Behind the scenes

I took the exact dates from wikipedia, when the exact shooting days were can only be guessed.

- first kiss-

"Just like Tony" has just been filmed.

It is March 1985.

Judith has the script for the next episode and the episode script for the "first kiss" episode in front of her on the living room table. She reads the last lines of the script "keeping up with Marci" and then turns to the first kiss script.

The first few pages fly by until she comes to the scene with the flour fight. She has to laugh...funny... OK, what's next...

She continues reading and suddenly gets big eyes "WHAT, HOW PLEASE NO!"

Robert comes out of the kitchen into the living room. "Honey, is everything alright?" he asks.

"um no- I'm supposed to kiss Tony?! We're only in the first season and I'm supposed to kiss him already...?" she says indignantly.

"Show me" she hands him the script. He reads quietly to himself, has to laugh at the flour fight scene and then raises his eyebrows "... OK... well, that's kind of part of it, it's just a `movie kiss`..."

Judith shakes her head. "Robert... , I've only known Tony for just over a year. I can't do that... how am I supposed to kiss him...?!"

Robert walks up to her, gently takes her face in both his hands and looks deep into her eyes "You don't have to be so insecure, that's part of it, you have to keep in mind that some actors don't know each other at all and are already kissing!"

She looks at him and answers: "Yes I know that but it's Tony, he has become a good friend, like a brother and now I'm supposed to kiss him and look here- the scene is also with cut sequence, pause and then it goes on or how?" She exhales loudly.

Robert still holds her face in his hands and gives her a kiss. "It worked well for me back then, too.." He smiles mischievously at her.

"Yes... But I fell in love with you when I kissed you!" she blushes

Robert raises an eyebrow and laughs, "haha yes that's right, what a kiss like that can do," he says and winks at her. He gives her the script back and goes back to the kitchen.

'What a kiss like this can do,' it echoes in her head. Her gaze is now uncertain. She sits down on the couch, drinks her tea.

April 14, 1985

Two days before the shooting of the new episode "first kiss".

It's evening, Judith and Robert are sitting together in front of the TV watching the evening news.

"I'm going to bed now, will you come right away?" he asks, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Mhm, yes..." She flips through the script, reads the scene with the kiss over and over again.

...god what if I do something wrong or it looks stupid... What if he's incredibly good at kissing...

... What it's like to kiss him... Her eyes wander back and forth. She takes the glass of water on the table and drinks it empty.

Then she gets up and goes to the bedroom, puts on her pajamas and goes to the bathroom. While brushing her teeth, she looks in the mirror, lost in thought, staring into it. Then rinse her mouth and go to bed. Robert is lying there with a book in his hand and the bedside lamp is on.

"How can you just read stephen king's shining before sleeping? I'd get nightmares... Let alone read the book at all."

"Oh no, the book isn't bad, you know I like Stephen King!" he smiles at her.

Judith smiles softly and shakes her head slightly, "Ok, but don't take so long... Good night," she turns to him and gives him a kiss on the mouth.

"Good night dear, dream beautifully," he says softly.

Judith turns on her side, the moonlight shines lightly through the window and the wind blows lightly and rustles the leaves. She perceives every little noise and finds it difficult to fall asleep. Again and again the thoughts revolve around this one scene, this one certain scene that could change everything, between her and Tony and also between her and Robert. From the feeling it is just not right to kiss Tony, yes it is part of the acting existence and yes it belongs to the series, especially since she knows that a love relationship should develop between Tony and Angela, so the plan, but this whole process confuses her a lot.

She likes Tony very much, they have only known each other since the end of 1983, but they are already so familiar with each other. She has already exposed herself before him in the bathtub scene, but kissing him is a little more intimate than showing her body.

After a good half hour, Robert has fallen asleep with the book in his hand, she turns to him and gently takes it out of his hand and puts it on his bedside table. She covers him properly with the blanket, smiles slightly and then turns back on her side. She exhales heavily. The hours go by. Thoughts are circling. Sleep is almost unthinkable. But she has to be fit for tomorrow because she has to go to the "Movie set" again. At 3 a.m., she's still tossing and turning. Then she presses the pillow on her face...oh man... Even until 4 o'clock she still can't fall asleep and finally gets up quietly from her bed. She goes to the kitchen, turns on the light and puts the kettle of water on the stove to make herself a tea. She walks up and down, nibbling on her nails. After a few minutes, the water boils.

She takes a peppermint tea bag and a cup and pours the water into it and puts the tea bag in it. She sits down at the kitchen table and stares through the large window. ... What if he's good at kissing... What if he doesn't like the way I kiss... What if he likes the way I kiss?... Oh God, what are these thoughts that I have... She picks up her cup, gets up and goes into the living room. Judith turns on the TV. Newstime.

15. April 1985

7 a.m.

Robert got up, got dressed and went into the living room, he was already surprised that Judith got up so early, when he sees her sleeping on the couch.

He walks up to her and gently strokes her cheek "hey Judy...darling…"

She blinks slightly and looks around, "um, Robert?"

He laughs "haha yes... You fell asleep here."

"Sleeping? I could hardly sleep..." She says in a tired voice and yawns loudly.

Then she slowly sits up.

"Are you okay?" he asks her.

Judith nods slightly, "yes yes. Everything was good so far, I just couldn't sleep, too much in my head."

"I see, I'll make you breakfast ok, you have to leave soon"

"All right, but just a toast and coffee," she says, still tired.

"And a few eggs..." he winks at her.

She nods.

They have a quick breakfast together and Judith then makes her way to the studio.

Asaad Kelada is there and Tony Danza, they discuss the individual scenes and take another look at the exact markings on the floor.

"Hey Judith," she greets Tony warmly with a smile on her face. He walks up to her.

"Well you, hey you look very muzy, are you okay?"

Judith blushes slightly "um yes...I just couldn't sleep so well that night..." " or somehow not at all..."she mumbles softly.

"Excuse me?" he asks.

"Oh, nothing," she waves off. "What are you doing?"

"We're going to look at the marking points on the floor again and how it comes across well in front of the camera, we want everything to be perfect for the scene, huh," he winks at her. "Please come with me".

She follows him.

"Look here, when we're standing here, it doesn't come completely into the box when Angela and Tony kiss, so when we kiss and it has to be easy to see, we have to turn sideways to do it.." he moves his index finger back and forth" and if we run around the kitchen table first, then I'll grab you from this side here... The camera has to capture it well, we want to look good and the audience has to get everything from the scene, it's a super important scene...!"

Judith just nods at him. She looks confused, but only because of her confused thoughts.

He turns to her "hey Judy... Is everything really okay?"

She looks down, "yes..."

He takes her aside, "I don't think so. Do we want to talk?"

Judith looks him in the eye, shakes her head "no Tony, it's all good, really, I'm just missing sleep".

"All right" he says, but he is not satisfied with the answer, because he knows that something is going on.

You walk through the markings that are light on the floor and walk around the table.

Asaad observes the two and aligns the camera accordingly. Holds the thumbs up „that looks good you two, please stand on the left in front of the kitchenette...ok yes right there. There please also stand in the scene tomorrow !"

Tony and Judith nod at him.

"Well, I've got to go right away, I have another interview," Tony says and gives her a light kiss on the cheek.

Judith goes over to the fitting room to try on the clothes for tomorrow and to make any changes. Lani Reynolds is on site.

"Hey Judith, here's the skirt, can you please put it on.."

Judith takes the skirt and pulls herself around "ok, it slips a little, that wouldn't be so effective if it slips down while I'm running around the table" she says and laughs out loud.

"No, that wouldn't be it, wait, I'll make it tighter right away," Lani says, picking up a needle and thread and getting started.

A few minutes later, Judith also tries on the light blazer, blouse and beige pants she wears in the first scene. These fit very well. Like a glove.

"I'll put the hair bow here on the table for tomorrow..." Lani says and sorts the clothes for tomorrow. Katherine's polka dot dress, her white red necklace and red earrings are also hung forward on the clothes rack.

"Ok, then we're done for today" Lani says goodbye to Judith.

Judith herself leaves the studio.