masking Action Script??

[billingsgate]

Did this happen in Flash 7? I don't think so!

I'm controlling a movie clip from the timeline with simple Action Script. I use a mask to gradually reveal the clip with an iris-out (expanding circle mask). While the mask is tweening I hold the movie clip still at frame 6:

guyinbed_mc.gotoAndStop(6);

Once the full frame is revealed, I delete the mask shape. hey, I don't need it anymore! But at the frame where the mask shape is deleted, the movie clip starts playing. That is, the 'stop' action stops working!

I also notice another thing: While the mask is there, if it is not actually touching the movie clip (i.e. guyinbed_mc is on the right, while the mask starts on the left), then the Action Script also doesn't work. That is: the above 'stop' action is ignored, unless I put it on the actual frame where the mask shape first touches the guyingbed_mc movie clip.

How frigging annoying is that! I don't remember this happening in earlier versions.

Questions for y'all:

1) Is this an unnecessary new feature of Flash 8? or was it there in Flash 7 and I just didn't know it?

2) Is there a simpler way around this than to put in a lot of redundant Action Script on each and every frame?