Home Forums The Annex Board This just in: Mark Hapka as Nathan Horton is out!

Viewing 13 posts - 16 through 28 (of 28 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #19878
    Patti
    Participant

     and very direct quote from Mark Hapka’s interview.  Tells me a little more about who’s running the show as far as writing is concerned.  Looks like you don’t want to be on Dena’s *hit list.  I get the impression that she cracks the whip where the cast is concerned as to who stays, who goes, and who gets the front-burner story lines.  It explains a lot, since I’ve read other articles that claim she is simply hell to work with if she doesn’t care about the writing for your character.   Guess that’s why for so long we’ve had to endure the Sami/E.J. show.  Anyway, MH states:

    "[DAYS executive producer] Ken Corday is a good man. [Co-executive producer] Gary Tomlin really believed in me from what I was told," Hapka stated. "As far as [head writer Dena] Higley goes… we don’t speak. We never really have. We may have uttered a few words once during the Emmys. That’s it though." 

    "I don’t know who got the final say but that person is going to be the demise of this show if there isn’t a powershift," Hapka added. "I’m not trying to burn any bridges in any way here. I am simply giving credit where credit is due. I haven’t said an ill word about anyone. I simply have an opinion of the collaborative efforts. I see so much potential in the show and it’s so clear to me some of the simple changes that can be made to better it…" 

    Back to me …. all I know is IF Ken Corday and Dena Higley want this show to fail, you can best believe that it will most certainly do so.

     

    #19881
    Nora
    Participant

     I always like the actor.  but unfortunately he was given CRAP to work with.  I agree with him 100% in that they should have gotten rid of Stephanie and sent her to Africa with mommy to find herself. and kept Nathan, just given the poor boy a meaty SL where he could show he could act,  he proved that being sick. i thought he did a fabulous job.   I just hope they dont throw Stephanie into another romance and it be the ONLY man she’s ever truly loved.  PLUEEEZE  

    #19818
    Patti
    Participant

     that Dayscafe reported that he will be written out for 4 months.  Don’t know why, or they will recast, or if the character will even return, cuz that’s all they’re saying for now.  

    #19883
    Bonbon
    Participant

    he’s certainly throwing a lot of flames around.  I don’t know how anybody could take kindly to remarks like those.

    Even so, I don’t think it matters much what you do or say on that show, they’ll take you back if they need you.  Look what Missy Reeves did.  Look how horrible Louise Sorrel spoke to Corday when she was let go.  And they’ve taken both of them back.  I’m sure there were also some other harsh words when actors (that have returned) were "let go."

    Seems to me not speaking to the person who basically holds the success of your livelihood in their hands is pretty much career suicide.  It sounds to me like Mark really doesn’t know how to "play the game" as far as the soap (and I don’t mean Tide and Cheer) industry is concerned.

    Patti, I don’t get your remark if Higley and Corday want this show to fail?  Why would they ever want it to fail?

    #19886
    SW
    Participant

     it could just mean that he doesn’t see or get a chance to talk to Dena H.  I remember JER was never around, never spoke to the actors either.   I don’t know how many writers actually interact with the actors playing the characters. So, it might not be as bad as it sounds.  But, someone is right when they said you don’t bite the hand that feeds you or writes your lines.  I think I’d be frustrated having to bounce around with Melanie and Steponme too.  It seems like tiic love ‘step-on-me’ but have yet to figure out what to do with her.  I liked the previous actress who had real spunk! 

    #19887
    Bonbon
    Participant

    I didn’t read it that way,  I read it as they avoided each other.  But it’s probably like you say where they just don’t see each other that much.  Sorry, Mark.

    #19892
    Nora
    Participant

     LOL  This reminds me of an episode of Friends.  Where Joey was Dr. Drake Remore and Joey had said something about writing his own lines or ad libbing when giving an interview to soap opera digest,  the next week they show him a script falling into an elevator shaft!      

    #19897
    Patti
    Participant

     I don’t think there’s any question about that.  I would love to see them last, but those that have gone by the wayside have been a direct result of poor ratings.  And, IMO, ratings are controlled by the general public’s interest in your show.  If the writing is poor and the audience is generally disappointed, who’s fault is that?  I would say it is the head writers, and if the head writers don’t provide good story lines, the ratings begin to fall, and if the ratings continue to fall, and the writers continue to deliver a poor product, then that to me is the executive producer’s fault.  So, I guess I’m simply stating an opinion about what I believe to be a problem with all soaps, not just DOOL.  It’s up to the EP and the HR to keep their show going by recognizing whether or not their general audience is happy with their product.  I just do not believe the writers of today put forth the effort to make the show as exciting as it once was, and if the ratings continue to fall, sooner or later they lose sponsors, and when the sponsors are no longer interested, the network axe cannot be far behind.  So, it’s up to the EP and the HR to see that that does not happen.

    #19898
    justwondering
    Participant

     Soaps are expensive to make.Not just then actors,put all the support crew. It is very difficult work, much harder than nighttime or movies. It is much cheaper to put on a talk show or game show. Wen are lucky to still have DOOL on the air.

    #19905
    luckey
    Participant

    in various spoilers about a Rafe clone, I will be very disturbed with what Ken Corday is allowing to happen.  And, Patti, did you mean Head Writer when you wrote HR? 

    #19909
    53tdogs
    Participant

    but I was very impressed with him on the show today.  I loved the "what-for" he gave to Stephanie today.  I thought at the very end of the show today, that he was going to recant all that he said when Stephanie fell to his feet and begged him to stay.  Mark did a fine job of acting today, perhaps it was just the story lines that he’s been given in the last year, if this is the case, shame on the writers.  He could have been a contender.  And now he’s leaving. 

    #19912
    Nora
    Participant

     Thats exactly how I feel,  I always thought he was a fine actor, but just given crap to work with.  he really shined when he was dying and today.  too bad the writers really wasted a good character. 

    #19919
    Patti
    Participant

     when he gave those critical remarks about leaving.  A lot of the actors who are not given the chance to shine must feel this way if they’re not given the opportunity to show their true talent.  I loved Mark’s acting today.  It just goes to show how wrong TPTB can be about an actor that’s let go simply because they just don’t want to write for them.  This all happened too fast for me to believe that they simply decided to change the story line with Melanie and Philip.  Parker will probably now turn out to be Daniel’s after all and once again Melanie will make a decision she will probably regret.  Just my speculation; don’t know how this one will wind up.  But, I do know that Mark Hapka is a much better actor than anyone gave him credit for being.  I enjoyed  his performance today.

Viewing 13 posts - 16 through 28 (of 28 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.