Paul Raven

THE SUN-TELEGRAM Dec. 14, 1976 Soap opera's marital team he writes, she acts By LYNDA HIRSCH Gannett News Service It's three minutes before air time. The pale blond Tennessee Williams-type beauty is nervous. Not for herself, Judith (never Judy) Barcroft appears before millions of television viewers every week as the always-troubled Ann Tyler Martin on "All My Children." The nerves are for her husband "All My Children" script writer Wisner Washam. "It's his first time on a television talk show," she explained. But before he can reassure her a stage manager whisks them in front of a camera. Twenty-five minutes later the "ordeal" is over. "It wasn't bad at all," sighed Wisner in a soft Southern accent reminiscent of someone talking while eating cornmeal. At first Judith seems a bit turned off by the idea of giving an interview. "We don't dislike interviews," said Wisner. "We Just don't need them to help bolster our egos." "And," interrupted Judith, "we had a pretty shabby experience with People magazine. They made us a lot richer and a lot older than we are. They kept asking us how much we made. That's a highly personal thing and we wouldn't answer. ABC also refused to divulge our salaries, so the interviewer made up the figures," she said, fingering a purple paisley dress. "What's really crazy," said Wisner, garbed in a dark suit with a silk handkerchief billowing from the breast pocket, "the week after our interview appeared I was reading People and saw someone's salary quoted. I went to Judith and said, 'My Lord, look what this guy pulls in a year.'" "We were accepting the word of a publication that made up things about us the week before," Judith said with a silver bell laugh. The daughter of an Episcopalian minister, Judith met Wisner while she was appearing on Broadway in "Plaza Suite." He was the stage manager. Now they have two children, Amy and Ian, who played Little Philip on "All My Children." "I wanted to be an actor, then I became a stage manager," said Wisner. "I realized jobs in that field were tight, so I turned to writing. The only thing I miss about the theater is people. Writing can be pretty solitary at times." "Sure, some people think Wisner got the job on "All My Children" because of me," said Judith. "But the fact Is he's good, and several shows were interested in him." Has being the wife of a serial writer made the actress, who began her soap career as Lenore Moore on "Another World," appreciate the craft? "Before I realized the work that went into writing a show I was always tearing scripts apart. 'Why did he do this?'" she mimicked in teenage nasality. "Not anymore. When someone on the set complains about the scripts, I think, tough!' I know how hard it is to turn these things out." According to Wisner one of the biggest problems in scripting is that "actors are guaranteed a number of lines within a certain period. Sometimes you forget a character and have to put him into the plot somehow. "One time we had a great idea for a murder. Unfortunately, the actor who played an integral part in the mayhem was going to be on vacation when he was needed most. That was the end of a terrific story line." Certainly Judith can't claim, as most serial actors do, that she doesn't know what's in store for the citizens of Pine Valley. "I don't," she insisted. "I used to, but everyone would ask me what was going to happen. Once or twice I almost slipped and gave away a great plot. So I decided I just didn't want to know." The biggest problem Judith encounters from "All My Chidren" costars is they sometimes think she can pull plot strings with her husband. "Writers usually keep away from the performers. Oh, the actors see the writers at parties, and barrage them with plot ideas." "You steel yourself for that," said Wisner. "When Eileen Letchworth was playing Margo Flax on the show, she kept telling me about the wonderful mastectomy story line on "Young and the Restless" and that Margo would be a fabulous character for that type of story line," said Judith, sipping a glass of wine left over from the talk show set. It's 11 a.m. and she and Wisner look as if they always drink bubbly at this hour. "We don't drink with lunch too often, let alone before," they said almost in unison. By LYNDA HIRSCH Gannett News Service It's three minutes before air time. The pale blond Tennessee Williams-type beauty is nervous. Not for herself, Judith (never Judy) Barcroft appears before millions of television viewers every week as the always-troubled Ann Tyler Martin on "All My Children." The nerves are for her husband "All My Children" script writer Wisner Washam. "It's his first time on a television talk show," she explained. But before he can reassure her a stage manager whisks them in front of a camera. Twenty-five minutes later the "ordeal" is over. "It wasn't bad at all," sighed Wisner in a soft Southern accent reminiscent of someone talking while eating cornmeal. At first Judith seems a bit turned off by the idea of giving an interview. "We don't dislike interviews," said Wisner. "We Just don't need them to help bolster our egos." "And," interrupted Judith, "we had a pretty shabby experience with People magazine. They made us a lot richer and a lot older than we are. They kept asking us how much we made. That's a highly personal thing and we wouldn't answer. ABC also refused to divulge our salaries, so the interviewer made up the figures," she said, fingering a purple paisley dress. "What's really crazy," said Wisner, garbed in a dark suit with a silk handkerchief billowing from the breast pocket, "the week after our interview appeared I was reading People and saw someone's salary quoted. I went to Judith and said, 'My Lord, look what this guy pulls in a year.'" "We were accepting the word of a publication that made up things about us the week before," Judith said with a silver bell laugh. The daughter of an Episcopalian minister, Judith met Wisner while she was appearing on Broadway in "Plaza Suite." He was the stage manager. Now they have two children, Amy and Ian, who played Little Philip on "All My Children." "I wanted to be an actor, then I became a stage manager," said Wisner. "I realized jobs in that field were tight, so I turned to writing. The only thing I miss about the theater is people. Writing can be pretty solitary at times." "Sure, some people think Wisner got the job on "All My Children" because of me," said Judith. "But the fact Is he's good, and several shows were interested in him." Has being the wife of a serial writer made the actress, who began her soap career as Lenore Moore on "Another World," appreciate the craft? "Before I realized the work that went into writing a show I was always tearing scripts apart. 'Why did he do this?'" she mimicked in teenage nasality. "Not anymore. When someone on the set complains about the scripts, I think, tough!' I know how hard it is to turn these things out." According to Wisner one of the biggest problems in scripting is that "actors are guaranteed a number of lines within a certain period. Sometimes you forget a character and have to put him into the plot somehow. "One time we had a great idea for a murder. Unfortunately, the actor who played an integral part in the mayhem was going to be on vacation when he was needed most. That was the end of a terrific story line." Certainly Judith can't claim, as most serial actors do, that she doesn't know what's in store for the citizens of Pine Valley. "I don't," she insisted. "I used to, but everyone would ask me what was going to happen. Once or twice I almost slipped and gave away a great plot. So I decided I just didn't want to know." The biggest problem Judith encounters from "All My Chidren" costars is they sometimes think she can pull plot strings with her husband. "Writers usually keep away from the performers. Oh, the actors see the writers at parties, and barrage them with plot ideas." "You steel yourself for that," said Wisner. "When Eileen Letchworth was playing Margo Flax on the show, she kept telling me about the wonderful mastectomy story line on "Young and the Restless" and that Margo would be a fabulous character for that type of story line," said Judith, sipping a glass of wine left over from the talk show set. It's 11 a.m. and she and Wisner look as if they always drink bubbly at this hour. "We don't drink with lunch too often, let alone before," they said almost in unison. On a rational level Judith knows it wouldn't be fair of her to try to get Wisner to make Ann the way she'd like her to be, but deep down she wouldn't mind a few changes. "First of all, Ann doesn't have any friends," said Judith glumly. "Yes she does," Wisner said, "she has Georgina." "Wisner, no one has ever seen Georgina. She lives in Europe," said Judith. "When the producers considered giving the pregnant Ann a baby shower, I was dumbfounded. I told Wis she'd only have two guests. "Another thing, Ann spends most of her time in the hospital. I think she has a daddy fixation." Now her negative feelings about Ann roll out. "I think Agnes Nixon, the show's creator, is super, but she has a thing about Irish guilt. Everyone on the show is always feeling guilty." For Judith, the topper came when Ann felt guilty for being happy because her nephew, Chuck, was ill. "I just don't think people walk around saying, 'I feel so guilty all the time.'" What causes the writer to kill off one of this creations? "Usually a character leaves when he's put into a dead-end plot line," said Wisner. "I've seen some of my favorite characters leave. I adore Margo, I could use her to say the most outrageous things. Now I've had to use other characters to portray her earthiness." Few would disagree that "All My Children" is one of the blockbuster soaps on television. Wisner said it's because they have actors like Judith. Ever the adoring wife, Judith credits the writing. "One of the greatest things about the show is the short story lines we have. Wisner had a lot to do with that." "We'll bring in a story lines of short duration the child abuse story, cocaine dealing, prostitution. Not every problem lasts a lifetime," added Wisner. Is there anything they can't touch? "Not that I know of, but I'm sure one day Agnes, who plans out the story line six months in advance, will come up with a plot the producers are afraid of. So far "All My Children" has been the most avant-garde. I think Agnes knows the same old story line becomes boring." What can viewers of "All My Children" expect in the future? Judith said she doesn't know and Wisner swore he is bound to secrecy. But they did suggest viewers keep their eyes on Nick Davis. "We sort of lost sight of Nick, but we intend to make up for that," said Wisner.

'NBC should drop 'Marriage' TV serial Dec 1974 Allan Miller is Smarter than NBC. Miller, who played David Bachman in "How to Survive a Marriage," realized the series was getting nowhere in developing an audience, so he decided to use his desire to go to Los Angeles as an excuse to get out of the show. Instead of recognizing that this would be a good time to close down the entire amateurish operation, producers thought they could use Miller's departure to help their ratings. In daytime serials, there is nothing more powerful than agonizing over death, so they let Bachman have a heart attack and let his wife (played by Fran Brill) cry and moan and almost pull her hair out over the death. Result? Ratings did not climb a single point, "How to Survive a Marriage" remaining the second lowest rated serial on TV (second only to 'Somerset" which is, relatively speaking, a test pattern). NBC is now trying one last desperation move with "How to Survive a Marriage." They are dropping the show into a different time period. Too bad they can't be as smart as Allan was and drop it altogether.

FOR TELEVISION PERFORMERS 'Peyton Place' a Swinging Door 15 July 1968 By VERNON SCOTT HOLLYWOOD (UPI)-“Peyton Place” is a veritable swinging door of television as performers drop in for a while and then move on to other activities. A current member of the cast is Diana Hyland who has been a perennial guest star in television since the old live video days in New York when she starred in “Philco-Goodyear Playhouse,” “Robert Montgomery Presents” and “Studio One.” In “Peyton Place” Diana plays Susan Winter, the alcoholic wife of the town clergyman. Off screen Diana doesn’t have more than a social drink or two. She is blonde, attractive and single, although she has a steady beau, an executive at Screen Gems, whom she dates almost every night. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Diana lives in a European-style apartment house in the hills above Hollywood. She decorated the two-bedroom apartment with a variety of antiques, some of which she brought West with her from New York. Her greatest self-indulgence is imported shoes. She has never attempted to count the number of—or kinds of—footwear that fill her closets. Because the “Peyton Place” series has so many sub-plots going on simultaneously, Diana finds the work schedule comparatively easy. Often she will find herself with only two or three days work a week. Working in a soap opera is nothing new to the actress. She spent 15 months starring in the daytime serial “Young Doctor Malone” in New York in 1961 and 1962. Diana is content with being an actress, as opposed to being a “star”: “There’s more to life than Hollywood or being a star. I think this series is beautifully photographed and acted.” When Diana isn’t out on a date with her boyfriend or toiling away in the ABC-TV series, she can be found taking flying lessons or studying French. Diana came to Hollywood in 1962 to co-star in a television special, “The Voice of Charlie,” for which she won an Emmy nomination. Now she has become a dedicated Californian. “I love outdoor sports,” she explains, “and this is the part of the country for getting out in the fresh air.” Diana plays tennis, water skis and sails with friends to Catalina on weekends. Her circle of friends includes other performers as w'ell as professional men and their wives in the film colony. Diana signed a one-year contract with the producers of television’s only nighttime soap opera, with an option for a second year. The blonde lovely isn’t sure whether she will spend two years on the series. If not, she won’t worry. She still remains in great demand as a guest on other dramatic shows.

Of course, Tessa is a fantastically successful musician and Fenmore's has branches all over the world. Change of topic... How would you feel about the Ashland character coming on instead as Brooks Prentiss? Most of the story could play as is and we might get Janice Lynde as Leslie to appear. Victor would have more at stake due to his past history with Lorie and Prentiss Industries. They could say that Lance has died. A great way to tie past to present.

Interesting ideas re casting. But that is a story often told, even today - actors playing new characters when viable family members remain off camera. Stu had a daughter Janet and then Gary,Liza and Danny as grandchildren -enough for a solid core. Jo had Patti and her 2 kids who could have been sorased to teens. And imagine if a man came to town who turned out to be her son Duncan,who was switched at birth...

Another on going pet peeve for me is the uneccessary and blatant depiction of mega wealth and privelege when nothing about the production or visuals supports this. In a lot of instances no mention needs to be made at all but it seems we are supposed to be impressed as if by saying it, then it is believable. Usually it garners an eye roll. In recent eps 'Summer can say at the company apartment apartment in Milan' Why not just say that Marcetti has arranged an apartment for her? 'Ask MD has had 10 million hits' Just say Ask MD is gaining traction. Have we ever seen Nathan do anything for that website? 'Summer has been offered the Creative Director at Angelina Marcetti, a top Italian Design firm' Much more believable if the said she'd been offered a position at Marcetti an up and coming label. 'Thanks for organising the Jabot Jet' Just booking a private jet would be more believable and socially responsible.Or better yet,just travelling business class, Or say nothing at all. Anyone else annoyed by this or other examples?

Sorry typo Yes it was Dec 83

James Luisi Love Is A Many Splendored Thing 'rotten private eye'

Came across this article that mentioned Teal Ames. I think they may have been sensationalizing the cult aspect but it's the first time I have ever read this reason for Teal departing Edge. Life Goes On for Nuclear Escapist Cult Thursday, Oct. 5, 1972 THE SUN A.U CHICO (AP) - Fifteen years ago when fallout shelters were popular, a group of New Yorkers abandoned their careers and fled what they thought would be a nuclear catastrophe. 'There were 34 of them -men, women and children -including four bigtime trumpet players, a television soap opera star, a painter, a sculptor, an economist, an engineer, a wood carver, a social worker and a wealthy concert pianist. They headed west, caravanstyle, in October, 1961, They settled in this community In north-central California because its weather, they said, would ease the hardships of fallout survival. Where are they now? 'Many are alive and doing well in Northern California. Two have died. Only one has defected back to the East Coast, so far as members of the group know. The informal leader was Albin Bauman, then 43, a concert pianist and member of the music faculties of Columbia University and Queens College. Today Bauman lives with his wife, Nina, and two teenage daughters in a converted paint factory In San Francisco's Potrero Hill district. There, he presides over Synanon, a pioneer drug addict and alcoholic rehabilitatlon program. "There has been no nuclear attack. And in the meantime, explains Bauman, "We've just changed with the times. "Things were different then" Bauman says. "They have changed. That was a real concern in those days, but people are directing their energies toward other things today." Bauman said the deceased include William Salant, a wealthy Harvard-educated economist killed in an auto crash. His widow, Dorothy, went to work with Synanon, and later married its attorney, Dan Garrett. Lou Oles also died about five years ago, said Bauman. He had been a trumpeter with Benny Goodman. He became president of the George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation in San Francisco. lt was Ohsawa, a Zen Buddhist philosopher who brought the group together In the first place. They shared a belief in his teachings, a yen for health foods, and a fear of nuclear disaster. The only one who returned is Irv Hirsh, now of Atlantic City. On arrival in Chico, the group chipped in and formed a small organic food operation, Chico San, now known in the health food business. Its president is Robert Kennedy, once a trumpeter in a studio orchestra. The vice president is Richard Smith, another trumpet player. Another refugee, Teal Ames, was written up in a soap opera fan magazine last year under the headline, Solved - The Mystery of the Missing Teal Ames," star of the daytime serial "Edge of Night" She married a Chico merchant, is bringing up 3 children and studying to be a family counselor. The painter, Jane Andrews,lives in Berkeley and teaches reading at a nearby high school in Richmond. The adjustment hasn't been easy, said Smith, whose wife Florence was a hatcheck girl at Lindy's. after we'd been here a year or so one of the kids commented they never saw $100 bills anymore. There used to be a lot of them in New York," he said.

Oct 1981 David Jacobs Comes Up With Two Soaps By JERRY BLACK LOS ANGELES AAP) David Jacobs, the man who created "Dallas" and "Knots Landing." has come up with two soap operas for the price of one. "Behind the Screen." a new CBS latenight series that premieres Friday night, follows the on and off-camera lives of the people who work in a daytime serial called "Generations." The premiere episode is an hour long. tut thereafter the story will unfold in half hour chapters. CBS has ordered 12 episodes. The show began to take shape about a year and a half ago when Bob Daly, then president of CBS Entertainment, asked Jacobs and Lee Rich, president of Lorimar Productions, to come up with a late-night strip show. (In TV-ese. a strip show is one that runs every night at the same time. "Then we bogged down in negotiations." said Jacobs, a cheerful, baldheaded man who was writing books for children until he came up with "Dallas." "We couldn't agree on a budget. Then Bob Daly left CBS and it seemed to die. I didn't want to do it. I felt I'd done enough serialized drama. And this was out-and-out serialized drama. But it was on taperather than film and I felt I ought to learn tape " His pilot script sat on the shelf for more than a year. Then CBS called and they had two weeks to get it done. The original plan was to present the show three times a week, but it's now down to one night. If it catches on. however, it could be increased to two nights a week. "I didn't study the soaps." Jacobs said "I didn't want to have the long scenes or the pace of a soap " "Behind the Scenes" isn't the only soap within a soap. ABC's "Ryan's Hope" also is employing the dramatic device once used by Shakespeare. Their inner soap is called "The Proud and the Passionate." The new direction for the daytime serial, led by ABC's "General Hospital," is toward sex the steamier, the higher the ratings. "I like sexy stuff." said Jacobs, "but I think the emphasis will be on the story. It'll be more provocative than titillating I've been burned in a way by doing sexy material."When I did Secrets of Midland Heights. the programming people said to put in sex, saying they would take care of the censors. 'Secrets' was always designed to be an 8 o'clock show, and it wasn't meant to be sexy. 'Dallas' is about power, which is based on money and sex. '"Behind the Scenes' deals with Hollywood," he said, "which has plenty of sex. But it still doesn't need the sexiness that Dallas' had in the first six months." Jacobs said he is going to have fun with the soap within the soap. "For one thing," he said, "it is going to make absolutely no sense. No one will be able to figure out what's going on." The serial stars Mel Ferrer, Joanne Linville, Joshua Bryant, Loyita Chapel, Bruce Fairbairn, Debbi Morgan, Lew Palter, Catherine Parks, Michael Sahatino and Janine Turner. The opening episode focuses on Jainie Claire Willow, played by Miss Turner, a beautiful soap opera star who has no control over her life. She is manipulated by her cousin (Ferrer), who also is her manager, and by her crippled mother (Miss Linville). Sabatino plays the part of another actor who resents being in a soap. There. are many other relationships too entangled to unravel here. Every story about Hollywood has its inside jokes, and "Behind the Scenes" has its own. The studio head played by Lew Palter is a deadringer for Lee Rich of Lorimar. "When we did the pilot," Jacobs said, "it was on tape and people all over CBS could see it on their monitors. The lines lit up with people calling to see if it was Lee. To this day everybody's gotten it but Lee Rich."

Dec 1982 ‘Guiding Light’ writer looks for fresh ideas By TOM JORY Associated Press Writer NEW YORK (AP) - “Guiding Light” has been a daytime companion for millions since 1937, starting on radio and switching to TV after 15 years. Can anything new, really new, ever happen to the Bauers or the Reardons or any of the other folks in Springfield? “I get really upset,” says Pamela Long Hammer, principal writer for the CBS soap opera since March, “because I’ll come up with this neat scenario and someone will say, ‘That’s like “Strangers on a Train.’” “I think, ‘They keep stealing my material.’ “The way I figure it,” she says, “there are only so many stories in the world. It’s the characters who keep the show new and exciting. All of our stories come from them: I don’t come up with a plot, and then work a character into it.” Continuity is important. Someone out there surely knows all that’s happened, to everyone on the show, in 46 years. How about Miss Long Hammer? "Nope. I care about what our core families have been doing,” she says. “I’m always interested in what happened to Bert Bauer (played since 1950 by Charita Bauer) 20 years ago, but as far as going back and reading scripts, no. “Others on the show keep track,” she says. “I’ll suggest something, and be told, ‘You don’t remember, but five years ago, they had this terrible fight. They would never speak to one another now.”’ Miss Long Hammer, a former Miss Alabama who came to New York as an aspiring actress in 1980, began writing for daytime television while playing Ashley on NBC’s “Texas.” She eventually wrote herself out of the story. Her staff for “Guiding Light” includes nine writers, among them her husband, Charles Jay Hammer, whom she met while both worked on “Texas.” NBC dropped “Texas” after two seasons, and episodes from the serial currently are being rerun on the Turner Broadcasting System’s cable-TV SuperStation, WTBS. Gail Kobe, who was executive producer of “Texas,” now has the same job on “Guiding Light.” And Beverlee McKinsey, who played Iris Carrington in “Another World” on NBC, and later in "Texas,” will join the Light” cast of the CBS soap in February. Miss Long Hammer is reponsible for the long-term story, which can mean looking ahead 18 months or more. Staff writers deal with specifics, including the scripts for individual episodes. She says she draws on “imagination and instinct” for the “Guiding Light” story. Often, that involves inventing new characters. “‘I look at Vanessa (Maeve Kinkead), one of our leading ladies,” Miss Long Hammer says. "What could make the audience care more about her? “Then I think, ‘Why can’t she find a man she can love, who will also love her?’ Voila, here comes Billy Lewis (Jordan Clarke). “Another example,” she says, “is Alan Spaulding (Christopher Bernau). All of a sudden, he’s got a sister no one ever knew about. “They come complete,” says Miss Long Hammer of the serial’s characters, including the new ones. “We know who they are and where they came from long before the viewer gets all that information. That’s one of the most interesting things about daytime, the complexities of the characters.” The writers make a big effort to keep the show contemporary, and four of the leading players are in their late teens or early 20s Judi Evans, who plays Beth Raines, Kristi Tasreau (Mindy Lewis), Grant Alcksander (Philip Spaulding) and Michael O’Leary (Rick Bauer). “Guiding Light,” longevity notwithstanding, is a moderate success by that ultimate yardstick of the industry; ratings. The show is behind only “General Hospital,” “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” all on ABC, and CBS’ “The Young and the Restless,” among soaps. And Miss Long Hammer says she’s convinced writing is the key to even greater achievement. “When I say I love the characters, it’s not a light thing,” she says. “I think what the audience senses is an enthusiasm and an energy among the people who do the show.”

Instead of marrying Abby and Chance off so quickly and diving into the surrogacy plot, why not bring Stitch back earlier and provide some conflict as to whether Abby and Chance would make it. Or delay the wedding because Chance has to take off and instead of everyone falling at his feet and proclaiming him the hero, Abby could be pissed and turn to Stitch.

I'm going to edit your script a little. 'Jill, Andy Richards is a fine young man who loves you. Together you can build something special for you and your boy. So don't go go throwin' that all away on some foolish pipe dream of a future with Mr Abbott.'

That was Brenda/Jill 2.0 Earlier Brenda/Jill might have gone along with that to land a guy...At that point Jill had been through so much that maybe she was resigned to having to settle. All her attempts to move up the ladder had come to naught.

Of course, thanks for the reminder Some others i thought of Beth Maitland (Traci Y&R) Lillibet Stern (Patty Y&R) Michael O'Leary (Rick GL) Amy Englund (Abigail GL)

Yes with Deborah you could believe that John Abbott could fall for her. She could play vulnerable, bitchy, needy etc.

i still don't understand why a set can be presented for Harrison's bedroom, Ashland/Victoria NYC hotel room and Nick's hotel room in Milan but no office set for anyone. Even Angelina Marchetti got a small set for her phone calls. Couldntr something similar be used for Michael/Rey etc for a few scenes? Just keep the camera tight on the characters There's an EON episode from the 60's online where the characters are supposed to be in a cocktail lounge but all we see is a booth and there is background noise of music and chatter and it works. Y&R ,,,,try harder!!

I'll add my thanks. Looking forward to 1977 unfolding...

James Kiberd As The World Turns (pre Loving) Edmund Lyndeck Loving (pre 1987)

Thanks for directing us to that. Fascinating stuff. Fred Silverman, now ABC's president, hired Gloria Monty and gave her 13 weeks to turn things around or he would cancel GH. Monty came on board, hired Anthony Geary as Luke Spencer, and paired him with Genie Francis's Laura. And the rest, as they say, is history. For an article that set out to clear up some misconceptions re Irna and AW, the above statement does the same for Gloria Monty and GH. Geary wasn't hired until well after Gloria's arrival by which time GH under Marland and Monty had rebounded in the ratings. It was Scotty/Laura and Rick/Leslie etc that led the charge to the top of the ratings heap.

Doug Davidson?

Interesting that from 1975 (when AW expanded)on, there was never any suggestion that any of the networks entertained the idea of cutting a 60 min show back to 30 mins.

From what I have read, Marland had already been at GH maybe 4 to 6 weeks before Monty taking over. Apparently, she was happy with his story projections and set about updating production. ABC agreed to scrap 4 60 min shows that had already been taped. Her first credited show was the first 60 min episode, Jan 1 1978. I believe that Bobbie was a Marland creation as Jackie Zeman had just been killed off at OLTL and went straight to GH. It's hard to get exact dates but it seems Bobbie debuted in Jan 78. All of the other major players were already onscreen and Marland wisely developed their stories rather than have another onscreen cast wipe out.

July 86 For the first time in years, daytime programming on the three commercial television networks is a three -way contest. At the end of the second quarter (ended June 29), ABC and CBS were in a dead heat for first in household delivery, according to A.C. Nielsen, each with an average 6. I rating and a 22 share. NBC was a competitive second with a 5.2/19. Compared to a year ago, NBC showed the greatest growth, 8 %, while ABC was up about 3% and CBS was flat. In key women demographics, ABC has maintained a lead over both CBS and NBC, but third place NBC made some inroads against second place CBS. In the women 18 -49 demo for all but two weeks of the second quarter, ABC averaged a 5.9 rating. up 5% from a year earlier. CBS was off 5% in the same category, averaging a 3.6, enabling NBC to tie it in that demo, for a gain of 3%. In women 25 -54, ABC was up 16% during the same period, averaging a 5.8. CBS held onto second place, climbing 8% to an average 4.0, while NBC was up 3% to an average 3.5. For women, 18 -34, ABC was off 2% to a 6.4, while NBC was flat with a 3.9 and CBS was off 16% to a 3.2. All three networks will make programming moves in the months ahead in efforts to strengthen their daytime lineups. CBS will introduce a new half hour soap opera in the first quarter of 1987. lt's being created by William Bell and his wife, WBBM -TV Chicago newswoman Lee Phillip, and will be produced by their company, Bell -Phillip Television Productions. Bell created CBS's Young and the Restless which went on the air in 1973 as a half -hour show and was expanded to an hour seven years later. Restless is now the second -ranked daytime program; it averaged an 8.4/31 in the second quarter, second only to ABC's General Hospital, which scored a 9.3/30. The CBS daytime programming vice president, Michael Brockman, said there has been no decision on whether the new soap will replace one in the network's afternoon serial block, or whether that block will be expanded by a half -hour. That decision will be made early in the fall, he said. The most vulnerable show in CBS's four -program serial block is Capitol (2:30 -3 p.m.), which is losing ground to both fifth ranked One Life to Live on ABC and Ilth ranked Another World on NBC. Capitol, which has been on the air for five years (a relatively short time for a serial), was ranked 13th in the second quarter with a 4.9 rating, down from a 5.2 a year earlier. "We are looking very carefully at Capitol," Brockman said. We are hoping it can show strength and the capacity to stay on the schedule." Of particular concern, he said, was Capitol's failure to take advantage of its growing lead -in audience from As the World Turns. That program, airing from 1:30 to 2:30 was the seventh -ranked program in daytime in the second quarter, up 3% to a 6.7/23. Brockman declined to provide details about the new serial. All that creator Bell would say last week was that the storylines will initially feature two familiies. Most serials revolve around one or more families. Bell said he was still a couple weeks away from hiring a producer but that he would proceed shortly with contract negotations with Los Angeles based Bill Glenn, whom Bell hopes to hire as head director. After those two slots are filled, the remaining staff and cast will be hired. According to Brockman, his main concern with the daytime schedule (he's also in charge of late -night and children's programing) is strengthening CBS's afternoon serial block, and the Bell project is part of that effort. Strengthening the game shows, he said, is the second priority. One move he made toward that end at the beginning of this year was canceling the game show, Body Language at 4 p.m., switching the faltering Press Your Luck to that time period and adding the New Card Sharks at 10:30 a.m. So far the results have been negligible, but Brockman says he will wait a while before making a judgment. As for Sharks, which averaged a 4.1/18 in the second quarter, Brockman said he'd like to see some improvement by the fourth quarter. And if the network can improve the station clearance rate above the current 83 % -84 %, he said the ratings will improve. The 4 -4:30 p.m. slot poses a special problem. The CBS affiliate body is split just about evenly on whether it wants the network to program that time period or not. As a result, CBS's clearance level at 4 p.m. is in the 50%- range, making it difficult for programs to survive for very long. Press Your Luck, for example, was ranked 25th of 26 daytime programs in the second quarter with an average 2.3/10. Brockman argued that success is "not dependent" on a solution to that problem. But he also said the network is not willing to cede the half hour to the affiliates just yet. Brockman acknowledged that he was "looking to see if we can get [a show for the time period] that is more attractive" than Press Your Luck.

Logan Ramsey Modern Romances 'Silent Love' Ralph 1955 John D Seymour Modern Romances 'Silent Love' Frank 1955 Robert Loggia Modern Romances 'Silent Love' Harry 1955