Paul Raven

According to Don Hastings WLS interview Irna did bring up the ratings when she returned in early 72. But then things worsened.Perhaps in response to the downturn,Irna instigated all those sudden story changes. It would have made more sense ,surely, to send Paul out of town rather than kill him off. Paul going to his grandmother-would that have been Betty's Stewarts mother?

John Conboy "the Ross Hunter of Daytime Television"- so true! Going back to David Birney, I always assumed he was offered better money by ABC to move to A World Apart, perhaps with the added promise of primetime roles. That is the only reason I could see him moving to a lower rated show. It seems odd that he would be asked to take a pay cut. Maybe someone else knows the true circumstances. Keep the classic stuff coming Carl!

Great article and insight into long ago soap times-although the writer might need a new creative team as well.Did people really write like that in the 70's? The underlying truths in this article still apply today-dynamic producing and writing teams who understand soaps.

I do recall at times that sometimes continuity went out the window as say,a couple went out for dinner supposedly on the same day as earlier episodes where time had moved on in another story from what was seen in the same earlier show. One day could last over a week at times.

B movie actor John Phillip Law (best known for Barbarella with Jane Fonda) was the first Jim. He didn't last long. He had zilch screen presence. As for the sickly sweet Jessica, the less said the better. Throw in John Abbott and Cricket to the mix for a total snoozeville experience.

Never heard of Melanie Pritchard in any synopsis or cast list,so she musn't have been too important-but important enough to be mentioned in this article. Another mystery to be solved...BTW the Nathan Walsh chaarcter was on thru the 50's and played by several actors.

SOD June 19th 1994 reported that 'negotiations are ongoing for Kerry Armstrong to play the new Tina Clayton On OLTL' Armstrong had a brief stint on EON as Tess and went on to play Princess of Moldavia on Dynasty before returning to her native Australia.

Natalie, Tom's 2nd wife came back but her past with Tom wasn't played out. She was trying to see her daughter Amy that Carol and Jay had adopted, That was in 81. Marland used Tom's past in Vietnam to create Lien,but that character was also forgotten. I can't see Justin Deas and Rita McLaughlin as Tom and Carol.Tom had been remade as a different character. Maybe Carol would have had to have been recast also.Anyway,Tom and Carol had well and truly put the past behind them in the 70's when their marriage failed.

Alice Barrett Frankie AW - tested for Siobhan RH and Allison TX Kimberly Simms Mindy GL - tested for Kelly SB Jeff Trachta Thorne B&B - tested for Jack Y&R and Frisco GH Paige Turco Melanie AMC - tested for Rocky LOV Mary Ellen Stuart Frannie ATWT - tested for Chelsea and Meredith GL Noelle Beck Trisha LOV - tested for Ryan RH Yasmine Bleeth Ryan RH - tested for Trisha LOV

Glenn Corbett was the only actor to play Jason. He has 2 stints on the show. I don't know if the actor wanted to leave but a recast should have happened. Iagree with Michael that Mona /Jason/Nola had a lot more story to tell. I like his idea of Mona and Nola fighting over a man. Perhaps Mona's ex Winston Croft could have returned and Nola make a play for him just to annoy Mona (and because he was rich). Then Nola might actually develop feelings for the old guy because he treats her so well. Maybe she marries him on the spur of the moment, devastating Mona. Mona retaliates by hiring a young guy to seduce Nola. Perhaps Barney and Mona could become an (odd)couple. Mona could try and change him -buying him fancy stuff and Barney could take her bowling etc. Jason reconnects with an old girlfriend now a doctor. She has a teen daughter. Years ago,Mona paid off her family to leave town and abort her child by Jason,but she didn't go through with it.Now father /daughter/mother have to sort it all out, All this stuff could going on that would change the dynamics b/w Mona/Jason/Nola.

She was on GL from 80-83, the length of her contract. As for TD, I think Ann was written out for a while then brought back,but her stints didn't total 7 years.

Obit for Geraldine Court. The Ruth Warrick connection is interesting. http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2010/11/24/new_york/milestones/passings/3.txt

I think he was offered less money and fewer appearances (no storyline) and he probably thought after 35 years why bother? Can't say I blame him. AMC really challenged ATWT while Days around that time was also falling off in the numbers. AMC went in direct competition in April 77 and obviously grabbed viewers.

I agree that killing off Mona was a mistake,but the decision was made. Looking back, I remembered that Maggie had a sister back in the 60's.I hate when characters are forgotten.Even if she wasn't brought back,she could be mentioned eg Maggie going to visit her etc Same with Carolee's mother and MJ's siblings.

ATWT fall from #1 was an interesting time as the formula that worked for over 20 years seemed to fall in a heap. Even back then Larry B was 'hostile' about the show. He obviously enjoyed the money and the atmosphere because he was always less than impressed with the writing.I think he was a true actor in that he relished the challenge of trying to make John a believable character. In a later interview, he recounted how ABC tried to lure him to their soaps by offering him primetime roles and he was astonished that they mentioned Love Boat and Fantasy Island as inducements.He said he wasn;t concerned at what John would as long as he could see some motivation for his actions. Wasn't Clarice Blackburn also a soap writer?

i guess they were referring to James and Marilyn Langley,Mona's secret son. I think I read somewhere that the Langley's would have children. It was a good idea to connect them to Steve and Carolee as immediately veteran characters are given something to do. Jason had been killled off along with Mona and Billy, but with the addition of the Langleys and the SORAS of Erich and Stephie the Aldriches were viable again.i would have loved to see where the writers took all these characters. I have asked before about James. How was his existence revealed? How long had Mona known about him and vice versa? What was known about his character?

Geraldine also appeared on AMC as Mary Georgia and was the first Jennifer on ATWT before Gillian Spencer. Also she played June Lafferty on AW.

That would be great Carl. Have you been doing some internet shopping for old soap mags?I am tempted myself.I had a bunch of Afternoon Tv's that I threw out!! Also,I need to learn how to scan and post as typing up stuff is time consuming. BTW don't the Soderbergs look like a fun couple?

That is Kelly Wood (Mary) next to Grant. Barbara Rucker (Sandy) is in the striped T shirt. The woman on the far left next to Mary may be Pat Holland,the nurse John married.The older woman in the back row is a mystery. Maybe if I look thru synopses of that time I'll make a connection. This pic would be 76/77.Several cast members indeed missing.

March 26 SOD Late Breaking News With Ray Goldstone replacing Gene Palumbo as Ritual's headwriter,there are sure to be storyline and cast changes in the offing... Petet Haskell has left SFT to join Rituals and his family in California.He is playing Carson Fields.

This from late 77 under Ethel and Mel Brez.They soon killed off MJ's husband Tom and Virginia Dancy. Matt asks Maggie to move back home, and she agrees. Maggie’s concerned when Greta questions her about birth control devices. Erich’s heart problems may be more serious than his parents know. Nola and Jason elope. Happy with his job as the newspaper artist, Luke turns down Doreen’s offer to manage Andre’s Supper Club but agrees to be friends. Sarah brings social work studies at the hospital. Thinking use of contraceptives makes her lovemaking with Billy contrived, Greta only pretends she is using diaphragm, and worries when her menstrual cycle is week late. Dr. Colin Wakefield, Sarah’s Peace Corps lover, arrives in Madison palling to take Erich to North Carolina for operation. Steve is leery; he thinks surgery should be performed closer to home. Wanting to date other girls, Billy is trying to let Greta down easily. Following marriage proposal from Michael, Sarah isn’t sure she is ready to be a mother to Michael Paul or that she loves his father. Sarah plans to get her own apartment. Steve is upset when Colin insists Erich be told how dangerous the operation is. Matt decides to let Greta have contraceptives, but it’s too late – she is pregnant. Barney bets his saving on horse. Erich becomes frightened as Colin explains how dangerous his heart surgery will be. Tom lands job which requires a great deal of travelling. Luke quits job at newspaper and returns to manage Andre’s. When Barney loses all his money in a horse race, Luke bails him out with $5,000 he gets from Doreen. Greta tells Billy she’s pregnant and Sarah learns Colin is at the hospital.

That article would have referred to late 77 storylines. I guess they might be referring to Ethel and Mel Brez who took over from Marland.Or perhaps the next writer Linda Grover. The timelines on writers at that time are sketchy. Wayne's character of Kyle did return but plated by Gene Lindsay.He had a brief encounter with Maggie.

In a 82 SOD interview Thaao Penghlis states that GH told him on his last day that they planned to bring back Victor Cassidine. However they kept postponing the return so he took the role of Tony on DOOL when approached by Pat Falken Smith.. GH were not thrilled and let him know as much.He didn't score an official invite to the GH Xmas party but attended anyway and approached Gloria Monty. She was surprised and told him she was angry,but loved him anyway and they hugged!

The Catlins and Another Life were not covered in SOD. i guess they weren't seen nationwide and were on cable,whereas Rituals was syndicated and (at least at the start,)was seen in most markets. SOD did cover some nightime soaps-the biggies of course-but also Paper Dolls,Emerald Point and Berengers.

A big thank you to saynotoursoap for providing these first hand memories and clearing up timelines etc. I have acouple of questions I hope can be answered. The first concerns Amy Hughes and her visit to Oakdale in 73. How was this storyline handled? Apparently she found her grandparents,played by William Prince and Augusta Dabney. What was the story of her birth and adoption by Penny Hughes. How old was Amy and had she been SORASED for the story? When was it first established that Penny had married Anton and adopted Amy? Much appreciated.