“I originally got this book randomly in my high school library because I had to do an oral presentation on a non-fiction book. This was before Christmas break. I had only read the first 20 pages or so up until a couple weeks ago.”

“Twenty two days ago my daddy passed away. A random heart problem while he was jogging. I am still dealing with how much I really miss him. For the first week, going through with the viewing, funeral, and burial, all I could feel was self-pity, and pity for my little brother and sister, who are only 7 and 8. My little brother Brady is autistic but so incredibly clever like Dad was. Anyway, I kept thinking how unfair it was, that at only 15 I hady father taken away from me.

Then I continued to read this book. This book made me realize that I’m not the only one who has gone through things like this and now I’m certainly lucky to still have my siblings and my mother. You guys are so tough. I wish I could be as tough as you.”

Dear Amanda, Liz, Diana and Dan,

My name is Lee Godart and I played opposite your Mother on the Edge of Night. I stumbled onto your site while looking at some videos, and it stirred a flood of memories and feelings. Your Mother was a wonderful actress who raised the level of everyone she worked with – I know she raised mine, and I consider myself a better actor for having worked with her; not only was her technique impeccable, it was also effortless, and to round it off, she had what is known in the business as a “nature,” a largesse of emotion and personality that turned her into a gale force, a beautiful gale force, magnificent to watch, and thrilling to act with — and gorgeous! She spoiled me.

But what made Ann really special was a generosity of spirit that enveloped you and made life seem brighter.  EON was my first show in the US, first taste of the city, those early morning calls! Once I overslept, arrived at the studio at eleven, to find  Ann with laryngitis.  Somehow, we managed to get through the scene.  It’s hilarious to watch now, but I never wanted to disappoint her again.

You know, sometimes the years give a different flavour to people and events, but I know that I was happy then. I loved Ann unashamedly, and although it was nothing more than a friendship,  on my side at least it was deep, and her death was a disruptive phase in my life. It pains me enormously not to be able to talk to her now, to be in her presence, and to know that I will never be again, and to wonder if I could have been a stronger person.

You may not remember, but I met each of you, I was out at your house a few times, and even have a slide picture I had taken, that I will transfer and send to you. I’m so very happy that you have all made it through what must have been unthinkable pain, and that your lives seem good now. Somehow, writing to her children feels like touching her again, and I am grateful for the opportunity to say these things to you that I cannot say to her.  There are so many memories, but I had to send this to you tonight.

Love, and many blessings,

Lee

Here is his email, in full, reprinted with his permission, of course.

To: Amanda, Liz, Diana, and Dan

Subject: The Unexpected Chilean Student

I don’t  know how to start writing these lines after 28 years, but I couldn’t help it after reading your book, “The Kids are All Right.”

I’ve got the best memories about the time I spent living with you at the gray house, as you called it, and many times I wondered about you and your different lives.
I remember your mother as a beautiful, nice lady, and I boasted telling stories to my friends about how lucky I was to have met this famous celebrity and her wonderful family.

After reading the book and realizing how difficult things were at that moment, I thank you all very much, and specially Amanda and Liz, for your generosity in receiving me and making possible that those 8 weeks were one of the best times I have had in my life!
I have so many good memories that I would like to share with you but, that would take a very long e-mail. Tomorrow is my 45th birthday and …how could I not recall the fantastic surprise party you threw me (so well described in the book), likely to be my best birthday celebration ever!

I hope Dan remembers me as he was very young at that time, but I am almost sure Diana doesn’t , I am enclosing this photo with her reading the book that your aunt gave your father for his birthday, she was such a sweet little girl, who did give me her teddy bear the day I left, which decorated my room for many years until I got married.

Hope to hear from you,

Best Regards,

Andres

It was amazing to hear from Andres, and we wrote him back immediately. Hopefully, he’ll share more memories with us!

It is amazing, really, to have a mother who was so beloved by so many people, not as our mother but as her characters.  The soap community remembers her so fondly–friends have reached out to say how much they enjoyed the book like John Cunningham, who played Garth Slater her alcoholic husband on Loving.  Morgan Fairchild cried on Good Morning America about how much mom loved her kids. And she cried on the phone to me years ago to say how she wished she did not have to kill her on Search for Tomorrow.  Courtney Simon sent a letter to say how proud our mom would be of us for writing this story together!  And then when I wrote an ode to my mother, and the end of soap operas as we know them for the Op Ed page of the NYTimes even more people got in touch.  Including Mary Stuart’s son. She started with Search for Tomorrow back in the radio days playing Jo.…   Eunice was her sister and Mary was Dan’s Godmother.  In fact, while writing the book, we reconnected with her.  She told us about her memoir, Both of Me, about playing the same role for more than three decades!  And then, months after we met, Karen Kayser called to say, ‘your mother is in the newspaper… ‘ Mary Stuart’s obituary had a picture of mom smiling down on us, I think, as if to let us know that she is all right as well.

Click here to read …

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“It started with Montgomery calling Peter sometime in 1986. He told us about the tragic history of the four children in Bedford who had lost both their parents. Montgomery and Daisy had accepted to become legal guardians of one of them, the young girl of seventeen called Liz. Having been friends with the Stewarts for many years we where happy to say yes when  asked  to host her stay in Norway for a few month.  They thought a new scene would be good for Liz.”

Our three children–Carsten, Erik and Elisabeth–where 7 and 6 years and 8-months-old.  The boys where anxious to live with an American girl from who they could pick up new English words. They where happy to let Liz have one of their rooms all to herself.

Liz came in August 1986, and we all thought she was a very nice, open American girl. She soon became part of the family.

One of the first things we did with Liz was to bring her down to our cottage, located on a small island (Vasskalven) about 120 kms south of Oslo. Soon she met all of our family + numerous friends. She fit right in. During her stay, we learned to appreciate her pleasant  personality.

She taught us to make many different dishes. For instance, her lasagna became the family`s recipe and it still is.

Liz said in The Kids Are All Right that Hege taught her to knit. The problem is that Hege never was a good knitter. And yet, Liz managed to make a pullover for her sister Diana. We talked a lot about losing both her parents. She worried about Dan a lot, but she felt that Diana had come to a nice family. She did not worry much about Amanda either. Liz talked daily about her brother and sisters, and showed serious concern.

Hege lost her mother in a car accident when she was six years old, and Peter lost his father when he was 5. At least, we had some understanding of what it meant to lose a parent.
Upon the return to Oslo Liz started to clean our friend`s houses to earn some money for her forthcoming trip around Norway and Scandinavia.

We had to go to the States while she was staying with us. She babysat the boys. We brought Elisabeth with us. Liz told Hege to buy “The Silver Palate Cookbook” in the States. And of course we did.

Liz managed to find French croissants in Oslo. We did not know that they even existed at that time!  On the morning of our wedding anniversary, she woke us up with coffe and croissants. TYPICAL LIZ!!!  She also made us a gourmet dinner that evening from page 77 in that cook book;  Pasta with Lobster and Tarragon.

We also had a big dinner party and she made a gourmet dinner from the cookbook:  herb crepes with caviar and sour cream, rack of lamb and chocolate souffle for dessert. Liz became quite famous for her cooking among our friends. And everybody loved her choclate chip cookies, especially the boys and their friends.

Late in the fall, Liz took off on a backpacking trip to Bergen, Trondheim, Sweden and Finland all by herself.  WHAT A BRAVE ADVENTUROUS GIRL !!!
She came back to us after her trip full of stories. Soon after she went back to America. It got quite empty after she left us.