<Sunset Central: Q&A: Behind the Scenes Answers

Behind the Scenes
Questions

Archives 1999


November 1999
October 1999
September 1999
August 1999
July 1999
June 1999
May 1999
April 1999
November 6
October 18
  • I just want to say, I am just SICK about the fact that Sunset Beach is cancelled. It was my one and only soap that I watched. What I want to know is, do you know what the entire cast will being doing after the show ends. Will they go on to other soaps or what? Do you know what Susan Ward and Clive Robertson's plans are? The show and actors will be GREATLY MISSED!!!

    Thank you,
    Debra A.

    • I haven't yet heard of any actor having plans after Sunset Beach. Except for Kathleen Noone (Bette)...she landed a part on Cold Feet; unfortunately, NBC has cancelled that show as well.
October 7
  • Could you please tell me what happened on the very first episode of Sunset Beach?
    • I've gone through this one before...please go through the archives.
October 3
September 27
September 24
    I love your picture page with the opening sequences. But I've got a question for you. First there was the black and white beginning, now there's the new one. But wasn't there one in between? One that looks like the current one, but has Mark, Elaine, Paula, and Virginia in it? I think it also had a different picture of Cole, and one of Vanessa Dorman. I was ondering if you could please post those too. I never saw the beginning with Mark's colored picture. Thanks.
    • Actually, there have been 10 (or 12 depending on how you count) opening sequences. That's too many to post all the pictures from all of them.
September 13
    I went to turn on my soap(sunset beach) and it wasn't on. when is it on?
    • Well, I can't really tell you that. NBC airs Sunset Beach at a different time in every one of its markets. When it airs depends on where you live. If you live in the LA area then it's on at 12 noon. If you live in the San Francisco Bay area then it's on at 3am. Or you could be one of those unlucky folks whose local NBC station has decided not to show Sunset Beach at all. Find a TV Guide or the equivalent in your local newspaper.
September 12
    Sometime in June or July of '97 I started to watch Sunset Beach. There was one week where they recapped the major storylines. Could you please tell me what week this happened.
    • NBC aired what they called "The Best of Beach Week" July 28 - August 1, 1997. Each day had a character telling their story. It was very cool. Here's how it went...
      • Monday, July 28: Meg Cummings
      • Tuesday, July 29: Olivia Richards
      • Wedensday, July 29: Ricardo Torres
      • Thursday, July 30: Michael Bourne
      • Friday, August 1: Annie Douglas
    • After "The Best of Beach Week", Sunset Beach first aired it's new opening sequence which was completely different from the one before and like the current one.
  • I recently went online and found the song of the old theme song. I was wondering if you display on your website somehow. If not could you please tell if it was like the recent one. Meaning, did it show all the characters faces etc.
    • Yes. The opening sequence was completely different before. It had a different song and was in black and white and orange. Here is what they looked like.
September 10
    I am a big fan of Sunset Beach and on September 8.1999 they played a song at the end of the show and I wanted to know the Title and Artist?

    Thanks,
    Doris Starling

    • Actually, I do know this song. It's called "Heart and Shoulder" by Heather Nova from the Siren CD and teh Felicity soundtrack. (Thanks to SpikeFan for that tidbit in "A Week on the Beach")
September 4
  • I would like to know how you do it if you wanna write to those actors who has left Sunset Beach? Can you? The same address or is there a special one?
    • You probably won't be able to reach former Sunset Beach stars at the usual NBC address. I found the addresses for several former Sunset Beachers, but I've left them on my desk at work. But what I did what go through several online search engines looking for fan pages of the stars. Most fan pages would have addresses where you can write to fan clubs or even the actor himself. I'll get those addresses up here when I'm back at work.
    • OK...so I found this piece of paper in my desk and remembered that I said that I was going to post those addresses that I found.
      • from: www.oocities.org/TelevisionCity/Network/1208/

        Kelly Hu (ex-Rae Chang)
        c/o Martial Law Production
        CBS Television
        7800 Beverly Blvd.
        Los Angeles, CA 90036

      • from: come.to/NickStable/

        Nick Stabile (ex-Mark Wolper)
        c/o Jerry Shandrew Public Relations
        6363 Wilshire Blvd.
        Suite 919
        Los Angeles, CA 90048

      • from: www.cbs.com

        The Bold and the Beautiful
        Attn: Adrienne Frantz (ex-Tiffany Thorne)
        Bell-Phillip Television
        7800 Beverly Blvd.
        Los Angeles, CA 90036

August 26
    • I have been informed by a couple of my fellow Sunset Central staff members (Jen & Maureen--Thanks) that Ali Landry has indeed been on Sunset Beach. I apologize for the confusion. (See Aug. 17 & Aug. 6 below)
August 17
    • I have received several emails about about the woman in the Doritos commercial (See Aug. 6 below). People are saying that her name is Ali (or Ally) Landry and that she was in "the guy's fantasy" or associated with Mark. I don't believe them, but I thought that I would post their complaints anyway.
  • Hi, I was just curious as to when Sunset Beach aired it's first episode on NBC and how many years old it is. Thanks for your help!

    G.L.

    • Sunset Beach's first episode aired on January 6, 1997. That makes it 2 years and 7.5 months old.
August 6
July 31
  • I started watching Sunset Beach around May of 1998, could you please summarize the first episode of the show?
    • I'll give it a shot...in the first week of the show...
      • Meg dumped Tim at the altar in Ludlow, Kansas and hopped on a plane to Sunset Beach, California to meet her internet romance "SB". She recived an email from "SB" that told her to keep away from him and California. Her bag was stolen by a runaway named Tiffany whom she chased and ended up falling off the end of the pier into the ocean where she was reascued by Casey (whom she assumed was the mysterious "SB").
      • Del came to town to whisk away his lover (and wife of his best friend Gregory), Olivia Richards. He cut off his daughter, Annie, because she was squandering the money he was sending her for law school and sleeping with dirty cop, Eddie Connors. Gregory discovered his wife's affair, and Del was shot and killed.
      • Casey and Rae bought a beach front "fix-er-up-er" and enlisted Mark, Michael, and Meg as rent paying roommates.
      • Paula and the newest SBPD detective, Ricardo, took their relationship to the next level by moving in together. She told him that she may be pregnant, and Ricardo didn't take the news as well as could be hoped.
  • I was looking at your Q&A section, and it answered some questions I had. Nice work! However, I did see something that you did not know. Someone asked what the characters dressed up as at the Valentine's Day masquerade, and you replied that you did not think there had been a V Day masquerade. Actually, there was, in 1997. Ricardo was Zorro, Paula was a flamenco dancer (I believe), Annie was Scheherezade, Casey was Rhett Butler, Tim was Danny Zuko from "Grease," and I don't really recall anyone else at the moment.

    Lisa

    • I had forgotten about that party; I apologize.
July 25
  • is it possible to get cast photos

    claire healy

    • Yes, it is possible. You need to write to NBC either email or snail mail:

      sunsetbeach@nbc.com

      Sunset Beach
      c/o NBC-TV
      3000 West Alameda Ave.
      Burbank, CA 91523

  • How old are each of the Sunset Beach characters? And when are there birthdays? I know that Cole is 24,and that he his birthday on the 22nd of January. What about the others? Have they shown everyones birthday?

    Thanks,
    --Gehan

    • None of the character's ages have been divulged on the show. No one has had a birthday party either. Only Trey's age is known for sure, and his age is 17months.
  • Why is it that NBC advertises DOOL and even Passions but not Sunset Beach? How do they expect to getting higher ratings without advertising to let people know about the great storylines? Is there anything we can do to get NBC to advertise Sunset beach more? My e-mail address is sewardxxx@yahoo.com and taimariekight@excite.com . You can e-mail me if you have any clue as to why this is and what to do about it.

    Thanks,
    Tai M. Kight

    • NBC only shows commercials for the show that you're not watching while you're watching it. It sounds confusing...but if you're watching Sunset Beach, you won't see a commercial for Sunset Beach. But NBC does have a tendancy to not advertize SB as much as Days or Passions. But you're right. They'll never get higher ratings if they don't advertize.
  • I'm interested in learning more about Tim and Sherri's relationship in real-life. Do they live together, how did they meet, will there be a wedding, etc., etc. I would love to know everything and anything that they are willing to tell.

    Your information is merely to satisfy my curiosity.

    Thank you,
    Michele Blowe

    • I don't know much, but I found this article that you might like to read. It's from the July 20, 1999 issue of Soap Opera Weekly...

      Click on a section of the article to view the full-size image.

July 24
    Is it me or are Vanessa and Michael not in the new opening of SB, whey would they be left off and Tess and Benjy left on???

    Debbie Vigil.

    • Well, there are two versions of the new opening sequence. All of the contract characters are shown. Here's the break-down (in order of appearance)...
      Version 1 Version 2
      Ben
      Meg
      Maria
      Sara
      Casey
      Hank
      Joan
      		 Tim
      Tess
      Benjy
      Carmen
      Antonio
      Gabi
      Ricardo       		Olivia
      Gregory
      Sean
      Caitlin
      Cole
      Spike
      AJ
      		 Annie
      Bette
      Emily
      Brad
      Amy
      Michael
      Vanessa
June 20
    I'm a HUGE Sunset Beach fan! You have one great page there! Good goin'! O.K., I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Antonio and Gabi storyline (Wasn't today's UN-BEE-LEAVE-ABLE?)! What I wanna know is, what are the titles and artists for these three songs in the Gabi/Antonio relationship:

    1) Their dream dance at Ricardo's birthday party. You know, when Antonio stared right into her soul and she went HUBBA HUBBA inside. LOL!

    2) The love scene in the cave-in! WOWIE KAZOWIE!

    3) The montage from the other day. You know, the one where they had just burned the tape and Gabi went in to "get her keys." It started with Antonio remembering and ended with Gabi remembering! ::sniff::

    If you could answer these for me I would be most appreciative! By the way, can you tell me why they occasionally play a different song on the 3:35 am (CST) version (I know you're not Madame Carmen, but just thought you might know).

    • I'm sorry, but I've looked everywhere, but I haven't been able to find out what those songs are. But, I can tell you that (at least in Los Angeles), NBC plays the full opening for the 3am showing of Sunset Beach, and sometimes they don't play the full one on the afternoon showing. I can only guess that this is because they show fewer commercials in the middle of the night, and there is more time for the complete opening.
  • Below is an excerpt from one of your questions pertaining to the original Sara. Your mistaken when you say Lauren Woodland played Tess the women who Annie paid off to talk to Caitlin. As i recall , it all took place in the Java Web and TEss was even shown on the TV Screen as a scammer on the Leeza Show.. When she talked to caitlin. that actress was not Lauren Woodland. If i recall her name was MArgaret Scarborough..

    I think you are doing a great job! You have certainly cleared up a lot of questions for me. Just one more please, what happened with the original Sara? She was a different girl when Sara first came to Sunset Beach, shorter with longer blonde hair, she looked a little bit younger than Meg? --Debra
    Yep...you're right. Lauren Woodland played Sara Cummings for five episodes. She was replaced by Shawn Batten, because they decided that Lauren wasn't right for the part. But, if have a keen eye and video tapes...you'll notice that the Original Sara Cummings was also that girl Tess whom Annie payed to tell Caitlin that she gave up Trey so that he could have a good home.

    • I honestly have tried to find out the true identity of that girl, but I have not found anything. My claim that she is Lauren Woodland comes from a purely visual inspection. If anyone has any idea, please email me.
  • Hi! I have a question for you...there was an episode in which Meg, Vanessa and Gabi dance to the song "Stop In The Name of Love" for Michael, Ricardo and Antonio (I think it was him). Was this the song by the Supremes or another group?
    • I believe that that song was the original by the Supremes.
  • what is the name of the mission?
    • It doesn't have a name...it's just called "The Mission" or "The Sunset Beach Mission".
  • Will Sunset Beach end in December 99?
    • Sunset Beach could end this December, but I hope that it doesn't.
  • How many episodes are New Zealand behind the US? (At the moment Annie is trying to marry Gregory, Ben/Derek are chasing Meg through the woods, Vanessa has martins-syndrome and is on some drug getting it on with Titus, any many more little sub-plots, but it's so hard to remember them all)!
    • It sounds to me like you are a little less that a year behind.
May 26
  • If Virginia has left the show, why is she still in the opening credits??
    • The show is behind in changing the opening sequence. I've mentioned before that it's very expensive to change it, so they are probably waiting until there are several things that need to be changed. Also, I need to correct myself on this one...I said before that there were seven opening sequences. I have found an eighth on one of my tapes.
  • Maybe I missed the episode, but has it ever been said why Antonio went to Rosario in the first place? Why do you think it is that Gabi speaks more Spanish than the brothers and Maria? Different family was it just me or in Catlains dream was Trey yet another baby who looked younger than the previous one, it seems like the old Trey was almost ready to walk and talk, and this one was about three months behind.
    • Antonio went to Rosario to help him deal with Maria's death. Gabi and Carmen speak lots of Spanish. I'm not sure why Ricardo and Antonio don't so much. Maria has spoken some.
    • I know absolutely nothing about children and even less about babies. Except that they are small...and I don't particularly like them...and I'm not going to have any. So, I didn't even notice a difference in the Treys.
  • Just a quick question how do I get to the winners corner on the funhouse?
    • I could tell you...but then I'd have to kill you. =)
  • in the opening credits, who are the last two people that are lying on the beach together?
    • In the current opening sequence, it is Michael and Vanessa on the beach by the pier at the end. But in the first opening sequence, it was Ricardo and Paula.
May 12

  • Why do the same storylines go on for so long?
    • Think about your life. How long do things go on in your life? I have a friend who has been torn between these two guys since last October. I think that Sunset Beach moves along pretty quickly. But, they tend to drag out storylines so long because they milk them for all that they are worth. When they can't get anything more good out of a story, they'll move on.
  • Where on earth do Olivia and Annie get their fab 'n tarty clothes from???????????
    • The NBC wardrobe department. =) Other than that, I can't tell you. Try writing to Soap Opera Digest or NBC.
  • When leave Laura Harring the soap ( in Sweden we have episode 190 now ) and what are she doing now? Have she boyfriend? Family? Has she beeing in some magazine?
    • Laura Harring [Paula] left Sunset Beach in the fall of 1997. The last I saw of her, she had a guest spot on Frasier for one episode. I know nothing about her personal life, and I haven't seen her in any magazines since her SB departure.
May 11

  • we are very interested to know where exactly sunset beach is filmed, we are in england and are planning to visit california next year to travel. We are massive fans and would be grateful for the information
    • Sunset Beach is filmed lots of places. All of the inside scenes are filmed at NBC's stuios in Burbank. The outdoor scenes are filmed all over the LA area, but the majority are filmed in Seal Beach.
  • Why has Sunset Beach been taken from us at 5.20pm now I have to wait to Saturdays to see the whole week showing.
    • That is a program descision made by your local station, and you should contact them for more detailed information.
May 5
  • my question is on the Thanksgiving 98 show Bette made a lovely speech & then a beautiful song came on what was the name of the song, who is it by, and where can it be found? the chorus was somrthing like we all need something to believe in/we all need a light to shine us through/we all need something to believe in/I found something to believe in, in you.
  • Bette , i want to ask you about sunst beach . Will Meg merry with Ben Evans .??? You know olivia's email ,please and do u know where i could buy the book about sunset beach at internet? (synopsis)
    • I have answered the Meg/Ben thing several times already...Yes, I believe that they will marry (look through the Evans/Cummings Page for more details). As far as I know, the actors at Sunset Beach to not make their personal email addresses public, but you can email Sunset Beach at sunsetbeach@nbc.com. I have not heard of any Sunset Beach books available to buy.
  • Dear Annie,
    Recently I was on the Sunset beach website when I found out that I can e-mail aunt Bette. I did but what I asked her she was unable to reply. Instead she told me to e-mail you and ask drew. Basically, I live in England but in August I'm going to Burbank. As I love sunset beach and all the characters so much I was wondering if it was possible to meet them, but as I told Bette, I don't know where, how and when, or even if it's possible-I hope so! She suggested that Drew might know so for once, be a good girl and do me a favour and ask him.
    • Well, the Sunset Beach fan club has get togethers every so often. They just had one in February. I don't know if people are allowed on the set or what...but I can tell you to email the show at sunsetbeach@nbc.com. Or you can write them a letter and mail it to...

      Sunset Beach
      c/o NBC-TV
      3000 West Alameda Ave.
      Burbank, CA 91523
  • Hi, I have a question for you.

    I live in England and I am coming over to California in September, and I have found the place Sunset Beach, is it anything connected with our beloved sb?

    also, I want to go on the nbc studio tour, will I see anything of sb? i.e. sets, cast members?

    • There is a real town called Sunset Beach. It's in Orange County California, and it's about 30 minutes from where I live. Although, all this town shares with our show is its name. But...do not lose hope yet...the outdoor shots on the show are all filmed in a real town in Southern California. It's called Seal Beach. All the houses that have been shown are there. The peir is real. It's a great place. It's just north of Sunset Beach and Just south of Long Beach. Now, as I have never been on the NBC stuido tour, I can't say what you would or wouldn't see, but you can email or write to NBC at the addresses that I posted above.
  • SB is shown 5 days a week here in the UK. How often is it shown in the US?
    • Sunset Beach is on for an hour a day, five days a week in the United States.
  • Is there any way to write a letter to a cast member? I would like to write a fan letter to the actress "Susan Ward", who I like very much.
    • You can write to NBC "in care of" the actor. For Example:

      Sunset Beach
      c/o NBC-TV
      c/o Susan Ward
      3000 West Alameda Ave.
      Burbank, CA 91523
April 19
  • Is Eddie Cibrian leaving Sunset Beach?
    • It has been a rumor for a long time that Eddie Cibrian [Cole Deschanel] was leaving Sunset Beach, but I have yet to hear any definite facts.
  • Hi! I just have a quick question for you. When did the opening sequance change? In Holland, we're watching shows from June of 1997.
    • Well, Sunset Beach has actually had six opening sequences (seven if you count the primetime episode opening sequence and eight if you count the short one without the faces). The first two were orange with black and white photos and the old song. The others were similar to the one that's currently playing in the US. The switch from the old orange opening sequence to the one with the new music happened on August 4, 1997 here in the US.
  • OK Annie,

    I'll bet I can stump you with this question. What was the name of the song that was playing when Maria was having flashbacks of her and Ben??? It was when she was having trouble singing the divorce papers. The first couple of words were..."Seasons come, season's go." (That's all I know)
    • Well, I suppose that you have stumped me, becuase Maria Torres-Evans disgusts me, I fastforwarded through that part. I remember seeing what you're talking about. I just didn't watch it.
  • I was wanting to know how the whole SB story started,I didn't start watching until a couple of months later.Please let me know asap!!!!
    • Well, Meg had been chatting online to Ben. They had never met, and she was engaged to Tim Truman. Meg saw Tim making out with Connie (her maid of honor) on their wedding day, so she got in the car and drove to the airport and headed to Sunset Beach.
  • Do you know what happened to Peter Barton who used to play Eddie Connors? Did he move on to another soap?
    • Peter Barton has not appeared on another soap since his departure from Sunset Beach. I have no idea what he's upto these days; probably trying to get a job.
April 15
  • I know you hate Sean, but do you know whether he actually wrote the rap he performed on S.B. It was ages ago, but as I am in england, we are behind. I know randy spelling does his own rap music, so I wondered whether that was his own music, and also was that his own band? One more question! Is any of randy's music available?
    • I was under the impression that Randy Spelling [Sean] wrote the rap and that it was his band performing. There was a blurb on the KNBC-4 news here in LA about Randy and his rap and SB, and I remember them saying that he was going to perform on the show.
  • Is Lesley-anne Down leaving Sunset Beach?
    • I have heard nothing about her departure. But anything is possible, after all this is Sunset Beach.
  • When was sunset beach first screened in England? And how long was each episode back then?
    • I have no idea when SB started showing in England. I know that they are several months behind the U.S., so I assume that they started probably mid-Summer 1997. Every episode of Sunset Beach has always been 60 minutes (38 without commercials) in the U.S., and I assume the same holds true for the U.K.
  • When are they going to add Maria's head shot (along with Brad, Amy and Carmen's) to the opening theme song? Surely if Hank and Joan are shown, then the others should too!
    --Rich
    • I don't know. The contract cycle for soaps in usually 13 weeks. Contract actors are displayed in the opening sequence. I read that it costs approximately $100,000 to produce a new 35 second Sunset Beach opening sequence. Maria, Amy, and Brad should be added and Virginia removed soon. Carmen will not be added, because she is not on contract. Margarita Cordova [Carmen Torres] is a recurring actor.
April 14
April 10
  • Do you think they will cancel Sunset Beach during the summer when they start the new nbc soap opera [Passions]?
    • I am hoping beyond hope that they decide not to cancel Sunset Beach. If I were an NBC executive, I wouldn't cancel it. OK...it's has consistently been the lowest rated of the 11 daytime soaps since it premiered. BUT...NBC is invested in Sunset Beach as part owner (ever notice the NBC logo at the end?). NBC is not part owner of Another World; Proctor and Gamble owns it. Sunset Beach is a big hit overseas. Sunset Beach is like no other soap on TV now. If you want to watch a "typical soap" there are 9 to choose from...there is only one Sunset Beach! Sunset Beach has been ranked high in the ratings of key demographics (teenage and middle aged women) ahead of The Young and the Restless (the #1 rated soap overall). I'm not trying to put you at ease. Please, throw a fit. Write NBC. Write Spelling Entertainment and tell them that if SB is cancelled that you'd still watch it on another network. Another World has already been taken off the air in San Francisco, so there is a twinkle of hope for Sunset Beach.
  • Do you know the name and artist of the song played when Sean and Emily were getting ready to make love. Thanks for your help.
    • Well, Drea, to be perfectly honest with you...I tape Sunset Beach, becaue I'm at school most of the day. And, the idea of Sean and Emily having sex makes me physically ill. I've always hated Sean Richards [Randy Spelling]. Emily should give him up to Amy and move on to a real man. But anyway, since I watch taped episods of Sunset Beach, I saw that the two of them were going to do the deed, and I fastforwarded right through them. So, I am unable to answer your question. But if anyone knows the answer, please email me, and I'll post your answer here.
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