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I loved Elizabeth Kemp's Betsy. She came across as gentle and sensitive without seeming weak. Of course, Christopher Reeve was a much better Ben too. What in the world happened to Birgitta Tolksdorf's hair in these clips?! Tudi Wiggins was still the best thing about this show at this time.

Is that Joan Bennet after the Quint and Nola picture? I never knew she was on this show.

Nola's best friend Gracie (also pictured) was a hairdresser and moved to Hollywood where she became Joan Bennett's hairdresser. I think Gracie had actually met Joan in Springfield while doing her hair for an appearance and Joan offered her the job. If I'm remembering correctly, this was Joan's hotel suite. Gracie asked Joan to meet Nola because Nola was an old movie fanatic. I couldn't find the scene in the picture but Joan is at the beginning of this clip when Nola and Gracie say goodbye at the airport (I hated to see Gracie go, she and Nola were a great team).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YofU6-tzZYc

From July 1971 Afternoon TV, Patrick Horgan, who played Dr. John Morrison, the psychiatrist who married Althea Davis and gave her and Nick so much trouble. One of my all-time favorite soap villains. I believe in real-life he's currently married to Susie Horgan, the new co-head writer for OLTL.

Bob Hover, who played Russ Matthews in the early 70s, has died. He's the first Russ I remember clearly. The article only mentions Another World but I also remember him as Brian Ellison on As the World Turns in the mid-70s. I believe he appeared in a few other soaps too.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118066647/?cmpid=RSS|News|LatestNews

Yes, Julia Duffy played Penny, Althea's daughter.

Thanks, I'll try to find it! Regarding Jada, I thought she was too young and pretty to be Carolee. As Campbell pointed out, Carolee was already 30-ish as far back as 1971.

David O'Brien's comments about SFT surprised me. I never saw him on that show though. He was one of my favorites on The Doctors. I did like Carolee Campbell's version of Carolee better than Jada Rowland's (and I had loved her in The Secret Storm).

Allen Potter sounds like an interesting individual. Seemed very frank for a magazine interview for the time. I'm not sure I liked that he was putting down other shows. I wonder who the actress was who was turned down for being unreliable (and possibly alcoholic). Thanks for sharing the article!

I've seen other co-stars of Roger Davis make similar comments. From what I've gathered, he often tried to upstage them. I did like him when he was paired with Alexandra Moltke though. Apparently he was a "pet" of Dan Curtis.

It is sad to see Brenda and Meredith knowing they died at a fairly young age. Anna Capri too, she was killed in a car accident when she was in her mid-60s.

Susan has definitely aged well (with a little help, of course, by her own admission).

Yes, that's "the" Roger Davis. I did like him on Dark Shadows when I was a child but I can see now why he has his detractors!

I think Susan and Brenda were roommates at one time when they were in their 20s.

This is not really a Days article but I thought it was interesting because it includes three future Days stars: Susan Seaforth, Brenda Benet, and Peter Brown. Also includes other future stars such as Linda Evans, Roger Davis, Meredith McRae, etc. This is the Deb Stars, from a 1964 "TEEN" magazine. Susan was 20 and Brenda was 19 at the time. Also note that the magazine took the selection committee to task for failing to select Margaret Mason (Linda Patterson) to be a Deb!

This is from a November 1970 Afternoon TV. Jane House, who played Elizabeth Talbot Stewart (Betsy's mother).

Bill Bell's final episode with Days was Episode # 3137, aired April 14, 1978. One of the provisions of Bell being able to leave and do YR was that he had to stay with "Days" for 5 years (1973-1978).

Thanks for clearing that up Jason!

Since we're on the 60s/70s, from the same magazine, here is a summary of Days history up until around Doug and Julie's wedding in October 1976.

You're welcome! I also thought Bell was finished with Days in 1975. But the magazine is definitely dated 1977. There are also discussions of events that happened in the latter part of 1976 (e.g., Doug and Julie's wedding).

I found it interesting that Bill Bell said he had a psychiatrist as part of his staff. That explains why he did such a good job exploring the psychological aspects of his characters actions.

These behind the scenes interviews are from a special edition of Daytime TV devoted solely to Days (from 1977). Some of the comments by Bill Bell and the producers could apply today.

Wow, that Mickey & Alice scene must have been when he still had amnesia and just learning who his family was.

That sounds right, Saynotoursoap. I had stopped watching for a while and then started up again in the summer of '81 when I was channel surfing and noticed Nola and was intrigued by her. I remember Amanda being in hair bows and loose dresses (which the pregnancy would explain) and playing the piano all the time.

Are the Dobsons the ones who had Amanda acting like a child and playing with dolls?

I loved Jamie Lynn Bauer on Y & R but I still can't get used to her as Laura. She seems like a completely different character than the previous Lauras. It doesn't help that Bill's affair with Kate Roberts is a revision of what actually occurred on-screen when Laura had her breakdown. I suppose all that wouldn't be a problem for those who weren't around for the earlier Lauras. I think it was around this time that I took a long break from watching Days regularly.

Ed played Dick Martin, an attorney, on ATWT. I mainly remember him because Dick was Joyce Colman's attorney when she was trying to get custody of Teddy from his adoptive parents. Joyce was one of my favorite characters at the time.

Thanks for the Fran Sharon/Ed Kemmer article. I really liked Fran and thought she did a good job in portraying the fragile Cookie. I thought she was cute too. Not too many women can pull off that haircut. I remember Ed being on Somerset but don't remember much about his character. I remember him better from As the World Turns.

I know and the story aired not that long after Manson became known to the public!