Paul Raven

June 79 Teasers. Advertisements in BROADCASTING and elsewhere say simply: "Buy L.A.T.E.R" -lots of white space and logo of Columbia Pictures Television. Well, Metromedia did, and Columbia has gone ahead with planned 13 -week schedule of new late night strip, Life and Times of Eddie Roberts, created by husband -and -wife team of Ellis and Ann Marcus. (She's late of Norman Lear's organization and stint as co- creator of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and All That Glitters and more recently writing Days of Our Lives for Columbia.) Her association with Hartman was not lost on Columbia or Metromedia. either. Executives of both unabashedly refer to the critical success of Lear's show when discussing what they expect to come of L.A.T.E.R. Metromedia will begin running half -hour shows (11 p.m. NYT) in January on its stations in Los Angeles, Washington, Cincinnati, Minneapolis. Kansas City, Mo., and Houston. That's potential audience of 20% of nation -well on way to 50 % -60 %. Norman Horowitz, president of Columbia Distribution, says company will need to break even on venture. (Actual dollar figures are being held close to vests.) No other stations have signed on as yet, but its understood Columbia will be asking top dollar for show. The pitch. L.A.T.E.R. won't enter production until fall, but pilot has been shot and is being shown selectively. Briefly, show is about Roberts, college professor, with wife who leaves him because of his sexual problems. He has shapely student interested in improving her grades and equally shapely researcher who is after him to serve as guinea pig for new male contraceptive drug. "Metromedia was looking for something to duplicate the success of Mary Hartman, "says Dick Woolen, group's vice president for programing. L.A.T.E.R. has "exactly that same potential" Show is thought to be first major effort to reopen late -night slot first entered by Hartman when it premiered in 1976. Ken Page, Columbia's executive vice president for sales, says he has no particular marketing strategy other than to "tradeoff the success of Mary Hartman. "Unlike that show, however, L.A.T.E.R. will be able to "bypass that stage of proving itself" to stations. Sales talks with other broadcasters were starting last week.

William Prince Way of The World 4/4/55 - 4/22/55 Walt Leora Thatcher Way of The World 'Forbidden Dreams' Mrs Greystock HM Wynant Modern Romances 'Nice Young Man' Ben

Thanks for the comments. The daily format was a huge undertaking. Perhaps the thinking was that viewers(housewives) could be able to watch and not worry about missing episodes - which would inevitably happen when little Timmy had a doctors appointment etc. As for the sets, maybe once the show went to a serial they needed more sets for the extra characters and the studio couldn't hold them all,so they decided to shrink the hospital sets? At least TD held on longer than Ben Jerrod on NBC which debuted the same day.

First Love Basil Burwell played a judge in 1955. Could this be Judge Holcombe?

The Brighter Day Chief McDougall 1955 Love of Life Bethel Leslie was playing Ellie in 1955

Pat also had Marcus Brady,Roman's younger brother get involved with Melissa Anderson. Pat also had Marcus Brady,Roman's younger brother get involved with Melissa Anderson.

P Jay Sidney was the second actor to portray Dr Bellows on ATWT, The first was Brock Peters. He is quoted her from a TV Guide article titled ' What the Negro Wants From TV' 20th Jan 1968. Sidney left I believe, when he was not offered a contract. Irna Phillips was writing at this time. I previously read that she refused to write blacks into the series as servants/janitors etc. This is Sidney's take on his stint. Sidney sites his own experiences last spring when he was hired as a regular in an important supporting role on the popular daytime soap ATWT “I was supposed to be a research physician in that series,” he says, “and yet, emotionally and dramatically, I didn't exist as a person. My whole function in those 14 segments was getting a white boy out of jail. I was a non-person in the plot with no life of my own. I didn't have any problems. There were no things about which I was personally glad or sad, nothing to which I personally aspired. I had no past, no future , no family. I only existed for that white boy. I was, in other words an auxiliary, not a person.” His tone suddenly becomes vehement. “Hell”, he explodes, “life isn't just going to a laboratory everyday.”

Uttica just didn't get it. But those defending her saying others have used fat jokes don't get it either. It has to be FUNNY and delivered tongue in cheek Uttica just came across as mean. Anyway, she's gone Symone should have killed it but she floundered. Olivia will be next and that means Kandy is top 4. The judges (again) were creaming themselves over her roast but I don't see it. Makes me wish there was a round where some of the eliminated get one more chance to get back in.

Of GH she said that Monty was critical of every outline presented and she felt devalued. It's no secret Monty was a micro manager and Smith was probably used to having more control of story.

Some requests Ashley Lyn Cafagna Ben Murphy Carol Lawrence Karen Hensel

Would love to get my hands on PFS interview for Afternoon TV mag where she detailed her Days plans. Do recall she talked about Doug/Julie faking a separation to allow Stefano to move in on Julie and try and uncover his secrets. She talked about them having secret rendezvous and nearly getting caught etc.

Jay Meredith Kitty Keene Nadra 1939 Stories America Loves 'Dodsworth' Emily Dodsworth Just Plain Bill 1941 Bright Horizon Young Widder Brown 1946 Lora Lawton 1948 Road of Life Mae Stevenson 1947 Young Doctor Malone Clara Grimes 1947 Crystal Gates Williams 1951 By Kathleen Norris 'The Love of Julie Borel' Penelope Barnes 1940

Thanks for all the replies. I think Chris just vanished. When PFS returned she wrote a series of episodes where Chris and Maggie were thrown together and had to spend the night at her farm but nothing came of it. Maybe Pat was toying with putting them together. Poor Maggie was bounced from one bad story to the next. Amazingly she outlasted so many others. Killing off Mary was mercy killing by that stage but it also served the Strangler plot as she was an important character.In fact she was only major character the Stangler killed (apart from Samantha) Over time Alex and Marie's relationship was completely dropped, especially when Jessica was backburnered. I think if you were watching from 83-85 you might not know they had any connection.

Did they say that Chris had earlier studied to be a lawyer, then put it aside? Was this a retcon because they needed Chris to be a lawyer for a particular storyline? If so, what was it? If not, then what was the point? Surely Chris was more useful as a bar or gym owner. Weird that Chris had relationships with two women named Leslie. Chris was one of a few long running characters on soaps that never married.

Great additions! Karl Weber Road of Life Dr Jim Brent (temp for Don McLaughlin) 1948 My True Story Reverend 1955

I think CRCO was not an NBC affiliate and took Texas on a one day delay hence the need to play the final two episodes back to back. The 4 pm timeslot seems a bit odd. Maybe someone can confirm this.

Brilliant!

Frank Parker Days of Our Lives Stefano's doctor 1982

Bill did like to repeat stories one way or another... Days Mickey on the farm /Y&R Victor on the farm which actually first played in radio on Young Dr Malone Days Phyllis shoots Mary by mistake/ Y&R Vanessa shoots Lance by mistake Days Eric writes scandalous novel 'In My Brother's Shadow /Y&R Lorie writes scandalous novel 'In My Sister's Shadow'

I'm interested in your ideas of what Search could have done story wise to entice viewers when the CBS/NBC switch happened? What special event could drum up some publicity or interest? Having Travis and Liza in danger again seems a bit ho hum.

The illustrator must have had something against ATWT if this and the #3 above are anything to go by.

John Wesley Shipp John played Tony Lord on "One Life to Live." He didn't have much to say since this was during the time Tony was in a coma, sheeted from head to foot in an oxygen tent. John was used to bide time while "One Life to Live" producers were searching for George Reinholt's replacement Kevin Dobson The Nurses

Denise Alexander's first airdate as Lesley Williams was Tuesday March 13th 1973. Nov 1982 With all the rumors flurrying over Chris Robinson's head about his departure and then decision to stay on "General Hospital" as Rick Webber, Chris gave us a call. Without naming his salary, Chris assured us, "The money, which is very high, was never an issue. The network had met my requirements ages ago. What I wanted was additional time off along with a solid storyline. In the past two and a half years I've had no storyline except for that silly sponge plot." How can an actor have all the time-outs he wants and a storyline? Chris admits that that is hard and now is more interested in the time-off clause, although he hopes a stronger story is in the works. "Yes, it's true that I moved out of my dressing room as another columnist suggested. But I did the cleaning-out when I believed ABC would not give me the time off I requested. I did the moving out, not the network. "I did agree to work as a non-contract player when they could not devise a way to get rid of Rick as soon as possible. However, on the very first day they wanted me after my contract was up, I had a show to do in New York. The network was stunned at my unavailability, but I told them that since I was not under contract I would be unavailable for the shooting. "Shortly thereafter I received a call from ABC. They agreed to my needs for a more lenient schedule and I re-signed." What about the rumor that Robinson agreed to stay because he was given a "Fantasy Island"? His response, with overtones of incredulity: "I am shooting a 'Fantasy Island' this week, but that was already pacted before the new contract was signed with 'General Hospital'." . What will Chris do with his new time off? "I'm already doing a number of commercials for Datsun, as well as serving as the Bacardi spokesman in Mexico. I have a book I'm writing and a few film projects and personal appearances." Robinson seems happy to return to General Hospital," although Chris admits that Denise Alexander, who plays Leslie Webber, his wife might have enjoyed playing the Merry Widow of "General Hospital." Remember, fans, Chris is only pacted for a year. Next year, Leslie just might get to wear those widow's weeds. ...

Pamela Shoop's first airdate as Allison was Tues March 13th 1973

August 1963 Future Stars In "The Doctors " Cast By RUTH E. THOMPSON "You'll find this series has the same kind of excitement that made early TV so yeasty," said one of my favorite actresses, Abby Lewis, who was guest-starring on "The Doctors" the day I decided to mosey over and ask why things were changing from a complete story every day to a five-part format. I also wanted to find out why this NBC Monday through Friday (2:30-3:00) opus is credited with having "nighttime production values on a daytime budget." "Jerry Layton (the producer) sure knows talent and bless him, he does give pool actors a chance at stardom, a rare thing these days," Abby went on adding, "keep your eye on Richard Roat, believe me he's comer. Jerry always did know how to pick them, though. Lee Remick, Tony Perkins and Dina Merrill are some of the young actors I remember him giving breaks to back when he was doing 'Modern Romances.' " Well, already I was getting more than I bargained for. The show is a star maker too, or rather it's producer is. Before my afternoon was over I also found out who works harder than sandhogs, farmers or business tycoons; it's daytime TV producers with actors running a close second. "Why did we switch to a five episode format?" echoed Jerry Layton when I finally caught up with him in the carpeted viewing room where he was glued to a TV screen watching the dress rehearsal via closed circuit. "Well, we realized this 'Eight Hours ' for Emily' was too good to condense, then other stories of the same value came along and we changed our pace." He sounded like a happy man as he went on, "Now we can get below the surface of the characters and into their motivation in the five-day treatment. Important to us, too, is that now we can develop secondary and tertiary relationships among the regular characters in the back ground running story." The dress rehearsal for the first fiver was winding up and Layton picked, up his pencilled notes, threaded across the sets and into the already densely populated control room to confer with director Paul Lammers about desirable final changes. Assistants and engineers continued to push buttons, pull levers and go about their organized madness as three angles appeared on monitors of scene under way and five other monitors picked up every other group and setting. All stayed "in character" whether they were "on" or not. This "first fiver" also introduced two new regular "stars: Ann Williams (veteran of the departed "Young Doctor Malone" series) who's playing a lady doctor and handsome James Pritchett as Hope Hospital's new Chief of Staff. "Isn't Pritchett mighty young, though I grant he has the right air of authority" I asked Jerry Layton when we got back to the viewing room. "I figure," he said smoothly, "that you can get just as much emotion from a good looking face as from a plain one. It's not unheard of to have a post like that fairly young. Furthermore, in this series, it's imperative that the principals be young enough to make romance believable." As if on cue Pritchett. as Dr. Matthew Powers, was explaining that he was a widower. Ann Williams murmured lifelessly that yes indeed she was married ..." but unhappily, notice," injected Layton. So that's it. Obviously this is a situation that will bear watching. Well on to this "nighttime quality" business . . . how does he get it? Simple it seems,in addition to ability, and long experience he just practically works himself to death. The taping would end at 4:00 P.M. Then he'd have half an hour to rest, providing he did it in a taxi because "rehearsing the next episode would start in a rehearsal hall fifteen blocks away from the RCA Studios at 4:30. "It'll be over at 7:30 P.M.," Layton said. Then he projects himself into the future a bit and starts casting the story upcoming three weeks hence. Next morning at 8 :00 he's back in the rehearsal hall. "Careful planning is one way we can do what we do on our budget without cutting production values. We use only three hours of studio and camera time here at NBC. The rest is done at Judson Hall. Also very important is that we keep fifteen full scripts ahead so no money is wasted storing away scenery that would have to be if carted back in a few days , . . and our units are so designed that we have 36 combinations available at all times. "Now watch," he alerted me. "If we wanted to cut corners we'd just have Roat appear at Abby's door, instead we bring him there. There are doctors and nurses in the corridor. See? And did you catch the orderly pushing a cart?" I did, also a bulletin board and a candy machine. "Now look around Abby's room," he said when Roat finally got there. "We don't have to have a heat lamp, pictures and a view from the window, but you'd miss them if they weren't there. principals" "We're not budgeted for names, though sometimes we are lucky enough to get name value along with talent. Jerome Cowan (whom Layton slightly resembles) has appeared for us. Tina Louise (heartbreaker of the week of August 12 with Roat the victim) is another. But luckily, all we require, really is talent . . . and I'm sure we have a crop of future big names rignt here in this group." "I've just found out a producer's work is never done," running to catch up with Abby as Layton presumably ran for his taxi. "How is it with actresses these days?" "With me at least it's so busy I haven't had time for my exercise class," smiled Abby who has one of those perpetual angel faces that time doesn't touch. "You know I contend that life is a verb, 'to do' for an actress can never stop learning." She should know. Fresh from New Mexico in the 1930s she landed immediately in the company of the legendary Walter Hampden who set her to cutting her teeth on Shakespeare. Then she "swang over" to Kaufman-Hart musicals, George Abbott comedy and TV. Not that she's said goodbye to theatre ! A couple of seasons back she and her distinguished husband, John Seymour, fifth generation member of a theatrical family, hit Broadway again with the charming but ill-fated 'Howie'." Yet with all this experience she's done what classically trained actors seldom do. At Kim Hunter's suggestion a few years ago she started studying method acting with Lea Strassburg. Among her class mates have been Marilyn Monroe ("We all just loved her") and Ann Williams. I am passing along three insights out of my "Doctors" day. If you're a young actor, try to get on a Jerry Layton show. If you want to be a producer, good luck. And if you want to have a fresh pretty face like Abby's, keep reaching for the future so fast that time can't catch you.