will81

This was also when the Watergate hearings were being televised. Y&R lost something like 3 weeks worth between May to July, roughly. So that may have allowed him time to catch up. He has said he would write 7 weeks in advance (approx) Maybe back then he was a little further in front, since the show was new. Bell has always said he mostly wrote the show by himself in the very beginning. However I figured someone else was probably doing some script work. I doubt he was 100% going it alone, especially since he was still at Days during this time as well. If he did write the show with someone else and they were not in the union, maybe he had "chats" with them about the show, during the strike, haha. Bell wrote ATWT with Irna didn't he? maybe the producer part was misquoted and they were referring to Bell from his time at that show. Maybe not

Not 100% sure, but I have seen her listed as having been on Y&R from 1977 to roughly late 78 or very early 79, when she left to become head writer of Days. She then returned by 1980 and stayed until about 1984.

Thanks for the confirmation on Phillip's death. Have been wondering for ages when it actually happened.

I was thinking the same, he's pretty cute in that photo

Could it have been in 2000? His wiki says it and his name moved up in the writing credits on the show at that time as seen below. First is from Oct 99, second is Oct 00. I can't find any official confirmation though. Maybe he was an associate head writer. Not sure

It can't really have gone much further. Phillip has to find out Jill is pregnant soon because he dies mid July from what I understand. From the Aug 22, 1975 episode online, the court case to contest the divorce is already over and the ruling is due "the next day".

Yeah Peggy doesn't really get story until Jack Curtis turns up in late 75. Her major story was the marriage to Jack in 1976 and the rape story with Ron Becker (though that was mostly Chris' story) Pam Peters left the show around Sep 77, just as Jennifer passes away and she didn't return until 1980. Though Pat Everly played the character briefly in 1979.

Someone in this thread (sorry I can't find the post) suggested that maybe Kay was to be killed off. So I wonder if Bell initially planned for it to be a Lorie/Phillip/Jill and maybe Brock quad. However I just found someone selling a cast photo and letter from Columbia Television. They had written to the show as a teen about Phillip being killed off and the response they got was that Phillip's death had been planned well in advance. So maybe Lorie just had no real story and Bell wanted to utilise JLB somehow. Liz's last name is still Foster because she was still married to Bill Foster. The Henderson's were not really on that much it seems. Maybe Bruce and Ma Henderson (Bruce and Liz's mother) turned up when Liz had her cancer scare. Not sure to be honest. In the autumn of 1973, Leslie goes on tour for the first time with a symphony and Jennifer goes with her, which is presumably when she reunites with Bruce. Was this his introduction? or had he been there earlier? Not sure. Mark was there from around late 74 or early 75 and Regina seems to have only been around for a few months at most in 1975. She is never mentioned once Soap Digest begin their synopsis from October 1975. Mark's big story was being half brother to Lorie but the pair had no idea and almost married. Bell really liked his incest stories. I remember reading a soap mag with an interview with Trish Stewart who thought it odd that the Brooks girls were so close to Stuart and went to him with all their issues, as she stated she was much closer to her mother and figured most women would confide in their mother's about their lives. I do like that Peggy is affected by what is going on, many soaps ignore this with younger kids, who see and hear a lot, but rarely act out. Another reason I liked Heather Thom's Victoria. It made sense she was the way she was when she returned. In terms of John, I always felt he saw Ashley as an equal, loved her head strong attitude and no nonsense approach, especially with Jack. Traci was so fragile that I think John always saw her as his little girl, but he seemed so proud when she returned from Stamford and took more control of her life, and told Jack to butt out of her life, haha

There was a cast list from a Who's Who Daytime TV magazine from 1973 that had Bruce Henderson as a cast member, he was played by Robert Clarke and Daily TV Serials from 1974 mentions Jennifer reuniting with Bruce, who is Liz's brother, in Chicago in their recap for the first year of the show. They also list Robert Clarke but as Stuart Henderson, not Bruce. Jennifer and Leslie also travel to Chicago in Feb 1974 and Jennifer meets up with Bruce again (as stated in Bryna Laub's daytime serial newsletter for that month) Whether or not the cancer story happened (they mention Liz had an operation) and Bruce and Ma Henderson turned up in Genoa City or not, I am not sure. But Bruce was on the show in 1973 and was stated to be Liz's brother.

Same. I think it is mentioned for the first years summary and never again. He apparently came to town when Liz had cancer (uterine cancer, I think) along with their mother. There doesn't seem to have been any cross over between Bruce and Liz post 1973. What is interesting is that the Henderson's were supposed to be "the other family" in town initially. Bruce, Regina and Mark were all mentioned in press from the week the show debuted. I am also curious if Regina is Mark's mother. Jodean Lawrence or Russo as she was known then and Steve Carlson are only ten years apart, though in film and tv that doesn't always mean anything

The first articles I could find were from May 1998. Since his last credit was July and they used to write around 7 weeks ahead of episodes airing, the announcement seems to have been made around the week he stopped writing for the show. This article is from the New York Daily News May 22, 1998 Yeah I have articles listing Kay Alden as head writer as far back as 1980. I have to wonder if that was when she became an associate head writer As for her taking over in 1997. I have been searching far and wide, but there doesn't seem to have been any official announcement. At least not one I can find. I do wonder if the press didn't even know it had happened until later. The first mention I could find of Kay having become a co-head writer in 1997, was from an article from I think 1998. Though I seem to have lost that too.

Oh wow, so Phillip asked Kay for a divorce before Jill even knew she was pregnant. I always thought it was after. Lorie also seems to have played more of a part in the story than I thought too. And the elusive Regina Henderson. I could never figure out when she appeared on the show or what her storyline was. She seems to have been there for a split second. Glad to finally have sold that mystery @FrenchFan Thanks again for sharing these. Fills in a lot of missing info

I've been trying to find that too. Unfortunately many of the articles I have found state Kay became a co-head writer in 1988???? Actually I just found an article with Jack Smith from 1988 stating he and Kay are co-head writers, no mention of Bill Bell at all. I know they became associate head writers, maybe the terminology is confused. He mentions this on the second page

Oh right didn't know that. I wonder if they were going to try to get Tom Hallick to be the truck driver, since Brad was driven into Genoa City in a truck in the very first scene

John McCook's first airdate was Oct 30, 1975 and David Hasselhoff was Dec 8, 1975 I can give you a rough idea on others, like the week they started or ended. Dennis Cole is most likely Feb 2, 1981. Not 100% confirmed, but within that week and more than likely that date James Hougton left around May 76 and Kerwin came on about 6 months later, close to the time Bill died. Kerwin lasted about 6 months and Wings took over roughly 6 months later in Dec 77. He left early September 81 and Howard McGillan took over in October 1981. Greg was last mentioned in synopsis on July 1982. Victoria Mallory was most likely Jan 13, 1977. Even in the script they were not sure if she was going to be on that episode or not Tammy Taylor left around July 1980 and Lilibet came on in early December 1980. Lilibet stated that "Patty went upstairs one day and didn't come back down until 6 months later" Lilibet signed a contract with CBS in November 1980 and Patty returned to synopsis the week of December 8, 1980

Lucas turned up a few months before Brad left, though Brad and Leslie were almost done at that point. Lance came on in late 75. John McCook's first airdate was Oct 30, 1975. So it was originally Lorie/Lance/Brad/Leslie. Brad left in earlyish 1978 and it became the 4 L's at that point. I think Brad left around the same time that Leslie and Lance slept together.

That's awesome. I wish as a tribute they had Jeanne Cooper's photo and episode #. Would have been nice So it seems Eric's first episode was Feb 8, 1980. I assumed he started with the first hour long episode, Feb 4. Unless my episode count is wrong. Was Kate Linder's first episode April 16, 1982? Making Eileen's around Jun 11, 1982 and Beth roughly Jun 17, 1982. This all seems to line up with their first mentions in synopsis. ETA: I was a week out, sorry. I changed the dates ETA: So wait Lauren possibly first appeared in Jan 25, 1983? Is the following her first appearance THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS: Week of January 24 - January 28, 1983 (12:30pm - 60 minutes - CBS) Patty had a miscarriage. Max and Eve prepared a potion for Victor. Although she’s a virgin, Traci pretended to be a swinger with Danny in front of her school chums. Alex realized Paul didn’t really kill Pam. Frank came out of a coma. Giving in to Allison’s demands, Earl moved in with her. Stu investigated Paul’s connection to the mob. Paul warned Cindy to leave town as she’s the only witness to the fact the mob framed Carl. Pete secretly made video tapes of Nikki’s strip act. And Lauralee Bell possibly July 15, 1983?

They could so easily air some of the 70's episodes in full, which is roughly 22min and use the remaining air time to interview some of the people from that time period, and actually celebrate Y&R's early years. Which also helps younger viewers understand what was going on and who the characters are

For sure, yeah I figured they had some scenes when Kay was dead and Jill was still married to Stuart. Lorie and Brock worked together to get Jill out of Stuart's life

I would bet they were in the same scenes, but didn't really have any significant interaction.

True, Bill Foster's absence and return was recylced on B&B twelve years later. What is refereshing in these Y&R synopsis is the fact that the main storylines revolve around the older characters. Kay's failing marriage, Jennifer cheating on Stuart with Bruce and Bill's upcoming return to Liz's life, just as she has found happiness with Sam. The younger set are definitely playing more of a supporting role during this time. I also like the fact that you still see Liz at the factory. I do wonder where the whole Jill finding a gun story was going. Did Jill think Kay was going to kill herself? Or was it implied more that Kay might kill Jill and Phillip? Lorie's inclusion in the Jill/Phillip/Kay story was interesting. I doubt Bell had changed his plans for Jill and Phillip, but maybe he was going to complicate matters more with her involvement. Then again maybe he had little for Lorie to do and just put her there until he could give her more story.

For sure, thanks for sharing what you have, has filled in so much of the history, happy to contribute where I can

That would be great, I am done with 1980, so I will post that year soon too.

Thank you so much for posting these. I love anything from any soap from the 60's, 70's up to the early 80's. It seems like it really was a golden age back then

All good. I wasn't being serious though. I am just old, haha.