toml1962

According to Jameson Parker, the foot kissing was a spontaneous gesture; a decision made on the spur of the moment, which probably would have been vetoed early on if it had actually been in the script. But it's curious that the executives reacted so strongly against it. On the same network, in 1976, DAYS had young Mike Horton sleep with the older Linda Anderson, after decrying the fact that he had been impotent with Trish Clayton during an earlier attempt at love-making. Mike appeared with no shirt, bulging away in some very revealing pajama bottoms, but no firestorm from the network caused the actors to be fired. I guess the executives' ire was arbitrary.

The show didn't have specific "comical characters", but rather, ordinary, regular characters were allowed to joke around with each other, be amusing, have fun. Just like in real life. It was great.

Incorrect. Am surprised that someone who who watched if from beginning to end - I did for the most part - has forgotten that Lahoma was at times a comical character, always given some funny lines here and there. Bill Greeley often had funny/sarcastic lines, especially when someone got drunk at the Hayloft; Emily Matson's Aunt Rowena; Rex's Aunt Becky; his housekeeper Frieda Lang; Hilda Benson the astrology lady; Ambrose Ferguson the old geezer Becky dated; Mac Wells who owned the coffee shop...

Vicki Paisley was a great character; very fun, charming, charismatic, and a little bit naughty. Think Lorie Brooks on Y&R. Or 1970s Julie on DOOL. Veleka Gray was perfect in the role. She could make you vexed at her character's machinations, yet understand and feel sympathy for her at the same time.

The Ellen/Dale romance was considered quite daring for its time. It might have lasted longer if they hadn't pushed the envelope in certain ways. Molly Picon's character made the comment once about his pants always being "good and tight, let me tell you!" which I thought would surely raise the ire of conservative viewers if not the censors. At one point later, they had Ellen and Dale in the Grant living room, with Ellen sitting barefoot on the sofa. Dale took one of her feet to his mouth and kissed it playfully, which DID end up causing trouble behind the scenes. Jameson Parker admitted that TPTB found the gesture too provocative, too sexual, and ruled that Dale be written out of the show. They decreed that Ellen should have a more mature, discreet (i.e. non-hot, non sexual) romantic partner from then on. It was a mistake, I think, because at that time, viewers were more sophisticated than the reactionary executives gave them credit for.

I would like to see where Parker said that because in another interview, he claims to have left to join OLTL. Hard to know what to believe, but I would be surprised if the stopped the story based on that when the whole storyline was generating lots of press AND viewer interest. Frankly I do not believe it. When execs smell money, they RARELY kill a storyline. I could understand if they were getting heat about it and told them not to do anything like that again. But really, think about it. This was the era of relevance and sex on soaps. Y&R was INFAMOUS for scenes like this and getting good ratings.

Avis Ryan: SIGOURNEY WEAVER (6/1976 – 9/1976)

Avis was on around a year? I can't remember. I wish I could see her.

Did you see Vicki Paisley as a great character (as some soap critics did)? What about the Ellen/Dale romance? Do you think it shouldn't have been ended?

Cast list I posted will answer your question. Jameson Parker left the show to go on OLTL which is why the story ended. I did think Vicki was a good bad girl until she turned over a new leaf. After 1975 the show really did not have the bad girl thing. It was all crime-oriented and little by little that theme absorbed the entire show. Once again Ellen and Jill were on the sidelines. Sad that Georgeanne Johnson got sick in early December and what storyline she had planned - marrying Luke - had to be cut out along with both characters.

Tom, I just managed to work my way through all of those synopses and I can't thank you enough for them because I thoroughly enjoyed every word.

You might enjoy them even more once I get the early years sorted out - may take some time. But you can still see how the show changed a LOT after 1973. 1974 hd so many short term stories (usually 3 to 6 months). Tony Cooper's sorry was not bad. I always liked Lois Smith as Zoe so was glad to see her back, even if only for a few months. Tina Sloan as Kate was always good, and I did like Bibi Besch as Eve. I am not done with 1975 at all, but will post the first nine months as they are in good shape. Pulled them together from multpile sources as with the prior two years. The hard thing is that I keep finding bits of storylines...

What did you feel about Audrey Landers, Sigourney Weaver, Ted Danson, Jobeth Williams? Did you think they'd go on to big things?

I always wonder if the last year of the show was the big improvement which some of the soap press said.

Sorry to keep asking questions.

IMO the last year was a great, yawning BORE. I thought Audrey was okay, Sigourney amazing, Ted boring and Jobeth terrific.

Who were the others?

What did you think of Joel Crothers?

Take a look at the cast list to see some of the cross-overs. Sam Lucas was at her funeral with his sister Ada.

I thought Joel was a good actor but not a great one. Very sexy and he knew it and was more than a little arrogant about it. He used to party a lot with a cousin of mine and EVERYONE knew he was gay outside of tv viewers. He used to attend quite a few of Louis Edmonds parties out on Long Island. Somewhere out there is a photo from one of those parties in the late 1970s with Joel, half naked as usual, Louis and a few other gay actors. I have forgotten the name of Joels off-again, on-again boyfriend but he was also a pretty boy.

Joel was one of those actors who, IMO, never got "dirty." He never really let himself go as an actor.

I do not really understand what you mean by soap towns having strong identities, but no matter. Only three characters went from AW to Somerset: Missy, Sam and Lahoma, and Missy had not been seen since 1969 on Another World. The ties to AW were not really strong other than attempting to use its name and popularity to entice viewers to the new series. To me, Somerset was about the town of Somerset, just as Texas was about the people of Houston, Texas. Had the writers attempted to create a separate identity for Somerset, something other than just being a half hour extenuation of Another World, perhaps it would have been more successful.

In an great story, the town is built up as one of the characters. The town has its own character based on those who live there and their interconnected lives and businesses. if you want to learn what this means, read Agatha Christie's first Miss Marple book, MURDER AT THE VICARAGE.

You are incorrect about the two shows not having strong ties. During the first year, the ties were direct and characters crossed shows a lot. Even during the second year, Robin Strasser was appearing here and there, as were other charaxters like John Randolph.

One last tie to AW for Somerset was the suicide of Laura Delaney Coopper. Robert was at her funeral as were a few other AW characters.

While I have no solid frame of personal reference between the 2 Rachel's beyond what I've read and the scant bit of early Wyndham that I've seen, I think the most striking difference is that Strasser's Rachel could be rather passive-agressive. She was the type of character who would guilt you into doing something for her (poor Rachel. she's had it so rough.) or would wrap her malicious digs in the trappings of a compliment (It's so sad how Alice can't have a child of her own. Being barren is so tragic. My heart goes out to her. I feel so fortunate to have Jamie.). Wyndham's Rachel was just down right mean with none of those trappings. Strasser's Rachel would smile to get close enough to you and then stab you in the back. Wyndham's Rachel would knock someone out of the way to get to you and then full on gut you like a fish.

Right on target. Wyndham had none of the nuances during the early years. Possibly it was lack of skill - I've only seen a few of her performances on GL where her character was very similar. It does make sense that she was able to influence Rauch and company to change the character because the role became rather one-dimensional during her early years, and I do not blame her for wanting something else to do. But clearly they wanted to make her THE star.

Unlike TELPIN, I could not follow AW based on her work alone. At times she would give a mesmerizing performance - other times (no offense meant to her fans) she phoned it in IMO. I cannot say I felt Strasser phoned in her work, but there were quite a few times, especially in these more recent years, were she presented comedy rather than drama. I personally disliked that approach greatly.

I will have to dig to see if I can find it, but there is an interview from around 1978 where, although she names no names, she clearly was commenting about "certain actors" who take the history of the show too seriously in lieu of good story telling. Very much the opposite of her later position.

At any rate, I have to admit I prefer Strasser over Wundham as an actor. Having seen her work in other things, comedy to drama, it is easy to see she is quite versatile.

Strasser's Rachel was a selfish little girl, much in the vein of early Erica on AMC (which is no surprise, of course). I loved her in the role, just as I loved her as Dorian. But her Christina Karras on AMC was terrible, no matter how long it lasted. Anyone who saw her as Rachel or Dorian would be astonished that Strasser could play a character that was so flat-out boring. Most of the fault for that has to be laid at the feet of the writers, but Strasser did nothing to give the role any spark. That's not to say that she couldn't have played Rachel's transformation -- but really, the point is moot since it was she that wanted to leave AW, not the show's decision to get rid of her.

Could not disagree more about her time on AMC. I remember those years very well and felt her characterization was so very different than that of Rachel or Dorian. She underplayed very nicely compared to the theatrical silliness of actors like Warrick or Lucci (who in my opinion was downright terrible during her first ten years on the show). AMC was always badly directed, and although once her major storyline was wrapped up the character had little to do, during the full story, I found Strasser's psychological angst very well done and astonishingly real.

I would have to agree that in later years, her performances on OLTL would at times have been better suited to the sort of characatures we got on AMC.

I read an interview where Wyndham says she had reservations about taking that Rachel part because she had just finished playing Charlotte on GL, a very Rachelesque character, but Lemay and Rauch convinced her to take it.

Wyndham was the only Rachel that I have ever known. I watched a Strasser episode at the Paley Center many moons ago, something about Liz seeing Rachel and Steve having lunch at a private club. It was definitely Stasser's part, there was no doubt about that, and you're right, she was anything but one dimensional. However, Wyndham did a pretty good job before the character transformation in the few scenes that I've seen her in. Somewhere on Youtube there is a scene of Wyndham fighting with Irene Dailey's Liz about Alice's House and she throws in a line about Alice never giving Steven any children. It was brutal and so very good.

If you can, would you elaborate more on this. Did VW not plan to stay with the show long? Thanks!!

This from an interview a few years back. The interviewer was David Shankbone:

Where do you think soaps are going to go now?

VW: I have no idea. I haven’t even addressed it. I’m so uninterested.

Would you go back to one?

VW: Oh, it would have to be an extraordinary offer and an extraordinary situation. In other words, probably not. I wasn’t interested in soaps. I was doing it because it was a good job.

But twenty-five years on a soap. It’s so funny to hear you say you weren’t interested. I understand you had your children. It was a good gig, steady income. It kept you on the east coast.

VW: Kept me on the east coast. Kept me coming home at night. I was there at dinnertime every night while my kids were home. When they went off to college, then I had an apartment in the city and I didn’t have to do that kind of commuting. But when they were little and under my auspices, I was there all the time. So it was a great gig. Was it something I intended to do for the rest of my life? Not at all. But when I realized what the alternative was and I had two children to raise, it was a pretty good gig. Also, when you do work for one entity, you know you become competitive about it. They become your family.

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I have to laugh at the next bit. Wyndham often made fun of George, Jacquie and Dwyer's banging on about the show's history and respecting it, which was a major reason those three actors were upset at how Lemay kept writing the characters as though they were different people. Fast forward 20 years later, and the SAME thing was happening to Wyndham. When the interviewer refers to THEY, he means the later producers and head writers. Read on:

----------

And you also knew history.

VW: Yes, but that was less important for them than the fact that I was a good storyteller.

I read that they didn’t care about the history and the traditions in Another World?

VW: They did not. They also knew that I knew the company, knew the actors we had. I knew what they could act with and what they couldn’t act with. So I could come up with story that would make them look good.

“She’ll never be able to play that off. He’ll be able to…..” That kind of stuff?

VW: It wasn’t that dishy. It was more like, “Look this gal can’t do this stuff you’ve been giving her. But if you give her a storyline like this, where she gets to just be beautiful, she can do that and it will be fabulous.” There were a number of times where I could help them. Other times when some of the male stars who were awfully good … and this is going way back in the seventies and eighties … and we were worried about losing them to Hollywood. And we did. Like Ray Liotta and Jerry Fitzpatrick. They would come to me and say, ‘Can we give them a good story? What would keep them?’ I’d come up with a storyline that they’d pay me for; they’d give it to their writers and my name was never on it because I didn’t want that responsibility. I didn’t want to be put in that situation with my cast. I didn’t want to be lobbied. And that worked. They knew my storylines worked. When they didn’t work it was usually because they’d taken away the very elements that made them work in order to homogenize them. That was an ongoing battle. Towards the end, when we were fighting for the life of the show and trying to keep it on, because I felt a great deal of responsibility to try and help it stay on the air. Those were jobs for almost three hundred people. That was like another family for me. Stage hands and property people.

---------

You can see that Wyndham's ambition shine through by virtue of how she was allowed to give them story ideas AND get paid for it - mostly unheard of. So here we have the three long term actors being slapped down for doing it, but Wyndham gets PAID for it? Interesting...gossip claimed that she and Rauch were having a long fling even before he hired her. She came on with one hell of a lot of power.

I always wonder if for a while she played Rachel nastier than Robin did - Robin's work has so much more vulnerability, from the little I've seen.

I guess I felt that Wyndham saw her as one dimensional and played it that way, whereas Strasser played her as vulnerable under the skin. Wyndham's Rachel, in those early years, was often quite full on. I too have seen that episode where she fights with Liz. Not sot say that Strasser would not have been as angry playing it. Just felt that Wyndham's take was less broad. I think this is why she tired of the role. In order to get her to stay, Rauch and Lemay changed the role. That is why Lemay's book is laughable when he says he thinks Strasser did not fit his future vision. In 1971 he did not HAVE a future vision. Otherwise the character would have chaged right away, as opposed to the sudden switch in 1974/75. THAT was the reason why some of the actors objected - it was so obvious.

Rauch and Strasser had a bad relationship at OLTL, which she said she mishandled (of course he won't say that). Her airtime and wardrobe steadily worsened, with her last story being one where her daughter stole Dorian's boyfriend. Robin quit. A few years later Rauch met with her for lunch and they mended fences, but she declined a return.

From Lemay's book, it was Rauch who asked Strasser to come back because Impert wasn't working out and I believe they needed a strong Rachel to finish out a story while they were looking for a suitable recast. The only thing Lemay says in his book is that Strasser (I'm paraphrasing from memory) was great at playing the villain, but he wasn't convinced that she could play what he had planned for his version of Rachel.

Who knows if he was right or not. I believe Strasser played a "good girl" on AMC, but the character didn't work out.

Did Rauch work with Strasser at OLTL?

I have a new respect for Victoria Wyndham, after discovering that Reinholt and Courtney were hostile to her.

Neither Reinholt or Courtney had anything against Wyndham at the onset. It was the eventual re-jigging of the character that they felt did not ring true. Plus IMO, reading George's lengthy comments on the subject, he did seem to be jealous that Lemay and Rauch were trying to make Wyndham the star of the show. Only natural I suppose. The fact is that within a few years, the show lost its ground and never got it back - not really. Its funny but I never felt Wyndham was right for the part, which is why they needed to change the role of Rachel. Rachel became Alice, and her stepdaugher became Rachel. All rather silly because there was nothing to fix on the show - number two for years, all they did in the end was bring it down. I never watched the show beyong 1980 despite admiring the intensity of the drama.

From what I have read and heard, Wyndham was very much like Susan Sullivan - very ambitious. Courtney never was and did not usually stand her groud. But when it came to the characters, she wanted to remain loyale to who and what the characters were. I admire when actors take their work seriously.

As for Strasser, her role on AMC lasted three years so I would not think it was unsuccessful. The only reason she left was because she was offered the role of Dorian. In fact, I recall seeing her on AMC one day, then a few days later on OLTL and the soap zines of the time noted that fact of her switching gears from a gentle role of Christina Karras to a more complext one of Dorian. Although I have never forgotten Nancy Pinkerton in the role - she was really amazing - Strasser has never phone in a performance. One need only look at her work on AMC to know she easily could have played the "changed" Rachel, as her Rachel was anything but one-dimensional.

Rauch and Strasser had a bad relationship at OLTL, which she said she mishandled (of course he won't say that). Her airtime and wardrobe steadily worsened, with her last story being one where her daughter stole Dorian's boyfriend. Robin quit. A few years later Rauch met with her for lunch and they mended fences, but she declined a return.

IMO Rauch was a creep, and reading his book was an exercise in trying to find the truth behind HIS ego. I don't think he liked having to battle himself in the form of Reinholt. Both were tremendously arrogant, even if talented.

I believe (other will know better than I) that Lemay came on as headwriter when Cenedella was busy with Somerset in late 1970. I also believe Rauch came on in 1971 before Strasser left. Certainly both where around when she came back for five months to replace Impert.

On the one hand, they did some great things for the show, but the suggestion that Dwyer and Courtney were ruining the show by being old-fashioned, 1950s style actors was absurd. Also absurd was the notion that Dwyer threw Hugh Marlowe off balance when she changed her lines. Marlowe was well-known for going up on his lines, and it continued for all the years he stayed on the show, and it got worse over time.

That seems so cruel to fans.

That set was a hotbed of tension for years. Lemay HATED all of the following actors: George Reinholt, Jacquie Courtney, Robin Strasser and Virgina Dwyer. He said Dwyer never bothered to learn her script but relied on the teleprompter, which was true, but she was very good as Mary. He also claimed Strasser and Courtney were bad actors. I cannot imagine many people agreeing. Finally, he felt Reinholt was overly egomaniacle. On that score he was correct.

Lemay was a big supporter of Victoria Wyndham, and wanted to make her the star of the show - one way or another, he succeeded. But within a year of firing all those actors, the shows ratings went down by around 700,000 viewers, and in three years the show fell from its #2 position and never really recovered.

1974-1975

1.As The World Turns 10.8

2.Another World 9.7

3.Days Of Our Lives 9.7

4.Search for Tomorrow 9.4

5.All My Children 9.3

6.The Doctors 9.0

7.The Guiding Light 8.5

8.General Hospital 8.5

9.Young And The Restless 8.4

10.The Edge Of Night 7.6

11.One Life To Live 7.4

12.Love Of Life 7.0

13.Somerset 6.0

14.How/Survive A Marriage 5.7

1975-1976

1.As The World Turns 9.4

2.Another World 8.9 – down .8

3.Young And The Restless 8.6

4.Search for Tomorrow 8.3

5.Days Of Our Lives 8.3

6.All My Children 8.1

6.The Guiding Light 8.1

8.The Doctors 7.3

9.Love Of Life 7.2

10.General Hospital 7.1

11.One Life To Live 6.8

12.The Edge Of Night 6.7

13.Somerset 5.9

14.Ryan's Hope 5.7

1976-1977

1.As The World Turns 9.9

2.Another World 9.0 – up .1

3.The Guiding Light 8.9

4.Young And The Restless 8.7

5.Search for Tomorrow 8.6

6.All My Children 8.2

7.Days Of Our Lives 7.8

8.Ryan's Hope 7.3

8.One Life To Live 7.3

10.General Hospital 7.0

11.The Doctors 6.9

12.Love Of Life 6.3

13.The Edge Of Night 6.2

14.Somerset 5.2

15.Lovers And Friends 2.9

1977-1978

1.As The World Turns 8.6

2.Another World 8.6 – down .4

3.All My Children 8.4

4.Guiding Light 8.0

5.Young And The Restless 7.8

6.Search for Tomorrow 7.5

7.One Life To Live 7.2

8.Ryan's Hope 7.0

8.General Hospital 7.0

10.Days Of Our Lives 6.9

11.The Doctors 6.5

12.Love Of Life 6.0

13.The Edge Of Night 5.2

14.For Richer, For Poorer 3.9

1978-1979

1.All My Children 9.0

2.General Hospital 8.7

3.Young And The Restless 8.6

4.As The World Turns 8.2

5.Guiding Light 8.1

6.One Life To Live 8.0

7.Search for Tomorrow 7.6

8.Another World 7.5 – down 1.1

9.Ryan's Hope 7.2

10.Days Of Our Lives 6.8

11.The Doctors 6.3

12.Love Of Life 5.8

13.The Edge Of Night 5.8

14.For Richer, For Poorer 2.1

Amazing how egos and power struggles can destory a successful show.

It appears that, based on the ratings that Tom posted, 'Return to Peyton Place' was higher rated than 'Somerset', yet 'RTPP' was cancelled after 21 months and 'Somerset' last another 2 seasons.

That is actually a great idea and I'm surprised that PG didn't think of it. Steve and Alice moving to 'Somerset' may have been a boost to that show.

It all had to do with whether or not the show had the demographic AND was #1 or 2 in the time slot. The show was nearly always in third place, and that just never seems to be enough for the networks. In 1972, 1.0 rating = 620,000 homes. That means that a 7.0 rating, which RTPP had in its final season, equaled over 4M viewers.

Hi, Zanereed,

Actually, George Reinholt had already been fired, and was off the show, when the character of Mary Matthews passed away. In the story, Steven Frame had gone to Sydney, Australia, to oversee business for his company, Frame Enterprises. On the day of Mary's death, we saw Alice alone in her sister's living room, placing a phone call to Steven. Unable to reach him personally, she just left a message for him to call her back as soon as possible. Then she curled up in an armchair, sobbing, "Oh, Mama...." as the scene faded to black, closing the episode. It was quite touching.

I'm not sure exactly what they'll find in the P&G archives. From all accounts, what little they did keep from pre-1979 was not well preserved or documented. I have a tape of the 1974 wedding/tenth anniversary episode, and it's been confirmed that the Mary Matthews death episode is also floating around in the hands of dedicated soap opera collectors. But apparently, P&G never even kept a copy of many historically-significant episodes, like the premiere of SEARCH FOR TOMORROW from 1951, which I also have a videotape of, but P&G doesn't. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what they unearth from the archives, and hope for the best.

With respect, you are incorrect. Reinholt's last episode was the very same one in which Mary died. See:

MARCH 28, 1975 (EP. #2708)

Rachel wished Steve a good journey when he phoned to arrange to say goodbye to Jamie. Steve told Alice the project was his opportunity to leave his mark on the world when she was sad about leaving their house, even if it was only temporary. Steve and Alice phoned Mary and Jim with their news. Jamie told Steve the house wouldn't be the same without him. Steve said goodbye to Jamie, then Alice made ready to take Steve to the airport. Jim woke up from a nap to find Mary had passed away in a chair on the terrace.

Jamie: "[THROWS HIMSELF IN HIS ARMS] I'll miss you, Dad."

Steve: "And I'll miss you."

Jamie: "[HE LOOKS AT STEVE] Bye, Dad..."

Steve: "Bye, son... [JAMIE TURNS QUICKLY AND GOES OUT]

Jim: "[HE KISSES HER] Thank you, darling..."

Mary: "For what?"

Jim: "For sharing my life... I've been wondering what I would have done without you."

Mary: "We don't have to wonder things like that, do we? Now, you get your rest-"

Jim: "I'll just give Pat a ring. You want to talk to her?"

Mary: "Yes, I'll be right in. [JIM GOES INSIDE. MARY RISES AND LIZ GOES TO HER]"

Liz: "Oh, Mary."

Mary: "What is it?"

Liz: "Do you realize what a lucky woman you are?"

Mary: (Exit Line) "Yes, I do... And I'm grateful to Jim for making my life so much easier than most people's. Now, do you want to say hello to Pat?"

Liz: "No, you and Jim talk to her. I'll go find some more shells for that necklace for Marianne. Give them all my love, will you. [sHE HURRIES OUT, AND MARY STARES AFTER HER THOUGHTFULLY, THEN GOES INTO THE HOUSE]"

Alice: "Darling, can we just walk around the house once before we leave?"

Steve: (Exit Line) "Sure... I'm going to miss this as much as Jamie will. [HE TAKES HER HAND AND THEY GO OUT]"

'ST. CROIX TERRACE. THE SUNSET IS REFLECTED ON THE TERRACE. JIM ENTERS, STRETCHING.'

Jim: "Mary, I didn't mean to sleep so long... I thought you were going to wake me. [HE LOOKS AT HER. SHE'S IN THE CHAIR, WITH HER BACK TO HIM, HER HEAD TURNED TO ONE SIDE.] Mary? We should get ready for dinner. [HE GOES TOWARD HER AND THEN STOPS, STARING AT HER. HE SEES HER MAGAZINE FALLEN TO THE FLOOR AND THE TEA GLASS SHATTERED BY IT.] Oh, no! Mary! Mary! [HE GOES TO HER, AND THEN TURNS TO LIZ, WHO'S COME TO THE DOOR]

Liz: "What is it, Jim?"

Jim: "Call a doctor, Liz... Something's wrong with Mary! [HE LEANS OVER MARY, AND LIZ BACKS AWAY SLOWLY, THEN TURNS AND HURRIES INTO THE HOUSE]"

And NBC never had ratings on that level for their other new soaps, did they? Not for long anyway.

Maybe with the 90 minute expansion NBC should have just revived Somerset. Georgann Johnson was still working on P&G soaps at that point, and they could have brought Nic Coster back, I'm sure others too.

NBC was NOTORIOUS for starting and cancelling soaps too quickly. Take a look at their soap history:

Of all their soaps, only three went the distance. Amazing.

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Forgot to say that, as from the fall of 1975, Somerset had the hour long Another World as its lead in, but of course the ties between the shows had long been cut. Cannot help but think renewing those ties would have helped. Instead of firing all those actors, they could easily have moved them over to Somerset. Certainly Reinholt would have made the ratings go up as he did on OLTL.

This is all wonderful. Thank you for posting this.

Awful to hear that about Carol Roux, but I guess given the time period I shouldn't be too shocked.

Do you know if the plan all along was to drop the ties to Bay City after the show was established or was that a Slesar thing after he decided to take the show in a new direction?

The ratings are also interesting because while the show never broke into the top ten, it seems to have maintained a stable audience for its entire run with a few spikes here and there. It premiered at 5.7 and was cancelled at 5.2, not exactly a huge drop. It came on at 4:00 eastern time where I lived, so I'm wondering if NBC just gave that time back to local affiliates and that's why it was cancelled.

Glad all this is of help. I have always felt that the show, certainly during its first four years (70-73) was quite a good one overall.

As tot ratings, the sad thing is it nearly always won its time slot. Up against DS for the first year, then for three years against Gomer Pyle and Love American Style, it was often either #1 or 2 in the time slot. in summer of 1973, Secret Storm was moved against it. Again, Somerset often won the slot. THEN, in fall of 1974 began $10k Pyramid and Tattletales and Somerset fell into third place. THAT was the problem. Only got worse when Edge of Night was moved against it and that show got much better ratings during this period, recapturing some of its previously lost audience.

Somerset DID go out with some okay numbers but the demographic was not to NBC's liking. Shame ABC did not take the show. There was chit chat in the soap magazines that Lyle Hill had thought about brining back Leo Kurtz and hiring Jonathan Frid for the role, which IMO would have been a big audience boost and good casting. But then the show got thirteen weeks' cancellation notice and that was it.

Somerset was replaced by - are you ready? THE GONG SHOW!

Am most likely missing some of the small, short term story bits, but my two posts along with Paul's gives a good accounting from December 1972 to December 1974. I need to organize 1975 and 1976, and 1970 - November 1972 still needs a lot of work.

JANUARY 1974

• Pulling himself together after his wife Laura's suicide, Rex Cooper goes to Chicago where surgery to restore the use of his legs proves successful. He's pleased at the sudden arrival of his aunt Becky Winkle to see him through his recuperation. However, Rex is unaware that she has decided to live with him permanently. He begins to see things more clearly when she speaks of a "long, long visit." Rex is overjoyed that he can now stand on his own and seeks solace in the birth of his first grandchild, a boy named Joseph Rex.
  
• Zoe Cannell, still on the lam after escaping from the sanitarium, plots to kill Julian and Andrea, whom Zoe still believes took Julian away from her. Chrystal realizes Zoe's first target would be Julian and that her presence in his house would only fuel Zoe's anger. Over Julian's objections, Chrystal moves into her own apartment, promising to return as soon as Zoe is captured. Chrystal continues to believe her past association with the criminal syndicate makes her unworthy of Julian and his friends. She visits Ginger to apologize for her part in the events which paralyzed Rex and led to Laura's suicide. Chrystal insists she's wants to become a better person. Ginger is understanding, but suggests it will take time for Tony to forgive and forget the past.
  
• Julian feels Chrystal is unnecessarily berating herself with guilt and self-degradation. Zoe telephones Julian from Lansing asking for $1500 to cover room and board debts to a Mrs. Temple. This leads Julian and the police straight to Lansing, but Mrs. Temple is a con woman who has coerced Zoe into asking for the money and safely hidden the fugitive out of sight.
  
• The continuing difference of opinion between Andrea and David finally erupts in a tremendous argument. David returns the sports car she grandly gave him for Christmas, saying she's too busy playing the lady executive to have a personal life and be a wife. She angrily accuses him of male chauvinism, being unable to accept help from a woman -even a woman he loves. Andrea maintains he resents her money and demands for an equal partnership as he expects a woman to be a subordinate, a plaything. Friends and family realize David is obsessed with male dominance, but Andrea is equally obsessed with her own independence and was thoughtless in giving David an extravagant gift which magnified their problems. David, depressed and at odds, considers giving up law school even though he is close to graduation. He looks into a career as a police officer. Lt. Price tells David about the police academy at Evanston, though Price feels David might not have the objectivity necessary to be a good cop.
  
• Young and lovely Eve Lawrence makes plans to join her fiancé Judge Brad Bishop in Somerset. Eve's daughter Heather, a teenager, resents the idea of her mother's marriage to a much-older man and makes it clear that she believes her grandmother's contention that Eve drove Heather's father to the depression and drinking that led to his death. Heather begs her grandmother to let her live with her rather than go with Eve to Somerset. Mrs. Lawrence refuses, saying that she and Heather's grandfather are planning an around-the-world cruise. In reality, Mrs. Lawrence's disapproval and hatred for Eve -a woman she never wanted her son to marry- makes it impossible for her to love Heather, whom she sees only as "Eve's daughter." Judge Bishop reacts to Heather's objections and insults with reason and tact, though Heather realizes she's ultimately going to Somerset because she's a minor and has no other choice. Meanwhile, Ellen doubts Eve's reasons for marrying her father, though it is Andrea who is so obsessed with Eve's intentions that Julian accuses her of gossiping.
  
• Mark and Edith Mercer move from Boston to Somerset. He's been hired as an executive at Delaney Brands and will probably be its president when Rex becomes Chairman of the Board. Edith is delighted to have left Boston as it takes Mark away from the woman who has long stood between them. Mark reminds his wife that this woman was his friend's widow. He only helped her emotionally and financially after the death of his friend... it wasn't an affair. However, Edith insists Mark was deeply in love with her and might still be. Mark protests that it's a neurotic belief, though he privately wonders if he can be happy in Somerset without his lady friend in it. The whole town is buzzing about the Mercers uprooting themselves from Boston; a move they publicly admit was for personal reasons. Andrea vows to uncover exactly what those reasons were.
  

MARCH 1973

• When Paris turns down her request that he kill Andrea, Zoe decides to do the job herself. She invites her sister-in-law and David to a remote hunting lodge, and after sending David into the village for food, loads a rifle. Back in Somerset, Carter meets with Paris, who taunts him about Zoe's offer to engage him as a hired gun. Realizing his sister has taken Andrea to a secluded lodge, Carter races there to stop her. Meanwhile, Zoe admits her guilt in the arsenic poisoning to a horrified Andrea. Completely deranged, Zoe fantasizes how Julian will love her again once Andrea is out of the way. Just as she is about to shoot, Carter arrives. He begs Zoe to put down the gun, arguing that she'll never get away with murder now and promises to help her. Wavering, she accidentally pulls the trigger, shooting Carter in the chest. Andrea attempts to call for help, but Zoe has disconnected the phone. Aware Carter needs immediate medical attention, Zoe instructs Andrea to drive into the village for help, but they soon realize it is too late... Carter is dead. David returns from the village to find Zoe in shock and lamenting the fact she killed her own brother.
  
• Ginger tells her father she is upset by Virgil Paris' pushiness with her. Leo promises to take care of Paris and reveals he intends to promote Tony to plant foreman. Later, Tony rejects the idea on the grounds other employees might misconstrue the gesture as nepotism and result in more plant friction; however, Leo insists. Paris, strangely piqued by Ginger's coldness to him, suggests Leo send Tony away for a three-day seminar.
  
• Certain that attorney Ben Grant is responsible for any suspicions Sam has at Delaney Brands, Leo orders Chrystal to surreptitiously tape record all conversations between Sam and Ben. From one of the tapes, Leo and Paris learn that Ben attended a secret meeting held by Herb Geller, Delaney's sales manager, where Ben learned suppliers are being strong-armed into cutting prices, employees have been threatened, and customers forced to accept inferior quality canned goods. Ben tells Sam that many people think gangsters now own Delaney Brands. Sam refuses to believe the rumors, but promises Ben not to tell anyone of the suspicions.
  
• When Herb Geller is killed in a mysterious hit and run accident, Ben and Sam quarrel as Ben speculates Geller's death wasn't an accident, and Sam feels accused of criminal activity. Sam's doubts and anger lead him to drink too much, which causes a greater strain in his marriage. As Sam and Lahoma continue arguing, Chrystal makes herself available for sympathy and affection, which is what Leo hired her to do.
  
• The court finds Zoe criminally insane and orders her confined to an asylum. Aunt Rowena, exonerated in Andrea's poisoning, is told she can go home, but she elects to remain in the sanitarium... she likes it there. Having already decided to divorce Zoe, Julian finds he can play the piano again. However, he decides to give it up, choosing instead to pursue a career in journalism, a field which he has always found interesting.
  
• Andrea and David finally become engaged, while Emily searches for a way to keep them apart. When she suggests Andrea accompany the family abroad for a year, Emily is angered by her daughter's refusal, as she considers David an unsuitable choice for an heiress. Dana, determined to stop his mother's machinations, tells her that good breeding hasn't prevented Phillip from having an affair with his secretary. Stunned, Emily asks Phillip is she can accompany him on his upcoming business trip, but he gently discourages her. She still isn't convinced of his infidelity until Phillip leaves his briefcase behind. Searching through it, Emily finds an itinerary and a hotel reservation for Mr. and Mrs. Matson -one room.
  

I think that theatrical type of acting can be an asset to soaps - and it suited some ladies of that era, like Louise Shaffer.

Was it only ever Robin Strasser who showed up on Somerset?

What did you think of Robert? Did you prefer him on Somerset or AW?

What did you think of the Jingles the Clown story?

will81 has been posting some Laub synopses from 1973...maybe he has some Somerset.

I liked Nick Coster a lot - he was a fine actor and had a good career.

Frankly I thought the Jingles story was a bit silly. Creepy at times but in the end too fancifal for me.

Take a look at the cast list I posted. It includes the crossover cast as well.

Would love to see the Laub stuff from other years. And from other shows. Finding story info prior to the end of 1972 is always a challenge, altough that said I have TONS for Somerset from end of 1972 onwards. Prior to that it is a bit brief and disjointed except for the Jasper storyline. Amazing how much people choose to leave out of these things. Too bad soap digest could not have come along a lot sooner. If one has a lot of time, you can go to the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center and use the microfilms of the tv guide. For years they had sentences to desribe each daily soap.

I guess AW did this again with Texas, bringing the characters in first. It sounds like it worked better with Somerset.

I always thought Marie left for her theater career. That's a shame they let her go. She was such a striking and very different actress, no soap should have let her go.

I wonder how people felt about Lahoma's stories. You never hear a lot about them.

Marie,like all actors, spins it that "the stage was calling" but the fact is she did not work again until almost a yeat later...I liked her work on the show, but she is considered by many to be a bit too over the top, or "theatrical" as she likes to put it. Have met her a few times (once at a Dark Shadows convention) and she is a very nice lady. Also saw her when Frid directed her in Lion in Winter. She was very good.