Television's longest-running scripted program has filmed its final scenes. The cast and crew of Guiding Light taped the series' final on-location scenes in Peapack, New Jersey on August 11. The scenes being taped, however, will not necessarily be broadcast as part of the show's final episode. On-location scenes are taped out of sequence. The final in-studio scenes were taped last week.
"It's here, the final day of taping," Frank Dicopoulos (Frank Cooper) tweeted on his Twitter page. "We thought it was going to rain and prolong things an extra day. No rain, just heat. This is it."
It's been just over four months since CBS announced that it would not be renewing Guiding Light's contract. Despite an exhaustive effort to find a new home for Guiding Light, TeleNext Media announced last month that it was unable to reach a deal that would allow Guiding Light to continue airing.
"Unfortunately, despite the urgent and dedicated efforts of many people, we have not been able to secure an outlet to carry the show moving forward. We are extremely disappointed with this outcome, but we are confident we have exhausted every possible option," Brian T. Cahill, senior vice-president of TeleNext Media, said in a statement.
The show has quietly moved forward with selling off many of its assets. Other items, such as the show's extensive wardrobe, are being donated to a New York-based charity that helps economically disadvantaged women find employment.
Upon completing its final episode, Guiding Light also donated $10,000 to a church in Peapack to help pay for new chandeliers and refurbish the lighting in a community room. The donation was equal to one made last month to the town's Borough Council. That donation was budgeted for picnic tables and benches at Komline Park.
Last week, CBS announced that it would be bringing an updated version of Let's Make A Deal to its daytime lineup to replace Guiding Light.
Guiding Light, which aired its first episode on June 30, 1952, will air its final episode on September 18, 2009.