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It's merely a coincidence that Charita's last name is the same as her character. However, she did ask the writers to name her first on-screen child Mike. When Mike Bauer was born, Charita also had a son. Since GL was filmed live, she was afraid she'd slip up and call Mike Bauer by her own son's name. If the names were the same, slip-ups weren't an issue. The writers agreed. Those who've been watching Guiding Light for a long time know what a remarkable woman Bert Bauer was. She wasn't originally like that. She used to be quite a nag (and her husband, Bill Bauer, turned to other women and alcohol). Through the years Bert Bauer turned into the kind-hearted soul that many grew to love. For those who were fortunate to work with Charita Bauer, they knew what a kind, caring person she was. She was the "mom" behind the scenes. She would fill newcomers in on Guiding Light's history and stories. Robert Newman (Josh) recalls "She was just so great. My fondest memories are when we had the chance to act together in the hospital scenes back around '83. She had gotten her leg amputated in real life and wanted it written into the show. They obliged and Bert went through the same procedure. At the same time, Josh had been paralyzed from the waist down and was not too happy about his predicament. We had several scenes in which Bert would come to Josh with the "Come on kid, you can do it!" kind of speeches. In the studio she was always a total professional. Sharp wit and incredible presence. Not many like her will come this way again. These days we don't really have a pre-ordained, appointed-by-God leader like that. Jerry [ver Dorn, Ross] comes closest, but I think even he would agree that Charita was something very different. I miss her." Charita Bauer was born on December 20, 1923 in Newark, New Jersey. She made her Broadway debut at the age of nine, playing a role in Christopher Morley's Thunder on the Left. She held many radio show roles, including parts on Our Gal Sunday and Young Widder Brown. Charita was divorced and had one son. In the late 1970s, Charita was given the Outstanding Mother Award by the National Mother's Day Committee. In 1983 she received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy for her work in daytime television. Charita left GL in late 1984 due to her health problems. She died on February 28, 1985 in New York City. She was 62. The Bauer family on Guiding Light mourned Bert on the show in 1986. Related Links:
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In 1950, Charita Bauer took over as the voice of