All My Shadows

Yes, that's the gorgeous Barbara Stanger. According to the description on YT, this was a documentary produced in the early 70s about the making of an episode of a soap opera, and they included some of the finished scenes at the end. The poster purchased the documentary on eBay and it came without an audio track.

I always loved Gordon Thomson's shot, where it looked like he lying down with the champagne in the a bucket of finely crushed ice.

Nick, IMO, was that particular type of pained character who was always in agony over past regrets and mistakes. He rolled with the flow, but there was always that chip on his shoulder...deep down, though, he knew who'd put it there.

Awesome, thanks to whatever loser is trying desperately to make sure we can't watch episodes of a soap opera that hasn't helped line anyone's bank account in over 30 years, all of the late 70s/early 80s episodes have either been deleted or privatized on YouTube. Fabulous. Don't they realize that we would GLADLY watch these legally if they offered them to us!?!?

I can't believe y'all haven't posted/discussed this yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v4PvfmyOWA There's no sound, but it's a bunch of clips from March 1973, in color!

I actually have the first episode of Forever Fernwood on tape. TV Land aired it as part of a celebration for Norman Lear's 80th birthday twelve years ago. I haven't had a VCR in years, and I have no idea how I would even upload it to YouTube, but I would totally put it up there. I figured someone else who'd taped it then would have put it up by now, but nope.

I don't know why, but Bethel Leslie's Maggie seems much older than James Pritchett's Matt. I know that JP is actually several years older than BL, but Maggie just has a very matronly vibe about her that I can't get over. It doesn't hinder my enjoyment of the character, but I have to remind myself that she and Matt become the show's central couple, albeit with Lydia in the role. Perhaps it's the contrast between Maggie's very calm, cool, collected demeanor vs. Matt's perpetual turned-up status. Y'all can have David O'Brien, though. I was very unprepared for the hotness that is Terry Kiser, circa 1967 It's really interesting to see a true workplace-based soap. When was the last time GH was this focused on the hospital and its staff? I can only imagine how awesome it was back then to watch soaps that were actually different from each other and had different types of storylines. Sidebar: I know the show is The Doctors, but every time we see all those nurses crowding around the nurses' station during the opening and closing credits, I'm very eager to see what their stories are. Yo, RetroTV, might as well see if "The Nurses" is still out there! Other things I've enjoyed: Matt calling Nick out on "offering Althea marriage." He said exactly what I was thinking. Years ago, when I first became acquainted with this show and its storylines, I thought I'd absolutely love Nick Bellini, but so far, he's been a conceited !@#$%^&*] with a chip on his shoulder because he can't keep his prick in his pants. Liz is classically shrill, but I can't help but feel for her. He's making her feel as though she should not be excited for her own wedding -- it's like he wants her to view it as the emotionless "duty" that he views it as. He's an ass. Ruth was a warm presence from the moment she appeared on screen, and I hope to see more of her. The beginnings of the story with the kid (that they'll clearly adopt, right?) reminds me of that new show Red Band Society.

Laryssa Lauret, who plays Dr. Werner, is still alive and working. She actually guest starred in an episode of OITNB.

That's the main thing that's been jumping out at me, too. It really feels different from anything else of this era. Compare it to the clips in the 1968 CBS promo, and it just has a completely different vibe. I also lovelovelove my classic melodramatic hot mess soaps, but it's amazing to see for ourselves how unique each soap was in the glory days of the genre.

I've been slow to get started because of work, but I watched the first episode last night, and I have to echo what everyone else has said about the show's comedy, which was totally unexpected! John and Matt discussing Polly was one thing, but Matt insisting that Karen "cuss him out in German!" in regards to Nick was hilarious and bizarre! It's amazing that we're finally getting to see those particular nuances of the show nearly 50 years later. I remember long ago when Matt (out Matt) had a soap history site, and his write-up for The Doctors mentioned how hostile Hope Memorial's staff could be with each as opposed to GH's much more agreeable characters. This first episode illustrated that point perfectly. The actors really got into, too.

Yassssssssssss.

That music is so dramatic, but it sounds like they didn't really compose a full-length version for the closing credits. They made a good decision when they switched to the more familiar melody in 1971. I also was under the impression that there was always a teaser scene before the music came in and the title card appeared, a la GH at this time (except GH did a fade to black/blue for the title). This instead reminds me a lot of Crossroads.

I read something about his wife disappearing at some point in the 90s? But then in the People magazine special AMC issue, he's in the "Where are they now?" section and I think it mentions a wife and 12-year-old daughter. I'm sure there's an interview out there (possibly in this thread) about why he left the show. IDK if they ever attempted to bring him back full time, but he was definitely needed. After Mona passed, then Myrtle, we needed an "Oh, Erica!!" person on the show full-time, and I'm not quite sure Opal was it. Mark should have been Bianca's beloved uncle, not Jack.

I thought the music was very Dark Shadows-ish, too, danfling. Pritchett looks much younger here than I thought he would.

Thank you so much for sharing, Carl! I'm glad you thought of me when posting that! Mark is my ultimate soap crush, the character and the actor. He has this great vibe in all of the interviews from this time period and was living a very full, fun life. I love that he was definite in saying that he enjoyed working in daytime. Many actors at this time were very candid in their apathy towards their work on soaps.

I'm gonna have to find the time to watch these! I torrented the first DVD release and loved the series, so I'm ready for more.

Wow! I'll be watching later tonight!! What's with all the weird fades to blue? I'm guessing that's where sponsor tags might have been? Glancing through some of the episode...this show's atmosphere is very strong! The things playing out at the hospital are deliciously contrasted by the scene with Maggie and Althea, which lasts a whopping 10 minutes.

Somebody better have had it running!!

I finally decided to stop trying to catch up with the show and just jump back in, and it looks like this season was the perfect time to do that. YASSSSSSSSSSSS. That whole scene in the locker room was spectacular. I'm really digging the vibe of the show, though. They seem to have really embraced the soapiness of it and are going full steam ahead with it. Madeleine Stowe's delivery of just about every single line is GOLDEN. She's really earned her place alongside the great TV bitches. I'll have more thoughts when I'm able to watch the complete ep.

Thanks for sharing that ep, Carl! I'm trying to figure out if it's the same picture quality as when the ep first appeared on YT many years ago. I think it was a WoST bonus way back when as well. It's such a fantastic episode, though. This was the first LoL I'd ever seen, and I was so happy to finally see TuWig as Meg dominating so much of it. She played all of the tormented dame/diva notes perfectly, and she just has one of those classic soap voices. I'm assuming the date on the vid is wrong as everything I've ever read about the episode has it from June (or May?) 1975.

Has there ever been a more magnificent piece from a musical film? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW6CfSQIzOk

Wait...no offense to KR, but...someone is considered too ugly for Ste?

The weather's getting a bit cooler here, which once again means it's time for me to binge watch tons and tons of classic soaps. The last few years, it's been a very sad affair with my two faves being gone for good I miss AMC, y'all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeaJ23kESF0

I saw your post before you put the at the end, and that changes everything LOL. Sorry for the confusion, y'all. Bey stans are like "they forgot who the fuckin thread is for!"

LOL Well, I didn't understand why you thought that. Cheap posted that text/picture about Beyonce and Joan, and another posted implied that it might be too soon to make such jokes, so I shared something about Joan that I thought would help put Cheap's pic in perspective.