Development of a Character

Roger Thorpe: The Development of a Character
By John Davenport Kropinski
Soap Opera Digest, September 1977.

Roger Thorpe, a leading character on Guiding Light, can no longer be easily classified in the black-and-white categories of villain or hero. Throughout the past few years, his character has fluctuated from one extreme to the other. Recently, however, he's developed into a most believable character, whose complex personality and strong combination of character traits have made him seem even more human.

To fully appreciate just how much Roger's character has developed over the years, one must go back and examine how he grew from a selfish young playboy into the responsible family man that he is today.

Roger Thorpe was once a young, carefree playboy who loved to entertain young beautiful ladies in his Springfield bachelor pad. Holly Norris, a rich (and beautiful) airline hostess was one of his favorite guests. For Roger it was only a brief and casual fling --- but young and naive Holly mistook his intentions for those of true love. Holly fell head-over-heels in love with Roger, a feeling that, unfortunately, was not reciprocated.

Adding to Holly's unhappiness was the fact that Roger had his eye on another Springfield beauty: Janet Norris. Ignoring the fact that Janet was married --- to Holly's brother --- Roger stopped at nothing to win over the woman he wanted.

It was an emotionally crushing experience for Holly when she discovered that it was her own sister-in-law and best friend (Janet) whom her beloved Roger was interested in. In a dramatic confrontation, Holly went to see Janet and discovered that Roger had been there before. Feeling betrayed by both her boyfriend and her best friend, young Holly Norris aimlessly walked the streets in desperation. It was a dark, rainy night, and Holly let her mind wander. Suddenly, there was a scream. Brakes screeched. Holly was rushed to Cedars Hospital, struck by a car.

From that point on, Roger Thorpe was despised by the residents of Springfield. He had ruined two lives: Holly lay crippled physically and emotionally in the hospital; and, Janet Norris' marriage had suffered a serious blow. When even Roger's own father, Adam, scorned his irresponsible son, to everyone's pleasure the "villain" left town.

Things did work out ... later. Holly Norris married doctor Ed Bauer, whom she had met at the hospital. Janet Norris moved to California. Roger went to Texas, where he got involved with a beautiful nurse named Rita Stapleton. He was working on the luxurious Granger estate where Rita worked as a private nurse and companion to the wealthy lord of the manor, Cyrus Granger.

Time went by and the past was slowly forgotten. His father married Holly's mother, and Roger Thorpe sheepishly returned to Springfield for the wedding. Adam confessed that he was happy to see his son again, and Roger convinced everyone that he was repentant and eager to change his old ways. Springfield was ready to give Roger a second chance.

Roger decided to begin his own business. But things didn't work out, and he soon found himself in serious financial trouble. Trying to save his business, Roger borrowed money from local loan sharks. Things only got worse. Finally, he was forced to declare bankruptcy.

To help pay off his large debts, Roger went to the one person in Springfield who he knew could help him financially: Holly. As benefactor of her late father's fortune, Holly Norris Bauer could afford to be generous if she wanted to. She did. She lent Roger the money he needed.

Earnestly trying to work off his debt to Holly, Roger took on two jobs at once. He worked round-the-clock as cab driver and waiter, until he practically dropped from exhaustion. Holly discovered that she still had strong feelings for Roger --- in spite of all that had happened before.

Roger became ill at a time when Ed Bauer was out of town. Holy took advantage of the situation. While her husband was gone, she nursed Roger back to health and helped him to decorate his apartment. One thing led to another, and Roger and Holly soon rekindled their earlier relationship. But nothing had changed. Roger still did not love Holly. He realized, however, that it was wrong to lead her on again ... especially now that she was married. Ed Bauer returned home and Holly and Roger agreed that their affair must end.

The end of Holly and Roger's affair signaled a turning point in Roger Thorpe's life. Shortly thereafter, he met and fell in love --- for real --- with nurse Peggy Fletcher. At first, Peggy was reluctant to get involved with because of all she had heard about his scandalous past. But, after a while, she could no longer deny her true feelings: Peggy was in love with Roger Thorpe. Everyone in town soon noticed the change in Roger's personality. He had finally grown up.

Roger's big break came when he was offered the job of manager at a successful restaurant in town, The Metro. At home, he became a substitute father to Peggy's young son, Billy, from a previous marriage. Roger and Peggy's romance blossomed, and he slowly gained acceptance into Springfield society. Roger seemed ready and willing to accept the responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.

Just as his life seemed to be running smoothly, more problems arose. Holly confessed to Roger that the baby she was carrying was not Ed's ... but his. And, the loan sharks whom Roger had dealt with before demanded to be paid. They terrorized Peggy and threatened her son. After some difficult times, Roger confided the truth about Holly's baby to Peggy, and was able to pay the loan sharks their money. Being an understanding young woman, Peggy accepted Roger's explanations and forgave him for his past mistakes.

The problems and long delays at last passed, and Roger and Peggy were able to marry. They looked forward to a good life together. Roger tried to be a good father to Billy and a doting husband to Peg. At long last, he had earned the respect of the good people of Springfield.

But Roger's past continued to haunt him. Nurse Rita Stapleton surfaced at Cedar's Hospital.

Several days before his death, Cyrus Granger (who both Roger and Rita had worked for in Texas) had changed his will to include a substantial inheritance for Rita. Cyrus' son, Malcolm, abused Rita physically when she rejected his advances. Cyrus realized what had happened to Rita, and never forgave his son for mistreating her.

Rita moved to Springfield to start a new life. Malcolm Granger tracked her down and threatened to accuse her publicly of causing his father's death. But before he could carry out his threats, Malcolm suffered a stroke and died in the hospital. Rita was the last person to see him alive.

Though a medical board voted her innocent in Malcolm Granger's death, Malcolm's wife was determined to press the matter further. She hired Raymond Schaefer, an attorney, to investigate the circumstances surrounding her husband's death. Schaefer took his case to the district attorney. Rita was arrested and a long trial began. She deliberately lied about knowing Malcolm prior to his admittance to Cedar's Hospital, and her trial quickly turned against her.

Rita's motive for murdering Malcolm, alleged the DA, was to keep him from exposing her part in Cyrus' death. Her own alibi --- that she was on an errand for the elderly Granger at the time of his death --- was disproved in court, and the only key to her innocence lay with Roger Thorpe.

At the time of Cyrus Granger's death, Rita had been in a motel room with Roger. Rita had promised him, that under no circumstances, would she reveal her involvement with him, knowing that it would mean the probable end of Roger's happy marriage to Peggy. To complicate matters even further, Rita knew that Roger had fathered Christina Bauer while Holly was still married to Ed. Ed was now divorced from Holly and loved Rita. But with all the hurts she had already caused him, Rita knew that the truth about her and Roger would be the last straw in their troubled relationship.

Roger Thorpe was tormented by the guilt his silence had caused for Rita. He knew that he did not deserve his wife's trust in his honesty and his father's pride in the "new man" he had become. Breaking under the pressure, Roger took the first step to help in Rita's acquittal: he went to his father and confessed that he was the man Rita was protecting. Roger cried that he was tired of destroying other people's lives ... of hurting and being hurt in return. He realized that he had to tell Peggy the truth, knowing full well that she probably would be unable to accept yet more skeletons from his closet.

As the storyline progresses, we can't help but feel some empathy for Roger. The happy life that he has worked so long and hard to establish is about to fall apart around him. His character again is coming to a crisis of change: Will he go full-circle and come out the villain again?

Only time will tell what the future holds for Roger Thorpe, a man torn between a dark past and the prospect of a brighter tomorrow.