robbwolff

Are you sure that's Scott Stevenson pictured above? It looks more like Michael Longfield, who played Hunt Weston on Texas and Tank Jarvis on The Edge of Night. Longfield had a bushier 'stache than Stevenson and wavier hair than Stevenson. Here's where you can see Longfield in action as Tank: http://edgehomepage.com/tank.html

Marland leaves in 1977 and is replaced by Mel and Ethel Brez. I believe Turner arrives in January 1978. There are many writing changes on the horizon. I don’t recall the timing but Ronnie and Lawrence Konner, Linda Grover, Elizabeth Levin, Harding Lemay, Barbara Morgenroth and Leonard Kantor, the Brezes are yet to come. And there were three Nolas: Kathryn Harrold from 1976 til around January 1978, then Kathleen Turner till mid-1979, and finally Kim Zimmer.

Stuart joined GH in January 1977 as Dr. Gina Dante. She played the role for one year. After she left, she was very ill and didn’t work for three years. The late John Shearin is the next Mike. Very good actor. No idea if the Conrad set continues to be used. And I’m not sure my memories of Eleanor in Paul Summers’ apartment are correct. That’s over 40 years ago. But I seem to recall seeing Eleanor and Wendy in that set. I remember the windows, which are so distinctive. You’re right about the exits. Add to your list Liz and her sudden departure. And Jody Lee who just vanished after being so prominent.

If I remember correctly (and it is a long time ago), Eleanor takes over Paul's apartment after he's written out. For some reason, I have memories of Eleanor in that set. My understanding is that Toni is gone. Mike departs in December 1976 and then returns in April 1977. I read that they had planned to recast Toni but went in a different direction after Armand departed. Toni's departure was so abrupt...and lackluster. She was on the show for nearly six years and just disappears upstairs to pack. No final shots in the closing credits with her and Mike, Maggie, Matt, and Martha. It made me wonder if it was retribution for Anna Stuart being so vocal in the media about her displeasure with the show's writing and direction. Hank departs in December, too, just as Mike leaves. Petronia played Jessie Rawlings I believe. I thought I read that TD planned an inter-racial story for her but it was nixed because of the negative reaction to the Valerie/David romance on Days. Petronia was fired after a year. There were a few other Black actresses on TD in later years. Carolyn Byrd was on around 1980 as Dr. Terri Foster. And her mother appears, too. Then, Chris Calloway was Ivie Gooding, who fell in love with Luke. And Larry Riley played Calvin Barnes.

The Conrads are far from gone. Eleanor gets a new storyline this coming week and I believe is connected to the hospital. Wendy is recast in 1977. Armand seems to have checked out to me. His acting is quite lackluster at times. I won't miss him when he leaves. I never bought him as Mike. Martha'a days are numbered with Toni gone, Mike leaving in a few minutes, and the lab no longer being prominent. I wish Marland had rethought Martha's position at Hope Memorial. I've loved Sally Gracie's performances and will miss her terribly when Martha is eventually written out.

Jada is the Carolee that was there when I watched The Doctors back in the 70s and 80s. So it's great to see her though I do miss Carolee Campbell. My husband told me his mom watched The Doctors and "hated the new Carolee." In the spring of 1977, a new character appears named Jeffie Rowland. Not sure how long he lasts but Jada Rowland's brother was named Jeffrey. You're right about Althea no longer being an essential part of the puzzle. I think that's why Marland writes her out. In one interview, he was not pleased with Hubbard rewriting her dialogue.

Cool insight about the name of the board member Beatrice. Myra Sofronski was the topic of conversation on a Doctors group on Facebook. Sofronski was her married name. She had been married to Bernard Sofronski who was a producer on Search for Tomorrow and Another World. Bernard is now married to actress Susan Dey (The Partridge Family, LA Law). Myra's maiden name was Tamarkin. Myra Tamarkin supposedly was a writer on Search at one point in the 60s or 70s. Nancy Franklin started writing for TD under Margaret DePriest. Her name has been in the credits for a least a month or two. In the Facebook group I mentioned, there has been much speculation that Marland had heavily edited DePriest's scripts in the weeks before his arrival.

I agree. I didn't like her at first but she grew up on me quickly and really impressed me with her performances.

I believe that poster is adding episodes as he has time. His channels have been pulled a few times so it's time consuming restoring all the episodes.

Retro started with the December 1967 episodes. I remember people expressing their disappointment that we missed out on seeing the death of Althea's son Buddy earlier that year and didn't get to meet Mike Powers' first wife Valerie. I'm pretty sure that the company said earlier episodes do exist but they decided to start with the December 1967 episodes, which saw the introductions of Steve Aldrich and Karen Werner.

Thanks. I remember watching when he suffered the heart attack. It was powerful.

Who was head writer when Dave Bachmann died?

As I recollect, the big story during his stint involved Mike Powers who was in love with physical therapist Nancy Bennett, whose blind husband Paul returned from the dead. Also in the mix was Shana Golan who had nursed Paul back to health. Paul was played by James Shannon. Shannon's acting was over the top and painful to watch. The other story involved an amnesiac Althea. By September, Nancy, Paul, and Shana were gone. Edelstein then introduced Julie Forrest who came to live with the Powers. By November, Edelstein was gone, replaced by Ira Avery.

Lakin was amazing, but I wasn't impressed with Edelstein's short stint as head writer in 1969.

I have to admit that I very much liked DePriest's writing. It was nowhere as wonderful as it was during Rita Lakin's stint but it was mostly entertaining and interesting. Her writing for the Dancys was particularly very good. I'll be curious to see how Marland's work is.

Marland's episodes starting airing today on Retro. Richard Niles was incredible as Rico. Unfortunately, when the character returns in 1975, Chandler Hill Harben takes over the role. Harben's version of Rico is nowhere near as interesting. The fast pace gives way pretty quickly as I recall. Some stories go on forever under the Pollocks. Maggie has a story coming up in 1971 that lazily unfolds over the course of 14 months. Ultimately, it's thrilling to watch but it's very slow to build.

Marland started in September 1976. His first episode airs on Retro this Tuesday from what I read.

It was wrapped up quickly but the story was always meant to be short term, wrapping up completely by Labor Day 1992. As I recall, Andrew gave an impassioned sermon about intolerance to his congregation. Billy came out to the church. Billy's father was pissed and went to slap Billy across the face. Simultaneously, Sloan was haunted by memories of his intolerance toward his own son William and of slapping the boy. Sloan intervened and stopped Billy's father from hitting him. Sloan and Andrew then had a heart-to-heart talk, reconciled, and Sloan joined Andrew in placing William's panel in the quilt. It was hokey but powerful in every way. I don't know if he was instantly down with the cause but rather just realized how much time he had wasted and how much he had lost. I know those scenes changed my life, helping me to break away from an intolerant church that I was involved in.

Carolee's mom Emma is still alive. I think she's written out in late 1972/early 1973. I was so disappointed as I adored the character (she reminded me so much of my late mother). From what I've read, Emma does show up in late 1976. She also returns in 1977 or 1978 for a wedding.

You'll be noticing a big difference very soon. The Pollocks introduce using flashbacks and recaps of scenes from the previous episode. It didn't bother me at first but quickly wore on me. I recall there were at times five-minute-long flashbacks. I loved this version of Cathy. Carol Pfander was outstanding in the role.

The information on Wikipedia is highly inaccurate. Wikipedia shows the Corringtons writing for OLTL in 1983. Henry Slesar and Sam Hall were still head writing OLTL in January 1984, right before the O'Neills were introduced. The Corringtons became head writers sometime later that year. I believe Peggy O'Shea was still at Capitol in early 1984 at the time the O'Neills arrived.

Eileen Kearney was outstanding as Greta. She has some amazing scenes coming up in the fall that were mesmerizing and compelling. I was not impressed with the Pollocks. I liked their work from 1970 to late 1973 but then they lost me. I liked the Dan Allison story but they also turn another current character into a deranged villain. It was a shame to see such an interesting character ruined for the sake of a plot.

Nope. Lew's name changes to Luke while Marland is head writer and while the character is still a cad. I suspect Marland changed it because "Luke" has a sexier ring to it.

I believe Nancy Curlee was co-head writer at the time.

Actually, there's scuttlebutt on a Facebook soap group that Reilly appeared on The Brady Bunch.