will81

Patricia Albrecht was most likely there until Christmas 79 as Janet Wood was announced in Jan 1980 and her first appearance is likely Jan 21, 1980. Cindy Eilbacher took over sometime in Spring 1980.

The other two big changes I noticed. Story over character and JER's Days and Melrose Place turned Daytime from drama or high drama to scandal. By the mid to late 90's soaps felt more like tabloids

I agree and everything I have read suggests that from the writers strike in 1981 until spring/summer 1982 when GH lost up to 2 million viewers, was all Gloria Monty. Pat came back after the strike but walked almost immediately and Monty didn't bother hiring a new HW for several months after that. It was that period that had the most impact on all the other soaps.

I will say though that there are scenes out there that show Brenda could have played the more vulnerable and loving Jill to John. The first being after her affair, when she returns home and is distraught about what she's done. Jill and John have a rather tender and loving moment in their room. The other is the June 11 1985 episode. One of the few where John and Jill are really connecting. I think while Brenda and Jerry's chemistry isn't off the charts, they had enough there to make it work. Plus Jill is rather charming and seductive. I think this is closer to what the courtship would have been had Brenda played that aspect. Much like Stuart Brooks, Jill would have been the woman to help John feel alive again. Not as much romance and sweetness as Deborah's Jill had and more John being slightly lured in by Jill with a touch of romance, which ultimately makes more sense as to why their marriage fell apart so easily, even before the affair was discovered. Who knows, maybe Jerry and Brenda were getting along that week, lol. Maybe they both knew the end was near and were happy

First mention of Bob Aaron I have is Dec 1960 I have Larry White beginning January 1966 Bud Grant January 1969 Clare Simpson January 1972 which matches Bud Grant going to CBS and taking over from Fred Silverman Lin Bolen August 1972 as seen in the article below I think the issue is the press never refer to the position in the same way twice. Was Lin Director but Clare was still VP. Were they two separate positions or the same? Maybe that is where the confusion lies.

That's interesting. Everything I have ever read states Lin Bolen was the first woman to achieve such a high ranking position at a network. She was made VP of Daytime programming August 1972. I had never heard of Clare Simpson before Lol NVM Clare Simpson is a man. So Lin Bolen's achievement still stands

Yes Lee's show was on the CBS O&O in Chicago. Bell also started his tv career with CBS in the 1950's.

I feel like this is counter to who Jill was at this point. She had gone through a lot of trauma at the hands of Kay Chancellor and it had hardened her heart. The warmth was there with Brenda, but with strings attached because she only knew how to survive, which often meant closing her heart. The warmth seemed contrived but realistic. Brenda's coldness, even when she was being loving as Jill, seemed much more on par with who Jill was supposed to be by 1982. Being vulnerable only if it served a purpose, because she was never going to let her guard down again. Deborah seemed more like a woman who had gone through a lot but didn't let it affect her deep down. I felt the evolution of Jill went back a few steps. Deborah is still lovely to watch, but the deeper psychology of Jill isn't there.

To be fair Jill was never hot for David. While Derek had been introduced in Summer 76, when David showed up Derek was but a memory, Bell would take close to a year to bring him back. It was Snapper who told Jill not to settle for a comfortable life and to pave her own way and nudged her to go back to the Salon, to gain independance because he knew she was going to accept David's proposal for security and nothing more. As soon as she saw Derek, David was done, haha. And again to be fair, Derek made the moves and slept with Jill to show her she needed passion in her life. The D did get her hooked though, lol. I think Jill was hot for Andy but when she realised he loved camping and wanted to be a P.E teacher and live in the Foster house, she was over it. Phillip was more angry because he saw the writing on the wall. He knew she was going to forget about him and focus on her 'new family' It was Jill who wanted to send him off to boarding school, but Phillip was so hurt and angry he was like 'fine I can't wait to go'

Andy was going to take a job as a P.E teacher around the time Jill was eyeing off John in spring 1982. They may have mentioned earlier that he had been a teacher. Not sure. Allegro became Jonas' in Sep 1980, so yeah Danny worked for Jonas. I am pretty sure his first episode was meeting Patty. He was a singing waiter or at least sang while he waited, haha. Patty found him annoying but I guess charming enough that they began hanging around each other. Both Danny and Andy were introduced during a writers strike. I am almost certain Steven Ford was a last minute addition and was slotted into a bartender role until they could find him story, more likely the publicity of having an ex-President's son was worthwhile. I think Michael was probably hired to bring young blood and the bonus of being a singer, something Bell loved to incorporate. I am betting Conboy thought Michael was going to become a big star. Maybe another Rick Springfield or something. 1981 wasn't a great year for the show and Danny and Andy came in just as Y&R changed time slots and I think CBS was trying to promote fresh, young talent. So it may have also been CBS that pushed for some younger actors too.

There was a few months gap between Days and Y&R. She didn't show up on Y&R until Nov 1982 and she had left Days in August. I had heard Patty wanted to be recurring so she could focus on other things and was happy to just pop up from time to time. I was pretty sure her music career was a bigger focus, at least back in the 70's/early 80's. Or maybe Bell put her on recurring and she was happy to do it. Not sure when they started dating but the first press article on them is 1994 and they married around Jan 1996 Yes Gina slept with Jack, I think a couple of times. He also helped her buy Jonas' place in return for a room in the place. Which worked out well when John kicked him out of the house because of his affair with Jill. Yeah I think Patty was placed on recurring around 1985 when the Neil/Gina romance ended and Jim Storm was let go. Not sure if she was ever on contract again, don't think so or maybe just for a short period.

Danny was mostly involved with Patty, I think many of his appearances were also him singing or doing something with his singing career. By the time Patty married Jack, Traci came on board and he split his time between being a friend to both and his singing. I don't think Danny was appearing more than a few times a month, so he didn't have much story initially. Also it isn't clear when he went on contract the first time. Maybe when he joined or maybe months after. He still seems like a recurring character in those earlier years.

Robin Eisenman, was she ever on B&B? Not sure she was but she has three GH - Stacey Days - Kelly Y&R - Nikki (subbed for a couple of months)

Don Diamont was also on three Days - Carlos Y&R - Brad B&B - Bill

I am not sure if Bell had a pro-life stance or if he was so wrapped up in how he thought Ashley would react to the abortion that he didn't consider how it would play out to audiences. It made sense that Ashley would have a bit of a meltdown as she had wanted the baby and terminated the pregnancy for Victor and Nikki and not for her self. Plus she never got therapy for her previous breakdown, so she had never resolved the mental health issues that were there. So it made sense, but I guess the breakdown didn't have to happen. I do think Bell was looking for some big high drama and I don't think he considered the message he was sending. Then again maybe he was pro-life and this was a cautionary tale, which would suck. I don't like the idea he would punish Ashley for making that decision.

I think Steven made sense in that Ash was so over waiting for Victor and she had a man that was willing to make a commitment, she was also vulnerable to Steven because he helped her to re-build her life. She wasn't so much choosing Steven as much as she was choosing herself and a life free of complications (or so she thought) I get it from a character perspective even if their marriage was pointless. She really was just moving on and had been ready for marriage and a family and saw that opportunity in Steven. I think for me that is the difference, characters seemed more carefully thought out in the way they did things. Jill after Phillip III's death and Ashley post divorce from Victor were never the same to me. The only thing I will say, though I agree she did a good job with Ashley and Brad. I don't think her writing for Ashley was ever on point. This was the point at which Ashley became a Victor apologist, was totally submissive to Cole in a way that was off putting, and her being pregnant with Victor's baby was so beyond anything Ashley would have ever done, even Eileen said prior to the reveal that she was certain Ashley would not be carrying Victor's baby. When Eileen returned she played Ashley with power as she had always done. When Victor returns and the board needs to vote, Victor wants to see her alone. She says nothing, smiles and walks off on him refusing to vote and later they have a very civil conversation where again Ash seems to have this power in the dynamic, she is very pragmatic about their past and does not pine for him like so many other women who act like Victor was the one that got away. Then all that changed and the Ashley I loved was truly gone.

Ashley should have never married Blade. That was out of character for her. So soon after her divorce from Victor and still on and off with Brad. She went from just having fun and letting loose to married within 18 months. I would have preferred if Ashley and Victor separated for a while but stayed married, he explores his feelings for Nikki, she for Brad. Blade instead is a stalker who causes havoc for Ashley and Brad, Tylo had a dark edge to him from the beginning which lent itself to creepy/stalker guy vibes. Once that was over Ashley is again torn between Victor and Brad. She reconciles with Victor and gets pregnant with Adam, thus eliminating Hope and tying Adam to two major characters from the two major families. You could still have had Victor disappear and meet Hope and be there for a bit, but come back and reconcile with Ashley. Maybe that is the impetus for her to return to him, having lost him. Maybe while he is presumed dead, Ash is about to move on with Brad???? Then he comes back, once again thwarting Brad's plans. I think her marriage to Victor could have lasted until Brenda Epperson left. I think once Victor and Ashley were done her next and only other marriage should have been Brad. Whether Brenda or Eileen, that pairing worked very well and they seemed more end game to me than Ashley and Victor.

Oh yeah I forgot to look that one up. Apparently Eileen had a blood clot and Carmen replaced her Oct 20, 21 & 27 2004

Hey everyone I was doing a bit of searching on Eileen Fulton and went down a rabbit hole. I found some info on her run on the show and her temps that contradict wiki. Here goes Eileen first left in April 1964 not 1963 and Lisa was offscreen for a couple of months. Pamela King debuted in July 1964 but audience reaction was so strong (and negative) that both P&G and CBS (according to Eileen at the time) wined and dined her until she returned in August 1964. Eileen then left in early 1965 to do Our Private World, however unlike what is on wiki, Eileen returned almost immediately to ATWT with press stating she would be back on daytime in early October 1965. Eileen then quit the show a second time with one report stating her last day would be Dec 17, 1965. However no idea if this is tape or air date. I could find no replacement information and it seems that Lisa was written off the show? It was announced Eileen would return Jan 16, 1967 after touring with her nightclub act for the last year. Temp - Lynn Rogers I could find no information Temp - In June 1980 Eileen contracted hepatitis and was off the show for six weeks and Betsy Von Furstenburg replaced her Eileen quit the show again, in April 1983 stating the show had gotten bizarre but it was also reported she demanded more money and better writing. Betsy Von Furstenburg replaced her until Eileen returned August 03, 1984. Temp - Jane Powell subbed in July 1990 for a few weeks while Eileen had surgery. Eileen returned but it seems she returned too early and had to take sick leave again and as far as I can tell Jane continued in the role. Apparently Eileen returned and once again was still too sick and left again but this time....... Temp - Maeve McGuire stepped in around Oct or Nov 1990 (couldn't find an exact date but it wasn't 1992 as far as I can tell) and Eileen committed to staying out until her health was back. No idea when she returned. Temp - Jane Powell replaced her again in August 1996 for a few weeks when Eileen had an emergency apendectomy on Augst 07, 1996. It was reported she would return the week of Sep 02, 1996 That's all I have and not sure if this is common knowledge but thought I would share what I found as it is different to what is on wikipedia.

Maybe there was a push for some young blood on the show. I didn't think the Y&R demo had really slipped until 95 or 96 when Days was really heating up. There were so many young hot men who could act and actually would have looked the part as well. I really will never know why he got the role. Nicholas should have been more like Nikki used to be. A little quirky, flighty and sensitive as well as a bit of a hopeless romantic. He spent more time on the ranch with Nikki and Jack. Actually if Nick had been a little more like Terry Lester's Jack, it would have made Victor's head explode, haha.

Same. He was one of the most miscast actors on the show, followed by Peter B as Jack but at least Peter could act and had some charm and charisma. Josh was always like watching chipped paint slowly fall off a wall.

Oh right, I've never read his book. So few actors on the show have ever said anything bad about him for whatever reason. I will have to look that up. Do you know if Jeanne made much mention of Conboy in her book? Did Brenda in hers?

I'd say 1987 when Victor planned to divorce her. Maybe instead he did and Nikki left town just as Ashley married Steven. I still think the quad with Ash/Vic/Jack/Nikki would have happened. But I don't know, he really pushed Nikki by about 1982 to be more a focus, especially once Kevin Bancroft came in. Patty was gone mostly due to a failed recast and Diane was never a major focus, more a supporting character. I think the recast with Jess also affected things. Bell might have liked Jess, but I also feel he lost a bit of interest in Jill once Brenda was gone. His inspiration for her was on the lower end and he basically had her recycle storylines for most of the 90's. But yeah I don't doubt Ed Scott pushed to keep MTS in the spotlight and a major focus. I have never liked Ed Scott, even though I do believe Brenda Dickson was getting difficult, I also believe Ed had something to do with her departure. Not sure why, just a hunch. John Conboy wasn't much better, he literally tried to take over the show and have Bell ousted. Kay Alden confirmed the power struggles between the two and Bell clearly had nothing nice to say about him in his Emmy legends interview. Though many of the cast seemed to like him, or say they did. Also the rumour that he charged a bunch of sets made for Captiol to Y&R and almost brought the show down as a result, never have been able to confirm this one though I have no trouble believing it.

MTS and Ed married around 1985 and Nikki was very much a major character by that point with her lavish wedding to Victor and the quad with Ashley and Jack. I think Bell loved Nikki and would have kept her regardless, but how long do you think she would have lasted?

Yes I remember hearing that but not sure if that was after Heather came back. Pretty sure Sarah was on contract so I would still see her as an official recast but yeah maybe it was never supposed to be for long.