Lynda Hirsch on Soaps

There is moving: "One Life to Live" is moving a few blocks away from its current studios. And there is moving: After 39 years in New York City, "All My Children" is heading to Los Angeles. ABC, which airs the shows, has given several reasons for the move. The network felt it needed more space. The L.A. digs will give the show twice as much room. The show is also going high definition, which is easier to do in L.A. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons is that it is easier to work with the unions in L.A. than in N.Y.C. While New York is desperate to keep productions in town, it is hard to do because of the cost. In primetime, many shows are produced in Vancouver because the American dollar is worth more over there. Yes, there still is one place where you can get a few cents more for your dollar.

In the job market, companies move all the time — many across the country, some out of the country. Just ask any autoworker. With moves, jobs are always lost. It will be the same with the moves of "AMC" and "OLTL"; cameramen, sound engineers and directors will be looking for work.

As for the actors, the folks at "OLTL" have it easier. The studio is just at a different subway stop or a farther cab ride. Not so the "AMC" thespians. They all have a major choice to make. According to Thorsten Kaye (Zach), they have been given one week to make the choice. Some of the actors can commute, but trust me, flying from New York to L.A. every week is not easy. I know; I did it for several years as a movie critic. Once a month — doable. When I had to do it every week — not so doable.

Actors are talking to real estate agents on both coasts. Buying in this market may be easy but selling not so much. Los Angeles and New York are truly two different worlds.

Nothing against L.A., but really, is life in a car? The weather may seem perfect, but getting anywhere is very imperfect. Unlike New York City, no one hangs out anywhere. Unless hanging out at the mall is one's idea of hanging out. In Manhattan, need to go somewhere? Hail a cab. Hail a cab in L.A.? A cabbie will drive by thinking you are doing some type of street performance. For some actors, the move will be good because they do not have to choose between going up for L.A. auditions and working their soap at the same time. For actors who love stage work. it is not so great. Los Angeles has two major theaters that usually produce touring company shows of major hits. In L.A., Broadway is the name of a now defunct department store. While there are some other theaters, most are small and many are in strip shopping malls.

When "AMC" moves in December, it means only two soaps will originate from New York City. Actually, only one — "As the World Turns" is produced in Brooklyn, N.Y. So that will leave "OLTL," which takes over "AMC's" old studio. Time was that every soap came from N.Y.C. ABC broke that tradition when it created "General Hospital." When the list of soaps produced in L.A. grew, a friendly rivalry started among actors on both coasts. The joke used to go: Want a great dressing room? Work on an L.A. soap. Want good acting work on one in New York? The dressing rooms are still better in L.A. The acting is now equal.

One "OLTL" performer who is officially going to be making the cross-town move is Robin Strasser (Dorian). The actress has signed a new contract. Strasser has agreed to another pay cut. Last time she signed a contract, she said she had to take 67 percent less. This time, she is not saying how much. She does say that everyone on the show has taken a pay cut, but she does not think they took the hit she did.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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