Paul Raven

From SOD January 20 1981

Billy's mysterious calls to California are explained when Natalie Bell arrives in Madison. She had to be with him,but he's afraid thar her presence will ruin their plans. Natalie tells him not to worry.

Billy and Natalie met when they both worked for Miss Van Allen,a wealthy woman in California. Miss Van Allen unwittingly planted the idea in Billy's brain for a scheme to gain a fortune.

It seems Miss Van Allen inherited her brother's money.She also wanted custody of Van Allen's daughter ,who is none other than Greta Powers!(Greta's natural father was Maggie's first husband Kurt Van Allen.) Miss Van Allen lost the custody battle to Kurt's widow Maggie! Now that she is facing death,she wants Greta,her niece ,and only surviving relative,to be her sole heir.

Billy and Natalie soon concocted a plan to get that money for themselves.He will marry Greta and...and what?What did Natalie mean when she said that Greta would not "be around much longer".

Natalie tells Billy he must work very quickly,because Miss Van Allen's health is much worse..to speed things up,Natalie suggests that he try to "romance" Greta instead of hot passion."Appeal to her mind ,not just her body".

Billy's new approach may just be successful.After convincing Greta to have lunch with him at The Medicine Man,he gets down to work.He smoothly apologizes for making love to her.It was because he was so relieved about Lee Ann that he got carried away.But it was all his fault and he feels terrible that she feels so guilty.Billy soon convinces Greta that he is kind,considerate ,and very loving.

Yes I have received your email. Thank you so much.

New Years is a busy time and I am saving up those summaries for when I can relax and enjoy.

Happy New Year to you and all soap history fans!

The Doctors was cancelled 26 years ago Dec 31st 1982.

Jane Badler was the second actress to play Natalie.Laurie Klatscher originated the role in 1980.Badler took over in 81.

Incidentally,Jane Badler now lives in Melbourne Australia where she occasionally acts on stage and tv.She also is a singer and plays various clubs.She is still looking good!

Natalie was mostly involved with Luke Dancy and later with Paul Reed.In the last episode,she discovered that Paul was a murderer.

Over the next few days.I'll try and find more details of Natalie's storyline.

Dec 28th 1984

Edge of Night is cancelled!

michael.thanks for reviving the thread.I think there is plenty left to discuss about The Doctors.

Buddy,Althea's son by Dave Davis,died from meningitis.I don't think Dave's fate was ever dealt with after he left town.

Althea was head of the outpatient clinic at Hope Memorial.She was engaged to Matt Powers before he married Maggie.

Matt and Maggie married in 68 as did Nick and Althea.I would guess that Buddy died around 66 or 67.

Penny went to live with her father in California.

Christopher Norris and Jami Fields played Penny until this time.When she was brought back around 73/74 Julia Duffy took over.Penny married Jerry Dancy and they were written out in 77.

Elizabeth Hubbard left around 78 and when she returned Penny's death was written in.I think it was a plane crash.Jerry returned to the show.

I think it was one of the many mistakes of the show to kill off Penny.it left althea with less to do.Penny could have been a viable character in her twenties,definitely a viable character.

I am pretty certain the Capitol premiere was on tape.

The show did well in the ratings ,as the Dallas lead in had huge ratings at the time.I remember Capitol had a 32 share,which while good,was well below what Falcon Crest did in that timeslot.

From SOD Jan 95

CRISIS IN CORINTH

Loving - which is daytime's perpetually lowest rated soap seems to weather a major upheaval once a year - is in the midst of further serious changes.

First up - head writers Laurie McCarthy and Addie Walsh have been fired. "We opted not to pick them up",an ABC rep comments,referring to their contracts. Rumor has it that former GL writers nancy Curlee,Stephen Demorest and Patrick Mulcahy,And former AW head writer Donna Swajeski,are potential replacements. An ABC rep declined comment.

Additionally,Loving will lose young heartthrob Robert Tyler(Trucker)in Jan,and numerous set sources report that the show's two other younger leading men are thinking of leaving when their cxontracts are up next year."We never discuss contracts",a spokesperson for the shows says.

Good news:Catherine Hickland(Tess) will remain onscreen,even though she will star in the Broadway musical Les Miserables beginning Jan 17.

Throughout the upheaval,Supervising Producer Jean Dadario Burke is helming the show while Exec Producer Jo Ann Emmerich recuperates from a seroius illness."We're rudderless",laments a Loving actor.

The truth is that Loving's talented cast and crew have been the soap's saving grace this year.Reportedly,the actors often rewrite their own lines and work behind the scenes to ensure that their performances are the best they can be.Loving staffers frequently work until 9 or 10 at night,which is very unusual for a half hour show.Yet,despite their committment,Loving remains the lowest rating soap.

The logicalquestion is Will Loving be cancelled?

"ABC is committed to Loving",an ABC rep maintains. Stay tuned.

New Kids On The Block

LOVING’s Boys And Girls Of Summer Are Pumping The Show Full Of Young Blood

By Jennifer Woodhouse

You've read in these pages about LOVING's nationwide search to find new young talent. The hunt is over — now's your chance to judge the results. These fresh faces will be on LOVING's front burner all summer in stories that take the show, according to Executive Producer Fran Sears, "back to basics. We're going back to Alden University, which was so much a part of the show's beginnings."

Not that the kids are flying solo, without benefit of family ties. According to Head Writer Addie Walsh, "We're connecting them strongly to their families; we're not just isolating them." Cooper is an Alden, Casey is Gift's son and Hannah is Dinah Lee's little sister. The writers are using these relationships, as well as the fraternity/sorority setting, as springboards for the new characters.

The summer storylines revolve around Cooper Alden, their "wild card," according to Walsh. A traumatic incident lurks in rebellious Cooper's background. "We're building a classic quadrangle around him," reveals Walsh. Watch for action between Cooper, Hannah, Ally and Staige, with Kent acting as spoiler.

Ally Rescott, an outsider to Corinth society, will learn the hard way that social climbing rarely pays. She is the first to attract Cooper. But Cooper is drawn to the sweet, innocent Hannah Mayberry, to whom he will open up like never before. "Hannah is the person who perceives the troubled soul in Cooper," says Walsh. "And that will be a major plot point."

Meanwhile, Kent and Staige, AU's "face man" and "star girl" (terms the writers discovered when interviewing students about the Greek system), are out to cause nothing but trouble for Cooper. Nasty, nouveauriche Kent loathes the young Alden, and superficial Staige, Kent's girlfriend, wants Cooper — but only because he's an Alden. "Kent feels very threatened by Cooper coming onto his turf, which will result in physical and emotional injury for the young men," says Walsh.

Casey Bowman, Giff Bowman's son, will act as a sobering force on the scene. "He finds himself in the position of a child raising a parent, which has matured him faster in some ways, but he lost some of his childhood. He is the wiser one of our kids. He's going to have a very strong effect on Ally, and there will be a chemistry between him and Ally that both of them will deny. They're like oil and water, but the oil and water might do a little mixing," Walsh hints.

From SOD Nov 89

LOVING Every Minute of It :Head writers Millee Taggart and Tom King Have a Most Unusual Relationship.

Taggart and King have been Loving's head writers since the end of the 88 writers' strike. The remarkable aspect of their professional relationship is that they work in separate locations. Millee lives in Westchester County,NY,while Tom lives in Manhattan.

"Tom and I have been a team since the early 80's. We're not married and we each have separate lives", Millee explains. "We're on the phone all the time and meet every Monday at the studio to lay out what we're going to do for the week".

The achieved result is not homogenized. Rather, it's two distinct points of view being presented, which suits them in a lot of ways. Taggart asserts, "We find that if we talk everything to death, we won't get the maximum creativity out of what we're trying to do. To me, it's the most natural way of working." King maintains, "it wouldn't add anything to work together. If you're writing, you're still working alone."

Not that they haven't tried the togetherness approach. As head writers for ATWT and RH, Taggart and King spent several years working out of the same office. In california, they also wrote two mid-season replacements sitcoms, The Thorns and Nothing in Common. Though the shows were shortlived, they gave the team the opportunity to write comedy, which they both really enjoy.

King insists, "We both like to inject comedy wherever we can. I think Ava on Loving is a hoot." Taggart adds, "I like writing daytime a lot.It's rather exciting because it's very immediate. It doesn't get over polished because there isn't enough time."

Often,the two writers will spend a weekend with Loving's exec producer Joseph Hardy, to discuss potential story lines. Then they'll go home,write, and, later exchange results. Taggart notes, "Tom has total freedom to change whatever I've written. We allow each other to be as creative as possible in the framework of a collaboration."

Taggart and King have found a way for two very different people to do the best they can.

Re Flamingo Road,the movie.

I wonder why,out of all the suitable 40's/50's movies,this was chosen as the basis for a primetime soap?

The cast

Lane Bellamy Joan Crawford

Titus Semple Sydney Greenstreet

Fielding Carlisle Zachary Scott

Annabelle Weldon Virginia Huston

Lute Mae Sanders Gladys George

Dan Reynolds David Brian

The Dan Reynolds character was Sam Curtis,Lane's surname was changed to Ballou! and Annabelle became Constance.

The plot

Lane is a carnival dancer who gets stranded in a small town ruled bt Sheriff Titus.Field is attracted to her and gets her a waitress job.Titus,who has ambitions for Field,considers Lane inappropriate and gets her fired.She confronts him and he frames her on a prostitution rap.

He then pushes field into a marriage to Annabelle.

After a few months,Lane returns and gets a job in Lute-Mae's roadhouse.She meets Dan and they begin dating.Dan is locked in a power struggle with Titus.

Lane loves Field still,but marries Dan.Together they climb to the top and Lane realises she does love her husband.

Field ,after being fired by Titus, kills himself at Lane's house and scandal ensues.

Lane confronts Titus and accidentally kills him.The film ends with Lane awaiting a courts ruling and Dan indicating he will wait for her.

Like some other Crawford movies of the time,she was too old for the part.

Yes,Lin Bolen made a lot of changes to the gameshow schedule and format after she arrived in 73.

From the net:

When Lin Bolen took over as NBC’s head of daytime programming in 1973, she wanted to change the look of the network’s games, most of which had an elderly feel. After dropping the long-running Concentration and The Who, What or Where Game, Bolen’s biggest shocker was moving Jeopardy! from 12 noon (where it had been for over eight years) to 10:30 a.m. to make room for Jackpot! Her explanation was that its ratings were slipping (slightly), while producer Rudin claimed she needed the slot for her own project and that Jeopardy! challenged its viewers too much to air at that early hour. That aside, it did manage to compete with CBS’s The $10,000 Pyramid and Now You See It, until Bolen moved it again – to 1:30 p.m., against As The World Turns and Let’s Make a Deal, both very highly rated. That did it – Jeopardy’s ratings slid into the basement. The show, which had a year to go on its contract, was canceled by NBC in a deal with Merv Griffin, with Griffin placing a new game on NBC’s daytime schedule in its place. (That game, of course, was Wheel of Fortune, so Merv made out pretty good on the deal.) The last NBC episode of Jeopardy! aired January 3, 1975, with an emotional farewell from Fleming and tons of clips.

In giving Jackpot! the noon slot, Jeopardy! was shoved to 10:30 a.m. in the process. Jackpot! has been reviled for this reason, but the decision was Lin Bolen’s, head of NBC daytime, who considered 12 noon a primo spot. (History has determined otherwise: affiliates generally bump a network program at 12 noon in favor of local news.) Up against CBS’s The Young and The Restless and ABC’s Password, Jackpot! actually held its own – it didn’t dominate the time period like Jeopardy! had, but it at least was competitive with Y&R, and usually beat Password.

As for HTSAM,I think the problems began with that clunky title.I guess they were going with a 70's self help vibe but the working title From This Moment sounded better to me.(I have also seen it as From This Day Forth)I think the show was already dead and buried when it was moved to 1.30 as NBC announced the plan to expand had DOOL in Feb 75.They had already aired a 60 min DOOL in Nov 74.Was it tied into a special event? eg a wedding?

I have also read that The Doctors and Marriage aired 1 hr eps as trials.Does anyone know if this is true and when they aired?

After cancellation Armand Assante(Johnny)and Lauren White(Martha) went to The Doctors,Cathy Greene(Lori)went to AW,Elissa Leeds went AMC and Veleka Gray to Somerset.

NBC aired a primetime show called WEB,losely based on Network with Pamela Bellwood(Claudia, Dynasty) as a female network chief.It was one of the first shows cancelled in the 78 TV season and was produced by ...Lin Bolen!

The show was one of CBS attempts to get the young folks watching.

At the time,it had one of the highest awareness ratings,due to CBS ' massive publicity drive.Ironically,most people said they wouldn't be watching - which explains the lackluster ratings.

The competition was Grace Under Fire/Naked Truth on ABC and Dateline on NBC.Grace was in the Top 20 and Naked and Dateline Top 30.

Nine episodes aired before the show was yanked during November sweeps.It came back as CPW the following summer.CBS had obviously lost interest.

Although Henry Slesar was primarily a mystery writer,he was also able to play up the emotional'soapy'aspect of the plots.

I remember reading that Gloria Monty simply took the Edge formula of ongoing mystery/action stories and ran with it,creating much publicity,while Edge died in the ratings and was cancelled - never really acknowledged for originating it and doing it better.

The other actor playing Kyle was Gene Lindsey,although I'm not sure who played the role first.

I have a feeling it was Wayne Tippit.I recall an interview with him,where he said that he was called back to resume playing Kyle but wasn't interested/available.

As regards Tom Carroll,I have seen James Rebhorn listed as playing Tom.Was this before Jonathon Frakes or a temp replacement?

Lauren White originated the role of MJ and played her for 3 years till 78.Carla Dragoni was her replacement,but she was quickly dropped when Kathy Glass became available.When Glass left,they recast again with Amy Ingersoll.I don't know why they bothered as the show was making a lot of changes and didn't seem interested in continuity.MJ ,by this stage ,was expendable.

Lauren White had been on How to Survive a Marriage,but after The Doctors disappeared from view.

Kyle was played by Wayne Tippit,who had previously played one of the Jerry Ames on Secret Storm and who would join Search for Tomorrow in 78 as Ted Adamson.

As for Eleanor's departure,French Fan's upcoming summaries will hopefully clear that up.

Do we know who played Evan,Doreen's father?

Still not clear on Stacy Well's as Jason's stepdaughter.Who was her mother?

It's interesting you praise Margo McKenna because at the time,a respected soap journalist(was it John Kelly Genovese?)slammed her as the worst actress on the show!

She previously played Betsy on Love of Life and was one of the first performers to move to another show when LOL was cancelled.

I think she later had a small role on ATWT.

Thank you Deli for that information.

I just discovered that Darren Match was played by Arthur Brooks.I wonder if he was intended to be a major character,but got lost in the writer changes.

There is You Tube clip that shows credits from December 81 - it lists Aaron Scott and Ann Marie Barlow as writers. They must have been temporary before Lemay began

Generations had it tough.

By the end,the show had really come together(isn't that true of many cancelled shows?)The timeslot was one factor-up against 2 top shows.Also,I don't think it ever had the affiliate support as NBC was never a player at 12.30 and it never had strong network coverage.

I wonder,also,if there was a change of management at NBC,with the new regime not as enamored of this low rating soap(does anyone know for sure?)

The opening episode set up some back story,but I wonder whether having Pat Crowley front and center was a wise move.She is an attractive and talented actress,but it gave the impression it was an 'older folks' show-Rebecca,Vivian,Henry,Jessica,Hugh etc were all in their 40's and 50's.The only younger characters shown were Adam and Sam.Maybe the show needed to be a little more young feeling out the gate.

That opening soap sequence was a bit of a turn off-it went on too long and was so amateurish that a casual viewer might have lost interest.

The voiceovers explaining things- maybe slowed things down.Perhaps just dive into things and leave the explanations till later.

Debbi Morgan and James Reynolds joined later.I'm sure the show would have benefitted from having them as part of the original cast.

For the record (and hopefully further discussion) Love of Life's headwriters

John Hess

Harry Junkin

Don Ettlinger

John Pickard and Frank Provo

Loring Mandel

Robert Soderberg

Robert J Shaw

Roy Winsor

Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock

Ray Goldstone

Paul Roberts and Don Wallace

Esther and Richard Shapiro

Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer 73-75

Margaret DePriest 75

Paul and Margaret Schneider

Gabrielle Upton

Jean Holloway 79-80

Ann Marcus 80

For the record- The Doctors headwriters (with approximate timelines)

Orin Tovrov (creator) 63

Ian Martin

James Lipton

Rita Lakin (I have read this stint began in 66)

Rick Edelstein

Ira Avery and Stanley H Silverman

Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock (early/mid 70's till 75)

Robert Cenedella 75

Margaret DePriest 75-76

Douglas Marland 76-77

Ethel and Mel Brez 77-78

Linda Grover 78-79

Elizabeth Levin and David Cherill 79-80

Ralph Ellis and Eugenie Hunt

Lawrence and Ronnie Wencker-Connor

Harding Lemay

Barbara Morgenroyh and Leonard Kantor 82

For the record -WTHI headwriters

Lou Scofield and Margaret DePriest (creators)

Gabrielle Upton

Cornelius Crane

Rick Edelstein

Pat Falken Smith

Robert and Elizabeth Haggard

Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer

This indicates a lot of behind the scenes changes over the 4 years.It seems Scofield and DePriest didn't last long.I have seen Rick Edelstein listed as a writer for other shows and Cornelius Crane is listed on IMDB as having written for Strange Paradise.

I read on another site that the Haggards were in fact another well known writing team, using an assumed name for some reason.

Does anyone know why there were so many writer changes on the show?

A description from an old soap book,circa 76

The Doctors is an NBC show in the half hour format.It is,according to the announcer,'dedicated to the brotherhood of healing'.

Like General Hospital,The Doctors has gone through many transitions in the past few years. Families that have endured the inevitable purges are the Aldriches and the Powers. Dr Matt Powers is the patriach of the show,head of hospital and family. None of his positions is secure.

The Doctors is a traditional soap which bases much of its story on marital conflict,love triangles,blackmail,amnesia etc.It has also treated the topical problem of euthanasia,through the dilemma of a young girl connected to a respirator without any chance of recovery to a normal life.(The legal language here was quite close to that of the recent Quinlan case.)

This past year,The Doctors began to move away from its core storyline of Matt and Maggie. There's been more sex,more drugs and many complaining letters. The audience is older,and "more staid and very righteous,"according to one of the programs decision makers. They can accept kissing,but not bed scenes-not even between their favorite characters.

The show does other interesting things. On the doctors we have the first doctor in soapland who operates unneccesarily(thogh we've suspected many others). There is also a story developing around male menopause.

At present,The Doctors seems to be in one of its transitional periods. The direction of the storyline is unclear. There are rumors that The Doctors may be cancelled,and if so,this will happen in the spring.However the ratings for the show are nowhere as low as the recently cancelled Somerset,and it may well survive.

Just discovered that MJ's sister Betsy was played by Carol Potter (Cindy Walsh 90210/Joan Cummings SuBe)

Also,Millette Alexander apparently subbed as Maggie early in the show's run.

In addition to her sister Betsy, MJ had a brother -Darren,who was seen onscreen in 77.

Doug Marland often gave characters siblings who didn't always become major characters.

I enjoyed Flamingo Road but it didn't measure up to Dallas or Falcon Crest at their best.

Something about the writing/storylines/characters was missing the mark.

Perhaps it was the original concept from the 40's movie that dated the show.

I thought Titus Semple as the villian didn't work as the JR type character.

Things definitely improved in the 2nd season with the arriva lof David Selby and other changes.

NBC gave serious consideration to reworking it as a daytime soap.

Here's an overview for those interested

NBC: May 12, 1980 - May 4, 1982

Developed for television by Rita Lakin and Lorimar Productions (the producers of Dallas and Knots Landing), this one-hour prime-time serial was based on the best-selling novel by Robert Wilder and the 1949 movie starring Joan Crawford as Lane, a former carnival girl who becomes a powerful force in a politically corrupt Southern town.

Season 1: 1980-81

Pilot Episode (2 hours): May 12, 1980

Our story begins with Lane Ballou, a singer with Coyne's Traveling Circus, being left behind when the carnival is run out of the sleepy town of Truro, Florida. She attracts the eye of the deputy sheriff, Fielding "Field" Carlyle, who is engaged to Constance Weldon, the spoiled, adopted daughter of the town's wealthy paper mill owner, Claude Weldon, and his neglected wife, Eudora (they live on the prestigious Flamingo Road). Lane and Field embark on a secret affair, and she begins working at the Eagle Cafe as a waitress with Annabelle Troy, who is dating Claude and Eudora's son, Skipper. The idealistic young man wants to work for newspaper publisher, Elmo Tyson, whom he admires for his struggle to free the town of corruption. However, Claude refuses to allow this to happen since he stole Eudora away from Elmo long ago--and she is still in love with the man. After being falsely picked up for prostitution, Lane is then railroaded to prison by Field's ruthless boss, Sheriff Titus Semple, who wants his ambitious protege to marry Constance and become a politician. The corrupt sheriff rules the small town with his intimate knowledge of every skeleton hiding in every resident's cluttered closet.

Upon completion of her sentence, Lane defiantly returns to Truro, where Lute-Mae Sanders, a former madam and the owner of the local bar, befriends her and offers her a job as a singer. This, of course, infuriates Titus, who confronts Lute-Mae, but she knows a few secrets of his and Lane is able to stay. Although upset by Field's marriage to Constance, Lane now becomes friendly with regular bar patron Sam Curtis, a land developer who is the political power--and campaign manager--behind Field's candidacy for state senator. Falling in love with Lane, Sam is determined to win her affections, but she's torn between him and her lingering feelings for Field. Meanwhile, Eudora catches Claude comforting Lute-Mae, who is secretly Constance's biological mother (Claude has never told his wife that their daughter is really his own illegitimate child--the result of his affair with Lute-Mae). Claude lets Titus talk him into torching his financially-troubled mill in an insurance-arson scheme, but tragedy then strikes when Annabelle dies in the fire at the mill, where Skipper planned to meet her so they could elope. It turns out that the girl was secretly Titus's daughter.

Original Cast

Lane Ballou: Christina Raines

Fielding Carlyle: Mark Harmon

Sheriff Titus Semple: Howard Duff

Constance Weldon Carlyle: Morgan Fairchild

Claude Weldon: Kevin McCarthy

Eudora Weldon: Barbara Rush

Lute-Mae Sanders: Stella Stevens

Skipper Weldon: Woody Brown

Sam Curtis: John Beck

Elmo Tyson: Mason Adams

First Appearance

Michael Delano as Frank Coyne: He starred as Dr. Mark Dante on General Hospital (1976), Johnny Venture on Rhoda (1976-78) and Reverend Sung on Soap (1979)

Glenn Robards as Jasper, the Weldon family's butler

Special Guest Star

Dianne Kay as Annabelle Troy: She was starring on ABC's Eight Is Enough as Nancy Bradford (1977-81)

This TV movie aired as the pilot for the series and was repeated on December 29, 1980, a week before the show premiered.

1-2. "The Hostages" (2 hours): January 6, 1981

The regular series picks up where the TV movie left off: Field and Constance honeymoon in the Bahamas where she makes friends with another couple, Nick and Terry, who invite the newlyweds to sail home on their yacht. The Carlyles are then kidnapped by their new "friends", who work for a drug kingpin, Lorca, seeking revenge on Titus for doublecrossing him. Lorca orders the kidnappers to kill the hostages once the ransom is paid. Field ends up being shot, and Titus pays the ransom demand. After rescuing the couple, Sam realizes that Lane still loves a wounded Field and leaves. Meanwhile, Skipper has turned to drink since Annabelle's death.

First Appearance

Peter Donat as newspaper editor Elmo Tyson (replacing Mason Adams)

Special Guest Stars

Joe Penny as Nick Walker: His first TV role was as Sal DiVito on Forever Fernwood (1977); he later starred as Jake on Jake and the Fatman (1987-92) and Vic Musto on The Sopranos (2000) .Recently appeared on DOOL

Judith Chapman as Terry (Natalie ATWT,Charlotte RH.Ginny GH,Sandra OLTL,Gloria Y&R)

Alejandro Rey as Lorca: He starred as Carlos on The Flying Nun (1967-70) and Karl Duval on Days of Our Lives (1976-77)

3. "Illicit Weekend": January 13, 1981

Constance is disappointed when Field can't take her to Tallahassee where he's making a campaign speech. When he discovers that Field has invited Lane along instead, Titus flies Constance there to surprise her loving husband. She arrives at Field's hotel room just as Lane is leaving through another door. Ms. Ballou later tells Field that it's over between them. Meanwhile, Eudora is furious with Claude for selling her land to Sam.

First Appearance

John Shearin as Deputy Tyler (who replaces Field in this job) Mike TD,Evan Y&R,RogerLOV

4. "The Titus Tapes": January 20, 1981

Frank Coyne, who runs the carnival being held for Field's campaign, tells "old friend" Lane that a cop is after her. He wants $5000 to keep quiet about her unsavory past or he'll go to Titus. She then gives Lute-Mae's money to Coyne, who leaves town. However, when recording bugs are found in her bar, Lute-Mae accuses Titus of bugging her place to blackmail her. He later listens to a tape of Lane and Coyne's conversation, while Lane and Sam kiss and make up.

5. "A Mother's Revenge": January 27, 1981

The arsonist who set the Weldon mill on fire now wants money from Claude to ease his guilt from Annabelle's death. Her grieving mother, Mary Troy, arrives in town after leaving 20 years ago because of her pregnancy. She is determined to find out what happened to her daughter by Titus, who had forced himself on her while drunk. After Sheriff Semple threatens him, the arsonist reveals the truth to Mary, who tells Titus she won't reveal his secret before leaving Truro. Meanwhile, after learning her husband's political rival once might have been a Ku Klux Klan member, Constance reveals the damaging secret in front of the townspeople, which makes Field furious.

Special Guest Star

Alice Hirson as Mary Troy: She later played Lois Morgan, the mother of Ellen (1994-98) Eileen OLTL.Maevis DAL

6. "The Fish Fry": February 3, 1981

With his popularity at an all-time low and fed up with Constance's manipulation and interference, Field gets drunk before an election speech at a fish fry, but he does get through it on his own--and, surprisingly, the townspeople really, really like him.

First Appearance

Charlie Robinson as Phil, the main bartender at Lute-Mae's

7. "The Election": February 10, 1981

Titus has George, the son of Carl Turner (who's in charge of Sam's land project), arrested because his father wouldn't hire Cubans to work for him. Once Carl agrees to hire them, his son is released from jail. Meanwhile, Lane goes to the Weldons' victory party with Sam, who asks Elmo to endorse Field in the state senate race. After winning the election, Field meets Lane outside, where Constance later finds the couple kissing

8. "The Jealous Wife": February 17, 1981

After discovering Field and Lane locked in an embrace, a jealous Constance asks Titus to run the tramp out of town, but their efforts fail.

First Appearance

Michael Baseleon as Slade, a killer who's after Lane: He starred as Dr. Tony Perelli on General Hospital (1980)

9. "Trapped": March 3, 1981

As Skipper prepares to leave Truro behind to accept a job in New Orleans, his father is seriously injured in an accident that the boy blames on himself. Sam comforts Constance after she learns of Claude's accident. Skipper decides to take over the mill until his father is well. Eudora overhears Lute-Mae calling the hospital to learn about Claude's condition.

10. "Bad Girl": March 9, 1981

A seemingly innocent young girl, Christie Kovacs, sets her sights on Skipper and seduces him. Christie's boyfriend, Tony, doesn't like her sleeping around with Skipper, and her overbearing older sister, Alice, knows the truth about her sordid past. Meanwhile, Constance wants to close down Lute-Mae's, and Lane is terrified when an old acquaintance is killed in an "accident".

First Appearance

Denise Galik as Christie Kovacs (Rhonda GH)

Joel Bailey as Tony (Lindsay SB)

Marcia Rodd as Alice Kovacs

11. "Secrets": March 10, 1981

Constance is bent on destroying Skipper's new romance, and he tells Christie that they're through. She then beds down with Field. Eudora tells Skipper that she was to marry Elmo, who was poor, and that her marriage to Claude was one of convenience. Meanwhile, Slade is tracking down Lane, who learns from her carnival friend, Beth MacDonald, that three people with whom they shared a secret past recently died under strange circumstances. Lane and Sam go away together, and she learns that he and his ex-wife, Vanessa, are business partners.

First Appearance

Sandra Kerns as Beth MacDonald

Special Guest Star

Trisha Noble as Vanessa Curtis: She starred as Yvonne Holland on Executive Suite (1976)

12. "They Drive By Night": March 17, 1981

A mysterious killer, Slade, draws closer to Lane. Field is involved in an auto accident that could ruin his political career. This episode originally aired as a two-hour episode with episode 15.

13. "Hell Hath No Fury": March 17, 1981

Constance seeks revenge on her estranged husband by having a romantic tryst with Sam, who is angry when Lane rushes to comfort Field after he injures Christie in a car crash. After their afternoon delight in a hotel room, Constance and Sam thank one another and return to their lives

14. "Bad Chemistry": April 2, 1981

A chemical leak from the Weldon mill contaminates Sam's construction site, forcing both companies to close down. Field agrees to use his clout as head of the environmental committee to persuade the state senate to allow the mill to reopen--but only after Claude agrees to a quiet divorce for him and Constance. Meanwhile, with the help of Titus, Slade draws closer to Lane. Christie is paid to leave town forever, and Skipper says goodbye to the unforgiving girl. This episode originally aired as a two-hour episode with episode 15.

15. "Hurricane": April 2, 1981

After learning that Beth, the last of her friends who shares her secret about a killing that occurred several years ago, has been found dead, Lane confides in Lute-Mae that she has to leave Truro because of Harrison Brand, whom she once lived with. He kept her like a prisoner and has killed off all her friends. But it's too late for Lane, who is finally caught by Brand (Slade's boss). However, Hurricane Michelle forces them to take shelter at Lute-Mae's, along with Field, Constance, Sam and Claude. Meanwhile, Eudora is trapped with Elmo at The Clarion during the storm. Field and Sam stage a fight over Lane in order to get Slade's gun, resulting in Slade's arrest and Brand being shot to death during a struggle. Furious to discover Field comforting Lane, Constance reveals that the divorce papers she had drawn up are fakes and that she and Field are still married. In a rage, Field struggles with Constance, who falls from the second-floor landing at Lute-Mae's.

Special Guest Star

Charles Cioffi as Harrison Brand (Kirk AW)

Season 2: 1981-82

16. "The Arrangement": November 3, 1981

The second season picks up where the first left off: Constance Carlyle undergoes surgery and ends up paralyzed from the waist down. When Lute-Mae seeks out Claude for comfort in the hospital, a shocked Eudora overhears their candid conversation revealing a long-kept secret--that they are Constance's biological parents! A reporter for a national scandal newspaper attempts to decipher the unsavory facts surrounding Constance's fall, leaving Titus to inform Field that he must reconcile with her or jeopardize his political career. Claude threatens to press charges against Field for pushing his little girl, but Constance agrees to keep quiet if her husband will continue their farce of a marriage. He agrees to this blackmail.

17. "The Victim": November 10, 1981

Titus is reluctant to investigate when Lute-Mae is raped by Scott, an emotionally disturbed delivery boy--and the son of an influential Flamingo Road family. Even though the sheriff refuses to press charges, Lute-Mae and Lane eventually get justice for the crime.

Special Guest Star

Peter Horton as Scott: he is best known for his role as Gary Shepherd on thirtysomething (1987-91)

18. "The Substitute": November 17, 1981

Sam befriends a Cuban girl, Alicia Sanchez, and her fiery older brother, Julio Sanchez (who becomes Constance's physical therapist). Meanwhile, as he and Sam square off in a confrontation over Truro's Cuban barrio, Titus attempts to cover up a secret involving the barrio that could destroy the Weldon family. Field campaigns aggressively to renovate the barrio until he learns the identity of its slumlord: Claude!

First Appearance

Gina Gallego as Alicia Sanchez (Santans SD)

Fernando Allende as Julio Sanchez

Carmen Zapata as Lupe Sanchez, Julio and Alicia's mother: She also starred as Carmen Castillo on Santa Barbara (1985)

Julio Medina as Luis Sanchez, Julio and Alicia's father who works for Sam

19. "The Intruder": November 24, 1981

Wealthy Michael Tyrone arrives in Truro and uses his girlfriend, Vanessa, in a plot to get her ex-husband, Sam, out of the bidding for a valuable section of waterfront property where he wants to build a gambling mecca. Claude catches Field in a restaurant with another woman, reporter Sande Swanson. Tyrone wins the bidding war.

First Appearance

David Selby as Michael Tyrone

Cynthia Sikes as Sande Swanson -recently on Y&R as Sabrina's mother

Special Guest Star

Andra Akers as Vanessa Curtis (replacing Trisha Noble)

David Selby (of Dark Shadows fame) turns up the heat in Truro--and on the show--with his arrival. He's terrific as Michael Tyrone, who bears a striking resemblance to Mr. Selby's next role as Richard Channing on Falcon Crest--they could be brothers! Also, let's not forget the beautiful Cynthia Sikes as Field's future lover, who has a few sordid secrets of her own.

20. "The Stranger": December 8, 1981

Lane is distressed by the unexpected appearance of Charlie Banks, her long-lost piano-playing father, and she later reunites with Sam. Ruthless business tycoon, Michael Tyrone, turns to Titus for help with his plans to purchase--and then demolish--the Cuban barrio to build a casino resort. Eudora actually owns the barrio, not Claude, since the legal documents are signed in her name. She refuses to sell the barrio to Tyrone. And it is implied but never confirmed that Titus is Lane's father!

Special Guest Star

William Windom as Charlie Banks: He starred as Amos Krebbs on Dallas (1980), but he's best known for his roles on the sitcoms, The Farmer's Daughter (1963-66) and My World and Welcome To It (1969-70)

21. "The Powers That Be": December 15, 1981

Tyrone asks Constance to help him change Field's mind about opposing the building of his proposed gambling resort in Truro. He tries to gain Field's support by showing him how easily he can ruin his political career. To help her mother (whose addiction to painkillers causes her to collapse), Constance gets out of her wheelchair (she had regained the use of her legs but pretended to still be paralyzed to keep Field in line). Of course, who happens to come along just then--Fielding, who sees that his wife is able to walk again. He then re-evaluates their relationship, while Claude puts Eudora in a mental hospital and forges her signature to sign over the barrio property to Tyrone.

22. "Little Foxes": December 22, 1981

On Christmas Eve, Tyrone wants Titus to evict the Cubans from his newly acquired barrio property. Constance seeks the attention of Julio. Lane and Lute-Mae disagree over how to handle Lute-Mae's boyfriend--and the bar's handyman--Tony, who has borrowed money from the bar to finance his gambling losses (he was involved with Christie Kovacs during the first season). Eudora is discharged from the hospital after her bout with drugs. The battle over Tyrone's casino pits Eudora against Claude, and Tyrone loses the barrio when Eudora learns that her name was forged.

23. "Old Friends": January 5, 1982

Angry over losing the barrio, Tyrone buys the local bank and forecloses on Claude's paper mill, making Field the new owner. Sam and Lane pick up where they left off.

24. "Strange Bedfellows": January 12, 1982

Titus faces tough competition for re-election when Elmo throws his hat into the ring. Field becomes emotionally involved with a young reporter, Sande. Constance has a tryst with Julio.

25. "Heat Wave": January 19, 1982

Constance travels to Tallahassee to meet with prospective casino investors and rendezvous with Julio. Field has the mill's books audited. Learning that Lute-Mae is Constance's natural mother, Tyrone takes a sudden interest in Ms. Sanders, whose romance with Tony ends after he blackmails her. Alicia invites Skipper to dinner.

26. "To Catch a Thief": February 2, 1982

Julio is arrested for the theft of Constance's jewelry, and their affair is in danger of being exposed. Sam proposes marriage to Lane. Tyrone takes Lute-Mae to the race track, and she learns that he wants her to run his casino.

27. "The Explosion": February 9, 1982

Deciding to silence Elmo's newspaper before Skipper's editorials ruin his plans for legalized gambling in Truro, Titus plants a bomb in the Clarion's office. Skipper and Alicia are working late at the newspaper when the explosion occurs. They both survive, but Skipper is seriously injured and loses his sight. Tyrone seduces Lute-Mae, and they begin an affair. Sam and Lane almost elop

28. "Chance of a Lifetime": February 16, 1982

Titus announces his suspect in the Clarion bombing at Lane and Sam's lavish wedding and frames Elmo for the explosion. Skipper's blindness could be permanent

29. "Double Trouble": February 23, 1982

Constance uses Julio to spy on Field and his lover, Sande, and then uses Tyrone to get even with him. Sam and Lane's Caribbean honeymoon is interrupted by the presence of Michael Tyrone in Nassau. Eudora smothers Skipper with maternal care and prevents Alicia from seeing him.

30. "The Dedication": March 2, 1982

Michael Tyrone uses Constance and Field's lover, Sande, to force Field to use his political power to help him dominate Truro. Julio proclaims his love for Constance to Field. Alicia eludes Eudora's guard and sees Skipper. Titus and Tyrone secretly plot Truro's future in gambling.

31. "Sins of the Father": March 16, 1982

Field gets the upper hand on Titus when he is given a record of the sheriff's crooked dealings. Tyrone's real reason for being in Truro is revealed: he is intent on avenging the death over 20 years ago of his father, who was unjustly hung for a murder he didn't commit. Fielding's father, Judge Andrew Carlyle, and Titus, who was still the sheriff back then, had the man receive the death penalty, and now Tyrone wants everyone connected to these two men to suffer. Tyrone's secret relationship with Field's lover, Sande, is also revealed to us--she's his sister

32. "No Dice": March 23, 1982

Tyrone moves to secure Field's support as the gambling bill nears a Senate vote. Field realizes that his girlfriend, Sande, is in cahoots with Tyrone in a plot to blackmail him. Depressed about her role as Field's mistress, Sande pretends to attempt suicide. Sensing his parents' obvious disapproval of their romance, a blind Skipper elopes with Alicia and moves her into the Flamingo Road mansion.

33. "The High and the Mighty": March 30, 1982

A plane carrying Sam and Field crashes in the Everglades under suspicious circumstances--they were returning from a fact-finding mission concerning Tyrone's private dealings in Nassau. Lane learns she is pregnant.

First Appearance

Esther Rolle as Julia, Tyrone's mysterious voodoo high priestess: She starred as Florida Evans on Maude (1972-74) and Good Times (1974-79)

34. "The Bad and the Beautiful": April 13, 1982

Tyrone uses voodoo to begin his destruction of the people of Truro--starting with his sister, Sande Swanson, who has a serious accident (her car goes off a cliff) when she returns to Truro to tell Field and Sam the truth about her brother. When she later dies, Field vows vengeance upon Tyrone. Lute-Mae realizes that Tyrone's marriage proposal is a sham when she learns that he is having an affair with her daughter, Constance, who has fallen in love with him.

35. "An Eye for an Eye": April 20, 1982

A deranged Lute-Mae goes gunning for her ex-lover Tyrone. Rather than giving in to Tyrone's threats, Field resigns his senate seat to stop the bill that would legalize gambling in Florida and moves to divorce Constance.

36. "The Harder They Fall": April 27, 1982

Tyrone plots to drive Titus insane and, out of spite, he tells a devastated Constance that he slept with Lute-Mae--her real mother! This bit of shocking news sends the poor girl to confront a hospitalized Lute-Mae, who is in a sanitarium. Gangsters are gunning for Sam.

37. "Murder, They Said": May 4, 1982

There's a surfeit of suspects when someone takes a shot at Tyrone--the whole town of Truro hates him. Constance tries to get Julio to kill Michael. Eudora asks Claude for a divorce. Tyrone's death leads to the arrest of Lute-Mae, who confesses to shooting him to protect Constance (whom she suspected was guilty of the crime). However, Titus Semple is blamed for the crime--he was framed by Tyrone, who blamed the sheriff for his father's execution. And in the final scene in a mountaintop monastery, a hooded figure is revealed to be Michael Tyrone, who is alive and well after faking his own murder (we never discover how he is still alive, but it's alluded that he may have been resurrected through the occult/voodoo).

Behind the Scenes

A month after the show's cancellation, NBC briefly considered bringing it back as a half-hour daytime serial, mainly because of its large female following--and to help out the network's ailing daytime lineup. However, most of the regular cast had already moved on to other projects--including David Selby, who joined Falcon Crest the following fall--so the steamy saga of Flamingo Road sadly did not continue.

Scorecard

Marriages: (3) Constance & Fielding, Lane & Sam, Skipper & Alicia

Murders: (2) Sande Swanson (killer: her own brother!); Michael Tyrone (accused: Titus Semple, but it appears he was framed by the "deceased" Slade's murders during the first season