The new online version of “One Life to Live” has trapped ABC in a Web of intrigue.
Prospect Park, which is launching streaming versions of “OLTL” and “All My Children,” says it “lent” ABC and “General Hospital” several characters from “OLTL” — after it was canceled by ABC — “so the characters could stay alive with fans and . . . so that the actors could remain working.”
Those characters stayed alive all-too-well, apparently.
ABC now says it wants to share actors/characters Michael Easton (John), Kristen Alderson (Starr) and Roger Howarth (Todd Manning) with Prospect Park, since they’ve caught on with “GH” viewers.
Prospect Park, which is ramping up its Web versions of “OLTL” and “AMC,” seems willing to compromise — as does ABC, to a point.
“Everyone at ABC and on the production staff of ‘General Hospital’ understood that this was a temporary arrangement until production started once again on ‘One Life to Live,’ ” Prospect Park said in its statement.
“These characters, who we own under our agreement [with ABC], are obviously essential to our production efforts, and a large reason we licensed the program.
“So even though we are paying ABC millions of dollars to license the shows, we have been, and continue to be, willing to equally share the characters with ‘General Hospital’ and ABC.
“It’s a win-win for the actors, the shows and the fans, who love all of the shows and storylines.”
ABC, in its statement, was more definitive regarding the characters appearing on both shows.
“ ‘General Hospital’ is excited about Michael Easton, Kristen Alderson and Roger Howarth staying on the show, and we are exploring ways to allow that to happen,” an ABC Daytime spokesman said.
“OLTL” aired its final episode on ABC in January 2012; “AMC” wrapped its 41-year run on the network in September 2011.