Guiding Light
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Prepare to be frightened, Guiding Light fans:

The soap opera has hired eight-year-old Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, the scary little guy from last year's remake of The Omen (pictured here).

He pops up October 24 as Will, the adopted son of Cassie (Nicole Forester). The character was last seen in 2005 living with his birth father, Alonzo, in the principality of San Cristobel.

While Cassie thought this setup was best for Will, it turns out the kid has grown up totally withdrawn and, worse yet, has become best friends with Cassie's psychopathic ex-husband Edmund (David Andrew MacDonald), who also returns to the show this week.

Follow all that?

"Will comes to live with Cassie and it's evident there's something really wrong with the boy — especially when you cross him," says Guiding Light head writer Dave Kreizman. "He's not evil, he's not the devil's spawn, but he could be dangerous."

Gulp.

SOURCE: Michael Logan, TV Guide 

CBS is readying plans to cut costs and modernize the production process of two of the longest-running shows on television, Guiding Light and As the World Turns.

The low-rated classics are on the bubble for renewal in July and CBS is taking dramatic steps to try to keep the series on the air.

Plans include ditching their traditional soap opera production sets - which use three cameras shooting simultaneously into an expansive series of three-wall sets - in favor of using smaller crews shooting with nimble digital cameras inside enclosed four-wall sets.

Guiding Light is considering using multiple crews to shoot scenes simultaneously, reducing the number of production hours. All exterior scenes will be shot on location, on permanent sets built in a small town outside New York City.

For viewers, the effect is supposed to add realism to the staging, as rooms will not lack a fourth wall and shooting can be done in a more cinematic style. The outside location shots will give the shows a more natural sense of setting.

Overall, the goal is for CBS is finda way to reduce the shows’ cost.

Daytime dramas typically run more than $1 million a week and shoot nearly year-round, compared with syndicated daytime fare such as court shows (about $10 million a year) or talk shows (about $20 million for 26 to 33 weeks a year).

CBS met with Guiding Light and As the World Turns producers two weeks ago and gave them a mandate to “evolve” their production process.

“We all agree now is the time to really challenge the form,” says Barbara Bloom, senior VP of daytime for CBS. “We know what the audience loves about this form. But are we still doing that in a way that’s relevant to our audience, in a way that’s the best business and production model?

I have partners rising to the challenge in terms of evaluating that. How can we do it different, better, faster and more impactfully.”

This week, on Guiding Light...

• Dinah (Gina Tognoni) swears revenge against Vanessa.

• Harley breaks down in Cyrus' arms.

• Ashlee gets a lead on Marina's whereabouts.

• Things get physical between Mallet and Matt (Kurt McKinney, pictured).

• Josh reveals he'd like a baby with Cassie.

The cast of Guiding Light took the plunge while taping Marina's kidnapping at the Spaulding charity ball recently.

Murray Bartlett (Cyrus), Mandy Bruno (Marina), Beth Ehlers (Harley), Darnell Williams (Griggs) and about a dozen other cast and crew headed for Lake Shawnee, N.J., to shoot the sequence, which featured lots of sunlight and some wet and wild action.

"We were really lucky because it poured with rain the day before," said Bartlett, pictured below having some fun between shots. "I've done a couple of these exterior trips, and I find them really fun because it's more like shooting a film. In the studio, you are aiming for one take, which is kind of insane. This is still very fast, but you get a little more time to play."

It takes a lot of hard work to get great images on location. According to Bartlett, three cameras were used during the shoot, including one in the middle of the water.

"There was a pontoon in the middle of the lake," the actor said. "Ellen Wheeler, our executive producer, has been directing, and she's pretty creative with the cameras."

Taping the Guiding Light scenes took all day, but Bartlett had no complaints.

"As an actor, it helps with the reality of the scene when you're actually in the place where you're meant to be, rather than in the studio pretending."

Mandy Bruno and Darnell Williams film a scene.

Here are a few Guiding Light spoilers for the week ahead....

• Reva (Kim Zimmer) is grateful when Jeffrey helps cover up her crime.

• Harley decides it's time to bring Cyrus in.

• Cassie and Josh (Robert Newman, pictured) come to a crossroads in their relationship.

• Daisy (Bonnie Dennison) prepares to tell Rafe the truth.

Doris is exposed.

It may be hard to believe, but Guiding Light turns 70 years old this year.

You can celebrate Guiding Light's 70th Anniversary at the Guiding Light Fan Club Luncheon, Autograph and Photo Session on Saturday, October 6 at the Marriott Marquis, located at 1535 Broadway (Between 45th & 46th St.) in New York City.

The event runs from from noon until 4:00 p.m. with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. Meet and greet your favorite stars!

Edmund's anticipated return to Guiding Light is set for October 24... but what kind of trouble will the former dark prince stir up this time?

Soap Opera Digest got the insight from David Andrew Macdonald, who says he's psyched to be back on daytime for the month-long cameo that's certain to rattle cages all over town.

The actor says transforming himself into Edmund again wasn't hard.

"You do something for six-and-a-half years and you've really worked a lot of it out, so it becomes a bit of muscle memory," he said.

The feeling was mutual for the cast and crew of the show, who welcomed Macdonald back with open arms.

"It's been a lot of fun," Macdonald said. "I got there and the day had moved along really quickly, so they got to my [scenes] just before lunch and I'd spent so much of the morning saying hello to people and talking that, of course, I hadn't really gone back to look at my script [laughs]!"

Viewers can assuredly expect to see Edmund up to his old tricks — and even get a taste of what's been going on in San Cristobel.

"[Edmund's] down there and he runs into some people because they need things that he can do for them," Macdonald said. "But also there are some people who are there independently of that and, of course, he wreaks havoc on them as well."

This weekend, Guiding Light stars will be in Nashville for the Find Your Light event being held there.

This Friday, you can catch Ron Raines (Alan Spaulding), Jessica Leccia (pictured, Natalia Rivera) and Michael O'Leary (Rick Bauer) when they appear on local CBS affiliate WTVF.

The three actors will talk about the show and their experience working with the Hands On Network, as they travel across the country doing volunteer work alongside fans and community groups.

Those it the area can tune in to Talk of the Town on Friday at 11:00 a.m for the interview.

Want a few Guiding Light spoilers? Good. Read below...

• Marina becomes the victim of Alex's plan.

• Dinah makes a decision about her future with Mallet (Robert Bogue, pictured).

• Harley (Beth Ehlers) and Cyrus team up and go after Griggs.

• Beth fears the worst for her baby when she is rushed to the hospital.

The daughter of Frank Dicopoulos (pictured, below), Olivia, has been tapped to play Matt and Vanessa's "tween" daughter Maureen on Guiding Light.

She was last seen on-screen as a baby. Her first airdate is October 16.

Meanwhile, Bill, Vanessa's son with Billy, is also set to return, as we've reported previously; viewers can expect to see Daniel Cosgrove reprise the role some time in November.