Jencyclopedia

Potsie wants to visit his grandpa, Bernie Class David Cassidy, on Tin Pan Alley.
Susan Lucci plays a soap opera star who wants to stop the evil character she plays from taking over her life.

David Cassidy’s jacket reminded me of Mike’s jacket in “Cuddly Toy”, but it’s very clearly not the same jacket.

I kinda wish I had never seen Fiesta, because now I’m angry every time Roarke plays the piano, but they don’t show it’s actually him playing.

We don’t often see this wall (the mirror is just there for this episode; I don’t believe it’s always been there):

I think David Cassidy might be the only Fantasy Island actor I’ve seen live. But, to be fair, I haven’t seen many actors live.

After I was just writing about there only being one night scene in the middle of the episode, we’ve now had two night scenes (separated by day scenes) in “Queen of the Soaps”.

War was just announced today, and Carol Bowen is singing “Over There” that very same night? I feel like George M. Cohan probably did not write that song that very day. (Movie roulette once again providing me with information for my Fantasy Island reviews — this time, it was Yankee Doodle Dandy.)

Roarke: Time to go, Mr. O’Dwyer.

They haven’t been doing the “but I must warn you” line for a while, and now it seems like they want to get rid of “your fantasy is over” too.

Roarke: Miss Bowen was granted a very unusual fantasy of a whole week on Tin Pan Alley to prepare to sing George M. Cohan’s songs on the stage of the Hippodrome.

That fantasy does not sound that unusual, but the “whole week” part of it is unusual.

Roarke: I thought you had two lines.
Tattoo: Oh yes, but the show was running too long, so they had to shorten my part.

Roarke: Tattoo, are you preparing for your next role?
Tattoo: Yes, boss, but only if I can be the producer so they don’t cut my lines.

I wonder if this is a reference to Tattoo’s part on Fantasy Island being reduced.

This is the highest rated episode on IMDb. When I first saw this episode last year, I thought that was fair, because I thought it was a pretty good episode. Now though, I feel like “Queen of the Soaps” is basically the same story as 3×12 “Mary Ann and the Sophisticate”, and I think I prefer “Mary Ann”.

• Guests:
  • Mr. Dan O’Dwyer, a professional piano player from Tucumcari, New Mexico
  • Miss Gina Edwards, an actress who plays Andrea Skyler on a soap opera; with her husband, Mr. Jeff Harrison, the director of the soap opera
• Ominous Roarke:
  • Roarke: Mr. O’Dwyer’s fantasy is to find his grandfather’s unpublished songs, bring them back with him now, and publish them… if — if indeed his grandfather actually wrote them.
  • Roarke: You might say her fantasy is to be rid of the fear that… she’s losing her mind…
• Recurring phrases:
  • Roarke: Mr. O’Dwyer’s fantasy is to find his grandfather’s unpublished songs, bring them back with him now, and publish them… if — if indeed his grandfather actually wrote them.
• Roarke’s drink: same old
• Ominous shot of Roarke drinking: no
• Reminders:
  • Roarke: Also, Mr. O’Dwyer, you might become very fond of him, and I remind you that Mr. Jeremy Todd was killed in action in World War I.
    Don O’Dwyer: I can handle it, Mr. Roarke.
• Restrictions:
  • Roarke: Whatever happens, you cannot let him or anyone else know who you really are, nor can you warn him about his impending death; if you do, your fantasy will end immediately.
• Hypnosis:
  • Roarke: Think of those days of long ago, New York City, 1917, imagine 45th Street, Tin Pan Alley…
• Time travel: Dan O’Dwyer travels to New York City in 1917.
• Locations:
  • Todd & Cudahy Music Company
  • Gallagher’s
  • The Hippodrome
• All you need is love:
  • Roarke: I believe the only reason you’ve been able to keep Andrea at bay so far is because of your love for your husband.
  • Roarke: You love your husband, and your husband loves you. Use that love to fight her, Gina.
• Someone else had a fantasy:
  • Roarke: Miss Bowen was granted a very unusual fantasy of a whole week on Tin Pan Alley to prepare to sing George M. Cohan’s songs on the stage of the Hippodrome, and she did. You see, her fantasy was a secret too.
• Leaving with an extra guest: Dan O’Dwyer with new girlfriend Carol Bowen
• Drivers:
  • To the dock: Roarke
  • Dan O’Dwyer’s departure: That Guy
  • Gina Edwards’ departure: Wally
• Age gap:
  • Donna Pescow: 28 / David Cassidy: 32 = 4 years
  • Donna Pescow: 28 / Anson Williams: 33 = 5 years
  • Susan Lucci: 36 / Chris Robinson: 44 = 8 years
  • Susan Lucci: 36 / John Wesley Shipp: 28 = -8 years
• IMDb notes:
  • Quinn K. Redeker is credited as Quinn Redeker.
  • Susan Lucci plays an actress named Gina Edwards, who plays Andrea Skyler on the soap.
  • Quinn Redeker plays an actor named Richard plays Andrea’s husband on the soap, Rick (presumably his last name is also Skyler).
  • John Wesley Shipp plays an actor named Brad, who plays Andrea’s lover on the soap, Todd. Todd calls Rick Uncle Rick, so Todd’s last name is possibly also Skyler, but I don’t think that’s ever confirmed.