RavenWhitney

Millee Taggart confirmed in a recent interview that her writing career started on Search when she ghost wrote scenes for her character, Janet. She said it started during Ann Marcus's writing tenure in 1974. She implied that she later continued to write the show during Ellis/Hunt stint using a male name, possibly Jackson Chase. In the same interview, Courtney Simon (who played Kathy) revealed that Ellis/Hunt hired her as script writer on the doctors and she used the pen name Kate Brooks (named after her kids). Millee also wrote scripts at the same time as Heather Matthews, I believe. Courtney recounted that when Ellis/Hunt were replaced by Lawrence and Ronnie Konnor, Lawrence called Courtney's house and when Peter Simon answered, Lawrence asked to speak with Kate which confused Peter who didn't know Courtney was using an alias. Peter thought Lawerence was calling about 3 year hold Kate Simon Hall (who's now a script writer on GH). While Millee didn't reveal the following I believe she initially wrote ATWT under a pen name (KC Collier?)

At least from July to October 1989.

Sam Ratcliffe was gay and died of Aids. Millee was involved with Tom King for some years.

Interesting to note that this episode aired during the writer's strike and it was 16 months into Marland's tenure as head writer and I counted at least 11 new characters and two recasts (Andy and Jackie). Doug definitely cleaned house from the Dobson era.

But then P&G ruined it by firing them and Potter for Schenkel who'd never EP a daytime show and Culliton/Tomlin who had some interesting take but lasted less than a year before we had no head writer then the Sam Hall and Gillian Spenser. Ugh. P&G ruined their own shows at every turn.

One of my favorite times on AW was starting late 1982 to end of 1983 under Allen Potter with Robert Soderberg and Dorthea Purser. They stabilized the show and brought in so many great characters.

The story should have been that Casey was gay and couldn't handle his sexuality and married his mommy/armpiece.

Ultimately, the Corringtons were a flash in the pan. They were best on SFT with some laughable plots; but they did revive the show. Network execs thought they were brilliant but Texas was a bomb, never should have been made. Unoriginal, unfit for a setting for Beverly; and they were fired after six months.. They failed on Capitol after six months, failed on OLTL after six months, failed on GH after three months. Joyce was hired on GL during Phelps/Doug Anderson time but was fired after several weeks. She also was on the Santa Barbara writing team for a few months before being fired. They ended up writing Superior Court.

That 1989 Xmas episode displayed all that was starting to go wrong with Marland's version of ATWT: bloated cast, too many (bad) recasts, a bunch of newbies who couldn't act (Caleb, Duke). I never got the Casey/Lila story. He was so hot but there was no chemistry there. I liked this Frannie though. The sets, costumes, directing were amazing if not a bit hyper. Everyone was so hyped up. Kim's house was one of my favorite sets of that era.

Sheffer had a great writing team the first two years to keep him in line then P&G forced the firings of Culliton, Demorest and Corley and the rest is Passanante history...

How was Kelly introduced? Was he related to anyone on the canvas?

The Dobsons wrote for GL from early 75 through December 1979. Marland took over in Jan 1980 and wrote the show until near end of 82, I think. Pat Smith and L. Virginia Brown each wrote the show for a few weeks/months, but I can't find any youtube episodes from their short periods. I know the Cullitons/Tomlin were interim head writers from early March 1983 until May when Long started. I found episodes with credits during that time.

Lezlie Dalton and Denise Pence 2015 with Nelson Aspen

Loved Lucille and her set. Did GL ever repurpose her house set after the story ended? Stephen Yates, what a doll. The Dobsons were such a good fit for GL. It was their high water mark as head writers, in my opinion. They started to do their Santa Barbara thing on ATWT and had two rocky stints on that show. Bridget indicated that they moved them over to ATWT because GL was getting higher ratings in late 70s an CBS/P&G wanted ATWT to be the ratings lead.

I thought the final opening sequence was one of the best themes in daytime. It was true to the theme that came before it for years.

Phelps' ripped off Knots Landing for her GL opening but it was the best one of the modern GL era. Everyone who changed GL graphics after that made them worse. All the vocals from all the shows were so bad but I loved SFT and Edge and sang along.. When tomorrow comes, what will it bring.... Seems as though a harmony is hard to find... always on my mind.. Edge of Night, half dark half light!

Ah, that's right. I did like Jill's version of AW until DePriest took over. Goutman's credits on ATWT were awful too.

I don't understand why these EPs stripped these shows of their identities. One of the worst was Edge of Night graphics the last 19 months. How did Erwin Nicholson agree to approve that mess. Edge always had the best opening and closings. Another was Wheeler's last graphic on GL. I did like Rauch's OLTL opening sequence. Really fit Agnes Nixon's vision. Only Goutman's final AW graphic was better than all the previous.

Gottleib's opening credits/theme ranks as one of the worst along second only to all the Valentini GH credits.

Everything about the concept and execution of this show as so wrong.

That disco opening was just horrible. And rewatching late 79 to early 82 I'm surprised at how poorly the actors memorized their lines. Elvira, Don, Bert, some of them were terrible on a daily basis. And the directing was stilted. Gail Kobe improved the show a great deal from that standpoint. I know Doug Marland's stories started airing in Jan 1980 and his name was in the credits still in August 1982. When did his last episode air? I can't find any episodes from September 1982 to Feb 1983 with credits. I know The Cullitons and Tomlin were listed as head writers by early March 83. I think Falken Smith lasted about 8 weeks right after Marland quit and she was HW of Days until April 1982.

Who were the actors playing Jackie, Carrie and Joe?

By late 1985 Pam Long had definitely run out of steam and she was pregnant and divorcing Jay Hammer. But typical P&G installs EP safe choice Joe Willmore and fires Jeff Ryder for Mary Ryan (a Labine writer) and Ellen Barrett, RH and SFT producer then dumps them after three months for Sheri Anderson from Days and her ancient soap producer then husband Joe Manetta before Pam comes back from maternity leave in September 86. They should have left Ryder and added Nancy Curlee. I will say that Sheri and Joe weren't as bad as later temporary HW, McTavish or Anderson.

Bless his heart, Alan is a good guy but he is a terrible moderator and he should have no more than 3 guests. This is a good writer panel.

What about Terrell Anthony (Rusty on GL) And my dream three way.... Brian Bloom Grayson McCouch