30 replies to this topic

[JAS0N47]

"Days" history fans, get ready for your next "Days" history lessons!!

Coming soon:

Learn how the first death on "Days" really happened...it's not entirely accurate how it's listed in the history books!

Plus, find out who had a big crush on Tom Horton in the early days of "Days."

[juniorz1]

I'm EXCITED!!! I LOVE your DAYS history lessons.

[JAS0N47]

Here is the way the first major death in "Days of Our Lives" history (that of Susan & David Martin's son, Dickie) was described in "Days of Our Lives: The Complete Family Album" (1995): "One early summer day, David took Dickie to the playground. There were other children, new sights and sounds, swings, slides and a sandbox. Innocently thinking the swing would be safe fun, David placed the baby in the harness that was too big to keep the younger children securely in place. Within a short time, Dickie slipped out of the swing and struck his head."

However, that description is not too accurate. It was not summer, they were not at a playground, nor around any other children...but in their own backyard. Now, after 45 years, find out how the first major death on "Days of Our Lives" really took place on Monday, May 15, 1967.

Be sure to check back over the next week as additional episodes detail the fallout from baby Dickie's death...and find out what Susan decides to do to her husband, David!

http://www.jason47.com

[CarlD2]

This is great to read. I've heard that book had a lot of errors.

[JAS0N47]

This is great to read. I've heard that book had a lot of errors.

Thanks, Carl. Hopefully over the next few years, we can delve into more "Days" history and find out in greater detail what happened in all of the other major events!

I'm looking forward to finding out about Jennifer's birth (which has been re-written to September 1976), but actually aired during a snow storm in February 1976.

Also, will be cool to find out the vows & stuff that happened during Mickey & Laura's wedding, Bill & Laura's wedding, etc...

[AMCHistory]

Here is the way the first major death in "Days of Our Lives" history (that of Susan & David Martin's son, Dickie) was described in "Days of Our Lives: The Complete Family Album" (1995): "One early summer day, David took Dickie to the playground. There were other children, new sights and sounds, swings, slides and a sandbox. Innocently thinking the swing would be safe fun, David placed the baby in the harness that was too big to keep the younger children securely in place. Within a short time, Dickie slipped out of the swing and struck his head."

However, that description is not too accurate. It was not summer, they were not at a playground, nor around any other children...but in their own backyard. Now, after 45 years, find out how the first major death on "Days of Our Lives" really took place on Monday, May 15, 1967.

Be sure to check back over the next week as additional episodes detail the fallout from baby Dickie's death...and find out what Susan decides to do to her husband, David!

http://www.jason47.com

Wow, that is a huge difference. Also, what a tragic way to go, death by swing set? I cannot imagine how this came off onscreen.

[will81]

It has also never been described how hostile David was during all this, and how he wanted a divorce and planned to move to New York. I know he and Julie wanted to be together, but it wasn't clear how that played out. Thanks for all this insight. I wish there were more in depth synopsis from Bell's 10 years on Days. The best era of that show.

[Susan Hunter]

This is great. I can't wait to read about it.

From what I understand, Susan and David were miserable at the start of their shotgun wedding and at one point Susan went riding on a wild horse at David's parents house to cause a miscarriage, but it didn't work. There was a softening period between the two of them, but I'm unclear as to when they went from giving the baby up for adoption to deciding to keep it. I was also under the impression that Julie was the driving force in getting David to runaway with her and the affair, as David was getting adjusted to life as a new father and Susan's husband. I didn't realize that David had become hostile as well.

[JAS0N47]

In today's update...Episode # 387 (OAD: 5/16/67)...Susan finds out what happened to Baby Dickie!

http://www.jason47.com

[Susan Hunter]

That was excellent reading. Thank you!

[CarlD2]

Thanks. These scenes sound incredible, even just reading the script. I can imagine Denise Alexander's performance, like I am watching it on a screen. Thank you so much.

[dc11786]

Thanks, Jason47, this has been fascinating to read. I look forward to future updates.

I squirmed reading the scene where David puts Dickie in the swing. I wonder how the audience felt watching that, knowing, but not knowing, what was about to happen. It was actually a bit of a turn off because it seemed so reckless on David's part.

It's interesting to get the added layers of the story that others have mentioned. Susan coming to grips with the end of her marriage and looking forward to a life with Dickie (and possibly Bill Horton). The conflict in the Martin home over David's decision to move to New York and all that this encompasses. Jason, am I correct in assuming the audience is aware at this point that Julie is pregnant. Susan's comment about making a life with Julie in New York and about being better to her than to Dickie seemed to imply that on my end.

Overall, I get quite a different picture of Susan Hunter Martin. She seems like she was always in a heightened emotional state, but justified based on her backstory and the obstacles that presented themselves in the story. When Dickie dies, I can understand Susan's decision to kill David as not only was he abandoning her, but he had taken away the one person who truly loved her.

The inclusion of Marie in those scenes was interesting. I wonder if they revisited her lost child after Dickie's death as Susan seems rather aware of the Horton family dealings (she mentioned Marie having an uncontested divorce). I do think the show should have explored the possibility of marriage between Bill and Susan at some point as it would have provided some interesting conflict for Julie, tied Susan to Horton clan, and provided Susan with the warm loving family she never seemed to find growing up or in her married life.

[JAS0N47]

Jason, am I correct in assuming the audience is aware at this point that Julie is pregnant. Susan's comment about making a life with Julie in New York and about being better to her than to Dickie seemed to imply that on my end.

Yeah, I got that same impression from that comment, too. I guess maybe the audience would know by then? Looking over the monthly cast charts, Julie really wasn't around much at all from April-December 1967. She was in around 20 episodes between April-September 1967, then she was off the show totally from October-December 1967. And then back big time in January 1968, with baby David's first appearance on 1/29/68. So, if they did the correct timeline, I doubt they would know she was pregnant yet (mid-May 1967 for last week of Jan. 1968 birth)? It's 8.5 months before she gives birth. If, however, she has one of those 11 month pregnancies, I guess the audience might know by then that she was pregnant! Depends on if she gave birth off screen...or not until she came back to Salem and gave birth in Jan. 1968. The set lists do list "Julie's Hospital Room" from 1/24/68 onward, so I'm guessing that is the birth week.

[JAS0N47]

She seems like she was always in a heightened emotional state.

Heightened state?? Just wait until more of the week plays out!! I always guessed she might have accidentally shot the gun at him one time......not even close!!

[Goldensoaps]

Really interesting!!!!! Thank you very much Jason!!! And please, write a book about DAYS!!!!! You have tons of accurate info!!!

[will81]

Thanks Jason47 this has been so great to read. Thank you for sharing. I always heard that Julie's pregnancy was revealed during Susan's trial, but that could mean the audience knew before. Or it could mean Bill Bell left it until Julie absolutely had to be showing before he let anyone know.

Edited by will81, 09 April 2012 - 08:05 AM.

[will81]

Re-reading it, David is moving to New York alone and Julie is looking for an apartment for him, not them. I doubt Julie's pregnancy would be known at this point, otherwise there would be no question of them being together and getting married.

I think Susan is assuming they will have children because at that time, that is what people did, married and had children. Julie wasn't a "modern woman" (as the term went) in that she didn't have career aspirations and wanted to be a wife and mother, so it seems more an assumption on Susan's part.

Plus David says this "You and I, Julie...we’ll have our own children. Maybe we’ll decide to live in New York."

I don't think the audience would know because it doesn't make sense that Julie would keep her pregnancy a secret from David, if the audience knew at this point, Julie would have told David straight away.

Edited by will81, 09 April 2012 - 08:19 AM.

[Susan Hunter]

This is so good that it has raised a number of questions for me. When did Susan find out about David and Julie? It doesn't seem that Susan is that upset about David and Julie as a couple from the dialogue. Does Dickie's death start the real feud? From reading other stuff, Julie was the bad guy and Susan was heroine. So is Julie actively plotting against Susan this entire time?

Thanks again Jason. This episode summary alone is better than anything I've seen on soaps in the last 10 years.

[jam6242]

This is so good that it has raised a number of questions for me. When did Susan find out about David and Julie? It doesn't seem that Susan is that upset about David and Julie as a couple from the dialogue. Does Dickie's death start the real feud? From reading other stuff, Julie was the bad guy and Susan was heroine. So is Julie actively plotting against Susan this entire time?

Thanks again Jason. This episode summary alone is better than anything I've seen on soaps in the last 10 years.

If I'm remembering correctly, David & Julie had been a couple first and almost eloped but her grandparents talked her out of it. David thought she had stood him up, got drunk, & had a one night stand with Susan, when she got pregnant. Julie and Susan were friends but I don't know whether Susan knew how deeply involved Julie and David had been. Susan married David just to give the baby a name and had agreed to divorce him after the baby was born. I don't believe Julie started scheming against Susan until Susan killed David. Julie was always portrayed as the bad girl but I always rooted for her, even though I did like Susan too.

[will81]

There is an episode on Youtube from Jul 29 1966 that basically has Julie recap everything leading up to Susan getting pregnant. It is called DOOL Summer 1966. A lot of flashbacks and exposition. From that episode Julie seems to blame herself and she and Susan are still friendly, though Julie clearly isn't happy. The sound is low so maybe use headphones.





Here is part 3