Paul Raven

Beaulah Land was a ratings success for NBC, especially as it was new product at the start of a strike affected season. But it was controversial and I don't think NBC ever repeated it, I wonder if it was shown again elswhere? It aired Tues/Wed/Thurs/ Oct 7-9 1980 "Peyton Plantation."' Or maybe Tara's Vulgar' or Auntie Betlum." Trouble in 'Beulah Land'By ALEX KENERS Frankly, my dears, it's hard to understand all the fuss that has attended "Beulah Land" over the last few months. "Beulah Land" (NBC Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights) is epic doo-dah, potboiler schlockpulp squeezed out of Lonnie Coleman's best-selling "Beulah Land" and "Look Away, Beulah Land." Still, NBC thought it best last spring to postpone the six hour authentic re-creation of soapy melodrama. That was after an ad hoc Black Committee against the airing of "Beulah Land" made it clear that it didn't like what it hadn't seen, but what it had received reports of. "We do not deny our role in slavery in all its demeaning forms," the committee said then. "We do deny being such gleeful participants without visible sign of coercion." Black politicians barraged the network with telegrams of protest while the miniseries was on location in Natchez, Miss. Last month the critical black groups saw the finished product, but that didn't pacify them either. Despite changes, members of the coalition, which represents the NAACP, Urban League and other black groups, have found the film to be "psychologically and politically dangerous." There are rumblings of a sponsor boycott. One black actor from the miniseries, James McEachin, who plays a faithful, old house slave, Ezra, has asked that his name not appear in the credits. "If this is the kind of garbage I'll be known for, then I hope I never work another day," McEachin has been quoted as saying. Of a scene that shows a slave woman suckling two children, one black, one white (it was not uncommon in the Old South), writer and coalition member Robert Pryce has said, "I would have liked to have seen how the man who slept with that slave woman felt about it, and how she fell about it. Did she do it willingly?If so, why? There is no black point of view in this movie. Indeed, Beulah Land — the Georgia plantation of the title — could be a theme farm for slavery, a demonstration plantation which blacks, if they are not exactly happy, shuffling Steppin Fetchit "darkies," are not only resigned to their lot, but often devoted to their firm but largely benign owners. Aside from Beulah Land's original villainous white overseer and his two mulatto sons (nastiness seems to be a genetic trait) and an occasional Cracker, the worst whites here are your Yankee soldiers) but that's bellum. NBC responded to the criticisms, and to the fact that no blacks had been consulted during the making of the movie, by soliciting the imprimatur of a highly respected black scholar, Yale Professor John Blassingame, editor of the Frederick Douglass Papers and an authority on the pre-Civil War period. Blassingame suggested changes to guarantee "historical accuracy" and advised NBC to trim one scene, which it did, to correct the impression that four slaves who are granted their freedom in the will of Beulah Land's first mistress (Hope Lange) don't want it, Of the series in general, Blassingame has said, "I think as entertainment, it works, but if I had to choose a film to show on slavery, this would not be the one. I think that what happens in 'Beulah Land' is plausible. But only as long as we're talking about a unique plantation, a unique set of masters. You could point to plantations that had some of the elements of Beulah Land,' none that had all of them " "Beulah Land" is certainly unique. It may not be "Son of Mandingo," but it seems as much concerned with garnering ratings as with establishing historical authenticity as it parades before us one steamy-sordid Harold Robbins-egg blue episode after another: assorted rapes — again it's the Yankees who are the most savage — adulteries and other sexual deceptions, quasi-incestuous and unwanted pregnancies, trauma upon trauma, shootings, suicide, an axe murder, arson, plantation burnings and pillaging, not to mention ail those deaths by natural causes And it's all more than a bit confusing as the three families of "Beulah Land" and its neighboring plantations and their retainers and slaves wed, reproduce and grow up and old, as their lives interwine in greed and passion, as they pop in and out of the epic sweep of "Beulah Land," often at the drop of a phrase like "I was really sorry to hear about the death of . ." The acting herein is well, Sysiphian, which is to say, a labor against all odds: against a script that, for example, calls for Floyd, the black freed man who replaces Roscoe as overseer, to return after years in the North — he left Beulah Land as a young man because he was falling in love with Sarah — remarkably unchanged by his experience. As for the movie's elaborately staged scenes, such as the evacuation of Atlanta, they are merely backdrops for the melodrama,By now it must be clear that "Beulah Land" is not an examination of slavery in the South, but a formula vision of plantation life, and to say that it trivializes slave suffering when it distorts nothing less than reality seems parochial

I don't think it was ever revealed in his lifetime, only when he died did Craig Curtis make the announcement. From Wikipedia In 2005, Holliman announced to a New York Post columnist that “his pal”, actor Anthony George, had died at age 84. Though he never spoke publicly about his sexuality, Holliman was confirmed to have had a male spouse at the time of his death in November 2024; his husband, Craig Curtis, spoke publicly to The Hollywood Reporter to confirm his death

Ah, the devious mind of Victor Newman, He has forgiven Matt Clark all his crimes, simply because he saved Nick's life and now has memory loss. Pity he isn't so forgiving of his own wife. Has Matt had any kind of medical exam. Or has Victor had GC's top neurosurgeon come to the ranch off camera? And what a plan. Matt will get close to Cane to uncover information that Victor will use to DESTROY Cane!!! Here's a tip for Phyllis-if she wants the respect of her children and the community, maybe stop acting like a total nutcase and set up her own business. She previously ran a successful hotel, which she threw away on a whim. I'm sure her dear friend Lauren could help her on that front. And what does Daniel do for money?

Feb 13 1962 No. 1 Fan Married Her Idol Start a fan club for an actor and you may wind up as his bride. That’s what happened to a pretty young lady named Ann Trinkhouse, a Pittsburgh girl and former airline stewardess. Ann, now known as Betsi Lee, was president of the International Fan Club for Craig Curtis, who has a lead role in the CBS-TV Monday through Friday daytime series, The Clear Horizon. As president of the club, Ann or Betsi (whichever you prefer) came into contact with Craig quite often. At first these were casual meetings as friends. ‘Then romance entered the picture and the climactic announcement came this month. Craig and his fan club pres were going to be married. The wedding took place at the Little Country Church of Hollywood. The only guests were cast members and the production crew of The Clear Horizon. Producer Manya Starr, who also does the major writing job on the daytime series, is writing Curtis out of the show for three weeks so he can have a proper honeymoon. ** Well that marriage was doomed. Craig Curtis ended up as partner to actor Earl Holliman who died at age 96 in Nov 2024.

Back to the GCAC wall support group. This show is so cheap.

Well the clip I saw that explains the title- where the out there older guy in full makeup states that he used to make a grand entrance but now has to tip toe had me puzzled. Where exactly is that happening? My statement about the safe streets etc was based on grabs I've seen of RTD/Cummings and others saying how grim things are and gays are under threat etc, not the show itself. That Tip Toe was much needed wake up call.

77/78 was a time of change at OLTL. In addition to Pinkerton, Doris Belack and Kathy Glass departed along with Kathryn Breech and Jameson Parker. Was any of this discussed in the Jeff Giles book? May 8 1977 The Soap Report Ax Falls at ‘Life to Live' by Jon Michael Reed. NEW YORK — A couple of eviction notices behind the scenes at “One Life to Live” have produced explosive jolts and everyone is sitting on pins and needles. It all began two weeks ago during a week that will go down in soap lore as something of a mini-massacre. On a Monday it officially was announced that Nancy Pinkerton had been axed from her four-year role as Dorian Cramer Lord and replaced by Claire Malis. On Tuesday, producer Doris Quinlan was lunching when a crew member, who’d heard rumors, asked when she was leaving the show. Quinlan fairly choked on her artichoke at this biting news. On Wednesday the entire cast, with the exception of George Reinholt (Tony Lord), drafted a letter to ABC programming chiefs, in which they itemized their grievances about the show, especially the lagging, repetitive pace of the show's writing. AFTER THE taping of Thursday’s show, Farley Granger, the former movie star who had joined the show a year ago in a blaze of publicity as Dr. Will Vernon, was informed that he’d just completed his last'show. Far-Far, as he was lovingly referred to by his castmates, reportedly had a tough time memorizing his scripts. But he did possess an attractive screen charisma, which his replacement lacks. Bernie McInerney (last seen as Jack and Mary’s annulment counselor, Father Richards, on “Ryan’s Hope”), fine actor that he is, would seem to be an odd choice to portray Dr. Vernon, who should make female hearts go pitty-pat. Then, on black Friday, came the cropper. Quinlan, who’d been futilely attempting to receive confirmation or denial from ABC executives about the rumors of her firing, finally received a priority telephone call, requesting that she please clear out her belongings because a new producer would be arriving on the set on Monday. "YES. I WAS MORE than a little unhappy and surprised,” says Quinlan, who reportedly opposed the cast dismissals. “I don’t really want to throw sour grapes. After all, firings are part of the business. But I am upset about the shabby way it was done, especially since I’ve been on the show since its debut. I helped put it on the air nine years ago. It has the best cast, the best directors, and it’s been a rewarding experience. Why did it happen? I had been fighting with the network for the last few months to improve the writing of the show. The only reason they gave for my dismissal was that the writing was slow and tedious. And yet they kept the writers and axed me.” OVER THE WEEKEND, everyone speculated about the unsettling goings on in the halls of ABC's corporate heaven. But on Monday morning, the smoke cleared a bit and Joseph Stuart descended to take over the producing reins of "OLTL.” Stuart had been director of daytime programming for the network ever since he was axed as the producer of NBC’s “The Doctors,” a program that won an Emmy award under his tutelage. Stuart is now wearing the shoe on the other foot. He strode onto the set and informed the cast that he wants to put together the best show possible. Alluding to the cast letter, Stuart, according to member, declared that “OLTL” complaint procedures “won’t exactly be handled as democratically — more like an enlightened dictatorship.” Then he added with a laugh, “The most important thing for all of us is to have fun, fun, fun.” It’s going to be a little difficult for those who fear that “Network” is alive and well and posing a constant threat to job security. But that's show biz...

If you are going to have a disaster, then something noteworthy needs to come out of it, rather than just hats off to the special effects team.

I think to get affiliates to carry their soaps/gameshows they were more lenient in allowing them to reschedule. But that plan backfired as the network shows were often placed in less advantageous timeslots, so didn't bring in the ratings at a local or national level and then the affiliates dropped them anyway. I think ABC had an advantage in the late 70's when daytime took off for them as they were often weaker stations who happily took all the network shows.

Re Lola Y&R Something was off about that character. She was just too staunch in opposing Kyle and his wealth. Like he gave her a designer handbag and she threw a fit, Girl, the guy is wealthy. Why should he have to hide or feel sorry for that? And because class difference hadn't been apart of the show in years it didn't feel integrated.

Thanks for the reminder. They should never have given those characters so many children, Chloe also has Bella and Miles. It might be more dramatically interesting if Billy had reservations about having a child with Sally. Or if she fell pregnant and wasn't sure she wanted a child with Billy. Something instead of happiness all round. Because most of these characters have been around forever, it's hard to come up with something new and interesting for them. Hence the reliance on 'business' stories and returning psychos. I'm glad that some posters like Lily and Cane together, but there would have been way more possibilities had Billy Flynn been a new character.

Well. that's just sloppy.

No more babies! They have nothing to do with the kids they already have. When was the last time we saw Harrison, Dominic, Connor, Christian, Johnny, Katie, Aria? And Charlie. Mattie, Reed or Faith?

Perhaps we won't see those characters on Y&R this week. They knew the airdates months ago for BTG so probably planned things so the Y&R characters won't be in 2 places at the same time.

What about the poster in the background -'Another World World' George Reinholt looks like a mashup of Robert Vaughan and John Forsythe.