DRW50

October 1976 Daytime TV Stars. Deborah Channel reviews Y&R. The Young and the Restless - As Musical Soap Opera! Some five years ago, if you had told Ms. Average Daytime Viewer that in a few years she would be seeing full-hour serials, and at least one comedy soap (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) which has characters smoking pot and talking about masturbation, and at least one serial that features actors often singing to each other instead of talking, as in old Fred Astaire musicals of the forties and fifties - Mr. (or Mr.!) Average Daytime Viewer would have thought you daft. Yet all these things have come to pass, and more, much more. Still, one wonders how, on a medium that for years had seemed so static, these imaginative transformations could have taken place. The full answer is too involved to go into here - but a simplistic one would run something like: television soap operas were never as static as they seemed. Five years ago, for example, Bill Hayes was singing as Doug Williams in the club Addie (Patricia Barry) bought him on Days of Our Lives. It was simultaneously daring yet natural for Mrs. Betty Corday to permit her show to have singing, for of course Bill Hayes was a well-known singer from the television of the fifties, and a comic too; Mrs. Corday was in essence answering all those critics who said that soaps like Days had nothing more to offer but tears. The ratings of Days of Our Lives certainly did not drop as a result of the addition of some singing and comedy, and so the spate of imitations on other serials began. Love of Life soon introduced Sally Stark as nightclub singer Kate Swanson. Then we saw Don Stewart (as Michael Bauer) suddenly break into a beautiful tenor/baritone song at Papa Bauer's funeral; and we saw As the World Turns' Kathryn Hays seduce Don Hastings with a marvelous professional rendition of Summertime, accompanied by none other than Bobby Short; then viewers saw Larry Keith re-establish his romantic prowess with Judith Barcroft on All My Children by singing expertly in his own nightclub. And on and on went the daytime Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It was of course sublime fantasy. Ordinary people - especially not lawyers like Michael Bauer - do not suddenly display the musical ability of Broadway singing stars. But who ever said that soaps were not part fantasy in the first place? The most typical aspect of all this soap musicalization is that the characters, when they sing, usually sing in special situations. Kim (Kathy Hays) was down in a Florida resort hotel when Bob (Don Hastings) suddenly heard her sing during a fooling-around session at the piano with Bobby Short. Bill Hayes and Sally Stark were introduced to the viewers as professional singers from the start. Larry Keith played a dancing teacher and therefore a showman. Don Stewart, one presumed, was inspired to vocal virtuosity by the death of his grandfather and, as his character, could probably not repeat the sudden fantasy-outburst. In all these situations, song was invariably not an intrinsic part of the story line, but meant merely to entertain viewers. There was no implication that the story had, even in parts, turned into a musical of sorts. The Young & The Restless, when it adopted the musical soap idea that had been in the air for several years, did indeed change all that. It was Leslie Brooks (Janice Lynde) who, a year after the show premiered, first brought music to the show. The writers used her singing, in her own nightclub, to demonstrate the character's blooming into a beautiful, spontaneous, gifted woman. She sang to Brad Eliot, her husband, their own special song, meant to symbolize her love for him and his influence over her. In Leslie's dreams, she danced with him in a beautiful gown - like Cinderella dancing with her Prince - and sang to him as they waltzed amidst shimmering candelabra. Soon other characters were singing. Brock Reynolds (Beau Kayzer) played his guitar and began instilling religious zeal in the lives of the people around him by singing special inspirational songs to people like his mother, Kaye Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper). Then Lauralee Brooks (Jaime Lyn Bauer) suddenly became vocal and had duets with a handsome, rich jet-setter by the name of Lance Prentiss (John McCook); she sang It's All Right With Me with him when it became clear that they were both in love with other people but were, for a while, settling for each other. She sang a duet with Brock indicating her willingness for sex ("Birds do it...") but his unwillingness to be used as a stud. What it all amounts to is that Executive Producer John Conboy has gone all the way. He now uses singing, and often dancing, as part of the story. Instead of two people simply talking about their feelings, often as not they will sing about their feelings, as in operetta. That the sight of such beautiful people singing instead of talking does work terribly well says two things. For one, it says that John Conboy is a dynamic leader in daytime television; and for another, it says that the daytime soap opera form is far more versatile than anyone had even imagined a few years ago. It can literally be adapted to any means, any end, whether old-fashioned or modern, and if properly produced and written, can succeed better than nighttime television once-a-week series, which, compared to shows like The Young & The Restless, are beginning to seem dreadfully mechanical and self-limiting. Actually, The Young & The Restless, in using a very old form - the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musical - is potentially old-fashioned itself. But because the material is so well-handled, the old-fashioned quality is not immediately apparent, and it certainly never distracts. In fact, a clever producer could probably put The Shadow or Stella Dallas or even Brenda Starr, Reporter, on the daytime airwaves and have it work. The secret is that the continuing serial format allows writers to explore and diversify their material, whether it be "old-fashioned" or "new-fashioned," in much greater depth. Therefore, a once-a-week Young & The Restless show on nighttime television would surely fail; there wouldn't be time enough to balance the singing with the drama, and to involve viewers with extremely personal story lines before attempting to adapt some of those story lines to music, thereby achieving an effective adventure. It was no accident that once MGM found that Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney worked well in one musical, that they kept repeating the same story, with the same stars, over and over (I'm talking about the Andy Hardy musicals); this, in a sense, was the serialization idea that The Young & The Restless is now using in its own updating of those old musicals. Is it surprising then that, with its greater versatility, the high-rated daytime shows make a great deal more money for networks than the nighttime shows? The latter, with their incredible costs, are almost bankrupting the networks; the former (the serials), are, in essence, paying the bills for the nighttime shows. Of course, it is indecent, almost immoral, for the writers and actors on these financially powerful daytime shows to be treated as badly as they are treated. Television tends to reward creativity in its midsts either with money and power, or with cheap-skate ridicule - which is what soap stars get. Soap opera versatility now seems endless. With the success of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (whether you love or hate the show) and the success of The Young & The Restless and the new one-hour serials, it seems to me inevitable that the very next step will be a singing and dancing variety show incorporated into an hour dramatic serial with a continuing story line. The fact that celebrities like Dinah Shore are willing to make appearances on Mary Hartman only further backs my prediction. We're going to see some pretty amazing things in the next couple of years on daytime television.

As always you paint such a picture for us. I would pay money to see this. It sounds so complex and yet full of basic human emotion which you can relate to. I wish CBS had given it more of a chance. It sounds like it would have been a perfect companion piece to Y&R. Were the scenes in the woods done on location? What were the opening credits like? What happened to Loretta?

There are some nice photos in that issue. I guess the years she spent just doing comic relief routines over the phone endeared her to viewers and made them feel like she was one of them.

Wow I didn't recognize Gillian Spencer at first.

Yes she does. That must have been pretty early in her run. I didn't know she was ever on the cover. She was so striking. I'm sorry no soap ever made better use of her. How long was Bob Gentry on A World Apart?

I really want to see some of Ray's work on LOL. Don't know much about Cathy Bacon.

These are great. Liz Hubbard has aged so well but it's weird seeing these old photos, as sometimes she looks very similar to now and then in another photo she looks like a stranger.

What did you think of Eileen's stories after the abortion/breakdown?

February 1956: Carolyn Nelson is certain she can vouch for her son Skip's basic character - certain that, despite the recent secretiveness and resentment he has shown ,he can never become the kind of boy his school pricinpal calls delinquent. But can a mother force a teen-age son to be completely honest when he feels honor-bound to protect some of his friends? What if Carolyn's enemies try to make a tool of her own son? April 1956: Although she was recently widowed, Carolyn Nelson is not the typical helpless woman thrown into a complex world in which she cannot find her way. Carolyn is more than able to make her own way and handle her own problems. But, with the problem of her teen-age son, she finds herself really in need of a man's help. Is Skip actually on the verge of delinquency? And will Carolyn turn to the right man for help? July 1956: Despite her caution and experience, Carolyn Nelson gradually succumbs to the clever attack made on her as a human being and a woman by Jack Townsend. Will the money she holds in trust really find its way to the eager hands of those who play to victimize her and her young son, Skip? August 1956: From the moment Carolyn agreed to accept a dead friend's legacy, she treated it merely as a trust, knowing instinctively that it was bound to bring trouble and complications into her life. But even as trustee, Carolyn is a target for money-hungry connivers. How far will Jack Townsend insinuate himself into her confidence before she is brought up against the shattering truth about him?

August 1955: Ever since Miles Nelson first embarked on a political career, Annette Thorpe has made herself a powerful force in both his public and private life. Not even Miles himself can remain blind to Annette's unconcealed hatred of Carolyn, but he believes he can retain control of the situation and still avail himself of Annette's considerable influence. But Carolyn knows Miles is deceiving himself. October 1955: New understanding unites Carolyn and her husband, Miles Nelson, after the crisis that came close to ending their marriage. And Annette Thorpe is, apparently, defeated as far as Miles personally is concerned. But Carolyn knows Annette too well to be deceived about her attitude toward defeat of any kind. From what quarter will Annette's new attack come - and will Carolyn be able to meet it once more?

A few more Right to Happiness synopses from TV Radio Mirror. December 1952: Carolyn Nelson, returning from her dangerous assignment just in time to see her husband, Governor Miles Nelson, collapse from the strain, is appalled when she at last realizes the forces attempting to divide them. What have her enemies managed to make Miles believe during her absence? Has Miles really lost sight of the boundless faith and love on which their marriage was built?

What did you think of Lisa Richards? I only know her from her very neurotic work as Sabrina on Dark Shadows (although the nightmare scene where PT Sabrina is dead on a lab table is one of soap's scariest, IMO).

Thanks. Was there anyone in the article that surprised you, or you don't know anything about? I don't know that much about the Jardins, or Mascolo's character. I guess I should look through the earlier pages and refresh my memory.

You're right. Do you know if Robyn Millan was gone?

I don't think EJ was too smug towards Delia, at least not at first (at first it was poor EJ manipulated by Delia), it was the other stuff with EJ early on. All the kooky reporter stuff. I remember scenes where she was so desperate to get a scoop on Barbara Wilde that she went into the OR and pretended to be a nurse. I thought this was crazy, since, as Seneca pointed out to her, she could have killed Barbara. I was annoyed that the soap-within-a-soap story, which I found fascinating, was quickly turned into some type of false accusations against Roger, with EJ saving the day. I thought throwing EJ in with Roger was a bad idea. I would have rather seen her with someone like Wes Leonard, or Jack. I didn't really find EJ overly smug towards Delia until they had her get more involved with Roger. Roger was always headshrinking Delia and trying to control her. Then when she tried to get him to sign over some investment he wanted to give to Faith, it was all about how Roger had been manipulated. Why should I feel sorry for someone who had manipulated as often as Roger had and who had never really suffered for it? Not only did he get Delia back by taking her money, the show had the final kick where the investment Delia thought was worthless and signed away turned out to be a huge success, and all that money went to Faith. So this was months of degrading Delia for some purpose I never quite understood. I guess it was supposed to show Roger finally getting over his feelings for Delia because of how she'd wronged him, but I never understood why he would need this reminder, or why I was supposed to love that the ending was Faith and Roger getting even richer. The story basically just turned Roger into a wannabe Ryan, only without some of their warmth or heart that would alleviate the rampant self-righteousness. Frank had been with Jill for almost a decade, off and on, and he had always kept her in his life, always gone back to her. I suppose Faith may have felt this time might be different, because she wasn't scheming like Delia or Rae, but I think she was deluding herself to imagine Frank would ever move on from Jill. I didn't have a problem believing Faith would rewrite history this way. What bothered me was I don't remember Jill or Roger ever saying to her or to each other that her view was wrong. This led me to believe the show wanted us to think that this was true to their history. Just as no one ever saying that Bob spent most of his life loving Mary and only loved Faith for a few months before she got with Frank made me think they wanted us to believe that this was some longstanding part of history. I think Faith did work as a trainwreck and I thought KMG's performances as a trainwreck were very dynamic - there was one I especially remember where she was going to drink and then threw the glass down in a rage - but I could never convince myself that she was supposed to be this way. I thought they kept straddling a line in how she was written, with Roger coddling her, and Jill never really fighting back against her, and her being given romantic stories in the midst of all this (with the cop, and then with Gordon Thomson). If I knew she was supposed to be a mess and if people had really stood up to her, I would have been much more drawn in by her character. I would have shown more of her in business and at her paper. I would have kept her in the Frank story longer, if possible. IMO a story with Kim throwing herself at Frank and helping to put the final nails in Rae's relationship with Frank would have made more sense than the story with Seneca. I would have brought her mother in for a while. I would have tried an All About Eve type story; perhaps this girl could have been the daughter she wanted, with Kimberly on the outside. Mostly I just wish there had been less material about Rae and Kim, Rae losing things to Kim, Rae obsessing over Kim and then over the baby. I always think of those scenes where she was at the police station and kept seeing "MAMA HELP ME" in flashbacks. It was like an SNL parody.

Please don't apologize, I love your info. The Maree photos are great. I have to admit I don't quite get the appeal of Val Dufour but in terms of the ageism that hit soaps in the 70's I'm sorry he was one of those driven off daytime. I wonder if his departure hurt Search's ratings.

She was right - Jill was many things but she wouldn't lie to Frank. She was devoted to him, often to her own detriment.

Those are great. Kind of funny since I don't think Marlena got her old life back for several years. I like the fake covers. Considering how confusing some of the paternities are with Kate's kids they could have just said they weren't hers...

Nice photo! I was reading a Digest from the late 80's, 1987 or 1988, and someone wrote in complaining about Ashley's abortion story, how it could have been written by pro-lifers, and that ever since that story Ashley had lost most of her intelligence and become a bimbo. Do you think that was true?

I don't know. I know Chris left, due to illness, several months before he passed on...I think it may have been worse with Zimmerman because he had not come and gone, as Bernau had done several times. But then Zimmerman was a recast, and the role was successfully recast, with Tony Call, so who knows. I know that Alan was successfully recast too, but that was much later on (about 5 years), and the initial recast didn't seem very popular.

I didn't know they did a cover together.

Tina's ruined return

Gorgeous cover. I've never seen this before. Such lovely colors. Joel Crothers looks so young here.

These are from Paul Raven. I didn't realize that was Joe Stuart. He was at OLTL in the late 70's right?

Thanks for the great covers. Susan Blanchard looks like Carol Burnett.