Paul Raven

Something about the Lemay interview doesn't ring true to me...

Entertainment Weekly 5/28/2004 Say what you will about Reilly, but the show got attention. Soap mastermind James E. Reilly resuscitates Days of Our Lives with a serial-killer story line that has some viewers seeing red. The streets of Salem, USA--the friendly midwestern city at the heart of the NBC soap opera Days Of Our Lives--began running with blood on Sept. 29, 2003. That's when a figure in a black hood fatally shot mild-mannered police commander Abraham Carver (James Reynolds) on his front doorstep. Over the next seven months, Salemites lived under a cloud of fear as nine more residents--many of them played not by dispensable newcomers but by beloved veteran actors whose combined airtime totaled an astonishing 158 years--dropped like clay pigeons. Viewers recoiled in disbelief. Aside from seeming like a cheap demographic ploy (i.e., knocking off old folks to make room for a slew of models-turned-actors), the so-called Salem Stalker story line grew more graphic (and ironic) each day. Recovering alcoholic Maggie Horton (Suzanne Rogers) was bludgeoned by a liquor bottle. The bloody corpse of troubled teen Cassie DiMera (Alexis Thorpe) tumbled out of a turkey-shaped piñata on Thanksgiving Day. And the town's patron saint, Alice Horton (played since the first episode in 1965 by 89-year-old Frances Reid)? Poor thing choked on a doughnut--her culinary specialty--that was forced down her throat. Even a nonfan would agree: That's just cold! Only one man in daytime has the gumption to off a little old lady with lethal pastry: prolific soap opera writer James E. Reilly, who churns out 10 hours of supremely bizarre story each week for Days and NBC's other sudser, Passions. Reilly used controversial tactics once before to resurrect Days--in the mid-'90s he imbued blue-collar Salem with kitschy gothic touches straight out of Dark Shadows, from a buried-alive saga to a demonic-possession drama. His stories elicited two distinct reactions from fans: I love this nonsense! or What the #@!* happened to my show?! Still, new viewers flocked in droves. Once Reilly left in 1997 to create Passions, an outrageous soap riff filled with witches, demon dogs, and shirtless hunks, Days lost viewers and creative steam--so last June NBC lured Reilly back. "I don't think it's overstating it to say the show's long-term survival was at stake," admits NBC Daytime chief Sheraton Kalouria. "We needed the fix, and we had the fix right here." For many, though, Reilly's solution was just too drastic. Loyal fans were outraged, some vowing never to watch again. (Even Days devotee Julia Roberts says, "They've gotten a little wacko.") Soap critics derided the show's quick decline into death, gore, camp, and supernaturalism. "This whole story reeks of cynicism about the genre, the characters, and the audience," says Soap Opera Weekly columnist Mimi Torchin. "If we want to watch cartoons, we'll turn to Disney." Reilly, a former medical student who stumbled into soaps when he appeared as an extra on The Young and the Restless in 1980, understands fans' wrath but isn't fazed by it. "I was never trying to destroy the fabric of this show. But I did have to shake it up because it was really in trouble," he says. "Be angry at me! Hate me! It shows that you are involved. But watch the show to see what happens. Stay tuned." According to the numbers, viewers--livid or otherwise--are doing just that: Last January, during the week that the killer was revealed to be Dr. Marlena Evans Craig Brady Black (played since 1976 by one of soaps' most recognizable actresses, Deidre Hall), Days earned some of its highest ratings in years, attracting 5.8 million viewers. (In fact, Days and Passions, along with CBS' Guiding Light, are the only soaps this season to post year-to-year gains among women 18-49, no small feat in a genre that's been losing viewers for almost 20 years.) But Nielsen's good news didn't exactly appease an emotionally whipped, deeply saddened cast that has had to say goodbye--10 times--to its closest friends. "It was a tremendous grieving period," says Kristian Alfonso, who has played feisty heroine Hope Brady since 1983. "Every conversation started with the same question: Have you heard anything?" Hall carried the double burden of knowing that the deaths--and her coworkers' apparent unemployment--came via her alter ego's hands. "Survivor's guilt?" she asks. "Wow. I knew those people well. That's where the sadness was. I hated it." Adds Drake Hogestyn, who plays Marlena's valiant husband, John: "It became like Survivor around here." In more ways than one. On May 24, Reilly will reveal his latest insane twist: "None of them are dead!" That's right, all 10 of the victims are alive and kickin' it in their new home--a copycat version of Salem that's been reconstructed on a remote Caribbean island. Reilly promises that by summer's end, befuddled viewers will learn how Marlena's murder victims survived their on-screen demises, along with the reason for her slashing spree. (All 10 actors who previously thought they had been dumped by the show have agreed to return.) The question is, will Reilly's latest bamboozle soothe widespread disappointment among fans? Or is this just a hasty remedy that ultimately devalues soaps? "Jim's stories fly right in the face of this form," says Jack Smith, an exec producer and head writer at CBS' long-running Restless. But, he argues, "financial pressures and dwindling numbers force writers to tell atypical stories that are not consistent with the genre." ABC Daytime president Brian Frons worries that Reilly's risky story could end up hurting Days' longevity rather than cementing it: "They've gotten the hype, but were they right? The danger with this type of storytelling is that you come for the girl in the piñata, and then you turn away and say, 'Call me for the next installment of CSI.'" Counters Reilly: "Remember, every fairy tale ends with the phrase 'And they lived happily ever after....' But in order for that to have an impact, it meant that they had a horrible, god-awful time before they got there." Hall likes to knit during her downtime on the Days set--even when she's about to be buried alive. While waiting to shoot Marlena's "funeral" (Dr. Evans is actually bound for what the show calls New Salem), the actress climbs into a coffin clutching the bright red beginnings of a blanket. As Kirsten Storms and Alison Sweeney (who play her daughters, Belle and Sami) kneel over her in faux mourning, Hall's hand pops up, offering a homemade treat: popcorn drizzled with chocolate syrup. Her good humor seems to stem from her confidence that Days will ultimately thrive, even if it doesn't look quite like the show fans have loved for nearly four decades. "I have to trust that Jim's smarter than the rest of us," she reasons. Most of the Days cast is used to trusting Reilly from afar: An informal on-set poll found that at most, they'd caught a passing glance at the writer during one of his rare West Coast visits. Says Peter Reckell, who originated the role of popular antihero Bo Brady in 1983, "I've never shaken his hand.... I think I waved to him across the room once." Adds Tanya Boyd, who plays the tea-leaf-reading psychic Celeste Perrault, "Hey, however he wants to do it is fine by me. I would like to know if he likes my work, though." (Reilly's explanation for his evasive nature? "The characters are my friends. I can't find out that my ingenue is a bitch. I don't want to know that my heroes beat their dogs.") The effects of Reilly's far-reaching story decisions have yet to play out, but he'll be around to see their consequences: NBC has renewed Days through May 2009, and the show recently outpaced Restless to become the season's highest-rated soap in the women 18-49 race. Meanwhile, rumors have been bubbling for months that another soap, possibly a Days spin-off, is in the works. Reilly wants it to happen: "I need to tell stories every single day. I could use my Fridays for a third project. Where, goddamn it, is my third show?!" (Kalouria insists the rumors are unfounded.) For now, Reilly will have to content himself with wreaking havoc in Salem--and that suits the actors who play out his silly, sweeping stories just fine. "When Jim came back, I felt like a guiding hand had returned," says Sweeney. "I had faith that he was going to bring this show back. And there was a belief that whatever nightmare he was going to put this entire show through would be worth it." For the record, Reilly says the more traditional Days of yore will return--someday. "I wanted to reawaken interest, get everybody talking, and then take them back to the Days that they know and love." But the next time ratings require a jolt, how will he top his own storytelling madness? For once, Reilly seems stumped. "A lot of people ask me that, and I get nervous! I don't know," he says. "Maybe I should just get myself taken away to that island."

I think what she was meaning is that he hasn't developed his emotional/sexual attraction... But the too young to be gay comment just sat wrong with me. All children have a sexuality but this seems to be ignored except by assuming kids are straight. As a teacher, in a former life, I had colleagues saying things to kids like 'when you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, get married,have children' etc which I found annoying and toxic. A boy like Mark,who dresses in clothes identified with the opposite gender, may be gay/straight or whatever but to label him by that behaviour is not necessary.

Sara Gibert on her TV son "He's too young to be gay and he doesn't identify as transgender," Gilbert told Entertainment Weekly." Not the best choice of words from Gilbert. Does anyone say a child is too young to be straight?

Despite Bing Crosby's years of success as singer and actor in radio and movies and successful TV specials, his 1964 sitcom failed. And Gene Kellys only foray into TV series was 'Going My Way' (1962) based on Bing's much loved 1944 movie.

Carolyn Conwell also appeared on Y&R as a hooker when Jill was lured by some unseemly characters and I think Snapper came to her rescue. I remember her mentioning it in an interview.

Great work ! Since you asked... John Martin Lois Smith Liz Hubbard James Pritchett Wayne Tippit Thanks!

Eric Braeden tweeted about the Colleen heart transplant story That was arguably the WORST storyline EVER!! Absolute bullshit! I hated that storyline! But by the time I got wind of it, it was too late to protest!!

Liza and Angie were two roles needlessly recast. They would have been better off just dropping them when Marcy and Debbi left in the 80's. It was almost like AMC wanted to show them that they could be replaced as punishment for leaving.

From May 17 1954 Max Wylie was sole headwriter. 1958 Stanley Silverman was headwriter

The Seeking Heart Add Bartlett Robinson

Max worked at Jonas bar. These are my recollections(w/o checking) I think Cynthia was Brad's secretary? Warner Wilson was a lawyer at one of the Brook's sisters rape trials? Edith Mills had something to do with Vanessa death either the neigbour who overheard Vanessa crying out to Lorie or baby Brooks nurse? Hope someone can confirm or corrrect.

That is Beau. Between BD and JmC are Bill Foster (Charles Grey) and Vanessa Prentiss(KT Stevens). I think that was the cast at that time. Greg was offscreen (was he written out or just not around?)

Is it just me or do some of those shots look like they have been pasted in? I wonder if when the show went to an hour, the look changed due to time limitations. Conboy had lighting staff spend a lot of time getting the moody,shadowy look in the 30 min eps and there probably wasn't time with the new schedule.

Did some more checking and discovered that Jerry and Joan Dancy are around in Dec 75 so Cenedella's stint was only a few months. Jason and Doreen also arrive for Xmas, played by different actors (not Glenn Corbett and Pamela Lincoln) And Lauri comes back.

Jerry was the first Dancy and it has been established he was a DePriest creation. So in the next few months? He was in by Feb 76 I believe.

Liz definitely should have stayed around,at least recurring or a few visits per year, just to maintain some continuity and keep that aspect of Jill alive. Bill did bring her back for Billy's birth so he was interested and Julianna seemed up for returns, so why not? Now the mystery to be solved is who was playing John Abbott. That actor presented as older and less attractive than Brett Halsey. I expected a voice over 'the part of John is being played by...' Looking at those eps from the point of view of a watcher in 1980,there were a lot of new faces dominating these episodes. If this was typical, viewers might have been disappointed not to see their favorites. Maybe Bill should have structured those episodes to make sure their was a balance of new and familiar characters. And when established characters did appear, they were in different spheres Leslie with Jonas, Lucas /Sebastian, Nu Jill with John etc. That was a big change from previous years/stories.

"There's a new world comin..." Run Nikki,run! I didn't mind Bond at all.I saw traces of Deborah Adair in her performance. Who the hay was playing John Abbott ? Charism,a free. Would have liked to see Brett Halsey. Same with Tammy as Patty.She seemed fine to me. She looked like Doug and Brett Hadley. I guess with so many changes happening and ratings dipping Bill Bell must have not been inspired by those two for some reason.

More suggestions Jerry Lanning Kim Zimmer Nancy Pinkerton Lee Paterson Doris Belack Catherine Hickland Stephen Nichols

Great read ! Nat Polen certainly was busy in 67... Some more requests Tina Sloan William Prince Peter Brown Mike Minor Linda Cook Elizabeth Lawrence

Yes, agreed. Even in those times, viewers understood on some level that the Paul Lyndes and Charles Nelson Reillys were not the marrying kind. Moving on.. Tammy Grimes was a hot property after Broadway success with Unsinkable Molly Brown. She was offered the lead in Bewitched but instead went with her own sitcom. The Tammy Grimes show was one of the all time bombs up till that time, taken off after a few episodes which was unprecedented in that era .

I wonder if Cenedella was always intended to be short term ? Were the Pollocks poached by GH or did they move there later on? Did they leave TD or contract not renewed? Lin Bolen was still Daytime chief at this stage. After achieving ratings success with the NBC lineup, ratings started to drop and panic set in. When did she leave? The AW expansion worked but Days suffered going up against ATWT. TD was under pressure from GL. Perhaps Jeff Young wasnt happy with Cenedella and went with DePriest.

I have a very long list, but just a few at a time... Michael Sabatino Nat Polen Melinda Plank/Cordell Anthony Herrera Patricia Barry Robin Strasser Thanks!

Paul Lynde was given 2 attempts at a sitcom, trading on his popular guest star appearances on other sitcoms, variety shows and , of course Hollywood Squares.

My recollection is that perhaps John had an acquaintance with Katherine around the time that Jill and John were getting married due to mixing in the same social circle over the years but they were not friends.