As you know today is the last day for the long running soap opera, All My Children. You don't have to admit that you watched it but we all know you did. I mean for heaven's sakes we only had three channels during the 70's. We had to watch something. I will share one of the great Oklahoma love stories on the show for my farewell tribute:
They had worked side by side so many years. Each one keeping their love for the other a secret until one day they just couldn't keep it hidden any longer. Dr. Charles Tyler and Mona Kane finally revealed their love for each other. Yes, Erica Kane's mother and Phoebe Tyler's husband were in love.
Now, what happens?
Mona: "We have to tell Phoebe"
Charles: "But, Mona she will never give me a divorce."
Mona: "Charles, darling you deserve to be happy, we deserve to be happy"
or something like that.
Apparently, Charles was a bit afraid of Phoebe. Do you blame him? She was something else. So, Mona just went ahead and blackmailed Phoebe forcing her to divorce Charles.
On May 1, 1980, Charles and Mona became, Dr. and Mrs. Charles Tyler and lived happily ever after.
These two Oklahomans were destined to be together.
Dr. Charles Tyler was played by Hugh Hale Franklin, born on August 24, 1916 in Muskogee, OK. His parents were Wallace Franklin and Josephine Morrison Franklin. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Hugh Morrison. By 1920 the family was living in Tulsa, OK where Hugh graduated from the old Central High School.
Other graduates of Central include, Paul Harvey and Tony Randall.
On a side note I love this building. Go to Historic Tulsa for a brief history of the building.
Hugh became a stage actor, no doubt influenced by Central's drama teacher, Isabelle Ronan. He later married Madeleine L'Engle, the Newbery Award winner for her book, A Wrinkle in Time.
Madeleine and Hugh, 1945
They truly lived happily ever afer until Hugh's death on September 26, 1986. At the time of his death his sister was still living in Tulsa.
Mona Kane Tyler was played by Frances Heflin you know Van's sister.
Mary Frances Heflin was born September 20, 1920 in Oklahoma City, OK to Fanny Shippey and Dr. Emmett Evan Heflin. Her father was born in Alabama around 1880. In 1900 he was living with his sister, Sallie Adams and her family in Ardmore. He and his wife's first son, Martin was born in California around 1907, then at some point the Heflins moved back to Oklahoma to stay. Van Heflin was born in Walters in 1910.
The Heflin children graduated from Classen High School in Oklahoma City where their dad was a dentist.
Before being cast on All My Children, Ms. Heflin was a broadway actor, starring in "By the Skin of Our Teeth" and "I Remember Mama". She also appeared on The Patty Duke Show and many others. Her children are directors and actors, Jonathan Kaplan, Mady Kaplan, Marta Heflin and Nora Heflin.
She died in New York City on June 1, 1994.
The show did beautiful tribute to her charachter, Mona Kane and it can be seen on youtube.com.
So, goodbye All My Children and to this beautiful Oklahoma love story.
Love,
Territory Mom
1 comment:
What a lovely tribute. =)
My mom loved this soap and for a time I watched it too. The AMC, OLTL, and GH line up were a main stay for me in the 80's.
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