PLAYBILL MAGAZINE
Aug 2,1982-1983
LISA BROWN (Peggy Sawyer) is know to TV viewers as Nola Reardon on "Guiding Light" for which Afternoon TV voted her "Best Actress in Daytime TV." A native of Kansas City, MO., she began dancing when she was three, got her first professional break in a tour of "Seesaw," and later toured with Pearl Bailey in "Hello, Dolly!" before landing the lead role in "Hit the Deck" at the Goodspeed Opera House, and appeared both Off- and on Broadway in the "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." "I dedicate this performance to my eternal inspiration, my grandmother, Jessie Curvan."
AFTERNOON TV MAGAZINE Can the sly little bitch from the wrong side of the tracks win the love of millions simply by fantasizing about old movies? Sound wild, but in the case of this one-of-a-kind young actress, it happened. Nola Reardon blossomed from a threatening spitfire to a softer, more vulnerable creature whose combined infatuation and curiosity about her enigmatic employer, Quinton R. McCord (Michael Tylo) found her in some hilarious situations: snooping about McCord's mansion behind the back of his creepy housekeeper, Mrs. Renfield (Beulah Garrick), dragging scared sidekick Gracie Middleton (Lori Shelle) on her expeditions, and imagining herself playing out her fantasies about McCord, which took the forms of such old films as Casablanca and the musical Shipmates Forever. Lisa Brown carried Nola back and forth from reality to big-screen fantasy with Ruby Keeler starlet determination, Lucille Ball comedic audacity, and Shirley Temple innocence--with vocal and dancing talent, to boot. Simply put, this lady's a star.
**Often voted by the now defunct Afternoon TV magazine as Best Actress in their monthly viewer polls from '82-'83 beating out such names as Genie Francis (GH), Deidre Hall (DOOL) and Demi Moore (GH). Michael Tylo also was at the top with her beating out such names as Tony Geary (GH) and Wayne Northrop (DOOL).
"LISA BROWN: NO WEDDING BELL BLUES"** Lisa (Nola) always thought she would marry an actor and sure enough, she is. Lisa is engaged to castmate Tom Nielsen who plays Floyd. "Tom has a special understanding of what I'm going through that no one else has," she says. "Marrying a doctor or a LAWYER just wouldn't be the same. Luckily, there isn't any jealousy between us." Though Nola backed out of marrying Floyd on GL, she says, "I've already promised Tom's mother that I won't leave him standing at the altar." (**hmmmm)
NEW YORK POST Lisa Brown, who steps into "42nd Street" replacing Wanda Richert Aug. 2, is shown revving up outside the theater yesterday. Lisa's debut date will coincide with her 28th birthday. This charmer hails from Kansas City.
Unknown Newspaper Source CRASH! Director Gower Champion was afraid she wasn't good enough at tap dancing, whereas Wanda Richert (**who he was sleeping with) "tapped before she was born." Wanda got the lead, Gower died opening day, and Lisa Brown bit her lips and remembered: "Everything happens for the best."
Lisa switches to the soaps. Becomes a star on "The Guiding Light," playing a nasty seductress, marries co-star bandleader Tom Nielsen from Milwaukee at Little Church Around the Corner.
David Merrick attends. He and Wanda Richert have differed, and he gives leading role to Lisa finally.
"Somebody gave us a crockpot for a wedding present. When I leave for the TV job at 7am, I fill it with makings of a stew." Her bridegroom Tom picks her up at 11pm and they're off.
One night they'll surely run into Wanda Richert, now also in the soaps, scheduled in the closing days of "The Doctors." Lisa says again: "Everything happens for the best"--"And there's no biz like show biz."
"NOLA AND QUINT'S WEDDING CLOTHES" Nola's (Lisa Brown) wearing an ivory lace peau de soie gown and a cathedral train, made by Priscilla of Boston. Quint (Michael Tylo) is dressed in a charcoal gray cutaway, with matching top hat, vest, spats and cravat from Brooks Brothers.
Source: Unknown magazine Lisa Brown (Nola Chamberlain, "The Guiding Light") MICHAEL TYLO: THE SHOW MUST GO ON Michael Tylo-Quint Chamberlain on "Guiding Light"--had a close call with stage disaster when performing a play at Pennsylvania's Allentown College.
During a scene with fellow soap star Alan Coates, who played Ian Deverauex on "Edge of Night," Michael was supposed to walk over to a sofa and sit down while they were talking.
But things didn't work out that way, for when Michael did, the bottom of the couch fell out!
"The audience just went crazy," recalls Michael. "When they stopped laughing, we simply went on with the scene, but with one small change."
"Alan changed his closing line to me and said: "For God's sake, fix your furniture!'" It proved to be one of his more humorous moments in showbiz.
FASHION/HAIR LAYOUT Last summer I was simultaneously performing in "Guiding Light" and on Broadway in "42nd Street"-- when I discovered I was pregnant. I was completely taken by surprise, this was something I hadn't planned at all. I'm pro-choice, so I spent about two weeks thinking, Should I or shouldn't I have this child? Is this the right time? Sometimes all I could think about was having the baby. Other times I would try not to think about it . . . .
I finally realized that there was no such thing as a "right time," so I went ahead with the pregnancy. I enjoyed periods of incredible elation, but also lived through times of great anxiety and fear.
It's funny. My generation grew up thinking that we were supposed to plan our lives very carefully--but you know, you can't always do that. Now I have a little boy named James Anthony and I know it was "the right time."
NOLA AND QUINT CHAMBERLAIN "We have two very different personalities with two completely different techniques. We also have a great deal of respect for one another insofar as our own approaches to the character. Lisa is a very open and giving actress and also very intelligent . . .she has her world and I have mine, but when we come together at the studio, it's a spontaneous, sparking-type thing." -- Michael Tylo (Quint Chamberlain 3/1/83)
Afternoon TV Magazine (?), approx 1983
A.M: Do you have any pets?
Lisa Brown: Yes, we have three cats, Sol, Lucy and Charlie. I had two cats and we got another in July. That's kind of Tom's cat. My cats were already grown so we decided we'd get a little kitty so Tom can see what it's like to raise a cat.
(**Sol, Lucy and Charlie probably have since gone to Rainbow Bridge, but who doesn't LOVE cats??)
1981 Best Actress: Lisa Brown
(Nola Reardon, Guiding Light)
Source: Unknown magazine, 1982**Times sure do change
Approx July 1982
1982
Unknown magazine source
Approx June 1983
Approx 1983
She's funny, warm, vulnerable and giving. Yet Nola used to be a conniving teenager, who lied about the identity of her child's father just to snare a man. Still, all Nola wanted was someone to love. In the few short years that Lisa has been on the show, she has turned an unsympathetic character into a heroine, and won the audience's heart in doing so, even if they do believe Nola fantasies are a bit unrealistic. Brown's portrayal of a young woman who has matured and learned from her mistakes is a fine one indeed. It's difficult enough pouring all one's energy into Nola, but for the past few years, Lisa Brown has been lighting up Broadway starring in the musical smash "42nd Street." If nothing else, that should prove what a dynamic and talented actress Lisa Brown is.
Source: Unknown newspaper
Approx 1983
Source: Unknown Women's Magazine
Approx 1984LISA BROWN (Nola Chamberlain, "Guiding Light")
Unknown Soap Magazine Source
Approx 1983