Paul Raven

Thanks for the article. It seems every 1960's columnist had to take a shot at the soaps. Probably had never seen one. Just part of the sexism of that time.

Who knows? I thought it might be budget related but we have a new Noah coming... There doesn't seem to be any story related reason. Had Abby reached out to Stitch,then that relationship could have grown and then Chance returns, but that didn;t happen. Will we see Nina again?

In 1977 when Guiding Light expanded to 1 hour and needed extra studio space, Search for Tomorrow relocated to West 57th St from West 26th St in Manhattan.

Donald May portrayed Adam Drake in 1,560 episodes. He taped his final episode June 9 1977.

May 77 Variety reports that Mike Ogiens CBS daytime VP told affiliates that Bill Bell had a soap in development. This has been mentioned before but good to see official confirmation.

1976/77 Series rankings 1. Happy Days (ABC), 31.4 2. Laverne and Shirley (ABC) 30.9 3. ABC Monday Movie 26.6 4. Charlie's Angels (ABC) 26.0 5. M'A-S'H (CBS) 25.9 6. Big Event -Part I (NBC) 25.4 7. Six Million Dollar Man (ABC) 24.3 8. ABC Sunday Movie 24.2 9. Baretta (ABC) 23.5 10. One Day at a Time (CBS) 23.4 11. Three's Company (ABC) 23.1 6 episode tryout 12. All in the Family (CBS) 22.9 13. Welcome Back, Kotter (ABC) 22.7 14. Bionic Woman (ABC) 22.4 cancelled then picked up by NBC for 77/78 15. Little House on the Prairie (NBC) 22.3 16. Waltons (CBS) 22.3 17. Barney Miller (ABC) 22.2 18. 60 Minutes (CBS) 22.0 19. Hawaii Five -0 (CBS) 21.9 20. NBC Monday Movie 21.7 21. Rich Man, Poor Man -Book II (ABC) 21.6 22. Eight Is Enough (ABC) 21.2 6 episode run with Diana Hyland who died after these episodes 23. NFL Monday Night Football (ABC) 21.1 24. Jeffersons (CBS) 21.0 moved timeslots 3 times during the season 25. What's Happening (ABC) 20.9 26. Good Times (CBS) 20.5 27. Sanford and Son (NBC) 20.3 28. ABC Friday Movies 20.2 29. Tony Randall Show (ABC) 20.0 cancelled by ABC, picked up by CBS for 77/78 30. Alice (CBS) 20.0 31. Maude (CBS) 19.9 32. Wonderful World of Disney (NBC) 19.8 33. Rhoda (CBS) 19.7 34. Starsky and Hutch (ABC) 19.6 35. Busting Loose (CBS) 19.6 36. CBS Wednesday Movie 19.6 37. Feather and Father Gang (ABC) 19.2 38. Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (NBC) 19.2 39. Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS) 19.1 40. Donny and Marie (ABC) 19.1 41. Family (ABC) 19.0 42. Quincy (NBC) 19.0 43. Bob Newhart Show (CBS)19.0 44. Carol Burnett Show (CBS) 19.0 45. Chico and the Man (NBC) 18.9 46. Phyllis (CBS) 18.8 47. Rockford Files (NBC) 18.8 48. Captain and Tennille (ABC) 18.8 49. Barnaby Jones (CBS) 18.7 50. Dog and Cat (ABC) 18.5 51. Fish (ABC) 18.4 52. Streets of San Francisco (ABC) 18.0 53. NBC Mystery Movie -Part I 18.0 54. All's Fair (CBS)17,9 55. Police Woman (NBC) 17.8 56. Brady Bunch Variety Hour- Monday (ABC) 17.7 57. Nancy Walker Show (ABC) 17.6 first of 2 sitcoms she had that season 58. Loves Me, Loves Me Not (CBS) 17.3 59. Most Wanted (ABC)17.3 60. Switch (CBS) 17.3 61. Hardy Boys /Nancy Drew Mysteries (ABC) 17.2 62. Wonder Woman (ABC) 17.2 63. Kojak (CBS) 17.1 64. Police Story (NBC) 17.1 65. Baa Baa Black Sheep (NBC) 17.0 66. NBC Saturday Movie 17.0 67. Emergency (NBC) 16.9 68. Westside Medical (ABC) 16.8 69. Blanskys Beauties (ABC) 16.6 Nancy Walkers second sitcom of the season 70. CPO Sharkey (NBC) 16.3 lowest rated show to be renewed 71. CBS Friday Movies 16.2 72. Jacksons (CBS) 16.1 73. Best Sellers (NBC) '15.8 74. Doc (CBS) 15.7 75. NBC Mystery Movie -Part II 15.2 76. Ball Four (CBS)15.2 77. Blue Knight (CBS) 15.1 78. Serpico (NBC) 14.8 79. Sonny and Cher (CBS) 14.7 80. Delvecchio (CBS) 14.7 81. McLean Stevenson Show (NBC) 14.4 82. Gemini Man (NBC) 14.4 83. Holmes and Yoyo (ABC) 14.4 84. NBC Wednesday Movie 14.4 85. Andros Targets (CBS) 14.1 86. Mr. T and Tina (ABC) 14.0 87. Big Event -Part II (NBC) 13.9 88. Executive Suite (CBS) 13.3 89. Tony Orlando and Dawn (CBS) 13.3 90. Ouest (NBC) 13.1 91. Who's Who (CBS) 13.1 92. Cos (ABC) 13.0 93. Fantastic Journey (NBC) 12.7 94. Practice (NBC) 12.6 95. Gibbsville (NBC) 12.5 96. Code R (CBS) 12.5 97. Kingston: Confidential (NBC) 12.3 98. Sirota's Court (NBC) 12.3 99. Van Dyke and Company (NBC) 12.2 100. Hunter (CBS) 11.0 101. Tales of the Unexpected (NBC) 11.0 102. Spencer's Pilots (CBS) 10.2

Broadway legend Ethel Merman had a sitcom pilot around 1977.

Wasn't Agnes Nixon at one point barred from the writer's room? I think the execs were more interested in what's happening at the moment than bothering if it contradicted the past. Even shows that had a stability like Bell's Y&R and Irna at ATWT dropped characters and plots that jarred with viewers. For years Jill acted as though she had no family of her own. I remember Erica Slezak ad libbed a mention of Joe's family at his funeral as the writers didn't reference them, so often it is the actors who have that memory within the character. Off topic slightly, Peyton Place being 2 aweek primetime serial had a different structure to daytime-it was much easier for them to keep a tighter rein on the format. They didn't face actors leaving, competition from other soaps,low budgets etc. Nonetheless,PP could have played as a daily serial. There were lots of moments and plot points that were missed due to lack of time.

Stitch's return had potential. Abby could have grown close to him, causing her to question her commitment to her missing husband. The whole Mariah is missing story needed to be handled better. Would you guys have preferred if it was just a random person that took her eg an old woman who could never have a child etc. Mariah could have been shown trying to reason with her and ultimately sympathizing while still trying to escape, Stitch uncovers some evidence but uses it to look good to Abby. Stitch hangs around. Maybe has some clashes with Nate at the hospital. Plenty of possibilities not explored...

Bernadine Flynn Story of Mary Marlin Margarey Allen Betty and Bob Mrs Drake One day replacement for Edith Davis (due to Chicago blizzard)Jan 30 1939

i don't think Alzheimers would be considered shocking, intriguing or exciting. Glad Doug and Julie are getting airtime - hope it's worthwhile.

Michael Brockman was replaced in March 77 by Jackie Smith, who had been working at CBS as director of special programs since 1974. Previous to that she had worked at CBS daytime for 8 years. Fred Silverman (ABC chief programmer)knew of her from his years at CBS. Under Smith ABC daytime went to #1 .

Staats Cotsworth Second Husband 1943 Stella Dallas Claude Young Perry Mason My True Story Allan Latham 2/16/54 Whispering Streets 1955 Helene Dumas This Day Is Ours Beaulah Mother in Law 1938 My Son and ! 1940 Whispering Streets 1955 My True Story 1955

updating radio roles Frank Dane Just Plain Bill David Harum 1946 Strange Romance of Evelyn Winters 1946 Right to Happiness 1941 Stella Dallas 1947 Kitty Keene 1939 We are Four 1938 Front Page Farrell 1947 Beyond Tomorrow (proposed serial 1940)

It might have worked better if Noah had been interested in business, unlike his Dad. That would bring out some issues for Nick ,Victor and Noah.

I read the headline and thought it might be Chance. I guess Noah is needed to give Sharon and Nick something more to do. His was another case of a too soon SORAS - see Abby,Fen,Charlie,Mattie etc

Don Ettlinger is listed as headwriter on a show dated August 22 1960. The show features Nina Reader as Barbara as well as Tammy, Guy and Rick so that date seems correct.

Jan 77 Madeline David,NBC daytime VP announces 2 13 week half hour serializations of the novels 'Spindthrift' by Phyllis Whitney and 'The Dark Shore' by Susan Howatch. I guess when David left the position, the concept died.

The only episodes of The Nurses on YouTube are the primetime series, not the daytime serial. As both Return to Peyton Place and Best of Everything were 20th Century Fox productions, it is possible they are in the Fox vaults. RTPP was shown overseas so there were tapes floating around.

Thanks for all your investigative work! According to story synopses,Jean Holloway's work began in Nov 78. Characters leave town,stories are resolved etc.

With Mealor, I guess Y&R was his first proper acting job. Come contract renewal the decision is to stay on for another 3 years or take the leap and maybe luck out with a primetime, streaming or cable gig. Michael probably knows Y&R would bring him back so why not take a chance?

Every recent attempt to add a younger element to the show has been a misfire. Ana Hamilton and Fen Baldwin Reed Hellstrom Charlie/Mattie Ashby and now Moses Winters and Faith Newman get a few scenes maybe once aweek.

They made the decision to go with these public meeting places for characters to conduct business and cross paths constantly-Crimson Lights, Society, Green Poopit and Chancellor Park and then have them empty. A lot of the (endless) discussions of missing Mariah could have taken place at Sharon's cottage but instead they were all standing around empty Crimson Lights. Mariah got a room to be held hostage, but a similar sized set can't be utilized as an office. Ashland got a NY home for a few eps but other characters seem to live and work only in a restaurant. So frustrating.

Noticed last week that Crimson Lights actually had a customer!! An older man who sat in a booth staring at his phone and then wandered to the jukebox and stared at that. Anyway, why suddenly one extra as a customer after months of emptiness?? That makes no sense -so in keeping with a lot of the show these days..

2 weeks Sept 29-Oct 10. 1969 1. As The World Turns 13.7/50 2. Edge of Night 10.9/42 3. Search for Tomorrow 10.2/45 4. Another World 10.0/37 5. Guiding Light 9.7/36 6. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing 9.3/34 7. Gomer Pyle 8.9/34 8. The Doctors 8.7/33 9. Secret Storm 8.6/32 10. Days of Our Lives 8.4/30 11. Love of Life 7.9/41 12. General Hospital 7.7/29 13. Newlywed Game 7.2/27 14. Dark Shadows 7.2/27 15. Where The Heart Is 6.9/32