GOOD WEST COAST VIBRATIONS FOR BARBARA CRAMPTON

Barbara Crampton, who plays Maggie Forrester on “The Bold and the Beautiful,” is thrilled to be back in Los Angeles after her New York City stint as Mindy Lewis on “Guiding Light.”

Crampton says she missed life on the West Coast and all her Los Angeles friends. “I really missed the California sunshine,” she says. “I couldn’t wait to get back here, because New York City is not really a place that suits my personality very well. I’m much happier in L.A.”

Originally, Crampton notes that she was planning to rent the home in the San Fernando Valley of former “Guiding Light” co-star Kurt Robin McKinney (who plays Matt Reardon).

“Actually, that’s been in print a few places,” she notes. “But at the last moment I changed my mind. I decided to go west, about as far west as you can go on the West Coast--Brentwood. In all my years of living in California I’ve never lived near the beach before. Now that I do, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. It really is beautiful there. I love it.”

Doesn’t Crampton miss anything about the Big Apple? “Mostly, I miss the friends that I made while I was there,” she says. “Also, walking down the street and going into the shoe repair place or getting a slice of pizza when I felt like it. So maybe I’ll find myself going back to New York City more often for visits. I had a good experience there. It was a different way to live than I’ve ever lived before. Battling the everyday elements of the New York City lifestyle gave me a strength that I didn’t know I had.”

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We regret to report that Thaao Penghlis will be leaving “Days of Our Lives” and his role of Tony DiMera sometime before the end of the year (no final air date was available at press time).

Penghlis created the role of Count Antony (Tony) DiMera in 1981, later departing the show in 1985, and then resurrecting Tony in 1993. In a press release, Penghlis notes: “I think it is important to realize that changes are an essential part of your growth.”

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Crystal Chappell, better known as Carly Manning on “Days of Our Lives” (1990-93) will be joining the cast of “One Life to Live” in early October.