Paul Raven

Maybe that was a slight exaggeration, but Y&R is looking pretty basic to me. Limited number of sets used repeatedly. Characters are always at Society,GCAC, Jazz lounge and Crimson Lights, especially awkward when they are discussing mergers and other business plans. Often they'll be seen at several of these venues in the one work day. Set decoration...look at the artwork and decoration and furniture at the penthouse and Chancellor estate as examples. The shrinking of the Chancellor set where if there are more than 2 characters there , they are all crowded in. No homes or offices for a lot of characters. Using an identical room at GCAC for different characters w/o bothering to redress it. A few extras only so places look empty. Lack of U/5 and day players so Jabot and Newman for example,don't present as at all realistic as workplaces. No staff or assistants for supposedly wealthy characters. We hear about events eg meetings with doctors/adoption agents etc rather than seeing them. Characters clothing is generic and cheap looking. Just some impressions ...

@dc11786 Thanks for compiling that list. Obviously sometimes there are circumstances beyond anyone's control that lead to a change and some of those writers were interim or additional but most of those shows listed certainly didn't benefit from all of the changes. Some of those writers barely got a chance to implement their ideas. Finding a writer with the right vision that meshes with EP and network mandates must be very difficult. It would be great if some writers spoke about all the BTS stuff that goes on and how decisions are made.

It's my understanding that Denise Alexander was quickly hired by ABC when she was out of contract at Days. So the writers had to quickly insert Lesley into the show, which must have meant some juggling of other stories? NBC must have been pissed about losing Denise as they ran an ad in Variety in April 73 making an announcement that Bennye Gatteys had taken over the role if Susan (Denise's role) That was unprecedented as soaps in those days flew under the radar.

@dc11786 thanks for supplying that. 3 headwriters in a year is still a lot. I wonder if any other soap managed that? For anyone that watched, was there a major shift in tone and story direction with the changes?

If an actor landed a national commercial that played for a decent period of time they could pocket a tidy sum.

How many headwriters did Rituals go through in a year? I think they set a record in that regard.

Looking at Season 1 ratings and scheduling the show crept back into the top 30 for the last couple episodes. So NBC plays the final 2 episodes as a Thursday movie and the ratings drop down to #33 Kind of an odd move...

Well it wasn't just daytime actors of course. I've been reading through old TV Guides and Raymond Burr's fantasy backstory is dredged up again - the dead wives and child. Paul Lynde talks about the girl that got away. Poor Cesar Romero was jilted and that turned him off marriage. And Dick Sargent is interviewed at his house about his bachelor pad that apparently he was sharing with his partner at the time

Thanks @DRW50 Seems like everyone else could see the problems with The Doctors except those who could actually do something about it. At that time Katherine on Y&R and Phoebe on AMC were very popular characters with younger viewers and Meg Mundy was a powerhouse so of course put her on the chopping block...

Noticing that Eileen/Ashley is pretty much back full time. In 2021 she made 25 appearances and in 2022 38. So far this year,as of July she has 58. So Eileen has agreed to pretty much return as a regular, but not on contract. I wonder why the change of heart ? Guess she felt like she was ready for more work and Josh had a story she liked?

So the Primetime exposure helped get some eyeballs but viewers didn't hang around. That 11.30 am timeslot was no help. Loving hovered around 3.5-3.8 over the following months.

I think Jason would have made a better Adam. The writing doesn't help one bit but Billy comes off as so dull. None of the light heartedness Billy Miller brought to the role.The mental health/podcast stuff was unbearable.

Variety reported in Oct 1970 that Gerald Gordon flew to LA to test for a role in The Godfather. Can't blame Gerry for aiming high....

Variety review from July 17 lists Gillian Spencer in the cast.

I wonder why there was such a big jump in numbers week of 21st May? GL - 7.9 to 8.7 GH - 7.4 to 8.4 Days -6.0 to 7.1 etc

NBC was at one point touting the teen demo for Passions and that it was laying the foundation for viewers to continue watching into late teens, early twenties etc. As stated advertisers were interested in the here and now, not possible future outcomes. Hence, shows using SORASING and introducing new characters to supposedly appeal to a younger demographic. The fallacy in NBCs hype is that 20 yr olds usually don't want to be associated with something they did at 14 and unless they were super hooked on Passions they'd probably avoid it like the plague. And that is not the desired demographic. Important sure, but advertisers want women 18-34 to be watching and buying.

When A World Apart and Best of Everything began ABC had to find outside facilities to produce them. A World Apart- Reeves Telecom Lincoln Square Best of Everything - Metromedia WNEW TV East 67 th St. This information from Variety contradicts what was posted above, so I can only surmise that ABC moved them back to their own studios during their runs. Although BOE was shortlived, so it seems odd that a move would have happened in those months.

@JAS0N47Amazing work! Many thanks.

I think it was Worldvision that handled the P&G soaps at that time. Definitely a distribution company. AW had previously aired on the 9 network in Oz in the 70's at 11am at one point for several years.

Feb 70. NBC's latest programming changes to improve daytime ratings have backfired. At 12.30 'Who, What, Where' is scoring a 23 share compared to 'Namedroppers' 28 share. At 1.30 'Life with Linkletter' 15 share compared to 'You're Putting Me On' 18 share. In turn the soap block's ratings are down compared to a year ago Days 36 share to 28, Doctors 35 to 29, AW 40 to 32. Bright Promise had a 16 share against Edge of Night 39.

Feb 1970 CBS makes some adjustments. Fred Silverman now VP program planning and development NY. Silverman had been head of daytime since 63. This position gives him scope above daytime duties. He will continue to oversee daytime but not on a day to day basis as this new post includes nightime and specials development. Paul Rauch now national director of daytime programs. Rauch had spent 9 years at P&G as supervisor of daytime programs. He will fill Silvermans post. Mike Filerman director of daytime programs NY now reports to Rauch. Rauch had been a child actor and was son of Harry Rauch former PR director at Young & Rubicam advertising agency. He had been involved at CBS daytime prior to working at P&G.

Wed @9 was a tough timeslot. CBS tried series there every couple of seasons and they always flopped. Good counterprogramming to Dynasty and Helltown on NBC. CBS didn't have many slots available for a comedy. Every 8pm slot was taken by comedy throughout the week . I guess they were hoping for a solid #2 in the slot like how Facts of Life operated in that slot for years. But with no lead in and so so reviews it got moved to a CBS dead zone Tues @ 8.30. NBC couldn't find an acceptable show either trying Helltown and Blacke's Magic before moving Gimme A Break to Wed @9. Charlie & Co was #19 in its first airing up against Helltown #7 and a 3hr doco on ABC #50 The following week up against the premiere of Dynasty it fell to # 68 and so was pretty much DOA.

Lynn Benesch...I didn't even think of her. When did Lynn replace Trish?

Hopefully. Chelsea is one of several characters that needs to be rested. Mal gave her the boot but Josh brought her back. Now they have to figure out what to do with Billy. Another go round with Phyllis?

Irna worked for all 3 TV networks first. CBS with TGL and ATWT . NBC with AW in 64 ABC as consultant working on the development of Peyton Place and ABC daytime: Feb 65...Flame In The Wind, which premiered in late December, is a good example of the care ABC puts into developing new daytime entertainment. It's written by Don Ettlinger, produced by Joseph Hardy and has as story consultant Irna Phillips, all of whom have been responsible for some of television's most popular serials. April 64 ...Irna Phillips named ABC -TV consultant on all nighttime dramatic programs. She is credited with originating serial form on radio and TV. Miss .Phillips will be associated with all three .networks since she created and writes CBS -TV's daytime serial, As the World Turns, and, Another World, which will start on NBC -TV next month.