will81

1 minute ago, janea4old said:

Was Erica's abortion performed in New York or in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania

4 hours ago, Contessa Donatella said:

So Erica's abortion was an illegal one, right? 

Yes it was illegal

1 hour ago, Paul Raven said:

Mary was originally played by Jacqueline Coslow. Not sure when Susan Blanchard took over.

Interesting. Charles Frank and Susan Blanchard auditioned together. She spoke of believing that the show didn't want her, so she just did her best to help Charles get the role and spent so much time looking at him lovingly that it kinda started something between them.

I wonder when Charles took over the role and if it was at the same time Susan did, or if he was hired and she wasn't but got the part later. 

On 2/8/2024 at 8:11 AM, Donna L. Bridges said:

Okay, finally got the equivalency. Thanks to a GL & Venice fan who is part of #BirdTwitter. 

May 30, 1984 Steve & Betsy wed on ATWT. A 7.8 rating where each point equals 849,000 people comes to 6,662,200 people so really way below the "lie" of 20 million & well below Doug & Julie's 16 million, too! If anyone wants to check my math I will not be offended. 

Just to clarify this one, this is households not people/viewers. The amount of viewers may have been higher. Even with two people per household you'd have around 13M viewers. Nielsen didn't give viewer/audience estimates until a bit later. Nielsen households was actually 6,540,000 for that week. Not sure why the number is different.

So it depends on what the viewer estimate per household is. Say it was 2 per household and the show scored 9 - 12M per day for four days and 20M one day, it is possible it averaged 13M viewers for the week. 

1 minute ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

So, Erica's abortion was an illegal one? 

Now I wonder whether SFT/Kathy or AMC/Erica was first. Thanks for this info. Honestly as many different ways & from as many different sources I've heard or read about Erica's abortion it has never been said that it was not a Roe v Wade abortion! And many times it specified that it was. 

Yeah the misconception was that it was 1973, but after we got so much synopsis from the Daytime Serial Newsletter, it became clear it had happened earlier and many assumed 1972. I was surprised to learn it was 1971 and only 5 months after Jeff and Erica were married (they wed in Dec 1970). Their divorce isn't finalised until April 1974.

On 2/2/2024 at 4:35 AM, Donna L. Bridges said:

Last year, on the Y&R50 Primetime Celebration 2 incorrect things were claimed. Each of them, to knowledgeable soap fans seem ridiculous! 

1. That Ashley Abbott had the first abortion. Truly laughable. The first was an illegal one, on AW, Pat Matthews. The second is largely unknown, but on SFT Kathy went to NY in 1970 & got an abortion. I exchanged messages with Courtney Sherman Simon who played Kathy in researching this. (Also have documentation in a soap mag & verification from a SON poster.) The third is most often cited as the first, unfortunately, and it is a legal Roe v. Wade 1973 abortion on AMC for Erica. 

2. That it was Bill Bell who introduced social issues as storylines on soaps. Again, love Bill Bell & he did many things, but not this one! No, Agnes Nixon is definitely the first on this! (And, IMO, she was also the best at it, with Claire Labine nipping at her heels.)

To clarify, and I guess this is another error to add to the list. Erica's abortion happened the week of May 10, 1971 before Roe vs. Wade but after New York had made it legal with certain stipulations.

Erica tells Jeff that she wants an abortion, he is almost on board until his father Joe talks him out of it. Erica tells him to either arrange one by proper means (meaning in New York) or she would seek one by improper means (In Pine Valley) He doesn't and she does.

2 hours ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

Wasn't it the Hollands who located the show in Port Charles for the first time?

I think so, I believe during their first run on the show.

On 1/3/2024 at 2:43 PM, beebs said:

Yeah, these numbers explains a lot of what happened in 1978. Ann Marcus gave DAYS a real jolt, presumably because of the Sam/Marlena story, so I can see why she lasted as long as she did in the head writer spot, but she couldn't sustain the momentum.

As for GH, they didn't look like they were doing so badly until the summer hit, and now they're some weeks only above EON. ABC's cancellation threats make a lot more sense now. The Pollocks may have been popular on The Doctors, but they were tanking GH, and would be out by September, with Richard & Suzanne Holland filling in for a month before Irving & Tex Elman come over from SFT for another month. Then Marland arrives at the end of the year.

CORRECTION: looking at the Daytime Serial Newsletters, it appears Irving & Tex Elman arrive first in September 1977, and are out by mid-October, replaced with Richard & Suzanne Holland. Marland isn't credited as headwriter until some time in January 1978.

Marland took over in Nov 1977. I have a Dec 77 article that states Marland went to GH and Mel and Ethel Brez went to The Doctors the previous month, just not sure if that means they began writing the show but scripts began airing in Dec 77 or if their episodes were airing through Nov 77.

Interestingly, Mel and Ethel Brez were hired by NBCD in the summer of 77 and put through a HW workshop intensive with the goal being that they would take over one of the NBC soaps. I think this was always going to be TD. Since Harding Lemay and Ann Marcus seemed safe in their positions. 

Irving and Tex Elman's script archive suggests they wrote GH from Aug 04, 1977 - Sep 29, 1977 and the Hollands were likely there from Sep 30 - Nov 77. Given GH pushes up to a 7 the week of Nov 14, I wonder if Marland's scripts were already airing by then. 

23 hours ago, DRW50 said:

Thanks! I don't remember it, but others might. I'm always so surprised when anything new to me pops up.

@vetsoapfan @FrenchFan @Paul Raven @soapfan770 @Vee @Soapsuds @danfling @slick jones@dc11786 @soapfave06 @Matt @will81

Thanks for tagging me in this. One thing I love about seeing these is, when you hear about the 50's soaps sometimes it is often talk about flubs and sets falling over and other things that make that era sometimes seem like a mess. Then you see these episodes and they are well crafted and acted and I find myself wanting to see more. 

22 minutes ago, Khan said:

"Unreliable," eh?  Either she was too hopped up on "Peruvian marching powder," or she was playing hooky because she didn't know acting would be so hard when she took the job.

Thanks, @will81!

Haha, I think around this time many producers felt actors called in sick to grandstand for a better contract. Not sure if she was in negotiations at the time or not. I do feel it was the latter though, she just flaked, not sure why but I just get the vibe from the couple of episodes I've seen of her. 

On 1/8/2024 at 4:37 AM, Khan said:

Does anyone have the inside story as to why Kathy Breech was replaced as Karen Wolek?  Thanks to YT, I was able to watch some of her work.  Although she was very pretty, I really don't think she would've been up to playing the prostitution story with as many psychological layers as JL was.  Was that why TPTB replaced her, or was it something else?

As I understand it, Kathy was unreliable and missing work. She claimed illness but I think the TPTB knew better, Julia Duffy came in to sub at one point and in a rare move for a soap, OLTL hired Judith Light as Kathy's understudy. The next time she called in sick, they dumped her for Judith. She cried foul and that's the last I could find about it all.

6 hours ago, YRfan23 said:

I’ve kind of realized too though that I think Rose and Vince got away with all their schemes too if I recall?  From the little I’ve seen of Vince he was just as disgusting, and I think even tried to rape one of the teenage mothers in front of her own kids from a January 1987 episode that’s on here. 

They went to jail in 1980, which was when the "kill switch" for Cy the assassin went off for Greg which resulted in Liz being shot. Maybe they were there for 6 years. I don't think it's ever mentioned.

Can't remember if they went to prison in 1979 for the sex trafficking. If they did it must have been a light sentence since they were back at it a couple of months later. 

On 1/3/2024 at 8:51 AM, Khan said:

...Or did he?

 

Well he wasn't dead when they dumped him. Poor Tony Baker mugged him while he was on the ground in that alley way and got caught by the cops, the courts determined Addison died from the shock of being mugged. Tony went to prison for 30 years or so and Nikki didn't even get arrested. 

There's your story Tony comes back to seek revenge on Nikki......and then it turns out the crooked cops were working with Rose and Vince and Walter was alive the whole time.

2 hours ago, NothinButAttitude said:

Don't know if anyone has post this yet, but this (click here) Youtube channel has been posting clips from 1982. 

They look like they were taken from here http://bit.ly/44pwzvs

It is a onedrive dedicated to Y&R and GL. Go to the clips section from 1982 - 1988 are hours of clips of the show. Mostly Victor and Nikki. But all these clps look to be from the same source

9 minutes ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

Oh, yeah, I had grasped your point, no problem! And, yep, that's another one, a stunt just like these others. 

Yeah I knew you had, I was just saying it for the wider context

15 minutes ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

I know about DAYS Jack, Bo, now Theresa, ... I know about Santa Barbara Mason. Bobbie Eakes was on B&B and then on AMC. AMC's Crystal, Babe's mother, involved with Tad. That's all I got. 

So it may have been AMC I know Bobbie Eakes was in the scene but can't place which character was the recast. Anyway I guess other shows did a mid scene recast as well I guess was my point

ETA: Oh it was Babe Carey and Krystal hugs her and when they stop hugging it is the new actress, haha

On 10/22/2023 at 10:48 AM, YRBB said:

Recasting Jack mid-scene is just wild  Were they trying to be funny or did they genuinely want to make sure we don't miss the point? lmao

They did this on another show with Bobbie Eakes, maybe an ABC show OLTL?. I can't remember the full details but I'm sure someone got slapped or punched and fell out of camera and then when the character stood up she was the recast.

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

@DRW50 Thanks for the tag and for sharing. Agreed, Jean gives a great performance. She has a Joan Crawford vibe to her.

Y&R - Alex Donnelly (Diane) was only supposed to be on for 2 days.

2 hours ago, DM James Fairbanks said:

Bill Bell retired in 1995.  I think his last great creation was Phyllis Summers.

Bell officially stepped down as HW of Y&R July 1998. 

49 minutes ago, AMCOLTLLover said:

But I do believe that Brad really loved Traci.. He worked himself up and was always defending his relationship. Traci wasn’t convinced that he could love someone like her coz of her weight and stuff. Didn’t Lauren tried to interfere with the wedding? 
this wasn’t just a few episodes. They really built up Traci-Brad over months before even bringing up the wedding. When they got married he took his marriage and job very serious.

i never had any doubt that Brad didn’t love her or used her like Jack claimed lol

He falls into bed with Lauren within about a month of Traci going off to school. He kissed Jill a few times as well just as Traci left. 

I think there was good reason why the Lisa Mansfield story happened. It was to show what Brad was capable of, he wasn't innocent. It kept his motives towards Traci up in the air. One person could feel he was totally devoted and loved Traci while another could feel Jack, Lauren and Jill were right about his motives. 

Of course Brad would defend his marriage and love for Traci, why would he ever admit he was using her. And I'm not saying he didn't love her, but again he forgot about her real quick in the summer of 87.

More so, when Traci comes back in 1990, Brad doesn't suddenly remember his true deep love for her. He wants to marry Ashley and only starts paying Traci attention again once Ashley marries Victor. Even then he makes it clear he wants no reconciliation with Traci, then she becomes pregnant, even then he doesn't make a firm comittment until Traci is in the hospital. The second marriage was a disaster. Brad basically ignored and neglected Traci until she left town. Once Brad had inherited Cassandra's wealth, once he became Newman's right hand man and was no longer answerable to the Abbott's, his attitude and interest in Traci dropped real quick. 

Once Traci was out of the picture, Brad was back pursuing Ashley and Lauren. I think once Brad was independantly wealthy and professionally secure, we see him more clearly. 

54 minutes ago, JAS0N47 said:

Remember if you do those, Nielsen only counts the 48 weeks. The 4 "fast national" weeks don't count, and are only preliminary data, not the final #s, which may change a little. 

Of course, thanks for the reminder.

I figured since the ratings that are recognised are usually seasonal, this was more for fun or just curiosity and a rough guide rather than anything official. I assume those 4 weeks wouldn't have changed things too much.

I also realised I put this in the 80's thread and not the 70's thread, my bad

1979 was a solid year and I was curious about the calendar year ratings since Y&R never managed to hit #1 in the seasonal ratings. I just did the top 5 which covered

Jan 1 - 5 1979 up to Dec 24 - 28 1979 (52 weeks)

1. Y&R 9.4 36% (24 weeks at #1)

2. GH 9.2 31% (18 weeks at #1)

3. AMC 8.9 32% (8 weeks at #1)

4. OLTL 8.3 29%

5. GL 8.1 28% (2 weeks at #1)

Interesting that 4 shows had a crack at the top spot for that year and OLTL never managed #1 but still came in 4th overall for the full year. 

12 hours ago, Planet Soap said:

It sucks that Nikki's first meeting Sharon got video taken down. How phophetic that a woman named Sharon ended up taking over the role and being the best at it.

What exactly was the writer's goal with early Sharon? Was she an opportunist that grew to love Nick, or did she genuinely like Nick but was also an opportunist? It's unclear but it's evident that Nikki was so upity in the 90s despite her upbringing.

Nikki was more down to earth in the clips that I saw of her in the '80s. Sometime around the early 90s, like when she tried to fire Miguel for not serving her alcohol, her bitchy-ness became evident.

I wonder what it would have been like if Nikki and 90s era Lauren went toe to toe.

That's what I loved about Bill Bell. You could never tell. Sharon could easily have been an opportunist who went after Nick and seduced her way into a wealthy family OR she really was just a young woman looking for love and family but took the opportunities that came her way. Maybe both is true. She wanted love but she was attracted to Nicholas because he was a Newman. 

Brad was similar. Who knows how much he truly loved Traci and how much he loved her BECAUSE she was an Abbott and came with wealth and the possibility of career success. 

I feel like this kind of writing got lost long ago on Y&R. 

1 minute ago, TVFAN1144 said:

Both were canceled December 31, 1982

I think the question was when NBC actually gave the show notice though. They aired their last episodes in Dec 82 but would have been cancelled several weeks prior.

Likely the axe fell on The Doctors in October when Jon-Michael Reed made the announcement, which wouldn't have left much time to write any great ending for the show.

3 minutes ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

Schemering, 80: 12-31-82 last broadcast

Schemering, 225: 12-31-82 last broadcast

Nothing make up for biggest problem - poor time slots ... Ran third in the afternoon, so tried it in morning & only 84% of the affiliates took it at new time, before noon. (We know that to be the kiss of death.) Wyatt , 427 but no date of decision