Keeping Tabs: When in her native England, Emma Samms reports that she does try to keep abreast of what's going on in daytime, even though she doens't get to watch the soaps there. "I love your magazine," coos the devoted Digest fan. "Every opportunity I've had, I've read your magazine. A friend of mine is over in the UK. Her husband is in the U.S. military, stationed here, so occassionally I'll go with her to the base and to the commissary and there I get to see Soap Opera Digest, so I just have to pick it up. It's true! You can't get it anywhere else in England, so it's always fun to have a look, catch up and see what everyone is up to. (SOD 4/4/06)

Read SOD's article on Emma entitled "Emma Samms' Mixed Medical Bag."

Has GH Seen the Last of the Scorpios? GH fans who were left hungry for more Robert and Holly Scorpio are about to get a tasty treat:  Both Tristan Rogers and Emma Samms are slated to return in the very near future!
     The In Depth Story:  "Let's just say that the Luke/Holly/Robert triangle has not gone away," hints GH co-headwriter Robert Guza Jr. It's just a matter of hammering out some geographic and storyline logistics. While Rogers' return was a little easier to navigate because he lives in Southern California, Samms is firmly rooted in England with her two children. "She wants to return, I want her to, and we've got the money, so I think it's in the place," Guza says. "We're sketching it out. I don't want to lead you wrong, but it is my fervent prayer and belief that it is going to happen. I think it's just a matter of dotting some i's."
     Guza is enthusiastic about revisiting the once-famous triangle for very personal reasons. "I actually wrote a bunch of those scripts for them," he recalls. "I was a scriptwriter on the show at that point, when we first had her swimming naked in the mountain pond and talking about the wolf and Luke saying, 'That's not the only wolf on this mountain.' Years later, he and Robert [fighting] over the same woman... that's going to be fun!" (SID 3/28/06)

Holly Exits... And Returns? GH's Emma Samms' return as Holly ends Tuesday, February 28, as her role on the virus story concludes. But the door remains open for the good gal-turned-bad... and that's how she likes it!
     The In Depth Story: When ABC brass approached Samms about reprising the role of Holly, all the actress had to hear was that she'd be working with both Anthony Geary (Luke) and Tristan Rogers (Robert) again. "How could I not work with Tony and Tristan again?" she jokes. But now that she's gotten another taste of daytime glitz, is she tempted to make her stay longer? 
     "I'm so mixed up," Samms laughs. "My kids are in England. They're 7 and 9. I do a bit of work, but mostly I'm there looking after my kids. I only take jobs that are short, so if they had asked me to come back for six months, I would have said no. The two-week thing was perfect. Of course," she adds with a sly grin, "if I could do two weeks every couple of months, that would be absolutely perfect!"
     Another thing that would prod her into another return are the GH fans, whom she credits with her entire acting success. "The fans are what made my career," she says with sincerity. "They respond with such warmth and so demonstratively of what they like and don't like. Daytime is the only genre where the fans absolutely dictate what's going on. So they gave me such a boost. I wouldn't have done the good work that I did if I hadn't had the confidence that I had... I wouldn't have gotten the job on Dynasty if I wasn't doing good work, and then I wouldn't have gotten work around the world as a result of that.
     "It all goes back to the wonderful response that I was lucky enough to have from all those fantastic people who watched and bothered to say something. So I'm greatly indebted to the audience of GH." (SID 3/14/06)

For more up-to-date info on Emma, go to my pal Danielle's fabulous site, EmmaSamms.net

Samms Wraps at GH:  It seems like she just arrived, but Emma Samms wraps up her eight-episode stint on GH this week, and the actress tells Digest that she would love to return. "I certainly have been lobbying big time," says Samms. "But it's entirely up to ABC and the audience. The audience plays such a large part of daytime, and I thank them for my good fortune to start with. How they respond will ultimately have a lot to do with whether I get asked back or not."
     Samms already has one power player in her corner- scene partner Anthony Geary (Luke). "When I returned, Tony said, 'We're so pleased to have you back and I'm lobbying to get you to come back again. I've also been lobbying to get the monkey back [laughs].' Then, in week two, he said, 'I'm not lobbying for the monkey anymore. I'm just lobbying for you,' and I said, 'Well, that's nice.' He said, 'The monkey got another job [laughs].' Tony, who I absolutely adore, can get away with that. Working with him is still the great joy now that it was then.
     Samms reports that she was thrilled that the writers took Holly back to her con-artist roots, and teases that fans can expect an unexpected denouement. "It was great fun popping into town, causing trouble and then leaving again. She's very angry and hurt that Robert could have left her and not told her he was alive for all those years, and that is burning into her soul. But, there's still a lot of love for him and hopefully, that will come through. There's still the great attraction that she and Luke had, so that gets played, as well. They did not kill [Holly] and [she] left with difficult circumstances, but circumstances that I'm sure Holly is able to get herself out of. I did a lot in eight episodes.
     Samms sums up her GH experience by noting, "It wa like a classic soap flashback, except that we're all a little bit older. It was quite scary because after I said yes, I had two weeks of knowing I was coming back to the show," she chuckles, "which is enough time to hit the gym, but not enough time to have the major surgical repairs one would hope for." (SOD 3/7/06)

GH's Robert: Holly Cow!  Holly returns to Port Charles this week on GH, but she's not the sweet gal we remember.
     Holly sets the meeting in motion when she disquises her voice, phones Robert and makes him a million dollar offer he can't refuse. "She has the antidote to the virus and offers to sell it to him," reveals Emma Samms (Holly).
     It turns out Holly's late husband was a shareholder in Crylium Industries, the company that makes the drug. "The interesting thing is that Holly was a con artist when she first came on the show," reminds Samms. "She's also very angry with Robert because he pretended he was dead for all those years. That anger and her old instincts are what's [driving her]."
     Robert, of course, accepts Holly's offer. "He has no choice. She has him over a barrel. So they set up a meeting. But Robert doesn't know he's meeting Holly."
     Robert and Luke attempt to ambush the mystery woman on the docks. "Holly was just supposed to meet Robert, but when she sees Luke is with him, she realizes it's a setup," says Samms. "Fortunately, Holly has brought people with her to back her up. There ends up being a bit of a gunfight. Holly gets away, leaves the money behind, and takes the antidote with her."
     A second meeting is arranged to make the exchange, and this time Robert promises to come alone. "They meet outside the hospital," previews Samms. "It's very dramatic. Holly is wearing a coat with a hood, so Robert doesn't see her right away. Once she takes the hood off and turns around, he realizes it's her. Robert's completely shocked. 'Oh, my God! It's you.'"
     Of course, "Robert is appalled," adds Samms. "Holly has a lot of affection and love for Robert, but she also explains that she's angry at him. How could he let her and Robin think he was dead all this time? Holly feels like he deserted her. Robert doesn't even try to explain. He's just desperate to get his hands on the antidote."
     And she's anxious to punish him. "Holly takes the briefcase of money," details Samms, "then she tells Robert, 'I'd be foolish to give you the antidote.'" Which doesn't bode well for the citizens of Port Charles. (SOW 2/28/06)

What to Watch- After 13 years, Emma Samms returns to Port Charles as Holly Scorpio. She's just in time for GH's 11,000th episode (which means ABC's longest running drama has had nearly 43 years of love triangles, baby mysteries, and the occassional hospital visit.) Samms so loved getting back to her "con-artist roots," working with Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) and visiting veteran Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers), that she threatened to "come back, cause some trouble, and leave again." Don't tease us, lady. (by Abby West, Entertainment Weekly, 2/24/06)

February Sweeps- GH:  Delusion, dissension and death ensue when a mutant strain of encephalitis sweeps through Port Charles in February. "A number of people will get sick, and more than one will not survive," hints GH co-headwriter Robert Guza Jr. "As a result, the canvas will be completely changed- different people will be together, relationships will have changed, and people will have died." Guza and writing partner Charles Pratt Jr. give SID readers the juicy details.
     Holly Returns!  "Luke is the one that brings the disease to town, so Robert's return was just a natural," says Pratt, adding that the dynamic duo of the 1980s is thrown together but don't realize it at first. "They are going to be forced to work together and resurrect old times. The question is, will they be as good now as they were then, and are they even on the same side?" And how will the late-February return on Holly- whom both men loved- impact their friendship?"

GH: Why Holly and Not Anna? GH fans were tickled by the news that fan fave Tristan Rogers (Robert) would be returning to his Scorpio roots, and that he wouldn't be flying solo. Since Scorpio's daughter, Robin, made it back to Port Charles last year, most fans assumed that her mother, Anna, was on the way. So they were caught offguard by the announcement that Robert's other wife, Holly, would be making the journey instead.
     How'd that happen? "We love the idea of bringing back legacy characters," explains Head Writer Robert Guza, Jr. "We love that era of Robert and Holly and Luke. That's the key. Anna would have been great [to resurrect], and obviously as Robin's mother, there's story to play with her and Robert. But what Holly gives us is that great Luke/Robert/Holly triangle which, under these circumstances, was far richer and gave us far more stuff to play."
     So, the door's open for an Anna return? "Absolutely," nods Head Writer Charles Pratt, Jr. "We talk all the time about Anna Devane [Finola Hughes]. We talk about Sean and Tiffany [played by John Reilly and Sharon Wyatt, currently opposite one another as Passions's Alistair and Rachel]. We're very into this. We love the idea and you can tell your readers they will see more of this happening."
     And, great news, Scorpio fans: Rogers and Emma Samms's (Holly) stints may last longer than originally expected. Guza explains, "None of these [returns] are short-ended. Robin isn't short term. Tristan has not told us he wants to be short-term. Rick [Springfield, Noah] is around for the duration. Nobody has said, 'We're outta here.' Right now, it's all wide open." (SOD 2/14/06)

Returning- It's official! Emma Samms is returning to GH for seven episodes starting Feb. 20. I was shocked and surprised," admits Samms of getting the call from ABC. "I was especially thrilled when they said Tristan [Rogers, Robert] was going to be there. That's what clinched it for me." While Samms is in the dark about her storyline, there's one scene she's counting on. "I want to see that epsiode when Robert and Holly meet up again!" (SOW 2/7/06)

British Beauty Returns! Could Holly be Sam's Mom?- As we went to press, ABC confirmed that Emma Samms would be reprising her role of Holly Sutton. The actress, who played the part from 1982-85 before returning from 1992-93, will first hit the airwaves on Monday, February 20.
     According to one insider, Holly's return to town isn't only to because Robert is helping out their old pal, Luke, solve the riddle of the mysterious virus ravaging the town. Our spy reports that the British beauty may soon learn that she has a daughter... Could Sam and Robin (gasp) be half sisters? Stay tune!. (SID 2/14/06)

Returning- Play it again, Samms! GH has asked Emma Samms to reprise the role of Holly Scorpio. Although the show was trying to keep a lid on the news at press time, word clearly got out to some cast members. "We've got so many people coming back,"Anthony Geary (Luke) noted in an interview with SOW Editor Carolyn Hinsey on Jan. 10. "We've got Rick Springfield (Noah), we've got Tristan [Rogers, Robert] and I hear they're tralking to Emma."
     When last seen in 1993, a scorned Holly left Port Charles after discovering Luke's look-alike cousin, Bill Eckert, cheating on her with his old flame, Victoria. Longtime fans will also recall that Luke and Robert battled over Holly after Luke was presumed dead in an avalanche- and then returned. (SOW 1/31/06)

GH Casting Shake-Ups: Samms In; Maule Out- Hot on the heels of Tristan Rogers's return to GH as Robert Scorpio comes news that his on-screen ex-wife, Holly, played by fan favorite Emma Samms, will also resurface in Port Charles. Though unconfirmed by the show at press time, setsiders report that Samms's return will help explain where Scorpio has been for more than a decade.
     Samms originated the role of the spunky con artist-turned-sleuth in 1982 and left the show in 1985, when she went on to prime-time as the recast Fallon on Dynasty and its short-lived spin-off, The Colbys. Samms returned ti her GH roots from 1992-93, and made another stab at nighttime as Grayson with the ill-fated Melrose Place spin-off, Models Inc. (SOD 1/31/06)

Update- Another Scorpio checks in- Holly's return is confirmed in ABC press release.  First Airdate Will Coincide with Show's 11,000th Episode.  Continuing the successful and hugely popular return of many legacy characters to the canvas, award-winning actor Emma Samms returns as Holly Sutton Scorpio on the top-rated "General Hospital," the role she brought to life over twenty years ago, it was announced today by Brian Frons, president, ABC Daytime. In time for the show's powerful February sweeps storyline, her first airdate will be February 20, which will also coincide with the show celebrating another milestone: 11,000 episodes.
     "In addition to bringing exciting stories to our audience, we strive to make use of the rich history of 'General Hospital,' and we are thrilled that an accomplished actress like Emma will be returning to reprise such a legacy character, " said Mr. Frons in making the announcement.
     "I'm so thrilled to be visiting Port Charles again. Among the many jobs I've had over the years, 'General Hospital' has always been close to my heart. I'm so looking forward to seeing a lot of dear friends, in front of and behind the cameras. And, as for the scene when Holly and Robert meet again,
     I will definitely tune in for that!," adds Ms. Samms.
     In the upcoming storyline, Holly mysteriously returns to town as the health epidemic comes to a feverish pitch, and along the way she has a reunion with Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers) and Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary).
     Last seen on "General Hospital" in 1993, Ms. Samms has also been seen in "Doctors," "Dynasty" and its spin-off, "The Colbys," "Models Inc." and "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman."

From Colby to Holby as Emma roughs up
Ex-Dynasty star Emma Samms is playing her most unglamorous role ever- as a man-eating patient in Holby City. The 42-year-old actress, who was the epitome of glamour as Fallon Colby in the 1980s US soap and spin-off The Colbys, had to dress down in an NHS nightie and wear no make-up for the part of Elizabeth Woods.
     She told TV Plus: "People will be surprised I'm looking so dreadful and old, but it is more than 10 years since I did Dynasty." Yet she was thrilled to lose her glamorous shoulder-padded image for the role in the show to be screened next month.
     She said: "It's my most unglamorous role ever but it was great fun. I filmed for two months and, all but a few scenes, I was lying in bed as my character Elizabeth Woods is being treated for osteoporosis. I'm very pale and sickly in it- I had to go into make-up every morning to make me look even rougher."
    Her character is, says Emma, a femme fatale who tries to seduce her doctor played by Art Malik. "She has an obnoxious husband and a delicious doctor who she has the hots for. She does get to wear a few racy bras under her NHS nightie in a bid to get his attention. "One of the reasons I did the drama is that Art appeared with me in my first-ever film back in 1977." (by Derek Robins, Yahoo! UK)

And here are some miscellaneous Emma Samms interviews and stuff: her Holby City appearances, Pretend You Don't See Her movie and bio, her GOSCHCC charity pic,  Emma with pals at Starlight event, and pictures and quotes of Emma from Treacherous Beauties.