Paul Raven

Requests Richard Roundtree Ted Knight Robin Groves DeWitt Mcbride

Thanks for finding and posting new stuff. Valiant Lady had a respectful run but for whatever reason was nowhere near as successful as the shows that followed it on the schedule - Love of Life, Search for Tomorrow and The Guiding Light. Kind of odd that the lead in show rated lower than the follow ups. Here's a 1955 article where the producer talks of plans for the show. interesting that the writer of the article isn't convinced. Feels soaps should stick to what they do best. yet decades later producers/networks were still trtying to undermine what worked. Tuesday, November 1, 1955 St. Pefersburg Times RADIO AND TELEVISION Livened Up Soap Operas May Backfire By KlT CRAIG TV soap operas had better liven up, according to producer Leonard Blair. If they want to maintain the womens' interest he says, they'll have to be livened up, with more plot and bigger names. Blair, who produces "Valiant Lady," seen locally on WTVT, is proceeding to do just that to his show, according to an article in Variety, he's planning to tell his stories from just one viewpoint (this means no more life as seen by father, mother, the couple in love, the doctor, with each view taking at least one episode, and the story stretching out over months), and he's going to introduce big name stars for one-shot appearances. He also plans to film lots of footage on location and have fair-sized stars in for guest apperances. Time was when you could tune in to a day of "Soaps" and count on at least one murder, one missing person, at least one trial and several cases of amnesia and incurable illness. Blair says he's going to do away with that sort of "sensationalism" as well at least, with the crime and gangsterism. INTERESTED IV LOVE Women, he says, are more interested in the love and family element in the shows than they are in the sensationalism, and if the stories are presented right and not dragged out, there's no need to drag in a crime to keep them glued to their sets. Blair plans to grab stars as they come into New York and says it's good business for them to be seen on the show and write them into his script. Signe Hasso has already been seen, according to the story, and Dane Clark and Shelley Winters are among those signed for upcoming episodes. Is this revolution a good idea? NBC-TV has started Matinee Theatre, with evening-caliber shows telecast in color every day. That may be what has Blair, whose show is seen on CBS-TV, intent on revamping it. However, soap operas have always had their own peculiar function, and if Blair deviates too much from standard format, his plan may backfire JUST PLAIN FOLKS Heroines of soap operas have always been billed as "just plain ole folks." Even if they're nurses or Hollywood designers, the script writers have worked hard to make Nora Drake and Ma Perkins relatable. While Blair seems to think it's a good idea to inject big names into his scripts, it seems to me the sudden appearance of Clark Gable or Peter Lorre might bring the slightest little note of unreality into the proceedings. And about ditching sensationalism - when I was little and listened to soap operas on the radio, I just loved sensationalism. And someone I know's father used to rush home from work every night to listen to "Just Plain Bill" That was when they had the story about the boy who was in love with his sister, only he didn't know it was his sister, and then it finally turned out she really wasn't his sister at all. And what would soap operas do without courtroom scenes and innocent heroines charged with murder? LOST 50 PER CENT If Blair intends to speed up his story lines, he's going to lose about 50 per cent of the narcotic effect soap operas have. If you know a new story is going to begin in a week, you don't let yourself get involved with the one on this week. Why, if you had to be out shopping for a couple of days, you'd miss the whole gist of the plot! The joy of soap operas, to me, has always been that, once you'd established a certain rapport with the character, you needed only to take one day off twice a year to find out how everybody on the soap operas was doing. Blair, with his fast-moving story lines, would ruin that. However, soap operas on television have several drawbacks never encountered by their sob sisters on radio. While listening to the radio "soaps," you could always be listening while you were doing something else. Besides, while listening to a radio saga, you could build beautiful pictures in your mind. To me (on a cursory viewing), settings for television soap operas always seem just a little squalid. The idea of top-flight drama during the day, for women, is excellent. However, if Blair and his ilk are' trying to hold viewers to their soap operas, I suggest they abandon this mad idea of big stars and rapid-fire story lines. For my money, they should either jump on the bandwagon and present top-flight one-shot dramas, or leave the "soaps" to bubble in the same old way. They're trying to corrupt a grand old American form.

Road of Life played at 1.15 pm which had not been programmed by the network up until then. In January Brighter Day debuted at 1pm, previously for local programming and then in April Portia Faces Life was scheduled at 1.15 giving CBS a soap block from 12-1.30 - Valiant Lady/Love of Life/Search for Tomorrow/Guiding Light/Brighter Day/Portia Then in July 54 Portia moved to 1pm and The Seeking Heart debuted at 1.15, Brighter moved to 4pm replacing the cancelled Woman with a Past. In December Seeking Heart was out and Road of Life took over. In July 55 Portia and Seeking Heart were cancelled and replaced with Jack Paar 30 min talk/variety. So CBS could never establish a soap block at 1pm.

A lot of old soap episodes that turn up on YouTube have the disclaimer-'This program was recorded' at the end. For a variety of reasons, once in a while a show was pretaped rather than go out live. So those episodes are more likely to turn up. Mid 70s ATWT aired in Australia so there may be tapes floating around.

Am I to understand that Jabot took over Marchetti, an international fashion brand because Summer wanted to keep working there but missed her home? In a matter of weeks the deal was done and now Marchetti is based out of Genioa City? All for no apparent reason(except to annoy those watching) What is the point of these ridiculous business stories where every 2nd week someone is appointed COO of a company? At this point any new writer would be preferable to the drivel Griffith is serving up.

Scrolling through the EON thread I came across this regarding Donald May and the episode where he delivered a monologue. I have an interview with him from 1969 and he said the crew had given him a kinescope of that episode (which of course was done live then). Would love to see that one. Further evidence that cast and crew have episodes in their possession. Wouldn't it be great if just one person connected to a cancelled soap would post episodes, scripts and BTS anecdotes. Some people worked on soaps for decades.

Who played Dr Jim Brent on radio once Don MacLaughlin took on the Chris Hughes role on As The World Turns?

There is stuff out there. Recently a Mary Stuart channel appeared on YouTube with clips from the 60's and 70's all in excellent quality. Where it came from,who knows? Our only hope is that this sort of stuff continues to turn up on YouTube.

Having a lip sync finale as the (supposedly) decider for the crown is problematic when some lower ranked queens excelled in the lip syncs. Some heavy editing was required to serve the narrative. Shea Coulee ended up losing out, despite the obvious rigging to get her into the finale, Had she not received the extra badges she might have walked away with the money as the winner of the second group. However I was pleased Raja took the bucks, Overexposure is a problem, especially when the next editions are not up to par. After watching 3 eps of France,I'm inclined to drop it. The episodes are too long , constantly going to the 'confessionals' where the queens have nothing of interest to say, or just pull an odd face, and the whole thing seems lost in translation to me. The first episode of Down Under was rough. The queens come across as coarse and amateurish and the weird production values are puzzling. Why are there no long shots of Ru with the queens? Haven't bothered with Canada as yet as it comes off as a pale imitation of the original.

It reminds me of when MGM had a prop and costume sale and iconic pieces could have been lost forever. Debbie Reynolds purchased many items in an attempt to salvage Hollywood history. After years of struggling to get a museum of the ground, she too sold off the pieces. At least those items were offered up. But P&G refuse to sell off the tapes or licensing rights. I agree that many people connected with those shows (ad agency reps, actors, directors etc)still have tapes. I hope their children or grandchildren might one day upload them.

Well the fact is that General Hospital's ratings showed dramatic increases in the time Doug Marland was there. Obviously Gloria Monty's production changes helped but as we know it is the writing that attracts viewers. Pat Falken Smith inherited the storylines and set up that Marland created. I wonder what lead Smith to leave a successful and long running stint at Days for a short term gig at Where The Heart Is. I Have never read any details. Did CBS lure her with $$$ because of her success at Days? And it quickly went sour and she was happy to go back to Days?

Bill should have so much more recognition as the oldest working person in the business. He is amazing and Susan must feel blessed to have him with her everyday.

Alan Feinstein Edge of Night 1969 1 day role as 'jetsetter' 2 months prior to playing Jim Fields

re Pat Falken Smith. She was writing Days of Our Lives with Bill Bell at this point so how was she free to headwrite Where The Heart Is?

Yes JT has aged a lot the past few years.It probably stands out more because MS has had work done and is wrinkle free. Also because he is older and looks it compared to Christel. Re the story-this over the top reaction to Diane returning. Phyllis and Nikki have done as much or far worse and this Mean Girls shtick makes them look foolish. What is Diane going to do-connect with her son? Is that so awful? Take Jack away from Phyllis? She's already had that happen by her own doing several times. Remind GC that Nikki bashed her with a rock? They're playing this return all wrong.

Wonder how that movie would translate into a daily serial? Some years before, The 7 Year Itch was proposed for daytime Again having seen the movie it seems a weird concept for a soap.

Variety May 1948 Procter & Gamble has finally decided not to combine its "Joyce Jordan" and "Road of Life" serials into a single 30-mitiute daytime strip, which it had been mulling for some time, Reason for continuing the two separate shows is that it was found that the commercial copy for the two products, Dreft and Duz, could not be suitably handled on a single stanza, it is explained by William M. Ramsey, the soap company radio head. Several sample scripts of the proposed combined program indicated that aspect of the operation could be done, but neither the sponsor or the two agencies involved, Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample and Compton, were satisfied with the commercial setup

Great overview of how the networks can gain dominance and lose their grip on a particular night by strategic programming and plain good luck. ABC were dominant on Thursdays with sitcoms 8-10 and 20/20 at 10. But they couldn't come up with successful follow ups to Mork and Mindy at 8 or Barney Miller at 9. That gave CBS the chance to refresh their aging schedule of Waltons,Hawaii Five O and Barnaby Jones. Hawaii got moved, Barnaby went to 9 and KL at 10. Magnum stepped in at 9 to replace Barnaby and lead the timeslot. Then they moved it to 8 to replace The Waltons. After a misstep with KL at 9 it moved back to 10 and Simon and Simon took over at 9. That lineup was a clear winner for CBS until NBC moved in with Cosby as outlined above. ABC could not get a look in.

Thanks for posting. Checked the AW Homepage JULY 22, 1965 (EP. #306) Pat flashbacked to her days in Bedfordtown and related to Jim and Mary everything that happened to her there. She said that Mary's idea, that Liz drove her away by saying Pat should be sent to Europe until people forget what happened, was wrong. Production Notes: "Bedfordtown again-composite of previous tape." Notes: Tapes of the Bedfordtown sequence from EP. #269 and #270. Alex and Karen Gregory's appearances in this episode were cut.

That anecdote came from a book/study about BTS on GL that was once on the net but since disappeared.

But to just ignore something like that is an insult to the viewers-not that TPTB care much about that. If Paul were still around, they could do a story where they discover that Dylan was not their son-in fact that's why he chose to go on that undercover mission. Paul, Nikki and Sharon could come to grips with that and then Paul and Nikki could debate about trying to find their son and either decide to let things rest or go searching and discover he died an heroic death. End of story. Loose ends tied up.

Please , the only mention of Dylan that needs to happen is for it to be established he was not Paul and Nikki's child. And that the 'real' retcon child is dead.

Neat find and lovely picture.

I think it was jusrt a case of two strong willed individuals clashing. I'm sure they admired each others work but were used to executing their vision their way. also I think ABC's interference might have rankled Marland. Despite what is said about P&G, it seems they were quite supportive of their headwriters. ABC perhaps not so much. Look at all the changes Loving went through.That speaks of too many cooks. Agnes was used to dealing with that. I remember that during his GH days, Doug talked to Agnes before a meeting with Jackie Smith ABC VP. Marland was on a high as GH was shooting up the ratings and getting great critical response. Agnes wryly told him to 'fasten his seatbelt' so to speak and sure enough Jackie came on like gang busters about the state of the show and how her maid had said the last few weeks had been boring etc and they were in trouble. Gloria Monty was also used to dealing with the network and she too cashed with Marland. So maybe after 2 years of that Doug had enough. He was happy to return to CBS and P&G.

The Story of Holly Sloan is a fairly obscure NBC soap that debuted in the dying days (1948)of the radio soaps.It replace Masquerade, an Irna Phillips show that was fairly short lived also. Fewer new shows were being introduced and cancellations were becoming more common. Only The Brighter Day which debuted in 1948 had any long term success, Nonetheless,I hope you find this article of interest. NBC's "The Story of Holly Sloan" is believed to be the first radio serial based on a successful novel. At the same time that Rupert Hughes' novel "Static," from which "Holly's" story was adapted, began to run in a national magazine, another novel devoted to the seamy side of the radio world appeared. But for Mr. Hughes, the magic power of appeal to the human heart was the most impressive aspect of radio. For his heroine, Mr. Hughes chose "Holly Sloan," a small town girl involved in a small town romance of bitter difficulties. He gave her, instead of a living mother, a loving old "Aunt Keturah," who had been blind from birth, and had found in the radio a wide universe of adventure and delight. To her blind aunt, "Holly" sings little songs as they sit on the front porch of an evening. When at last "Holly Sloan" takes flight from her village tragedies, she drifts into the radio world and becomes a singer. At her first audition she is overcome by mike fright, and in her desperation, knowing her "Aunt Keturah" is listening, closes her eyes and sings softly to her blind listener. This gives her voice an irresistible magic, for in a sense the radio audience, too, is blind. Mr. Hughes says, "It was my great fortune to have that warm hearted and brilliant radio writer, Ted Maxwell, take up the novel as the foundation for a radio serial. It was my further great fortune to have the role of 'Holly Sloan' brought to life by that splendid actress, Gale Page, with her uncannily beautiful gifts of art and song." Miss Page's Background Gale, born Sally Perkins Rutter in Spokane, Washington, close to thirty years ago, traveled the route from a girl's finishing school, in Piedmont, California, to air prominence by way of stock company shows, a singing engagement at Chicago's. Palmer House, and NBC's staff as a sustaining vocalist. In 1939 Gale was givena screen test by Warner Brothers. The test was so successful that Gale was immediately signed and moved to Hollywood, where she was one of the studio's leading young singing actresses for several years. Just before the war, Gale was at a swank party, and met the talented concert pianist and composer Aldo Solito de Solis. Today she relates her first thought at that meeting . "That's the one and only man I'll ever love." Now the Countess Aldo Solito de Solis and mother of four children whose nicknames read like an operetta cast, (Tony, Baba, Lukey and Mina,) the attractive brunette actress lets pictures take a second place to the radio work which can be combined more easily with running a home and doing almost all of her own work. The de Solises recently discovered the joy of living in the San Fernando Valley, and even manage to do their eating and cooking out of doors. "The role of 'Holly Sloan' is the most exciting I have done in radio. I feel the character is always interesting and challenging to portray," Gale tells people. "The whole show has a wonderful tone to it." "Holly's" aunt, " Keturah," is played by one of the best known character actresses and a pioneer of network radio, Georgia Backus. Even before Georgia graduated from Ohio State University as an E n g l i s h literature major, her tenacious ambition for an acting career led her to roles in amateur productions and actual paying jobs with Columbus stock companies. Immediately upon leaving school she hurried away to New York for stage and early radio work. When husband Harmon Alexander, a radio writer, moved to the West Coast, Georgia had the opportunity to combine picture making with her radio work. The Alexanders, too, live in San Fernando Valley, where Georgia runs her home and experiments with her new hobby of ceramic abstractions for jewelry and art objects designed to use in her home. Georgia is as enthusiastic about "The Story of Holly Sloan" as is the rest of the cast. Of her role, she says, 'The fact that 'Aunt Keturah' is blind is incidental. She is a sincere woman, lives her own life, and is very different from most characters in daytime serials." The two love Interests in "Holly's" life are "Johnny Starr," vice president of the New York broadcasting company for which "Holly" works, and "Clay Brown," the hometown boy who followed "Holly" to the Gotham City. These are played by Bob Bailey and Vic Perrin respectively. Long before Bob Bailey did his sleeping in a trunk backstage, the theatrical tradition was a strong one in his family. While Bob was still in Chicago in high school, he established himself in radio circles. With the inevitable move to California for active radioites, came a 20th Century -Fox contract in 1941, making Bob one more of the cast with a movie background. Bob is confining himself to radio, having done no picture work following the war and a serious illness. One of his best -known roles is that of "George Valentine" on "Let George Do It," from KHJ. An amateur cabinet maker and carpenter, Bob recently managed to acquire an apartment for his beautiful ex -model wife and six -year -old daughter. After putting in a slate fireplace, new pine walls, redecorating and refinishing the entire interior, the Baileys decorated their attractive apartment in EarlyAmerican antiques and reproductions which they made. Bob's role of "Johnny Starr" in "The Story of Holly Sloan" re-unites him with Gale Page as half a romantic team. Both were well known Chicago players, doing the roles of a young married couple on "Today's Children." Hometown boy "Clay Brown," who is being comforted these days on the show by Louise Arthur in the role of "waitress Sally Brown," is played by Vic Perrin. Unlike practically all the rest of the cast, Vic did not get his foothold in radio anywhere else. He started right here in Hollywood by way of NBC's parking lot. The Wisconsin boy who had trained through four years of university dramatics and speech had no intention of jockeying cars in and out of spaces for a living, but being on the scene let him know when auditions came up. In rapid order Vic attended ah audition for staff announcer at NBC, won the coveted spot, became ABC chief announcer, became typed as an announcer rather than an actor, and quit. With his new "freelance" status came acting jobs, and today Vic not only does "Clay's" part in the "Holly" serial, but he works on "Red Ryder," "Masquerade," "Dr. Paul," and other local shows. Vic falls in step by living in San Fernando Valley too, with "the girl he didn't want to meet." Out here on a visit in 1939, Vic was urged repeatedly by mail from his mother to call on a friend, who, his mother assured him, was a perfectly lovely girl! Grumbling, on the last day of his California visit, Vic did call on the girl. Six months later, upon his graduation from Wisconsin U, Vic married her. Bob Griffin and Louise Arthur, as "Wilbur Ramage" and "Sally Brown," complete the Chicago roster of those who work on the show at complicating "Holly's" life. "Wilbur Ramage" is the amorous head of the big network "Holly" works for, and "Sally" is busy befriending "Clay," who at present is in a lonely turmoil.