SoapDope78

Re: 1978. I'm glad the unedited version of the episode complete with commercials is available. The one that has been posted several years ago had several segments missing. I like Barbara's long hair here. Dr. Steven Farrell didn't last very long I take it since she is re-connecting with Tom (Tom Tammi) by 1979. The actor playing Steven (Phil Peters) was the real-life husband of Lenore Kasdorf (Rita GL).

I love those old TV movies, especially the ones from the 70's and 80's. The ABC movie of the week had a ton of them. Like Satan's School for Girls (1973) All My Darling Daughter's (1972) Gidget Gets Married (1972) The Girl Who Came Gift Wrapped (1974) The Two Worlds of Jenny Logan (1979) The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) Death Cruise (1974) Here is the 70's ABC opening. The theme music "Nikki" was composed by Burt Bacharach and named for his daughter with Angie Dickinson.

I just wanted to add a thread where you can post classic commercials. Ones you like, find interesting, or feature soap actors. This a quirky one from the early 70's. The actors look familiar. I like how the husband barely pays attention to her rambling about Oversauces. A childhood holiday classic from 1986 featuring soap actor Greg Wrangler as Peter.

Interesting 1976 segment on people obsessed with shopping at Bloomindales. Queen Elizabeth even shows up.

In the second episode Lucy is blackmailed by her sleazy classmate and they go to the opening of the new disco. Bobby, Pam, and Ray also go there. In the second season Lucy and her fiancé Kit Mainwaring go to the disco. Kit runs into a guy who turns out to be an ex-lover. Later Kit confesses to Lucy he is gay and can't marry her. Sill very controversial for TV in 1979. Dallas also did the Health Club trend. Bobby, J.R. and Ray were often seen there playing Racquetball (which was a big trend in the 1970's). Eight is Enough (another Lorimar show) featured Disco and Health Club scenes.

A quick glimpse of Days from 1979 at the end of this clip.

It may have been Jackie. There is tension between Jackie and Ann when there are scenes of them together in the 1979 episodes. There is also a photo I posted at one point from about 1977 of Jackie, Mike, and Ann. Ann is looking disapprovingly at Jackie. It would have been interesting if Ann had hooked up with Ross in 1979. Ann would be torn between her loyalty to Mike and her budding relationship with Ross. Ross would probably have used her to spy on Mike during the rape trial.

Thanks. After I posted I found the detailed 1976 summaries in this thread. I kept thinking Spence Jeffers sounded familiar to me for some reason and quickly realized he was the one who hit Leslie with his car and she later died. I remember reading about her death years ago (probably way back in the 1990's). It's interesting they kept Ann around for so long. She never got her son back. It would have been nice if they had done more with her character. After her initial story she just kind of hung around for years till she faded. I don't think she was around after about 1982. Re: 1976 I think it's interesting that Ben bought Leslie's car and his brother used it in a robbery. I wonder if it was the same one that he was driving when he and Amanda were stuck in the mud.....LOL I am fascinated with 1970's GL (and 70's soaps in general)...My Mom was watching back then and I wasn't born till 1978. I started remembering/watching the show at about age 3 in 1981 along with the entire CBS lineup.

What is the backstory on Ann Jeffers and when did she first arrive on the show? I read one place 1972 and that she and Mike dated and another source lists Maureen Mooney being cast in the role in 1975. I read she had an alcoholic husband Spence Jeffers who she later divorced, and he kidnapped/hid their son. I think I read he committed suicide in prison? Did the son ever appear on the show?

I wonder if one of the 1976 episodes is the one with this scene of Roger confessing to Peggy he is the father of Holly's child?

Was JoBeth let go from GL because she appeared nude in Kramer vs Kramer? I seem to recall reading that somewhere. As a side note, Dustin Hoffman wanted Kate Jackson for the film, but Aaron Spelling would not let her have time off from Charlie's Angels. Meryl Streep was cast instead (and won an Academy Award). Kate was furious and began to act out. She and Spelling parted ways at the end of Season 3.

Re: 1979 GL. That Diane/Ann scene does have heavy flirtation going on. It's like something pre Skinemax. I love this time period of GL. Not only the writing/characters, but the cinematography, the sets, the late 70's time period. I even liked seeing the 70's car that Ben and Amanda are in. I wish we could see the entire Dobson run, but most of it has probably been wiped.

After Lilimae left they could have had Lucy come to live with Val and help with the twins. She would have filled the role as a babysitter/talk to that Aunt Ginny did. It's not like they had to write major storylines for Lucy. Heck they never really did on Dallas. They could have nice little scenes with Lucy/Gary at the ranch riding horses etc...and the process of mending/developing a father/daughter relationship.

Re: Val as a writer. I think it would have made more sense if she had written her book about her life and the Ewing's down toward the end of the series. They did it too early and the storyline was kind of a nothing burger (J.R. even laughed about it). She could have spent years keeping journals etc....compiling material for her tell all. I would have also liked to have seen a final showdown with J.R.

Brooke should have stuck to situation comedy. She has that high histrionic voice that is better suited for a 3 camera live audience sitcom.