toml1962

This is great! Thanks for posting all that stuff.

Did Carol Roux only sign up for 6 months? It seems odd they would go to all the trouble of getting her back and using her character to launch the show,only to write her off so soon.Or was it a case of her not being happy and the producer agreeing to let her go?

Everyone signed a one year deal at the start, but their contract all had 3 month options, as did hers. She was not happy at all being in New York. I will have to look for the article. Someone will have to tell me how to post them on here. Trying to find it on the site but so far no luck.

IMO the character of Lee was too psychotic to last forever. Also, at the time it was largely unheard of to create a show around a character like her, or Rachel or Dorian from OLTL. Now they probably SHOULD do that and the soaps might experience a rebirth. Very stupid of Winfrey to say they have outlived their time. Just a matter of the right combination.

It is interesting because I never cared much for Jordan Charney. He was not a leading man as far as I was concerned, and kind of a dull actor from my perspective, but in that role he was fairly popular. If I had my choice, I would have spun off the three BIG GUNS - Rachel, Alice and Steve. If not all of them certainly Rachel. Might have kept Strasser happy to be THE star.

Left to right: James O’Sullivan, Bernard Barrow, Paul Sparer (is behind Barrow), Audrey Landers, Robert Burr, Philip MacHale, Fawne Harriman, Steve Simpson (behind Fawne), Susan MacDonald, Veleka Grey, Barry Jenner, Gene Bua, Jobeth Williams, Gloria Hoye, Joel Crothers, Georgeanne Johnson. Taken sometime in May or June 1976. MacHale came on as the third David Grant in May and left in August, and Simpson left in late June which is why I can estimate when it was taken.

toml, I have Laub's paperback book which covers 1976 - a lot of it is probably already in the Digest synopses but if you are interested in anything in it let me know.

Which AW characters would you have spun over to Somerset permanently? Do you think they chose the right ones?

I wonder why they didn't spin off Lee, instead of killing her.

I have that book as well. But I believe she published news letters from around 1972.

Tom!! Depending on how much of the show's history I utilize in my version of Somerset on the ONtv network, I would like to pick your brain about a few things if it comes down to it. Should that happen, I'd be very happy to give you "consultant" status in my credits.

Anytime. Are we allowed to swap email addresses on here? Might be easier for you to ask questions that way. I am new to this site so I have lots to learn, such as how to share images. I have some pics from the show. In fact lots of them.

Above it almost certainly from Soap Opera Digest - great source of info for the last 12 months of the show. Wish I could lay my hands on the Laub fan letters from the 1970s!

I have a question about the character of Scooter MacKenzie. This was a boy who was dying. His father, I beleive, was played the same man who had played Hugh Claiborn on The Secret Storm. The father and the widowed Ellen were attracted to each other. The second actor to play Scooter was Glen Zachar, who had previously played Michael Randolph on Another World. I am trying to find out the name of the first actor who played the role. He had darker hair than Glen Zachar, and he seemed older.

Jonathan Gero.

Lahoma Vane was very popular on AW, and her story along with her eventual husband, Sam Lucas, were the main reason's why they created Somerset. They convinced Carol Roux to come back as Missy, but Joe Gallison, although very interested, could not get out of his contract on One Life to Live. So they killed off Bill.

Rachel was related to Sam (as Rachel's mom was his sister, Ada) and was fairly close to them. She went to Somerset to visit them very early on and this happened:

• Rachel and Pammy ran into each other in a coffee shop while Rachel was visiting Sam and Lahoma. Though neither knew who the other was, Rachel had gotten a feeling she'd seen her somewhere before.
  

An early storyline involved Lahoma being worried Jasper would discover Sam had a criminal record. Also her pregnancy. She gave birth to Suzzannah in June of 1970 and there were the usual goings on around that. Suzzannah gets very ill later in the year and that goes on for a few months. Sam is involved in a lot of the Delaney goings on. Lahoma is also someone Missy's storyline bounced off of for a time. Lahoma also becomes friends with Ellen Grant and Laura Delaney Cooper. Lots of drama around Delaney Brands. Lots of chats with Ellen and Laura. Lahoma also did not like India very much but bit her tongue around Ellen. Her big story in 1971 was getting pregnant again but losing the baby.

Other than that, she was to a large extent an ear for her husband, Sam. There were lots of arguments due to the strain of his job, etc. Things get worse when Sam was hired as President of Delaney Brands after Leo bought the company. Lahoma's active role got better from that point until she left near the end of 1973.

Wayne was embezzling funds and Jasper and Robert and Sam where trying to catch him without a scandel. Liz and Wayne got engaged, then Wayne broke it off. Walter Curtain then killed Wayne for having an affair with Walter's wife, Lenore.

On ANOTHER WORLD -

JANUARY-JUNE 1971

Vindictive Liz aided in the indictment of Lenore. Lenore stood trial for murder, with Walter defending her. She was acquitted, but Walter, steeped in guilt, brooded and drank heavily.

Rafe came to live in Bay City and joined the law firm as replacement for Dru, who left on an around-the-world tour. Rafe began squiring Liz around and made headway in helping soften her harsh ways with others.

MAY 1971

Liz was upset and annoyed when Rafe took off for a business trip to Denver, but he promised to keep in constant telephone contact.

Liz continued (as usual) to interfere in everyone's lives, then:

JULY 12, 1971

Susan was unhappy to hear Liz had lost Rafe, but Liz veered away from the subject to comment Melissa has never shut her out of her life. Liz was touched by Susan's concern for her despite her words.

JULY 9, 1971

Liz told Peggy that Missy was happy in Arizona. Liz was disturbed when John told her Rafe is considering a job with the biggest law firm in Colorado.

JULY 12, 1971

Susan was unhappy to hear Liz had lost Rafe, but Liz veered away from the subject to comment Melissa has never shut her out of her life. Liz was touched by Susan's concern for her despite her words.

JULY 13, 1971

Liz, pining for Rafe, was left looking sad and alone.

JULY 22, 1971

Liz told Dan and Susan she's planning an extended visit to Missy, as Missy was having trouble with Ricky and was considering buying a house, and they agreed she didn't have much reason to stay in Bay City.

JULY 23, 1971

Liz came by to say goodbye to Mary and Jim and to ask Jim to sell her house. Mary speculated that Rafe was the biggest factor in Liz's departure as Liz had really blossomed in his company, and she and Jim were sincerely sorry to see Liz go. (Liz’s last episode as played by Nancy Wickwire).

Marie did not leave of her own accord, she was written off the show. She said in her book that she loved playing the role. IMO it was a mistake to let her go.

There were many crossovers during the first year or so on both shows. In fact, if you look at the start dates of many of the original actors, you will see they started their roles PRIOR to Somerset's premier. They were introduced on Another World. Rafe Carter being the first. Liz was on Somerset a lot, annoying Missy and trying to get in between her and Stan Kurtz because she felt Peter was a better catch and from a good family. Examples:

APRIL 20, 1970 On SOMERSET

Jasper was making inquiries about Wayne. Missy gets a call from Liz, who insists that Missy come to Bay City.

APRIL 21, 1970 On SOMERSET

Liz insisted that Missy return to Bay City permanently.

APRIL 22, 1970 On ANOTHER WORLD AND LATER ON SOMERSET

Liz wasn't happy when Missy told her she's moved into Sam and Lahoma's new house. Missy tried to reassure Liz she wasn't deserting her.

Liz: "I've never felt as close to Susan as I have to you, Melissa. Never."

Missy: (To Liz) "At any rate, Mother, I'm going to get a house in Somerset, and I'm going to stay there."

MAY 6, 1970 on AW, then continued on SOMERSET

John decided to take Peggy with him on his business trip to Somerset when she told him how much she missed Sam and Lahoma. Liz told Jim and Mary she doubts Missy has been grieving for Bill at all since she'd been spending so much time with Peter. Jasper told Robert they have to find a way to prevent Wayne from marrying Liz as an act of chivalry, but he worried it put his embezzlement in danger of being revealed.

MAY 8, 1970 on SOMERSET

Liz shocks Missy by telling her she is going to marry Wayne. Missy confesses to Peter that she does not trust Wayne. Peter in turn tells Missy that Jasper does not trust him either

This is the cast list I have compiled so far.

"To me the biggest problem with Somerset seems to be why was it created in the first place? Carol Roux left after six months...they had no way of guessing that? Ann Wedgworth was probably an obvious candidate for leaving too - I'm surprised she stayed as long as she did. They did cast other very talented actors like Marie Wallace and Georgann Johnson but there never seemed to be a structure. I've only seen two episodes - one on a tape (India and her husband were arguing in an empty dining room or something), and one put on Youtube."

Carol Roux left because, as she said very clearly in an article at the time she was greatly offended when she moved to NYC and found that a couple of "homosexuals" lived in the building. She gave her notice and was wrttien out - her last airdate was September 18, 1970. Her character was mentioned a few times the following year on AW.

JULY 9, 1971,

"Liz told Peggy that Missy was happy in Arizona."

JULY 22, 1971 (EP. #1801)

"Liz told Dan and Susan she's planning an extended visit to Missy, as Missy was having trouble with Ricky and was considering buying a house, and they agreed she didn't have much reason to stay in Bay City."

As to Somerset never having any structure, I have to respectfully disagree. From 1970 to 1972 it had a very carefully crafted one and the characters were consistant. It was not until January 1972, a full year after Slesar took over, that he began to change the structure tremendously. Between February and September of 1972, he and Jane Lyon jettisoned nearly half of the shows characters (8 were originals), replacing them with his own, only to see half of THOSE cut lose a year later when HE was replaced:

1. Robert Delaney: NICOLAS COSTER (3/18/1970-3/1972) (Original Cast)
   
2. Gerald Davis: WALTER MATTHEWS (3/18/1970-2/1972) (Original Cast) *
   
3. Jessica Buchanan Delaney: WYNNE MILLER (3/18/1970-3/1972) (Original Cast) *
   
4. India Bishop Delaney Hillman: MARIE WALLACE (3/27/1970-9/1972) (Original Cast)
   
5. Jill Grant Farmer: SUSAN MacDONALD (3/30/1970-9/1972; 10/1974-10/1975; 1-12/1976) (Original Cast)
   
6. Marsha Davis Harding: ALICE HIRSON (3/31/1970-6/1972) (Original Cast) *
   
7. Randy Buchanan: GARY SANDY (3/31/1970-7/1/1972) (Original Cast) *
   
8. Peter Delaney: LEN GOCHMAN (4/1/1970-2/1972) (Original Cast)
   
9. Karen MacMillan: NANCY PINKERTON (6/1970-2/1972 contract; to 6/1972 recurring)
   
10. Bill the bartender: BILL MOOR (3/1971 – 8/1972)
    
11. Chuck Hillman: EDWARD WINTER (1/1971-8/1972)
    
12. Mitch Farmer: RICHARD SHOBERG (3/1971-9/1972)
    
13. Dannie Cotsworth: MELINDA PLANK (7/1971-6/1972)
    
14. Susan Giles: ALICE MARY RILEY (5/1971-4/72)
    

Changing the head writer situtation every year, and later on every 6 months for a year and a half, certainly helped to bring the show down. They lost many among their original audience - every time the got rid on original faves, ratings would suffer.

IMO Randy Buchanan, India Delaney, Robert and Jessica Delaney and Jill Grant never should have been cut loose. They were all very popular. It was the ratings dive after the Jasper story ended in August of 1971 that pushed Slesar to make some heavy changes, and the network brought in Jane Lyon to assist. When you read through the story synopsis, you can actually the whole show evolving - way too rapidly.

Anyway, hope all above is of interest.