As the World Turns (Page 17)

Now that the writers' strike is officially over, how long will it take for the resolution to have an impact on soap operas?

As the World Turns Script Editor Courtney Simon isn't sure exactly how long it will be before new writers' work finds its way to TV screens again. It will be different for every show.

"I don't know if they waited before they got a team in place to write. If they waited and then started, then took time off at Christmas, then went back in January, there might not be that many shows ready to go on the air. It's been like a tomb. I have no information at all, but I'm expecting the phone to ring on Wednesday morning," said Simon before the writers officially voted to end the strike on Tuesday.

"I've been watching [As the World Turns], and to my eye, what's on the air right now is still playing out. Stories that had already begun when we left so there were no gigantic surprises, story-wise, but there may well be in the upcoming 3 to 4 weeks of air shows."

As for what she's expecting when she reports back to work, Simon was upbeat.

"I know that there aren?t going to be any hard feelings on the writers part. We did what our union asked us to do and I'm hoping that everybody there will understand that. A labor action is a labor action; it's not like we got together as one small group and decided to run off until we got a certain list of demands.

This was a huge action that we believed in. All I have to go on is what happened after the 88 strike. And in that instance, when we returned to work we were welcomed with open arms. Everybody was very glad to see us and we were glad tos ee them and so glad to be back doing what we love."

When As the World Turns initially outed the character of Luke (Van Hansis) gay activists were excited. This story line provided the potential to prominent feature a homosexual on a popular soap opera.

Since then, however, many viewers have been dismayed at how the show has seemingly shied away from furthering the relationship between Luke and Noah (aka "Nuke"). The pair has only been featured in 12 of 53 episodes between November 1 and January 18.

When asked via email if the show was treating Luke and Noah fairly, Brian T. Cahill, Sr - V.P., Managing Director for TeleVest Daytime Programs, the person responsible for the overall production of As the World Turns and Guiding Light - replied:

“We are always pleased when our stories strike a chord with the audience and the Luke and Noah story has certainly done that. We appreciate all the feedback we’ve gotten from fans of the show, and we recognize the popularity of this couple.

“As soap opera fans know, daytime is a cyclical medium, where storylines vary in screen time. As with all the characters on the show, Luke and Noah are sometimes featured more heavily than other times. For instance, in July, August and September, they were on-air quite a bit.

Fans will be seeing more of Luke and Noah in the coming weeks and months, as their story gets more air time.”

Does this satisfy your complains, As the World Turns fans? Reply now in our FORUMS.

He's the new Casey Hughes.

But what do we really know about actor Billy Magnussen? CBS.com was determined to find out...

CBS.com: Tell us a little about yourself.
Billy Magnussen: I was born in Queens then I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. I lived there for 10 years. I went to college at the wonderful and amazing North Carolina School of the Arts. I have two little, awesome brothers. My parents are amazing and really supportive of what I do. Let's see what else. I was a jock growing up--football, lacrosse, soccer, basketball.

My brother is unstoppable right now as a heavyweight. He's amazing and only in high school. I also play the guitar and I'm in a band. We are just playing around here but we want to go out. We totally rock out!

CBS.com: How did the role on As the World Turns come about?
Billy Magnussen: Actually when I was in college, I had auditioned through my agent and I had put myself on tape and then they were interested so I came up to audition. Long story short, I didn't get the character that I was auditioning for. But, then the recast of Casey opened up and they remembered me so I was brought back in to test. I tested with Marnie Schulenburg (Alison).

Read the full interview with the actor now.

The New York Daily News has extended converge on upcoming As the World Turns episodes...

A desperate Carly calls ex-husband Jack this week to say they've got big trouble.

"Parker has shot Sam," says Michael Park, who portays Jack Snyder. Parker is Jack and Carly's teenage son, who caught Sam trying to rape Carly on Friday's episode.

"By the time Carly calls Jack, Parker has already fled the scene," continues Park. "Parker runs over to the church, where Jack catches up with him [and Carly]: 'What are you doing here?' Jack asks them. They left the scene of the crime, and they left a man for dead."

"Jack has to go back and find out if Sam is dead." He is.

"Jack realizes Carly was being attacked and that Parker acted to protect his mother. Jack talks some sense into Carly and gets them to go to the station, where they have Tom and Margo meet them to explain what happened. Jack thinks it's going to be a simple explanation," says Park.

Unfortunately, police chief Margo learns during the interrogation that Parker brought the gun with him to Metro."

It turns out that Parker, to get the gun, had to go all the way to the farm and bring the gun to Metro, not knowing that Carly was being attacked," says Park. "He only sensed that she was being attacked [during a phone call]. That adds premeditation."

Read more about the show now.

Next week, on As the World Turns...

• As Parker gives a statement, Carly and Jack fear the worst.

• Gwen and Will are horrified when Sofie (Justine Cotsonas, pictured) takes them to court.

• Katie (Terri Colombino) gets a kick out of Brad's embarrassment.

• Lily and Holden learn an important lesson.

• Henry gets into trouble at a poker game.

A columnist at soap opera critic Marlena Da Lacroix 's website thinks As the World Turns has grown eerily dark:

A few weeks back, when I watched the scenes surrounding the death of Dusty Donovan on As the World Turns, I was overwhelmed — not because of Dusty’s death, or because of a performance or a line of dialogue.

I was completely overwhelmed at how utterly dark As the World Turns is — and has been for some time now...

Read the full column now and then let us know: Do you agree? 

Thanks to a bit of last-minute contract negotiating with As the World Turns, Trent Dawson (Henry) has inked a deal to stick around.

"Thank you guys for the campaigning! Contract issues were resolved and Hank is sticking around. In fact he's very busy right now. Consider your mission accomplished, and my thanks eternal," the actor wrote to fans online.

Wallace Kurth has made his way from Days of Our Lives to General Hospital to As the World Turns, premiering on the latter in November 2007 as the character of Sam.

Below, CBS speaks with this veteran of the daytime business:

CBS.com: How has it been being back in daytime?
Wally Kurth: I've really enjoyed it. The travel was a little brutal, because I live in Los Angeles, and I commuted back and forth to [Brooklyn, NY]. I learned my way around the Long Beach Airport and racked up some frequent flier points.

CBS.com: What drew you back to daytime?
Wally Kurth: I was contacted by CBS and As the World Turns and they asked me if I'd be interested in playing this role of a ventriloquist. They told me a little bit about the role and what I'd be doing and I thought I've got some time on my hands, let's do this. Playing a ventriloquist and working with a dummy felt like a good challenge. I like trying things that I've never done before.

Also, I had auditioned about a year ago for the show and didn't get the role but as a result started watching the show. So I was excited to come and work with the cast.

Read the full interview with Kurth now.

Susan Dansby took advantage of the writers' strike the only way he knows how: by writing. But not for As the World Turns, as usual.

The soap opera scribe says she though the strike would end fairly quickly - "I was pretty naïve," she admits - but when the studios stopped talks with the writers in early December, she "had to do something to make money."

The resolution? A book titled "How Did You Get That Job? My Dream Jobs and How They Came True." The tome explains how to enjoy a successful career in the world of sex, intrigue and murder; i.e. soap operas

Dansby (a former director for Guiding Light, Generations, Port Charles, and As the World Turns) has the experience to back up her advice. In addition to her soap opera work, she has held jobs at hospitals, Yellowstone Park, Carnegie Mellon University, and Sesame Street.

Her book details goal-setting strategies, while helping others turn their dream job into a reality.

"People always ask how I got started in television," Dansby says. "The truth is I followed a plan that's fairly simple."

Continue Reading...

This month, several actors will be joining the cast of As the World Turns. Some will stay for awhile, some will not.

Here are quick summations of the roles Dominic Fumusa (pictured), Eric William Morris and Tala Ashe will portray on the series.

Fumusa, whose credits include CSI: Miami, The Sopranos and Bones, will make his debut in early February. He'll be a character named Gray.  According to CBS, he'll be portraying a big role in Vienna (Ewa Da Cruz) and Henry's (Trent Dawson) continual happiness.

Morris will appear as Matt, starting February 11.  His character will be included in Casey's (Billy Magnussen) return to Oakdale.

Lastly, Ashe joins the cast of As the World Turns as Ameera. She arrives in town as the link of both Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah (Jake Silbermann).  Ameera is expected to appear on Friday, February 22.