MarlandFan

8 hours ago, slick jones said:

Scott Bryce and Anne Sward in the final episode of TATTLETALES.  With   Marj Dusay and Todd Curtis of CAPITOL and Marla Adams with Franc M. Benard of Y&R

It's crazy that Anne Sward is only 8 years older than "son" Scott Bryce.  She's 34 years old in this 1984 episode of Tattletales.

10 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

I don't think he felt that way. He was realistic about soaps and their limitations. He said he would play anything as long as he felt their was an honest motivation behind it. He liked the people he worked with (even married one!) and it gave him the opportunity to do stage work w/o worrying about money.

He was more dismissive of a lot of primetime stuff and laughed when ABC tried to lure him with promises of the chance to work on Love Boat and Fantasy Island.

Larry was realistic about soap work.  While it was a solid paycheck which allowed him to do less-lucrative NYC stage work, I think he was embarrassed by the occasional ridiculous storylines that soaps are often guilty of.  And he was honest about the daily grind of soap production: I'm paraphrasing him here, but once during an interview he stated that soap actors were occasionally guilty of "phoning it in".  We all do it, me included."  But I think Larry recognized that soaps can achieve greatness; when the scripts/stories were good, he gave it his all. 

24 minutes ago, NothinButAttitude said:

I beg to differ. 

Bob and Kim were reduced to talk-to characters. They were only really brought out the mothballs for holiday episodes or when Christopher was in peril. And Christopher did not really stay a mainstay; he was cast aside once his arcs with Abigail and Allison ended. Chris should've been the lead of the show from that time to the end. Not Craig. Not Jack. Not Holden. 

Very true.  Time and again the writers (and casting department) dropped the ball with Chris.  He should have become the "new" Tom; the lead male character of the show.  It would have been a natural progression; he was connected/related to almost every character on the show.  But somehow he was always portrayed as a disappointing, second-rate son.  So much wasted potential.

1 hour ago, Soapsuds said:

I loved Lindsay Frost's Betsy.  I wish the actress (and the character) had stayed.

28 minutes ago, janea4old said:

Mini-interview with Colleen Zenk, January 9, 2024,
about Brian Starcher's ATWT character fashion designer Hank Elliot who worked for Barbara Ryan. 
https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/scene-and-heard-colleen-zenk-jordan-young-and-restless/

I clearly remember that scene when Hank confided to Barbara that he was gay.  She was very loving and accepting and inferred that she had already guessed his sexuality, stating that being in the fashion industry she was no stranger to gay men.  Doug Marland always kept his characters 3-dimensional: Barbara was capable of being a major b!tch but was also capable of great kindness and sensitivity.  I've looked for that episode on YT but have never found it. 

On 1/4/2024 at 3:55 PM, DramatistDreamer said:

Lucinda and Craig had a ONS in late winter/early spring 1985 when both thought Sierra had been killed and were grieving and well, you know how that goes…

From what I have been told, Marland officially took over the HW job by the early fall (or late summer?) 1985, so unless he was ghostwriting, it was just as likely Susan Bedsow-Horgan. Man, I wish someone would do a proper interview with her and ask her about the timeline of her writing tenure at ATWT! 

Marland's scripts began airing in October of 1985, so while he was probably not responsible for the initial Craig/Lucinda tryst, he clearly saw their chemistry and kept a slow burn going over the next six months or so.  Sometime in early 1986, the two began kissing passionately and Lily walked in on them.  Craig, ever the "big brother", had to calm Lily down and explain the situation to her.

1 hour ago, Mitch64 said:

Marie was brought on as the spoiler in the Kevin/Frannie thing..but that was as about as interesting as a wet cracker, and Marie was killed during Shannon's Halloween party when she was dressed as Madonna.

I liked actress Mady Kaplan very much.  She played a sweeter, Sad Sack-ish character on "Edge of Night" a few years earlier and that character was also murdered.  The demise of that character (named Bobbie) tugged at the heartstrings.  Marie's demise...not so much.  lol

After a quick Google search of her, I see that her mother was Frances Heflin who played Mona on AMC!  Wow!

20 minutes ago, DramatistDreamer said:

That sounds like so much fun! By the time I got to college in the 90s, daytime soaps no longer inspired that type of enthusiasm. It was all about the sleazy talk shows by then.

This is pretty much how today’s soap operas are written.

Marland belonged to that school of writing that composed story projections that went out at least a year or more. From the accounts of actors who worked with him, he wrote out the story projections nearly two years out. From what I can glean, he left room for flexibility, so that he could make adjustments here and there, which is what one should do, you want to leave room to explore the unforeseen possibilities that crop up. When you put out something off the cuff, it’s hard to explain, let alone backtrack if it goes awry. I have been in screenwriting workshops where writers got trapped that way and had to scrap their entire idea. When you’re in the midst of writing a continuing story, good luck with that!

Yes - Marland was definitely facile with his plotting, even in the very structured 1986.  For example, he certainly did not expect actor Don MacLaughlin to die and yet he was able to incorporate Chris's death seamlessly in the overall storytelling.  And the recast of Tad Channing leads me to believe that he quickly revamped the original story to create a Who-Done-It.  And there has always been the "rumor" that he originally intended to put Holden with Emily instead of Lily, and that when he realized the chemistry and story potential he had with a Holden/Lily pairing, he quickly resolved the incest issue by suddenly making Iva adopted.  

42 minutes ago, Mitch64 said:

I remember watching it in the student union in between classes (the last half) back in the day where the three TV lounges were tuned to different networks...this was before spoilers and the room went into an uproar with James' now soap iconic line. This football player LOVED ATWT and GL and he was screaming "James f*cking Stenbeck..Barbara girl look out!!!" The show was so good then..still a little campy and fun. I love Margo browbeating Lisa but it doesn't seem to be a Lisa thing to just give in so easy. 

Marland was so confident in his storytelling abilities during his first year.  All of 1986 felt like one long, fully-planned-out novel.  Oftentimes, soaps felt like they were being written "off the cuff" (which many of them were); reactive, inconsistent, with uneven pacing.  ATWT's 1986 excelled, in part, because Marland came prepared with a full year (or two) of story AND he was apparently given total (or near-total) control of the show's direction.  Marland's 1986 was (and is, thanks to those who were smart enough to videotape episodes and later share them on YouTube) a high watermark in all of soap history.

2 hours ago, DeliaIrisFan said:

Thank you.  November 11 must be the one I was thinking of, but I can't find it on YouTube now.

16 hours ago, DeliaIrisFan said:

I would add the fall of 1985 to that.  I am going down a similar rabbit hole, mostly because I started rewatching what's available of the Doug Cummings story.  I certainly want to keep going in 1986 and at least the start of 1987, but I also would just as soon go back and soak up everything I can of Kim's stalker storyline.  Did CBS once re-air an episode from later in 11/85 (after Marie's murder - not Holden and Lily's first meeting and not the Halloween costumed party that stretched into early November) in the '90s/Aughts, or was it on YouTube and it got taken down?  I seem to remember seeing an intact episode at some point, but now I can't find it.

The only Marland-era 1985 episodes that have been posted on YouTube are Oct 16, Nov 1, Nov 11, Dec 24 and Dec 31.  I've been downloading and collecting all Marland episodes for years and these 5 dates are the only 1985 episodes I've ever seen.  

11 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

TV Guide April 22 1995

ATWT's Vaughn: Love and Bloom

What prompted Robert Vaughn—Oscar nominee and prime-time giant—to join As the World Turns? “The schedule, the money, and Claire Bloom," reports the former Man from U.N.C.L.E. “The show agreed to shoot around my other projects [like ABC's remake of "Escape to Witch Mountain" on April 29]. The pay just about covers my children's private-school education. And they plan a romance for me and Claire—and I love Claire." The pair played Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson in the 1979 miniseries Backstairs at the White House, but their suds characters  aren't quite so lofty: Vaughn plays an egomaniacal lawyer, and Bloom a Lady Macbeth like murderess. We can’t wait for this wicked pairing to kick in, but Vaughn has no immediate plans to watch. “Frankly,” he says, “I haven't seen [ATWT] yet and probably won't anytime soon—it's on at the same time as O.J."

Not to be cold-hearted, but OJ did more than just kill Ron and Nicole.  His trial, with it's almost daily preemptions, helped to hasten the death of soaps. 

5 hours ago, Vee said:

There's one I've never seen. Who's the blond?

Judi Evans.

12 hours ago, P.J. said:

SMH. Linc/Lily/Holden, torrid? Oookkkaayy. I wonder what boosted them to tie with GH? ohh, maybe the reveal of Brock's murderer? I'm trying to remember what was happening, in the early '90's. 

It's no surprise why the show hit #2 in the ratings; ATWT was running on all cylinders during the spring/summer/fall of 1990. Andy's alcoholism reached it's climax with him going to jail for hitting Lien while driving drunk. That story (in part) caused Bob's dissatisfaction with his marriage and he slept with Susan which blew-up his marriage to Kim. The Margo/Casey right-to-die story was gripping and emotional.  These and other stories (Julie marries Caleb then sleeps with Holden, Shannon's "death", Duke's paternity and Lucinda's machinations), helped ATWT win it's 2nd Emmy for Best Show that year.  Plus - Jimmy Wlcek was super hot (still is!) and seemed to be shirtless throughout most of that 1990 summer (thank you ATWT producers). 

22 hours ago, Soapsuds said:

Marland talks about his new soap on CBS that unfortunately never materialized.

I wish episodes of Marland's Showtime night time soap "A New Day in Eden" were available somewhere. As racy as it may have been in 1983, it's probably pretty tame today.

20 hours ago, Soapsuds said:

In the mid-1980s, there was no one hotter.

16 hours ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

I don't usually post here but I have a question & then I'll be out of your hair. (Although I was a fan & do miss the show.) Have you ever seen a show opening that showed

As the World Turns "with Eileen Fulton"? 

Thanks! 

I don't think it ever happened on ATWT, but perhaps on the nighttime spin-off "Our Private World"?  I do know that actress Beverly McKinsley received such a billing on "Texas".  As far as I know, she's the only soap performer to ever receive such top billing.

I loved Barbara once she transformed into the manipulative vixen in the mid-80s.  No longer a doormat, she became very 3-dimensional, capable of being both a vindictive bitch AND a kind. loyal friend.  I remember when Hank Elliot came out to her in 1988, her response was very matter-of-fact and loving. She told him that she had already guessed it and, being in the fashion industry, was very aware of -- and comfortable working with -- gay men.  She and Hank always had a very loving friendship.  She was also an early and strong supporter of Duncan and Jessica's relationship.  If you were ever going to war, you wanted Barbara Ryan on the front lines with you.

16 hours ago, DRW50 said:

Nicolas Coster's passing made me think of Eduardo's last scene, slowly being killed by Orlena. Such a horrifying scene in a way very unique for ATWT, or most soaps, and a moment that led into the last strong story the show ever did. The part was ultimately a waste of Coster's talents, but what a way to go.

The Grimaldi family had such amazing potential and Nicholas Coster was a welcome addition to the cast.  He was one of the few reasons to watch the show as it spiraled out of control after Marland's death.  Killing him off was such a waste -- and yes, gruesome.  Did Coster wish to leave the show?  Or was Eduardo's death a writer/producer decision?

14 hours ago, DeliaIrisFan said:

The article is great - thank you.  Has the flashback episode ever turned up on YouTube?  I was trying to pinpoint the dates based on IMDB credits, but Prunell doesn't seem to have ATWT in her IMDB credits, and Litt is credited for three episodes from 1994, which I know must have been too late for this.  (Is that just inaccurate or did George appeared in additional flashbacks during the climax of the Royce story?)

What were Caleb, Kirk, et al so mad at Lucinda about this time, I wonder?

The article was in the February 5, 1991 issue of Soap Opera Digest. So the episode probably ran in either the last week of January or the first week of February 1991.

I think Jaclyn Zeman got more attention because she was currently on the air, was only 70, and passed away so suddenly.  Actors like Hubbard and Kathryn Hays spoke to an audience that is now in the 50+ age bracket -- and current TV/newspaper editors are in their 30s and 40s.  They just don't understand how significant these actors were.  And perhaps there is a bias against soap actors: I've noticed that the NYTimes does not publish obituaries for soap actors.  Nothing for Anthony Herrera, Lisa Brown, or Elizabeth Hubbard to name a few.  And these were SIGNIFICANT actors who were known by millions outside the soap world -- and who had long acting resumes in other fields.  I noticed they did give Kathryn Hays an obituary - but only a full three weeks after she died (perhaps the editors only included her once they realized she has been on a Star Trek episode and had once been married to Glenn Ford?) 

25 minutes ago, wonderwoman1951 said:

expect he would have been frustrated, but marland died in march 1993.

Yes, we know.  We're surmising what he would have done if he had lived.

7 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

That's true, but the murder mystery ended only a few months before Marland died.

I think those years were very dark, which isn't a criticism. I do think the ponderous nature would have been tightened up by the exits and story conclusions which were on deck in 1993, but much as I like 1991 and 1992 overall I feel like there were a lot of dead spots, especially with the younger cast and the general aimlessness due to stalling out the Carolyn plot. 

I don't think he would have been able to stomach what P&G would become by 1995 and 1996. Realistically he and Caso probably would have both been out in 1995.

I do know what you mean by those years feeling very dark. I think some of that overall darkness may have been due to the shifting fashion trends in 92/93.  We went from bright pastels of 88 to 90 to the browns and muted earth tones of the early 90s.  And suddenly every woman seemed to sport that short bob haircut that became mega-popular. 

1 hour ago, DRW50 said:

Much as I defend those very dark, ponderous final few years under Marland, if I'm being honest, I think the show was going to hit a wall even if he had lived. But I want to believe - if he had stayed (which is a big if as he had been there for nearly a decade already and had tried for other shows), he would have kept it from falling to where it went. I also have to imagine he never would have made obvious mistakes like the handling of Shannon's return.

I don't think Marland's final years were dark or ponderous at all.  Once the horrible Carolyn Crawford murder mystery finally(!) ended, the show improved. The Lily/Holden amnesia story, the reveal about Aaron's paternity, Scott's arrival, Lucinda's half-siblings, Susan and Larry's romance, the introduction of Damien Grimaldi were all great stories that injected both past history and future potential. If he had lived, Marland would definitely have tightened/fixed the Royce/Neal storyline and was also creating/preparing the Kasnoff family for a 1993/94 debut.  I do think that Marland may have become frustrated with the havoc that the OJ Simpson trial brought to soaps in 1995.  By that point, with the constant disruption of airings and the escalating cost of production, P&G may have become more "hands-on" and he might have quit.

13 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

With the more time that passes, the more and more that Sheffer run feels alienating and perplexing. Even then, the show felt so foreign to itself for me. Why were so many people distracted by an increasingly dying soap press and irrelevant Daytime Emmy awards? 

I guess I can see it being appetizing to newer and casual viewers at the time, and maybe some loyal fans were excited to see things finally happening on the show after those very long/boring years in the mid/late 90’s (not to mention, Leah Laiman tanked the show pretty badly before she was fired), but upon revisiting some of it years later, so much of it hasn’t aged well (I think that’s true for so many things for that era actually, not just on soaps), and it just feels as empty and hollow as ever. 

I never understood the Hogan Sheffer love. And bringing back Craig as a villain was a slap in the face to both the character and the audience.  

12 hours ago, adrnyc said:

That's because they wiped everything! Why does everyone find that so hard to believe??!!! 

I think we find it hard to believe because -- if true --  it is perhaps one of the most idiotic corporate decisions ever made.  You never delete or trash content/property -- especially in this day and age when there are so many niche-related media outlets and so much demand for content.  Even if they trashed the physical tapes because it cost too much to store, at some point they were creating episodes in digital format. Storing digital is easy and cheap.