Thirty years in the past, Basic Hospital‘s inventive staff – on the time, Wendy Riche, government producer, and head author Claire Labine – introduced the Nurses’ Ball to daytime TV. Hosted by Lucy Coe, performed by Lynn Herring, the occasion introduced residents of Port Charles collectively as they lent their spectacular musical abilities to a worthy trigger.

Different daytime dramas had addressed the difficulty of AIDS/HIV earlier than, beginning with nurse Noreen Donovan (Marilyn McIntyre) on Loving, however Basic Hospital informed an ongoing story with the Nurses’ Ball. A yr after the primary Nurses’ Ball in 1994, the present took Robin and Stone’s love story in a strong path when Stone (Michael Sutton) died from AIDS, and Robin (Kimberly McCullough) was recognized as HIV-positive.

TV Insider chatted with Scott Barton, the present’s former publicist, who had beforehand labored with Elizabeth Taylor (ex-Helena Cassadine) in 1985 on the Dedication to Life fundraiser for AIDS Mission Los Angeles (APLA), concerning the Nurses’ Ball, the way it got here to be, and its enduring legacy.

How did the thought for Basic Hospital to do a fundraiser inside the present to assist deliver consciousness and analysis for AIDS/HIV come about?

Scott Barton: I imagine it was Claire’s thought [after actor] Neil Tadken had provide you with the thought for the Day of Compassion which occurred yearly [from 1993 to 1999] on June 21 to honor individuals who have been combating AIDS or have been HIV constructive. In a gathering, I went on to recommend that Bobbie [Jacklyn Zeman], a nurse, might put on the [red] ribbon on-air and that possibly a point out of it might be made. I went to Jackie and requested her if she was okay with that and, in fact, she stated, “Completely!”

It exploded from there. It lit a fireplace underneath [late costumer] Bob Miller and [costumer] Steve Howard as a result of that gave them free license to go loopy with ball robes and costumes. Everyone simply fell in love with doing these exhibits as a result of it was at a time when no one felt that that they had something to contribute [to the AIDS crisis].

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All My Kids had completed an AIDS story with Ellen Wheeler (ex-Cindy) and Because the World Turns had the AIDS Ball however GH’s Nurses’ Ball grew to become a staple of the present.

I had many hours of conversations with Claire about what we might do to deliver the [Nurses’ Ball] extra to life like bringing on Ryan White’s mom, Jeanne, on as herself. She’s nonetheless a buddy of mine. That was my contribution. I used to be simply in the appropriate time on the proper place. Everyone on the present was behind this 100%.

The expertise program inside the present gave actors alternatives to showcase their abilities. We already knew Wally Kurth (Ned) was an important singer and that Stuart Damon (ex-Alan) had been Prince Charming in Cinderella. Different actors shined within the Nurses’ Ball, too.

We knew that they have been singers within the solid. Brad Maule [ex-Tony] had had a really profitable stage musical profession. However I didn’t notice to what extent everybody within the solid had one thing in them Even [the late] John Beradino [ex-Steve, a former real-life baseball player] carried out “Casey on the Bat” [the poem by Ernest L. Thayer]. Actors have been going as much as Claire, telling her that I can do that or that. To Wendy’s credit score, the present acquired a lot in.

And may you discuss concerning the late Lee Mathis and his position as Jon Hanley on the present?

Lee had put an advert in Selection asking for work to increase his well being care advantages. Gwen Hillier within the present’s casting division had seen it and he or she talked about it. I knew Lee previous to this and of his state of affairs. I felt he’d be nice to return on as Jon Hanley. Gwen and [casting director] Mark Teschner had him are available in. The present wrote an element for him, and it actually helped him out. It renewed his insurance coverage, gave him some cash, and gave him a spot to go and have some shallowness, confidence, and a goal.

I bear in mind the day he shot his speech on the Nurses’ Ball. He was psyching himself out. I had gone to the set to want him luck. He stated, “Scott, I don’t assume I can do that.” I informed him he was doing this for all our mates who have been gone. I stated, “Simply let it go and allow them to communicate by means of you. You’re right here for a purpose.” He went on the market and did it in a single take.

Solid members have been crying as a result of they hadn’t heard it earlier than. It moved all people. They wrote a number of extra episodes for him as a result of he’d completed such an important job. Individuals took to his character, and I used to be actually pleased after they did an honorarium to him after he died. Individuals Journal had written about him. It made me pleased to know that on the finish of his life, he had gotten nationwide consideration for his profession.

This storyline allowed viewers to see a distinct aspect to Lynn Herring’s Lucy. We noticed Lucy care about different folks in a manner that we’d by no means had earlier than.

I believe that basically got here out on the Nurses’ Ball. We additionally noticed Jackie Zeman’s down-home-elegance. That was actually evident.

Have been there little touches viewers won’t find out about?

Sure. Bob Miller by some means acquired in contact with a clothes producer who donated tuxedo shirts for the boys. Woven into the material of the shirts have been itty bitty stopwatches and beneath them [were the words] “Cease AIDS.”

Robin and Stone carried out a scene from Romeo and Juliet within the first Nurses Ball.

The next yr, Stone died from AIDS, and Robin was recognized HIV constructive. What have been your ideas on the present writing Robin being constructive?

Truthfully, I insisted on it. I’m not making an attempt to take credit score for it, however I bear in mind being in a gathering with Wendy and Claire and I don’t know who else was in there, however they have been all speaking about it. I stated she completely has to [be positive]. It’s unlikely that she wouldn’t check constructive. Robin and Stone have been having unprotected intercourse. I felt it you didn’t you’d be utterly pulling the rug out from underneath this entire storyline. If she assessments unfavourable, you’ve gotten simply flushed each effort and each Lee Mathis down the drain.

Robin doesn’t must die however as a substitute, she will be able to turn into a frontrunner on how one can reside with HIV and [show] how folks reply to somebody who’s constructive. Let’s transfer this story ahead in a manner that nobody has ever completed earlier than. I’d been personally affected by scores of mates dying and had been within the trenches at that time for a decade. That was essentially the most adamant I’d ever felt about something.

Frank Valentini, government producer, and then-head author Ron Carlivati revived the Nurses’ Ball in 2013 after it had been dormant for a few years. What did you consider that call?

I’ve met Frank a number of instances. I love his directness. He’s very clear pondering and he is aware of what he needs. I believe it was very sensible of the present to deliver again the Nurses’ Ball in quite a few methods. It exhibits the continuity of a daytime dramatic collection. It exhibits continuity of the characters that’s in line with the hospital [backdrop]. It is smart as a fundraiser. It’s an important legacy for the present and there’s at all times a necessity for medical care and the prices of analysis. And it’s an important alternative once more to permit the actors and characters to point out sides of themselves that no one has seen earlier than.

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Because you’d labored with Elizabeth Taylor, was there any effort to have her reappear on the present in the course of the Nurses’ Ball as Helena Cassadine? Her look as Helena at Luke and Laura’s (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis) 1981 marriage ceremony was legendary.

It got here very, very, very shut.

Actually?

Oh, yeah, I imply, it was nearly scheduled after which one thing fell aside. I recall that it was [tentatively scheduled for the end of the day. But something happened and it got scrapped. She was absolutely up for doing it. It was scheduling. I don’t remember what it was but Elizabeth was not someone who would flake. I mean…she’d show up [eventually]. [Laughs] I known as it “EST — Elizabeth Commonplace Time.” She actually did need to do it. She had a really mushy spot for the present and for that character.

What different authenticity did you assist deliver to the Nurses’ Ball?

I organized with the NAMES Mission AIDS Memorial Quilt [people] to have panels from the quilt introduced down and use for the backdrop of the Nurses’ Ball. I don’t know if individuals are conscious of this however every time the quilt is displayed there’s an entire ritual of how they do it. It’s like an origami in reverse. They put in it in the midst of the evening to set it up for the following day’s filming.

The following morning, I bear in mind standing on set with two actors and one stated that the artwork division did an incredible job of creating it as a result of it was so enormous. I stated, “No, they didn’t make it. That’s the actual quilt.” Phrase had unfold out all through the entire constructing that the quilt was there and there was a lot reverence when the solid was known as to set and we started taping.

Solid members admired the quilt, appreciated it and so they have been questioning what the tales have been in every panel. It actually added an entire different layer of empathy, compassion, and actuality to the whole taping. I’m so grateful to Claire, Wendy, and Shelley Curtis [producer], the ABC executives, and all people at GH for doing this.