RavenWhitney

Why was P&G determined to keep Gillian Spencer as a co-headwriter? She was paired with Sam Radcliffe, then David Cherrill, then finally Sam Hall all within a few months. Not sure if it was hack Shenkel who hired her; he had no business as a soap EP. He went over to AMC as EP for a short run (I think he developed cancer and had to quit) and he hired Spencer as a story consultant on that show. Sharon Gabet mentioned that Spencer created the Brittney character. What a mess. But Whitesell and DePriest did even more damage. Whitesell was a good director period. Spencer was a good actress and good script writer period. End of story, P&G often overlooked the veterans on the production staff for EP roles. When I watch episodes from 82- to early 85 I'm struck by how good the show was; it had stabilized especially under Potter/Soderberg/Purser and they gave the show legs again. It felt more like a more up to date Lemay version without all Lemay's boring scenes and awful dialog. Casting was stellar. Sets, costumes. It all worked. I suspect NBC kept interfering as Days became more popular and cultish and outlandish.

Jean was a network employee before she became a soap writer. She was with ABC's writer's development program. Like McTavish and Higley, Jean was constantly hired because she was the associate head writer to whomever was exec producer of each show she worked on. At NBC, she and Laiman were hired to replace Culliton because he wouldn't bow to network pressure. Goutman had her wrapped around his uncreative middle finger. I think ABC had hopes that she'd be a good Nixon trainee but she didn't have the chops which is why she ended up being a P&G hack. Y&R hired her for the same reason. Phelps was the head writer, along with Kent and McDaniel, no doubt. Tom C was Hoagie's assistant. Hogan promoted to breakdown writer whomever (as an assistant) helped him turn in outlines (there was another Tom and Meg Kelly). Read Tom's eulogy after Hogan's death to find out how their relationship developed.

Today's episode (Monday US): when did it originally air?

The actor who played Seth was so lackluster. Marland and producers had trouble casting some important male characters over the years. Caleb is another. Love righteous Kim. What a treasure (character and actress).

Just realized that 2.5 years into Pam Long's first HW tenure, she had created 22 out of the 30 contract players on the canvas.

Here's the episode that aired the day before Cass showed up. I didn't realize Corrine Jacker created Cass character.

When is Alan going to get another writers group together. I'd love to see McTavish on at the same time as Curlee. Krystal and Alexis!

She was the worst possible actor to play this role when the show was suffering. Reminded me of Felicia on GH or Bobbie on GH in later years. Completely annoying with that nasal, mousey voice. The other GL actress that completely ruined every scene was the one who played Olivia's daughter in the last year or two. OMG. And of course every cute male Conboy hired was god awful!

I just came across this very moving article by the wife of Denny Albee on the suicide of their son Hunter. So tragic. https://autismspectrumnews.org/a-parents-plea-for-reform-of-school-safety-and-mental-health-programming/ Denny and wife Laura in 2013

I always wondered what the story was behind Marland losing 'created by" credit after he departed when his contract was up. Aggie must have insisted in their initial contract with him that his name be removed upon departure. it doesn't seem like a successful collaboration. Marland never collaborated well with anyone really. He was always sole head writer and wrote breakdowns. On GL he wrote all the breakdowns and had 2 or 3 script writers for most of his 3.5 years. In the early ATWT years he kept 2 or 3 break down writers and boasted in articles about how he wrote outlines and was the script editor. Control freak but I understand it. The best shows were the ones written by a creative force who maintained control. Henry Slesar is a great example (on Edge at least).

What a bloated writing staff. They had no confidence in Horgan and kept rotating consultants and co-heads. Luckily, they got Marland from Loving. Her co heads during her 1 year were: Klein/Wasserman, Benjamin, Sowards/Stamfl, Laibson/Bogard. Lemay/Consultant, Gross/Consultant. Not to mention all the various breakdown and script writers who cycled through.

That was a Gary Tomlin story. Long/Walsh stories started airing soon after through end of show.

Damian Scheller

Jeanne Glynn was a creative writer who loved soaps. She was with SFT for nearly two years and most of that time was head writer either alone, with CF or briefly with Madelyn David. Her head writing tenure turned out to be the longest of anyone who came after her most of whom lasted under a year. The problem was some of the casting and Ellen Barrett who seemed to want to turn SFT into Ryan's Hope. Too many red heads running around, some bad casting (started by Joanna Lee who cast Kevin Conroy as a straight leading man and he was obviously neither) and supplanting Jo with Kate McCleary. Not sure why Barrett couldn't get a little more creative and NOT center the show around an Irish family.

The last year on the show was just awful and that final episode with the gorilla. I heard that was the work of the Cullitons. Embarrassing.

All the writers in this interview revealed and/or implied that the more outlandish plot points and controversial story decisions were mandates from network execs and producers. Jim Brown revealed what's already known that he was told to tell the clone story (Wendy Fischman concocted it). He was told to bring Jesse back from the dead on AMC. Millee said she never resurrected a dead character. I remember her second short GL stint. The show was getting good but Rauch left and Conboy fired her for Weston. I loved her stories about bringing Ed back. She tried. Network and P&G and EP interference killed the show. Dave was too young and inexperienced to head write a troubled show. Dave seemed to value and appreciate the history of the show but he took over after Weston, Labine, McTavish. The three worst periods for the show. He was also forced to work with Swajeski who had petered out after four years on AW and again was not a writer; she had been a network hack. But P&G was hiring to pay minimum salaries for those positions. Why do you think they replaced expensive Conboy with actress Wheeler. Do you think she was earning his salary? Nope. What was clear from comments: Paul Rauch was a hot mess with a lot of power.

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.