Groovy Giveaway: As the World Turns and Guiding Light DVD Value Pack

Courtesy of SoapClassics, this week's Groovy Giveaway is a DVD Value Pack of 40 memorable episodes from the beloved daytime dramas, As the World Turns and Guiding Light. Each four-disc collection features 20 complete episodes that have been restored from the original broadcast library vault, and they are divided into four categories - "Great Weddings", "Secrets and Scandals", "Oakdale/Springfield Through the Years" and "Villains and Vixens" (you can read more about them in my review below).

To enter to win this Groovy Giveaway, all you have to do is email your name and address to deepdishdrama@aol.com. The winner must have a US or Canadian mailing address, and entries close at midnight on Friday, February 3 (CST).

If you would like to give away something groovy (DVDs, CDs, books, theatre/concert tickets) on DEEP DISH, please email me at deepdishdrama@aol.com.

So what do I think of SoapClassics' DVDs? I LOVE them! The episodes look great - and it's about time that someone had the smart idea to release classic episodes of dearly departed daytime dramas.

The As the World Turns collection features 20 episodes from 1979 to 2010 and includes:

• Tom and Margo's 1983 wedding with the delightful Justin Deas and Margaret Colin (who were married in real life in 1988).
• Steve and Betsy's 1984 wedding, which attracted 20 million viewers, making it the second highest-rated show in American soap opera history (after General Hospital's Luke and Laura) - and it's fun to see a young Meg Ryan again as Betsy.
• Bob and Kim's 1985 wedding with Julianne Moore (Frannie) and Marisa Tomei (Marcy) sharing a scene.
• The emotional 1987 episode in which Lily Walsh (Martha Byrne) learns the shattering truth that Iva (Lisa Brown) and Josh (William Fichtner) are her real parents - and actor Brian Bloom makes an appearance as the original Dusty Donovan.

Of course, no ATWT collection would be complete without such memorable characters as Carly (Maura West) and Jack (Michael Park), Holden (Jon Hensley), Luke (Van Hansis), Barbara (Colleen Zenk), Lucinda (Elizabeth Hubbard), John Dixon (Larry Bryggman), James Stenbeck (Anthony Herrera) and Lisa (played by the fabulous Eileen Fulton). Click here for a complete list of episodes.

The Guiding Light collection features 20 episodes from 1980 to 2009 and includes:

• The 1980 "Death" of Roger Thorpe (played by Daytime Emmy winner Michael Zaslow) - and actor Kevin Bacon makes an appearance as Tim Werner.
• The dramatic 1981 confrontation between Kelly Nelson (John Wesley Shipp) and a pregnant Nola Reardon (Lisa Brown) after he learns that he is not the father of her baby.
• The 1981 outdoor wedding of Kelly and Morgan at Laurel Falls.
• An emotional 1982 episode featuring actress Jane Elliot as Carrie Todd, who suffered from a multiple personality disorder.
• The classic 1984 episode, in which Reva (Kim Zimmer) baptizes herself the "Slut of Springfield" in a public fountain.

And no Guiding Light collection would be complete without such memorable characters as Phillip (Grant Aleksander) and Beth (Judi Evans, Beth Chamberlin), Ed (Mart Hulswit, Peter Simon) and Maureen (Ellen Dolan, Ellen Parker), Josh (Robert Newman), Mindy (Krista Tesreau), Quinton (Michael Tylo), Alexandra (Beverlee McKinsey, Marj Dusay, Joan Collins), Alan (Christopher Bernau, Ron Raines) and beloved matriarch Bert Bauer (Charita Bauer). Click here for a complete list of episodes.

Below are the original, uncut versions of the As the World Turns and Guiding Light tributes that were not aired during the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2010 and 2009, respectively.