NOVEMBER 14
Chris Stack replaced Nathanial Marston as ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Dr. Michael McBain. Stack's debut was on Dec. 3. Marston's last airdate was Nov. 29.

NOVEMBER 9
The Buchanans had some major surprises during Asa's will reading, including Asa himself! After exiting the show in March, Phil Carey appeared in episodes airing on November 9, 12 and 13. "Asa’s death impacted everybody in a large way," shares Erika Slezak (Viki). "I think Phil was a wonderful Asa. He had something about him that was so strong and warm and loving and yet so horrible [laughs]."

To hear more of Slezak's thoughts on Carey's departure, pick up the November 20 issue of Soap Opera Digest. In the meantime, tune in to OLTL to see what tricks ole Asa has up his sleeve!

NOVEMBER 8
ONE LIFE TO LIVE has confirmed that Nathaniel Marston will not be returning to the ABC soap. The show issued the following statement:

"Nathaniel Marston has been a valuable member of the cast of ONE LIFE TO LIVE bringing Michael McBain to life for legions of fans. He leaves the show with our sincere appreciation for his many contributions and our support as he addresses personal challenges. We wish him well."

When asked for further details — when the role will be recast, Marston's last airdate — a spokesperson for the show said this was the only comment that would be issued right now. Insiders say the role will be recast ASAP (with the writers on strike, a hasty rewrite to explain Michael's exit would be problematic).

Marston has not been back to work since his Oct. 20 run-in with the law.

Marston landed in Bellevue Hospital after allegedly attacking three people in midtown Manhattan on October 20 at 4:30 a.m. Published reports say Marston assaulted his victims with a metal crate, breaking one of their legs. The incident resulted in the hospitalization of Marston, Police Officer Sean Turner and at least one of the victims. It occurred at 45th Street and 10th Ave.

In October 23 editions of the New York Post, Marston said that "cops arrested the wrong guy." He added that he "was mistakenly taken into custody as the attacker."

Marston is to appear in criminal court of the City of New York February 4, 2008. The formal charges are as follows:
• 1 count Assault in the Second Degree
• 3 counts Assault in the Second Degree
• 3 counts Menacing in the Second Degree
• 3 counts Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree
• 1 count Resisting Arrest

This is not Marston's first run-in with the law. He was arrested in October 1999 on criminal mischief charges after punching an ATM machine. He was also temporarily recast for a few episodes last November for reasons never made public.

OCTOBER 18
Tonja Walker and Tuc Watkins return to ONE LIFE TO LIVE as the unpredictable Alex Olanov and David Vickers the first week of November. As Alex is one of the few people who knows David has Buchanan blood running through his veins, one can only imagine what she might be up to.

OCTOBER 15
After her annual two-month hiatus, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Erika Slezak is back as Viki on Friday, October 19. We know Slezak was on vacation, but what has Ms. Lord been up to?...

OCTOBER 10
ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Phil Carey is back in all his cowboy glory on Nov. 9, 12, and 13 when Asa appears on videotape to read his will. The Buchanans (and a few choice others) head to the family ranch in Texas for what is bound to be a hoot-and-hollering event.

OCTOBER 5
Despite online speculation that Michael Easton (John) is leaving OLTL this November, the actor confirms that he is staying put, at least for the time being. "I appreciate everyone's concern but it's unwarranted," he posted on his Web site, www.michael-easton.com. "Although it's not good policy to talk about contracts, I will tell you mine isn't even up in 2007 and I feel very fortunate to be working at ABC Daytime."

Catch up with the actor in a rare public appearance at Super Soap Weekend in Orlando, FL, on November 10 and 11.

SEPTEMBER 24
After less than a year in Llanview, Christina Chambers (Marty) has been let go. Chambers's last air date has yet to be determined, but the inside word is it won't be for a couple of months. The actress joined OLTL last November in the popular role originated by Susan Haskell, but after a year of front-burner action, fans didn't warm up to the recast.

SEPTEMBER 20
Llanviewers, get out your earplugs for the thumping-bass sounds of Timbaland when he appears at OLTL's Capricorn on October 9. The Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer will perform "The Way I Are" with Keri Hilson from his second solo album, Timbaland Presents Shock Value. "I am a huge fan of his music," raves Executive Producer Frank Valentini. "This is a new experience for me," adds Timbaland, who joins the ranks of onetime Capricorn acts Nelly Furtado, Mary J. Blige and Lifehouse. Also performing a single from Timbaland's album will be One Republic.

SEPTEMBER 19
Jason-Shane Scott reprises the role of Will Rappaport today on OLTL when Will returns to Llanview to support his jailed mom, Lindsay. Scott originated the role in 1998 and last appeared on the show in May 2005 after Will's sister, Jennifer, passed away. Look for Will to run into several Llanviewers during his stay.

SEPTEMBER 30
ONE LIFE TO LIVE fans are in for a double treat when they tune into DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES this fall. Nathan Fillion (ex-Joey) has been cast as Adam, the somewhat younger husband of Katherine (Dana Delany) and father of Dylan (Lyndsy Fonseca, ex-Colleen, Y&R;). Plus, Tuc Watkins (David) will play Bob Hunter, one half of the show's first gay couple...the "nice one." Kevin Rohm (JUDGING AMY) plays his partner Lee, the not-so-nice one. To find out just how not-nice Lee is, you'll have to wait until October, when Watkins and Rohm first air. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES returns Sept. 30.

AUGUST 27
Now that ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Lindsay has been fingered as the guilty party in Spencer's murder, will Catherine Hickland be leaving? That's what the actress wanted to know, but she assures Soap Opera Digest that she is sticking around Llanview. For more on her confab with Executive Producer Frank Valentini, check out the September 4 issue.

AUGUST 23
Trevor St. John has nabbed a recurring role in ABC's mega-hyped primetime soap DIRTY SEXY MONEY. St. John (Todd, OLTL) plays Nick George's (Peter Krause) father in flashback sequences. As the senior George dies in the show's first episode — and how he dies is one of the series' first storylines — how much St. John will be seen is uncertain. DIRTY SEXY MONEY focuses on the lives of the super-rich, super-spoiled Darling family of Manhattan, headed by patriarch Patrick (Donald Sutherland). Nick inherits the dubious job as the family's attorney after the death of his father, when Papa Darling begs him to, in the hopes that Nick will help keep his family on a more normal and less tabloidy path.

This isn't the first time Krause has played a character who has had to deal with the death of his father. In HBO's SIX FEET UNDER, Krause's Nate returned home when his father was killed in a car accident. Though dead, the senior Nathaniel Fisher (Richard Jenkins) recurred throughout the series. So there's hope for St. John yet!

AUGUST 17
Entertainment mogul Merv Griffin hired OLTL alum and former SOAPTALK host Ty Treadway to be the host for his new game show, MERV GRIFFIN'S CROSSWORDS, which bows in syndication this fall. Famous for his hands-on management of his projects, Griffin was too ill to visit the set of CROSSWORDS, but instead watched video footage of Treadway's rehearsals from his hospital room. According to Griffin's son, Tony, Griffin noted that Treadway's hair was not "hip" enough for TV and asked him to restyle it. Treadway happily complied and Griffin was pleased with Treadway's new 'do.

Reflecting on Griffin’s passing, Treadway said in a statement, "Working with Merv will always be the highlight of my career. He was the ultimate entertainer, businessman and teacher. Merv was a legend who could make you smile with a song, a joke or his infectious laugh. He touched so many lives and will be deeply missed."

AUGUST 17
Though she's not singing or dancing, Jessica Tuck (ex-Megan, OLTL) is still thrilled to be part of the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL phenomenon. "I feel very lucky. They already had such momentum before we started shooting HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2. I was hugely popular with my nieces and nephews who were all of the age to love HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL." Tuck plays Mrs. Evans, country club/yoga -loving mother to Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and Ryan (Lucas Grabeel). HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 made the record books when it aired on August 17, becoming the most-watched basic cable telecast of all time, with 17.24 million viewers. HSM 2 airs on the Disney Channel.

AUGUST 13
Jason Tam has inked a deal to stay on ONE LIFE TO LIVE as the singing and dancing Markko Rivera. Tam, who also appears on Broadway in A Chorus Line, will be getting more airtime as his love/hate relationship with Langston (Brittany Underwood) heats up.

AUGUST 7
Hunt Block (ex-Craig, ATWT) joins ONE LIFE TO LIVE this fall as an FBI agent on the hunt (get it?) for a missing Llanview resident. In Milestones, GENERAL HOSPITAL veteran Jacklyn Zeman (Bobbie) has split with her husband Glenn Gorden. Both of these items were printed in the August 7 issue of Soap Opera Weekly.