FROM WIKI:
Luke and Laura went on the run with Frank's henchmen hot on their trail. One of the men named "Hitch" ended up befriending the two and could not kill them. The other hit man attempted to complete the hit but was discovered and killed by Hitch.
It turned out that with Frank's black book, Luke and Laura did indeed have the evidence they needed to send Frank to prison. In 1984, Frank framed Luke for a murder that was committed in Mexico and his best friend Robert Scorpio helped Luke was clear his name. Laura had just announced her first pregnancy and they are on the run once more. In 1993, Frank's hit men track Luke and Laura to the Triple L Diner in Canada and blew up their truck thinking they were inside. For safety reasons Luke and Laura send Lucky back to Port Charles to live with Luke's "aunt" Ruby Anderson. Frank's men found Lucky staying with his friend/cousin Sly Eckert. They also find Sly's father Bill Eckert, who is the spitting image of Luke. Bill is shot in a case of mistaken identity. He dies in Luke's arms.
Luke and Laura, with their son Lucky, decided to hide in plain sight, back in Port Charles. Damian Smith, on behalf of Daddy, promises Luke that he and his family will be safe if Luke will help smuggle people into the country, with Corinthos as a liaison. Luke says yes until he can figure out how to get rid of Smith. It turns out to be no easy task and puts him back in touch with a much-changed Jennifer. To get him out in the open, Luke helps spring Frank from prison in 1993.
This time Laura had announced her second pregnancy with (Lulu Spencer). Smith kidnaps a very pregnant Laura and uses her as a human shield and gets away. Lucky follows his father to a meeting with Frank's henchman and is shot but makes a full recovery. Finally, they at last have a final showdown at a cemetery in Puerto Rico in which Luke kills Frank. After Frank's death, Sonny Corinthos takes over his organization.
Fluke isn't 100, and George Gaynes was the original and best Frank Smith. Mitchell Ryan was better on AMC.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Gaynes went on to play Punky Brewster's guardian. The few times I watched the show, I couldn't get the Frank Smith character out of my mind.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. I watched back then, but couldn't really remember the details.... except that Roseanne played the "changed Jennifer." lol
ReplyDeleteThe first Frank was so urbane, charming, quite watchable, while deadly. George Gaynes went on to play the lovesick soap actor who was coming on to Tootsie (Dustin Hoffman)--and sang under his window--very funny.
ReplyDeleteThe second Frank Smith was rough, hard as nails, had no charm. Gaynes had played him as a social-climbing, smooth operator who hid his mob connections. Lived in this big house and threw a heck of a party to announce Jennifer's engagement to Luke. Laura could hardly get the desperate, pouty look off her face as she danced with Scott... Loved that party!
Frank had called Luke to his office to discuss Jennifer--but actually to force Luke to purpose to his spoiled daughter and he acted like a typical father at first, asking if his daughter's date was 'serious'. Both knew Laura had discovered the true nature of Smith's business and Smith hinted at Laura's future (safety) which caused Luke to sweat and assure Smith he'd do right by Jennifer. What a marvelous tense scene that was with both actors at their best. Gaynes had a way of fixing Luke with his cold blue eyes and TG's reaction was frozen, fearful anger.
Then Luke went to Ruby's to tell her how miserable he was, how now he could never have Laura, and when Ruby said, 'Well, Jennifer's a nice girl, beautiful, with a very rich father..' Luke cried in anguish, 'But she's NOT Laura Baldwin!' I'll never forget that.
The original Jennifer was a small, delicate, tilt-nosed, dark-haired beauty, and I hated it when, just for laughes, they brought her back as blonde, gross Rosanne--no way. Lisa Marie was no actress, but she fit the part physically, and coyly had daddy around her pinky, sweetly urging him on about Luke. I always thought if they brought Jennifer back, she should have been this dark, mysterious woman living in seclusion on the hill in the house Smith bought for her and Luke, and planning revenge some day for getting dumped on her wedding day. If they hadn't messed up her character as this fat, loud-mouthed, tough broad living in Atlantic City with her equally gross husband, she could be the one behind this plot--somehow. Only Sonny had not existed then, so forgot that. I always thought she'd be a bitter Miss Haversham type.
The memories flood back, and it seemed like we lived the L&L story right along with them.
Didn't Sally Struthers last play Jennifer? That was an odd choice too.
ReplyDeleteJust a note about these two very wonderful actors: George Gaynes is 97 and Mitchell Ryan is 80. They're both a little 'long in the tooth'. I'm voting for Anthony Zacara or a Casadine. There's a lot of Casadines out there!
ReplyDeleteSally Struthers did indeed play Jennifer! LOL And Roseanne
ReplyDeleteYes, he'd be too old but?? I don't think a Cassadine because it's Sonny they are after-
and I just don't think Anthony-- he doesn't act like Anthony, imo. Except for the Kiki groping.
I'm just throwing stuff out there!
I still kind of like the idea of someone in Tracy's past who also hated Sonny and wanted his territory. I didn't watch 'The City', but didn't she marry an old guy who then died? Surely the guy had relatives--a son, brother, whatever. ??
ReplyDeleteBut I am still puzzled by the fact he had 'watched Luke for years'. Yet if you reach very far back, Sonny had not existed--and this seems pointed at Sonny.
Let's see, Sonny messed with Karen--but she was Scott's daughter. Who could Sonny have crossed beside Smith? He's had lots of enemies, but nothing seems to fit...
And thankfully, Sally Stuthers was on very briefly. It was just more of the same stupid play for easy laughes. Not useful.
I have tapes of the L&L story before the 90s, but not after they returned to PC with Lucky.
Since when did age matter on soaps? Morgan is technically going to celebrate his 10th birthday this fall. Technically he is a 9 year old in a whose the daddy storyline with his own dad and an old cougar more than 4 times his age.
ReplyDeleteSo could Fake Luke be Frank? Sure.
It could also be Gino Soleito.
Or when is the last time we saw Lucky? He was highly unstable. Perhaps him is imitating his dad, to seek revenge on everyone in Port Charles who did him wrong. Perhpas under mind control from defrosted
Helena.
This is Cartini GH, anything is possible. And the campier and less realistic the better for them it seems. Hell, it could be Elvis
Christ- Gaynes is still alive? Wow!
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