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Paul Raven

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    Another World

    in DTS: Cancelled Soaps

    Posted

    I've read that interview before and Wyndham comes off badly ,in my opinion.

    I really find it hard to believe that headwriters and production people would be asking her to write storylines.If she gave one example,then I might reconsider my stance. It's the same interview where she claims that the show only stayed on because Brandon Tartikoff recognized her as the face of the show,and that she had ideas for product placement years before it eventuated.

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    Somerset Discussion Thread

    in DTS: Cancelled Soaps

    Posted · Edited by Paul Raven

    Some of French Fans summaries

    Dec 72

    Andrea, learning her illness was fatal, shut everyone out of her life, especially David whom she refused to burden with her condition. Her stepbrother Carter encouraged this action and tried to promote himself as Andrea’s eyes as he had secret debts to an eastern underworld syndicate and Andrea was about to inherit a huge fortune. Aware that Andrea’s condition improved in the hospital, Stan rehospitalized her in the hope she might be suffering a physical reaction to something in her surroundings. Carter’s chance remark that she might be being poisoned led Stan to call in a toxicologist who found that Andrea was being poisoned with a form of arsenic. Carter implied that the logical suspect is Andrea’s brother and heir, Dana. Upon learning that her illness may be reversible, Andrea reconcilied with David. Keeping the arsenic discovery a secret from all but David, Ben, Emily and Stan allowed Andrea to return home with Emily keeping an eagle’s eye on everything she eats.

    Rex was found seriously injured in an appartment accident in the Delaney Brands warehouse after learning about plant manager Virgil Parris’ police records. Laura was convinced that Virgil tried to murder her husband but she had no proof. She was also sure that Leo was implicated and this belief caused great tension as Ginger and Tony were staying with Laura during Rex’s hospitalization. Stan finally told them Rex was paralyzed from the waist down. Lahoma was also convinced that Parris was to blame byt Sam would not fire Parris or use his record against him. The strain of Delaney Brands problems was seriously hurting the Lucas’ marriage. Parris visited Laura and threatened her if she continued to implicate him in Rex’s “accident”. Parris bragged to Leo how he killed Harry Johnson and tried to kill Rex. Leo was afraid too much violence was being used, the syndicate they both worked for wanted the takeover of Delaney Brands to be smooth and unobtrusive. Needing more influence over Sam, Parris terrorized Sam’s secretary into leaving town and Leo lined up Crystal Ames, also a syndicate regular, to replace her.

    Jan 73

    Crystal Ames’ secretarial credentials were as impeccable as her looks and Sam hired her over Lahoma’s objections. Leo was pleased as he planned for Crystal to diminish Lahoma’s influence over Sam. Sam and Lahoma fought constantly over Delaney Brands, his working late, Virgil Parris, Rex’s accident and Crystal. Lahoma was very much afraid her marriage was in serious trouble. Sam told her she was unreasonable and jealous and all would be fine with them if she would learn to trust him.

    Virgil ordered Carter to have Emily Mason sell her Delaney Brands stock immediately or the syndicate would call in his debts. Zoe noticed Carter’s fear of Virgil. Rex was home from the hospital, paralyzed and in a wheel chair but planned to return to work soon. Leo warned Virgil the syndicate wanted Rex in charge of production. Laura still blamed Virgil and Ginger’s father Leo for Rex’s accident making Ginger’s life miserable until she and Tony can finally move into their own apartment. Leo told Tony several plant employees quit suddenly and Virgil replaced them from out of town. Meanwhile, Phil at the Hayloft told Sam he’d heard Delaney Brands were in money trouble since all these local men had to be laid off. Puzzled, Sam denied trouble.

    Julian and Zoe fought constrantly, she taunted him and he virtually ignored her and moved into a separate bedroom. Julian secretly visited Andrea’s room and told her he married Zoe only for her family and her world, that he loved her (Andrea). She stopped him and told him never to mention this again. Dana wrote a book “Jingles the Clown” for Andrea. She was thrilled with it and took it herself to her stepfather Philip’s publishing house where she accidentally found Philip on his office couch in the arms of his secretary. Andrea ran out and later told Philip she wouldn’t say anything to her mother Emily for her sake, not for his. She told him she understood more about his grequent business trips with his faithful secretary, Millie. Philip would publish Dana’s book.

    After Andrea’s collapse at her twenty-first birthday party, she made David promise that he would find a way for them to be alone together so she can love him completely before she dies. He insisted she wouldn’t die but promised to do what she asked. With Andrea’s illness reoccurring, Stan feared poison was not the answer considering Emily’s care in supervising her daughter’s food and drink intake, but David learned that Andrea had been accepting unsupervised medication from Jingles the Clown whom she assumed was her brother, Dana, in disguise. When Andrea was told that Jingles was suspected, she refused to believe it until it was pointed out that anyone could be wearing the Jingles costume. A trap was planned whereby Andrea would signal her mother if Jingles came to her room.

    Feb 73

    Lahoma, feeling threatened and inadequate by self comparison with Crystal, arranged for Crystal to meet Sam and was gratified when they hit it off well together. Lahoma insitinctively distrusted Crystal without knowing she was brought to Somerset to diminish Lahoma’s influence over Sam. Sam seemed unconcerned by Stan’s report that almost all the new plant employees had bullet and knife wound scars.

    Rex, paralyzed since his accident, returned to work at Delaney Brands. He was furious when he realized that Virgil had cut production costs by cutting the quality of the whole canned food line. Leo promised Rex he would correct this. Laura saw the strain and pressured of Rex’s work were exhausting him to the point of collapse. She was further upset by Rex’s frustration at being a husband in name only since he was hurt. Leo visited Laura to ask for better relations between them for the sake of their children Tony and Ginger. Leo comforted Laura when she broke down in tears over Rex’s situation. Meanwhile, Virgil ordered Carter to have Emily sell all her Delaney Brands stock as the syndicate wanted fill control. However, on the basis of Sam’s glowing report on the company, she refused to sell.

    The plan to unsmak Jingles worked and it was Andrea’s senile Aunt, Rowena, who had been bringing Andrea her medicine dressed in the clown suit. Rowena insisted she only wanted to help Andrea to get well and, when weed killed was found in the medicine bottle, Rowena was confused and incoherent and was unable to remember that Zoe gave her the costume and the medicine and instructed her to dose Andrea with it. Rowena would be placed in a sanitarium. Zoe hated Andrea as she felt she was the reason Julian no longer loved her or would sleep with her. When confronted by Zoe, Andrea maintained she loved only David. Zoe didn’t belive this as she had overheard Julian’s declarations of love to Andrea with Andrea had politely but firmly rebuffed. Carter confessed to Zoe that he was a failure in the investment business and owed the syndicate a million dollars. His failure to get Emily to sell her sotkc as ordered meant he might be killed by Virgil. Zoe visited Virgil and bought Carter two weeks more for $5,000. She then told Virgin she knew he’s a hired killer, would he consider doing a job for her. He seemed to be willing and she later made another appointment to discuss this. She was horrified to run into Andrea and David in the lobby of Dover House, Virgil’s apartment house.

    Learning Phillip was planning to take Millie on another business trip, Andrea implied Millie’s presence was not for business reasons based on the scene she witnessed at Phillip’s office. He angrily denied her implications but lated told Emily Millie might not go. He was hurt that Emily never felt jealousy and considered passion and heated emotion for the young, they were too old.

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    Somerset Discussion Thread

    in DTS: Cancelled Soaps

    Posted · Edited by Paul Raven

    Yes these synopses are from SOD This one is July 76

    It's the dead of night. The prosecution's key witness, Carrie Wheeler, lies fast asleep on her bed. Suddenly, she's abruptly awakened by the shill, piercing ring of her telephone. She groggily reaches for the receiver and places it next to her ear. The voice on the other end is cold and menacing. Speaking barely above a whisper, he tells Carrie: "We know you've been subpoenaed, but when you get on that witness stand you're going to develop a bad memory." He warns Carrie: "Don't tell anyone about this call. Remember the dead bird, if anyone hears about our conversation." The caller concludes with the words: "Remember Greg Mercer."

    It's not easy keeping this recent threat to herself (she almost tells Lt. Price and David Grant) but Carrie feels if she doesn't, the caller will follow through on his warning -- and she doesn't want her life terminated the same way Greg's was!

    Avis Ryan smiles sweetly at both Vicki and Julian as she tells them about her recent decision. Speaking with great conviction, Avis says: "I've decided to make Somerset my new home. I don't know how to put it, but your small town has touched something deep within me." Vicki knows it's not the town that touched Avis, but the editor of the town's only newspaper. -- Ms. Avis Ryan is remaining in Somerset because she has designs on Julian Cannell!!

    Can it be? Can the aboveboard, straight-as-an-arrow Tom Conway actually be a devious, sly, snake-in-(Somerset's)-grass? Can this upstanding, All American boy actually be capable of evil, underhanded schemes? Sad to say, this appears to be the case. Tom seems to know a lot more than he's telling about Greg's missing belongings (as Greg's lawyer, Greg's personal effects were put in Tom's safe (?)keeping). During a closed-door telephone conversation with a yet unnamed party, Tom tells whoever is on the other end of the line: "I'm going to be in a lot of trouble if Greg's things aren't found. People around here have suddenly become very curious about their whereabouts."

    It's a glorious day! The sun is shining brightly, and the air around Somerset is a warm 80°. It's the perfect day for some sun n' fun; especially if the person you're sun n' funning with is the very handsome Julian Cannell. Much to her surprise, Julian has accepted Vicki's offer to spend the afternoon at her pool. As she stares at the bronze body standing next to her, Vicki envisions the "indoor activities" she and Julian will soon be sharing. They're totally delightful thoughts and Vicki doesn't take kindly to having them so rudely interrupted by the roar of a car's engine coming from beneath her balcony. If she finds the sound of the car's engine offensive, she's even less pleased by what emerges from the automobile. It's none other than Vicki's favorite person, Avis Ryan.

    Avis has come to the Paisley house bearing another "goodie" for Julian. She tells this enterprising editor that her network bosses are interested in him as her co-anchorman. What's Vicki's reaction to this news? Her reply is to make a very loud dive into her swimming pool.

    Carrie's Crusade

    Carrie's determined to see the men responsible for Greg's death behind bars. She's not going to let anything deter her from testifying. This is no easy feat, since certain peoplehave been trying to silence her. They fear Carrie may have some information that could be quite damaging to "Mr. Big." In fact, "they" feel it's quite possible this crusading reporter may know who "Mr. Big" is. Carrie swears up and down that she has no idea who this man, or woman, is. All she knows is what David Gamage told her during his deathbed confession. Julian then says perhaps there's something on the tape or maybe in Greg's papers she's now holding. Steve Slade goes to check on these papers, but her arrives at Carrie's grandmother's house (where Carrie said she left the papers) to find the suitcase containing these documents missing from their spot in the closet. Steve tells Carrie that "they" got there before he did (probably days before), and "they" now have this suitcase and all the "lovely" evidence. Steve sends chills down Carrie's spine when he says: "Just remember one thing, the only thing the DA now has going for him is you."

    ...And Then There Was One

    With a bang (a bomb goes off in City Hall) another piece of evidence is nicely and expediently sent forth into oblivion. It's no mere coincidence that the target of the bombing (the DA's office on the third floor) was also the place where a safe containing the tape of David Gamage's confession was located. There's now only one more loose end for organized crime to tie up, and only one more person who could harm "their boys," and Steve Slade is quite sure they'll come gunning next for Carrie Wheeler.

    It's quite an accurate assumption. It's not been a good week for Carrie. She narrowly escapes being run over by a car and at the end of the week she gets another threatening phone call. This time the call comes through at The Register and the caller tells Carrie that the police aren't going to keep them away from her and to confirm his point, he tells Carrie to look in the second right hand drawer of her desk. Carrie does and she lets out a shriek when she sees what's concealed there. Let's hope that whatever this evil object was, it will not deter Carrie from testifying.

    Against the better wishes of both his publisher and editor, Steve has headed for Chicago. He doesn't take lightly their fears that he may end up like Greg, but he's not going to dwell on the fact either. He's too determined to get "Mr. Big" -- both for the sake of a story and for the sake of his fellow reporter's life. It used to be that "the story" always came first... but is this now the case? It appears not. It seems that Steve is more concerned for Carrie's welfare than for getting the biggest scoop of his career.

    Avis is very anxious to get Julian's decision regarding the co-anchor spot on her evening newscast. She says they'll make a great team... in so many ways. Suffering from insurmountable guilt and pressures, Julian is now seriously considering Avis' offer. It would be so much easier -- and safer -- just reading the news.

    The mailman who walks into Carrie's apartment house is no ordinary civil servant -- in fact he's no civil servant at all! He's a hit man who has concealed in his mailbag a gun, which is loaded and ready for murder. This phony letter carrier is proceeding up the stairs, gun thrust out in front of him, when Steve enters the apartment house lobby and interferes in his scheme of things. Upon being noticed, the man makes a hurried getaway.

    Steve then bounds up the stairs to Carrie's apartment. He's relieved to find her alive and unhurt. He tells Carrie what he just saw, and then says the only hope for her is to go away with him. He knows a place where they'll both be safe. Carrie places her faith with Steve, and agrees to go with him. It's pretty hard to doubt a man who has been batting 100 on all his predictions!

    Tragedy Befalls the Kanes

    Steve's intuition has once again proved right on target. His timing was split second accurate. He and Carrie no sooner flee into the sunlight than another man positions himself at the top of the stairs and waits for Carrie's return.

    This time the hit is not a miss ...but the target is definitely in error. It's Heather Kane, not Carrie Wheeler, who feels the impact of the man's hand, then tumbles down the stairs.

    After her unconscious body is discovered by Jill, Heather is rushed to Somerset Hospital. It's during emergency surgery that Heather looses her baby and almost her life. Heather has survived the operation, but let's hope she can survive the pain that's about to confront her. It's not going to be easy for Heather to accept the loss of her child.

    Tom's legal career may soon come to an end, "They" have warned Tom that if he doesn't come through with either Carrie or Greg's notebooks, they will be forced to mail a certain big, fat yellow envelope to the Bar Association. Tom knows exactly what's in that envelope, and thus he realizes he has no other choice than to do their bidding.

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    Somerset Discussion Thread

    in DTS: Cancelled Soaps

    Posted · Edited by Paul Raven

    This is great! Thanks for posting all that stuff.

    Did Carol Roux only sign up for 6 months? It seems odd they would go to all the trouble of getting her back and using her character to launch the show,only to write her off so soon.Or was it a case of her not being happy and the producer agreeing to let her go?

    This towards the end of the show's run,around Nov 76.

    Like any army of invading and conquering soldiers, the tensions, the pressures, the uncertainties have won a very decisive victory over Carrie's physical well-being. They force her into complete physical collapse. Carrie is admitted to Somerset Hospital where Dr. Stan Kurtz advises complete bedrest and quiet. She's to have no visitors. She'll be remaining at the hospital for at least a week. Carrie reluctantly follows Stan's advice.

    She knows bedrest is required, but she also knows this confinement will mean the end of her meetings with Steve. He'll never be able to get into the hospital, it would be too dangerous!!

    Carrie should have known better. Has danger ever stopped her new love from doing anything?? It shouldn't have come as such a surprise when she sees a disguised Steve enter her room. Tears of joy stream from her eyes as she stretches out her arms and beckons Steve to her side. Steve rushes over, and taking Carrie's fragile body in his arms wraps it in the warm cocoon of his embrace. She rests there, thankful for the brief respite she has been given from her fears.

    It is a very sweet moment, but as said before, it is a very brief one. Carrie could not put aside for long her worries about Steve. It gnaws at her, forcing her to ask Steve if he found out the identity of "Mr. Big" yet. Steve wishes he had some positive news, but all he can say is that he's getting closer. He puts on a brave front and tells Carrie not to worry, he's safe. The Organization doesn't have the tiniest inkling that's he's working undercover.

    What Steve Doesn't Know, Denny Does!!

    What a fool!! Steve is really convinced he conned The Organization. He should only know that he's a marked man!! Joe Caster has told Steve's new partner, Denny Saunders, that Steve is a walking dead man!!!

    Denny is very surprised that she's bothered by this news. She usually never gets involved with her partners. She hopes she can hide her distress from Steve.

    It has finally clicked. All the evil, treacherous pieces have finally begun to fit. Steve is no longer blindly (dumbly) following The Organization's master plan. He has put two and two together and realized, with a shudder of fright, that The Organization is not his fool, but rather he is theirs. They are the ones who are using him -- but for what, he doesn't know yet -- and he's not going to wait around to find out!! Steve tells Julian and Lt. Price that he's going to skip town -- and he's taking Carrie with him. Explaining his quick decision, Steve says his fears that if he gets his from the mob, so soon will Carrie -- and he wants to make sure such a thing will never occur. He doesn't want anything ever to happen to Carrie, she's the only thing that gives his life meaning. Julian and Lt. Price try to dissuade Steve from this decision, but their words fall on deaf ears. Steve is adamant and determined to pack his and Carrie's bags and leave Somerset.

    On It Goes

    Well, Steve better move fast -- The Organization sure is!!! They're hurrying their little "kill Julian" plan right along. They needed Sgt. Chip Williams and now they got him. Chip'sdriving ambition has outweighed his sense of moral decency -- promotion talks and nobody walks!! Chip asked for and now he may get Lt. Price's job, chief of detectives (the other day, Lt. Price got a notice from his department head saying he may be transferred). When they want a job done, The Organization does not leave any string unpulled. This was a small and easy price to pay to get Sgt. Williams on their side, and now with him in their corner, it won't be till much longer till Julian -- and Steve -- are pushing up daisies!! It should come as no surprise that these recent developments are now causing a very broad smile to appear on Fred Harrington's face. He won't have to worry too much longer about Julian discovering the truth -- that he, Fred Harrington, is "Mr. Big."

    The notebook the Organization wants is in Julian's safe at The Somerset Register. When Carrie and Steve learn that The Organization broke into Carrie's grandmother's house looking for this notebook, both of these courageous reporters decide not to leave town. It just wouldn't be right to leave Julian alone to face the mob. They feel it will only be a matter of time before the mob deduces that the notebook may be in Julian's possession. Steve now has no other choice than to continue his undercover work with The Organization.

    Dead-End Clues?

    While the mob keeps getting closer and closer, Steve, Julian and Lt. Price are racing against the clock trying to figure out the identity of "Mr. Big." All they have are three clues: the name "Harry Rose," which Greg wrote in that notebook; the music box playing a Strauss Waltz, which Steve heard over the telephone; and the phrase "all the iron in him," which Joe Caster let slip to Steve a while back. It's not much to work with, and as can be expected, these men are getting nowhere with their efforts.

    It wouldn't be such a difficult feat if they only knew what certain people in Somerset know about Fred Harrington.

    Jerry has told Heather, Vicki, Stan, and Teri that he inserted a steel plate in Fred's arm. Jerry then added that Fred is always complaining about "all the iron in him."

    The music box is a musical clock which rests prominently on a table in Fred Harrington's study. Vicki heard this musical clock when she paid a visit to Fred to ask him to donate money to the hospital's new children's wing. Vicki was quite impressed with this clock and she tried to tell Julian about it, but he was usually too preoccupied to listen to what he thought was idle chatter.

    Hopefully, someday soon, either Julian's, or Steve's, or Lt. Price's ears will pick up on some of this "idle chatter." It may be the only thing that will save them.

    Steve's undercover work is beginning to pay off. He's smiling broadly as he hands over to Julian and Lt. Price the three phone numbers Joe Caster used to reach "Mr. Big." Lt. Price immediately checks out these numbers and finds that one belongs to The Register, the other to Trimmlers, an exclusive men's shop; and the third to The Somerset Country Club. Julian immediately gets to work. He asks Vicki to get him a list of all the country club members as well as a list of all the men who shop at Trimmlers. He doesn't let fear stop his crusade. Julian refuses to dwell on the fact that in addition to shopping at Trimmlers and belonging to the country club, "Mr. Big" also has something to do with his paper. He trusts his employees. He finds it very hard to believe that one of them could actually be the mob's chieftain.

    What Julian does believe, though, is that he is the mob's next target. He has no idea how they're going to eliminate him; he just hopes he can outwit them before their evil deed is done!

    Will Tom Tell?

    Tom gets a call from his "friend." His chum from the mob tells him that if he'll give them a lead to the notebook, he'll be off the hook for good. With these words ringing in his ears, Tom remembers a very important fact. He recalls that Lena told him that both Steve and Julian were very interested in Greg's notebook. Tom then wonders whether Julian and Steve are working together. Will Tom use this information to free himself from the mob's clutches? Only time will tell -- but one has to remember that Tom is a desperate man!

    Denny is finding it harder and harder to maintain her cool. She likes Julian and Steve and she hates the idea that she's going to be involved in their murders. Steve notices that her armor is cracking and he's playing very heavily on this fact. Using friendship as an enticement (Steve senses Denny can really use a friend) Steve hopes he can get Denny to talk about what she knows. He sense this information could be very vital to his and Julian's safety.

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    Another World

    in DTS: Cancelled Soaps

    Posted

    Walter Matthews who played Rachel's father Gerald Davis on AW and Somerset has passed away

    Walter Mathews, stage, film, and TV actor, died of natural causes in Mountain Center, Calif., on April 28. He was 85.

    Mathews performed in the original cast of "Equus" on Broadway in 1974 and recurred on "General Hospital" and "Another World." He was recognizable as the original "You can pay me now or pay me later" mechanic in the Fram Oil Filter commercial.

    The actor made guest appearance on dozens of TV shows beginning in the early 1960s, including "Perry Mason," "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.," "Mission: Impossible," "Mannix," "Adam 12," "Emergency!," "Charlie's Angels," "Quincy" and "Murder She Wrote."

    Mathews grew up in the Bronx and received his M.A. in drama at Ohio U. He made his Broadway debut in a 1956 production of "King Lear" that starred Orson Welles.

    He is survived by four children and five grandchildren.

    MATHEWS, Walter

    Born: 10/10/1926, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

    Died: 4/28/2012, Mountain Center, California, U.S.A.

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    DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

    in Discuss The Soaps

    Posted

    Thanks so much for this.As Carl said,the extra details are fabulous.The way Bill Bell wove all this together is amazing. I have never seen mention of the Jay character,who was a rival for Maggie's affection.I'm surprised he wasn't brought in later to create conflict for Mickey and Maggie.

    Please,please post the summaries for all the shows.I will be forever in your debt!!!!

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    Guiding Light discussion thread

    in DTS: Cancelled Soaps

    Posted

    Bruce was played by different actors throughout the 60's. I get the feeling that he was seen maybe a few times a year at special occasions.Meta had been reduced to a minor character,it seems,so Bruce's absences would not have had to be explained too often.

    Variety May 12th 1971

    Barbara Rodell switched from CBS-TV's "Secret Storm" soaper to same web's "Guiding Light"

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