VelekaCarruthers

Lee Sheldon was a tragedy for EON. The combination of Henry's legendary 15 year run, Erwin's tired approach to production and sets, severe budget cuts and Sheldon's inexperience plunged the show into hell for its final 18 months; and it was evident from his first episode (which I'll never forget) on May 23 1983 (although he (uncredited) edited Henry's outlines for the last four weeks Henry was listed as the HW). It was surreal watching the show go into the toilet day after day, month after month. The only saving grace was the cast (minus Sandy Faison and Jennifer Taylor who were put under contract immediately after Sheldon took over and were pretty much cringey to watch). The first and biggest nail in the coffin (and the thing that should have gotten Sheldon fired after the first 13 weeks) was turning Raven/Sky into Nick and Nora Charles. And I have rewatched select Sheldon episodes including the final week of the show with its horrible dialog and still cry all the way through. Please rewatch Beth/Liz penthouse balcony scenes in final episode (not to mention the Alice in Wonderland insane and dumb cliffhanger) to know that after 18 months Sheldon was still not qualified to write scripts let alone head write (which is why no soap ever hired him afterwards although he claimed he was supposed to take over ATWT and may have consulted on AW or at least I have a memory of reading this in interviews with him later). I do admit some of his ideas were interesting (the Van Dyne stories had some glimmer of talent i.e. Louis/Monticello mind control and plastics formula) and his best character creation was Alicia who should have been put under contract and given major story throughout. I could go on.....

Does anyone know the full story of Henry's arrival at Edge. I believe I read somewhere that he was brought in for three months in late 1967 to sub for the head writer (Lou Scofield or James Lipton?) who was on sick leave then went under contract as HW in March 1968.

These writers come cheap. These are entry level salaries and in many cases on Days they are freelance which means no insurance or other benefits I believe. Simone is under contract as of March 2025 so her name should start appearing every day with the other break down writers if that's the position she has under contract. I noticed on GH they have mostly unknown writers and they added a six script writer and seem to have cut back scripts by the vets (Sickles and Gibson). Wow. Loved her directing at Y&R and was happy when Ed Scott brought her to Days. Now replace the head writers.

If Noel Maxam approved this story, it's his first huge fail. If he didn't but terminated the story after a few months, then there's hope for him as EP. If he doesn't get rid of Rolf, Susan/Kristin and insist the writers not bring anyone back from the dead through potions and other James Reilly bs (that ultimately killed the show IMO) then this show will continue to be a shadow of itself and largely unwatchable.

Sounds like Don Chastain was ahead of the curve of what was to come with James E Reilly on Days and Hogan Sheffer on ATWT/Y&R. Perhaps with a visionary producer Chastain could have succeeded. I know that Taggart/Simon wrote scripts for the Ellises on the doctors under pen names. What were their pen names in the SFT credits. I believe when the Ellises were rehired at SFT it was to transition the show to NBC and they stayed under a year and mentored David Cherrill who replaced them with Cherrill using a pen name (Jackson Chase?) for a while.

I seem to remember a summer 1981 Don Chastain plot about a wrestler. It seemed to have queer undertones. I remember it was a lot different in tone from the prior few years but the clips I've seen recently it looked well lit, produced and acted. Don had never written a soap and Bunim was crazy to put him in charge. The other issue is that Harding Lemay's material had only been airing a few weeks when the strike material started in spring/early summer 81. SFT suffered from a series of head writers similar to The Doctors and I've wondered this before: was Mary Stuart behind many of the writer changes? I think all the shows lost their footing during the 1981 strike. But Chastain's SFT had some high ratings but the show did start to slip.

Don was doing what most soaps at the time were doing - trying to copy cat in some fashion Monty's GH particularly her Thom Racina strike craziness storyline (freeze the world) and general Luke and Laura adventures

Don Chastain was the head writer who decided to blow up HH under Bunim's final few months as EP before she moved to ATWT

I think this aired during Peggy O'Shea's 18mo stint as HW

I met RKK outside a bakery in my town in the last 1980s. Which ever wife he had then was inside a bakery or coffee shop and he stood outside in a "notice me" pose, waiting to be recognized. I smiled and he lit up. He struck me as supremely narcissistic. My "repressed gay gaydar" went off in like a four alarm fire bell but only my "in the moment" personal read as I'm sure (Jan) that he's straight...... He also had a crazed look behind his eyes. Stunningly handsome though. Dressed in the tightest jeans, leather jacket, open collar shirt, cowboy boots. His "package" was prominent to one side and very visible. I got the vapors. I believe he moved to MO and became a flight instructor. His linkedin is showing on a google search but his actual profile has been deleted from Linkedin. Lisa is getting her revenge.

I wonder why he left or was fired; he lost his home in the LA wildfires last year. He has been working since early 80s

Here's her linkedin bio. She mentions in the narrative that she "wrote" for Days with scripts starting to air in February. I'd assume she freelanced and didn't get a contract. Great to see Days trying out new writers who aren't the Cullitons children. https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-martinez-905ab69/

Thank God. She (with Ford/Cwikly) was a minor disaster. Noel is talented and did some great stuff his last turn as co-EP and he got the show through the 2008 writers' strike with the Higleys' scab material. It was actually more enjoyable during the strike than Sheffer's mess or when Dena was officially writing.

Dean Lamont returned to Y&R as director of the 2/12 US episode. I don't think he's directed there since 2019.

Jan 15 then Feb 12

Follow up to Days credits this week. Hawthorne was only listed in credits (breakdowns) Monday. The two freelance writers each wrote a script this week (William Stuphin and Lenore Adedarin).

Simone Hawthorne listed again today 2/9 with breakdown writers on DOOL.

On Beall, I think this is because her co head writing stint ended on 11/19/2024 and she began writing scripts only on 11/22/2024 so for the award year Josh was sole HW/show wrecker.

James Harmon Brown is also ineligible at Y&R as he's fi core.

MVJ needs to step down as HW of BTG. She's not good at it. PERIOD.

I appreciate that MVJ is hiring great vets (actors and a few writers) but the issue in the first year at least the first few months I watched was her storytelling (beats, pacing, thrusts). She didn't seem to be a gifted head writer. I haven't watched in months so perhaps she's improved, but she dropped the ball in the first three months when the show had big buzz.

Lenore Adediran wrote 1/15 Days script. IMDbLenore Adediran | Writer, Actress, ProducerKnown for: Stepford Sidechix, The Colors of Love, Full Circle

I keep imagining Henry Slesar sitting at home watching the final weeks live. He must have cried all the way through when he wasn't cringing or laughing. Lee Sheldon was not qualified to write the show ever.

Whoever is updating IMDB for Days, listed Simone Hawthorne in order with other breakdown writers but just for Jan 13th episode. She's not listed for the 14th on IMDB.......

Nancy and Laurie talk about family while decorating the tree and I believe this episode was during the final week the show aired in December. Aren't all those episodes loaded on YT?