Days of Our Lives
News

Patsy Pease (Kimberly) will return to Days of Our Lives for two episodes, beginning February 27.

"My relationship with the fans is what has meant the most to me," the actress told Soap Opera Digest. "When they write and tell me that it feels like there's a hole in the Brady family, then I want to come back. I am very protective of the loyal following I have.

If they're feeling down about a storyline, I want to go in there and contribute something to make them feel happy. Their happiness means a great deal to me."

Tom Casiello (pictured) was recently fired as a writer on Days of Our Lives.

Before that unceremonious decision, however, the writer spoke with Soap Opera Network about his history of working on various shows. Here are a few highlights:

Question: What are some of your favorite episodes you wrote at As the World Turns?
Casiello: There are so many. Oakdale was such a special place for me, because it was a town I wasn't all that familiar with. So it was the first time in my career that I really had to study a show, because I knew so little about it. I had seen it occasionally growing up, and of course, loved how Doug Marland structured his stories. But a fifteen-year old can only watch so many soaps a day.

So I really had to do my homework and because of having to work that much harder, I was prouder of the episodes I turned in. My absolute favorite episode was right after Bryant died. I wrote the day Craig saw his son's body for the first time, and Barbara showed up at the hospital and said she hoped he felt that way for the rest of his life. I still get chills. I also wrote a few key crazy Julia Lindsay episodes early on, and those were a blast. Oh, and I also got to write Jake and Vicky, which was INSANE since "Another World" had just gone off the air.

Even though it was ghost-Vicky, it was wonderful to write for Tommy [Eplin] and Jensen [Buchanan], having gotten to know them at "Another World." I wrote Jake saying goodbye to Vicky at the Lassiter swings, on a completely different show - very surreal.

Question: In late summer/early fall of 2006 you wrote for The Young and The Restless. How was your stay in Genoa City?
Casiello: Brief. [Laughs] It just wasn't a good fit, and I could feel it from the beginning. It wasn't a personal issue. The people there were really wonderful - I didn't know what it would be like breaking into a Bell show, since they usually hire within their ranks. But they were SO welcoming and SO warm.

I really struggled, but that's not a measure of my abilities or theirs. I just couldn't get a handle on the characters or the story, and it showed. I worked really hard to overcome that, but sometimes, you just don't click with a show and the lesson I learned there was that it's okay if that happens. Not every writer can write for every show.

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As Tamara Braun (pictured) joins the cast of Days of Our Lives later this month, Soap Opera Digest notes that the actress who portrayed former mob moll Carly Corinthos on General Hospital is far from the first person to switch from the latter series to the former.

Here's a look at a few others:

Stephen Nichols
Donning an eye patch, Nichols defined a new kind of sexy when he premiered as Days of Our Lives' Steve Johnson, a wild-eyed, blue jean-clad bad boy, in 1985. Nichols played a major personality shift in 1996, when he turned up on General Hospital as stuffy Stefan Cassadine.

Mary Beth Evans
Talk about an about-face! In 1986, Evans took on the role of Days of Our Lives' girl next store Kayla Brady, the epitome of sugar & spice and everything nice. Fans were shocked when she turned up on General Hospital in 1993 as manipulative Katherine Bell, who had an affair with a younger man, Nikolas!

However, fans took solace in the fact that she was eventually united with Stefan, portrayed by her former Days of Our Lives' soul mate, Stephen Nichols.

Read the full article now.

Soap Opera Network is reporting that Days of Our Live's entire writing team has been fired. Whoa!

Here's the excerpt from that website:

According to sources, the following writers have been fired and will not return to the show after the strike ends: Head Writer: Hogan Sheffer; Associate Head Writers: Tom Casiello, Frederick Johnson, Meg Kelly, Gordon Rayfield, Judy Tate; Script Writers: Judith Donato, Renee Godelia; Script Editor: Richard Backus.

The status of the other Script Writers: Bettina F. Bradbury, Cydney Kelley, and Jodie Scholz is unclear at the moment.

Wow. What do you think of this development? Chime in on our Days of Our Lives forum right now!

Here are a couple of soap opera notes, courtesy of the latest Soap Opera Digest and Weekly:

Tamara Braun comments on her return to daytime drama in this issue.

"There was nothing wrong with leaving daytime and there's nothing wrong with coming back," said Braun, who played Carly on General Hospital from 2001-05 and joins Days of Our Lives as Ava, a mystery woman from Steve's past, on February 8. The February 12 issue of Soap Opera Digest has a report from her first day on set.

Meanwhile, a General Hospital spoiler:

Sam is hit by a car this week and the question is: who was the driver? It seems much of Port Charles was out driving on that snowy night. And what does Kelly Monaco (Sam) have to say about this? Pick up the latest Soap Opera Weekly to find out!

Here are a few Days of Our Lives spoilers for next week. Don't worry, they don't give too much away...

• Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) learns she's pregnant!

• Colleen tells John (Drake Hogestyn, pictured) that she is his mother.

• Kayla gives Bo the bad news: he's sick.

• Shawn (Brandon Beemer) and Belle decide to try and save their marriage.

Shirley Jones has never been on a soap opera before.

Therefore, the veteran actress recently explained how different her stint on Days of Our Lives has been compared to other roles she's enjoyed.

"I had never done six shows in six days, which is how they do it as you well know,” Jones told Soapdom.com. “And, I had page after page, after page of dialogue to memorize, as well as an Irish brogue. So it was not easy. But I ended up loving it, had a great time with everybody, and they couldn’t be more helpful. I had a good time.”

Read the rest of the feature on Jones now.

Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Lauren Koslow, (Kate, Days of Our Lives) is staying in Salem. Internet rumors had claimed the actress was the latest in the recent string of firings on NBC's only soap opera.

“The internet rumors regarding Lauren Koslow being let go are simply not true," said a show spokesperson.

Coming up during this spring's Sweeps period on Days of Our Lives...

Four top characters — Philip, Shawn, Chloe and Belle — will hop a private jet to Ireland to find Belle's kidnapped daughter. And go figure: Philip adds to the stress on board by demanding Belle choose once and for all between Shawn and him.

"Could there be worse timing?" Martha Madison says, with a laugh. The actress, who plays the freaked-out mom, promises a "huge reveal in Ireland that will tie up over 20 years of story and explain why the DiMeras have such a vendetta against the Bradys."

Also, we finally learn the true identity of Belle's father, John Black (Drake Hogestyn).

"It'll change everything in a big way," Madison teases. "Belle's gonna be a DiMera! Who'da thought?"

Here's what you can expect on Days of Our Lives next week...

• Roman and Abe learn something important about Hope.

• John and Marlena (Deidre Hall, pictured) head to Ireland this week... and find Colleen Brady!

• Belle assures Shawn of her love for him.

• Colleen admits she faked her death.

• Lexie (Renee Jones) is back!