back to each other. It would be great if you could bring back Danny and Michelle. Michelle is a great asset to the show. Also, Ed Bauer added a great touch to the show. Jonathan and Tammy belong to each other. I was glad you finally put them together. Sandy needs to move on. As far as Alan Michael coming back, I find it very strange that he is making moves on Marina, when he was married to her mother years ago. Not a good move. Please writers, keep the show going. I don't want another talk show in the on daytime TV.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
comment on show, 29 March 2001
Author: london-1 from london, england

I have watched Guiding Light long enough to know that Kim Zimmer is the most talented actress there is on tv. She is awesome in that she draws viewers into her performance and makes them feel what the character Reva Shayne is feeling. The show is one of the best of all time, the writing is unique and centers around long time Springfield families. Guiding Light is the longest running daytime drama and I think that says a lot about the quality of the show. With actors and actresses like Kim Zimmer, Robert Newman, Beth Ehlers, Grant Alexander, Jerry ver Dorn and plenty others, the show has just what it needs to be successful for many more years to come!

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4 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Hooked for 10 years, 26 February 1999
Author: ken-138 from California

I haven't seen every soap, but from what I have seen, this one can claim the best acting talent around. It's too bad Cynthia Watros (Annie) and Wendy Moniz (Dinah) had to go, They're both gifted actresses. Grant Aleksander (Philip) probably can claim best actor presently. Fortunately, the great cast makes up for some of the plot lines, e.g. Michael the angel, the bizarre cloning of Reva, and now Hart is in this metaphorical fight for life. It'll take a week to decide his fate. Pity the punching bag.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
One Of The Best Drama's Ever , Must See TV, 19 April 2007

Author: mysterydramatvfan from United States

SHOW : CBS's Guiding Light / TYPE : Panoptic Soap / PACE: Perfect / SETTING :Pretty City and Homes / This has , mystery , character's who do not know who they or the danger waiting for them that they need to stay away from , plot's and schemes , creative ways of getting even , deranged and deadly character's , secret's to unravel , complex character's with layers , character's that will surprise you , brilliant acting , brilliant writing , layered writing , layered stories , compelling , murder , kidnapping , villains , dangerous secret's , twist and turns , surprises , blackmail , several suspect's , clues to follow , poison , faking a death , creative revenge , hidden agenda's , investigation's , greed , corruption. Kudos to all those involved in making this show , thank you for so much wonderful entertainment.

( Were else but Guiding Light , All My Children ,General Hospital , The Young And The Restless , Where else Can You Get All The Above, ALL NEW 5 X'S A WEEK , ALL YEAR AROUND )

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
A classic soap opera, 16 July 2006

Author: Grace Zeh (filmgirlgz@cox.net) from Chantilly, Virginia, USA

Ah, yes. I can remember when I was in high school. The first thing I would do my junior and senior year when I got home was turn on the TV and watch this classic soap opera. From that moment on, I was hooked on it. In addition, I also enjoyed the days when Signy Coleman (Annie Dutton) was on the show. Ever since Saundra Santiago (Carmen Santos) left the show in 2002, I haven't been watching it as much. If you ask me, she was absolutely diabolical. You'd have to have seen the show between 1999 and 2002 if you want to know why. However, this is still a good soap opera. In conclusion, I highly recommend this classic soap opera to all you die-hard CBS fans.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
I miss Philip, 4 April 2006
Author: kerpptd from United States

Grant's portrayal of Phillip over the years was great. I am still holding my breath for the day he come's back to Guiding Light. I know that GL cut a lot of the best cast members last year, but I hope they didn't cut out us fans of the best actors who portrayed not only Phillip Spaulding, but Ross Marler and the cutting back of Rick Bauer, Holly and Blake. Please come back Phillip- I have been a fan of Guiding Light since before you and Rick came back from boarding school and Rick changed his name. Grant, you are greatly missed, as is the character you portrayed, it is not just my hope, but that of my mother's and sister's that you come back soon. You are fondly missed, and we can't wait till you walk into the board room of Spaulding, unannounced and get into it with Allen. The story line for your return could be the best GL has had in years.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Jonathan & Tammy, 29 November 2005
Author: scdilts from United States

Thought these two are great together I think it is just sick that they are going to put then together as lovers. After all they are first cousins and that is just gross. Please put Tammy back with Sandy. They are great together. This is only my opinion but I would bet that there are others out there that feel the same way. We know that Tammy is Cassie's daughter and that Jonathan is Reva's son. Also they have proved that Cassie and Reva are sisters, so that makes Tammy and Jonathan first cousins. In some states it is illegal for first cousins to be together as lovers or to even get married. This is the worse idea they have had since they cloned Reva.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
My favorite soap!, 12 August 2005
Author: AshWink17 from Corpus Christi, Texas, United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I was young when I first started to watch GL. I was probably about 10 when I actually started to follow it. My grandmother who was only a schoolgirl of 12 told stories of how she heard the priest at her paraochical school listening to the radio version back in the late 30s. Now, my mother, herself, and I all watch it together and I have been doing so for a long time. I enjoy the soap a lot. From the crazy and colorful many last named Reva Shayne (who's full last name causes one to have to take a breath) to the evil and vindictive Dinah to Michelle, who was my favorite when I first started watching to Lizzie, who was my favorite kid until she turned into a Paris Hilton wannabe to the deceased characters. I have enjoyed all sorts of the story lines, from the Reva Clone to the Earthquake on San Cristobel to Cassie being locked in a tower to Philip's murder. I plan to keep watching this show for a long time and I hope CBS is smart in this because it's wonderful and to end it would be a crime.

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