By Tom Stacy

YOUNG AND RESTLESS's Jaime Lyn Bauer (Lorie, ex-Laura, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) is thrilled to return to her daytime roots for a six-week stint, but candidly admits that she is disappointed at the lack of roles available for women of a certain age.

"The really great shows, whether you're talking about daytime or prime-time, are the ones with the older people on them who are going strong," smiles the actress on a break between scenes. Bauer has strong opinions about soaps favoring inexperienced teens while benching beloved vets. "I have found, from talking to people about this, that the younger generation wants to see how the older ones do it. You've got to show more than one generation. Kids have problems with their parents, their grandparents, their teachers, their friend's parents. Shows that address these issues are on a roll. I can tell you that this mother has a basketful of stories," she laughs. "My baby is 16. My other one is 21, and my oldest is 24. There's a lot to explore there!"

Bauer, an original Y&R cast member who stayed with the show until 1982, and returned briefly in 1984, says that despite the passing years, soaps still have a stigma attached to them, which seems to be unique to the United States. "There is a prejudice against [soaps]," the actress emphatically states. "The pervasive thought is, 'You're not a real actor if you're doing a daytime soap,' where in Europe, it doesn't matter what you do. It's just another piece of work. There's a huge difference between Europe and the states. In the states, there is a prejudice."

To support her argument, Bauer cites the career of Oscar-winning actress, Dame Judi Dench, who fluctuates between meaty film roles, and the part she's played on the nighttime British sudser, AS TIME GOES BY, where she has played heroine Jean for ten years. "There is Judi Dench doing a daytime, videotaped show in London," she nods. "[In England] they air their daytime soaps at night. They make no distinction between film and videotape. Does the audience care? Should anyone care? They don't care. She's brilliant!"

Bauer cops that, at least at the place she called home for nearly ten years, generational stories have always been a part of the mix. "I've noticed since I've been back that Y&R really seems to care about what the fans think," she smiles. "And God bless Jeanne Cooper (Katherine). She's done so many incredibly awesome things, both on camera and off. I remember, and this was years ago, she was doing [construction] work on her house, and she's a very good carpenter. She did guy things. This woman was building and sawing and hammering, and let me tell you, this woman knows how to wield a hammer and nails. I would have been totally intimidated. If I had to be stuck on a deserted island with a co-star, it would be her. At least she could construct a shelter!" Bauer laughs.