DRW50

From the July 1976 Daytime TV Stars. Dell Publishing Co, Inc

They were thinking if they chased a target demo who will never be interested in soaps or if they chase a demo through the most condescending attitude possible, that was all they needed. They never knew or cared that soaps were special and could bring in an audience by staying with their strengths. A few years ago when GL was canceled I think I said that I thought AW had no more room to grow when it was canceled and that GL did, but looking back I think that's wrong. I'm actually surprised that considering the wrecking ball taken to AW over it's last 4-5 years, it was in as decent of shape as it was.

From the July 1976 Daytime TV Stars.

I think Judith said that she was told she would not be written out of her GH role, although she might have known she was Phil's killer, but then she was written out. I guess the Dobsons might have left and the next writer got rid of her? It's a shame ATWT didn't work out for her because I really think she would have been something special and I think Marland and the Dobsons would have given her some good stuff.

From the July 1976 Daytime TV, an interview with Nancy Addison.

From the March 1976 Daytime TV.

From the synopses I've read it seems like she and Kim used to be close and Kim betrayed her in the past (or was it her brother Kim betrayed), or she thought Kim had. Then when she came to town, she and Kim became friends, but Susan tried to drive a wedge between them. She was also in love with Dan for a while. I do wonder how fans felt about her. I guess ATWT had too many women on the show in that timeframe who were around the same age, but it still bewilders me that Judith McConnell bounced to so many soaps without a defining or long role until Santa Barbara. I wonder if the Dobsons would have written for her if she'd stayed on ATWT. She left not long before they took over didn't she?

Yeah, reading about when the show didn't have murderers and when it seemed more real -- now it's all random psychos, silly shock value stories, and stunts. I saw some interview with Ryan Thomas and the one who plays Cheryl the stripper and they were both almost yawning their way through the shocking moment that the tram crash is supposed to be. I miss that Corrie, it wasn't perfect by any means, but the characters were so strong then. The characters now just seem much more generic and poorly used. It seems like Collinson is moving the show in an even more generic direction by getting rid of people like Ashley and Claire. I love the line from Doris Speed saying Americans will get used to the language, as British people did with Hollywood. She's right -- you get used to it fairly quickly. Tony Jordan has talked to Collinson about making the show look less glossy, in how the sets or people are dressed. I wonder if that will happen.

Mid-90s. Most people are closer to AW women than media darlings like Jennifer Aniston, Snooki or Speidi. It's just the media forcing their idea of what women should be, not what women ever actually are.

I agree with you about the Stewarts, but I don't think Marland had much to do with eliminating the McColls. Diana was gone by the time he took over. They asked Cris Leblanc to stay on as Kirk but he said no. Whit was long gone. That only left Jay and Brian, and neither one of them were that interesting.

October 76 Digest -- they say Susan left to produce and direct a motion picture.

Thanks. I couldn't remember which was to be paired with Tom. Was Sheila in prison at one point or was that Marcia? That quad sounds like something the Dobsons would have done, but apparently they weren't into it. I have an interview with the woman who played Marcia, I'll try to post it in a few days.

From the same issue, John Colenback talks about leaving ATWT.

Thanks. Do you know a lot about the maid, or Marcia and Doug? I know a little about Marcia (wasn't she supposed to be a love interest for Tom). Marland wrote them out?

I have it somewhere, but I think one of those magazines mentioned that Susan left for some sort of film project. I'm not sure.

From the November 6, 1979 Digest (S. O. D. Publishing Inc.). I guess this was a time of transition; a lot of people I don't know that well. And the strangely old Annie.

From the July 1, 1986 Digest. Network Publishing Co

They do look a little awkward together. The soap magazines of this time kept saying they had a thing. Here's a full color picture of Val in his '70s attire.

From the November 6, 1979 Digest (S. O. D. Publishing Inc.). Christopher Reeves returns to the LOL set.