Award-winning actor Rip Torn, who died this week at 88, had a double soap connection. He was married to Ann Wedgeworth, who played Lahoma on "Another World." Her character was born in Oklahoma, thus the name. After they divorced, he married Geraldine Page. Page had an illustrious stage and screen career and spent two years on ABC's "Loving."

In a bit of a soap twist, he stayed married to Page while living with Ann Wright. When asked why she stayed married to Torn, she said a divorce made no sense. After her death, Torn married Wright, who was his wife at his time of death.

His best-known TV role was as Garry Shandling's blowhard sidekick on "The Larry Sanders Show." Check it out on YouTube — very funny, very inside and very true. I know; I worked on TV talk shows for over 30 years. From Oprah to Phil Donahue to myriad local and regional talk shows, they are all about the same.

For most folks, going before a judge makes them do the "Yes, sir," "No, sir" dance. Not Torn. He made the judge on this case so angry he upped the sentence.

Then we go to working conflicts. Lots of times, actors can irritate one another — trust me. I am not an actor, unless community theatre counts, which it does not. Usually, dust-ups happen when an actor does not learn his lines or only talks in character. Torn takes it to a new and dangerous level. From guns to knives to fisticuffs, Torn did it all. Norman Mailer, hardly Mr. Easygoing, came off like Mr. Rogers in his dust-up with Torn.

Even Dennis Hopper, who had a marriage that lasted less than a week, was the soul of "Can we just all get along?"

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

Photo credit: Bokskapet at Pixabay