Having Oscar winner Jane Wyman headlining as Angela helped in luring stars to the Tuscany Valley, but Falcon Crest also had a habit of writing explosive and arresting parts for it's guest stars. According to wide-spread rumours, FC's habit of hiring big-name guest stars after Lana Turner's appearance was surprising. Sources are rife with stories of the bitterness on-set between Wyman and Turner.

According to Lawrence J. Quirk's Jane Wyman: The Actress and the Woman,

'A crew member commented "You could cut the tension with a knife on that set. Lana had been hired because they felt the show's super ratings would go through the roof due to her legendary movie fame. But Jane got mad when Lana was tendered flowers the first day. 'I didn't get flowers my first day,' [Wyman is said to have fumed.] 'Why should she?'. Wyman also had reservations about Turner's acting skills, which she considered rusty at best. Turner was chronically late, and muffed her lines so often that she drove Wyman up the wall.

Turner also arrived with full entourage, including a secretary, hairdresser, and wardrobe person. She kep aloof in her dressing room, while Wyman enjoyed playing quick poker games with the crew. Terrified by her unaccustomed television exposure, Turner demanded a closed set; in her dressing room she worried over her looks (she was then sixty-two) and fussed endlessly with her makeup, hair, and costumes.

As one crew member recalled: "Jane was embarrassed, then infuriated by all this amateurish prima donnaism. The bad blood showed when the actresses had a scene together. The episode demanded a confrontational spat. Everyone could see that they weren't acting." The episode was two days over schedule because of Turner's inexperience with TV and fussy nervousness. The production staff and Wyman expressed obvious relief when Turner departed after completing her stint.'

Indeed, Turner's departure was no accident if press reports are to be believed. According to Soap Opera Digest, Wyman gave producers an ultimatum, if Turner returned next season, Wyman wouldn't. Jacqueline Perrault was hastily killed in the season cliff-hanger and Lana Turner never returned to television. "It was too much when she needed to take a limo to go to the loo" Digest quoted Wyman discussing Turner.

Celeste Holm told Soap Opera Digest that Jane Wyman refused to talk to her while she was guest starring on Falcon Crest as Anna Rossini in 1985. Other publications have also said the two didn't get along, though who was at fault isn't clear; Holm was later rated by Digest as one of the ten most difficult stars on soaps. Add Gina Lollobrigida to stars who reportedly didn't get along with Wyman.

By and large, however, the Falcon Crest experience was a rewarding stint for most guest stars. Lauren Hutton was very happy with her time on the show, and enjoyed working with David Selby and Susan Sullivan. Eddie Albert who also appeared in the same season, beamed about appearing with Jane Wyman and Eve Arden. Albert's son, Edward Albert Jnr., who starred on the show as Jeff Wainwright, told his father not to miss out on the opportunity.

Cesar Romero, who played Peter Stavros, reportedly adored working with Jane Wyman, as did Rod Taylor, who told Dominick Dunne in 1989, "Sure, she rules the set, but everybody expects that. I adore her."

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