Paul Raven

Desert Sun, 22 December 1983 Guiding Light’ writer looks for fresh ideas By TOM JORY Associated Press Writer NEW YORK (AP) - “Guiding Light” has been a daytime companion for millions since 1937, starting on radio and switching to TV after 15 years. Can anything new, really new, ever happen to the Bauers or the Reardons or any of the other folks in Springfield? “I get really upset,” says Pamela Long Hammer, principal writer for the CBS soap opera since March, “because I’ll come up with this neat scenario and someone will say, ‘That’s like “Strangers on a Train.’” “I think, ‘They keep stealing my material.’ “The way I figure it,” she says, “there are only so many stories in the world. It’s the characters who keep the show new and exciting. All of our stories come from them: I don’t come up with a plot, and then work a character into it.” Continuity is important. Someone out there surely knows all that’s happened, to everyone on the show, in 46 years. How about Miss Long Hammer? "Nope. I care about what our core families have been doing,” she says. “I’m always interested in what happened to Bert Bauer (played since 1950 by Charita Bauer) 20 years ago, but as far as going back and reading scripts, no. “Others on the show keep track,” she says. “I’ll suggest something, and be told, ‘You don’t remember, but five years ago, they had this terrible fight. They would never speak to one another now.”’ Miss Long Hammer, a former Miss Alabama who came to New York as an aspiring actress in 1980, began writing for daytime television while playing Ashley on NBC’s “Texas.” She eventually wrote herself out of the story. Her staff for “Guiding Light” includes nine writers, among them her husband, Charles Jay Hammer, whom she met while both worked on “Texas.” NBC dropped “Texas” after two seasons, and episodes from the serial currently are being rerun on the Turner Broadcasting System’s cable-TV SuperStation, WTBS. Gail Kobe, who was executive producer of “Texas,” now has the same job on “Guiding Light.” And Beverlee McKinsey, who played Iris Carrington in “Another World” on NBC, and later in "Texas,” will join the Light” cast of the CBS soap in February. Miss Long Hammer is reponsible for the long-term story, which can mean looking ahead 18 months or more. Staff writers deal with specifics, including the scripts for individual episodes. She says she draws on “imagination and instinct” for the “Guiding Light” story. Often, that involves inventing new characters. “‘I look at Vanessa (Maeve Kinkead), one of our leading ladies,” Miss Long Hammer says. "What could make the audience care more about her? “Then I think, ‘Why can’t she find a man she can love, who will also love her?’ Voila, here comes Billy Lewis (Jordan Clarke). “Another example,” she says, “is Alan Spaulding (Christopher Bernau). All of a sudden, he’s got a sister no one ever knew about. “They come complete,” says Miss Long Hammer of the serial’s characters, including the new ones. “We know who they are and where they came from long before the viewer gets all that information. That’s one of the most interesting things about daytime, the complexities of the characters.” The writers make a big effort to keep the show contemporary, and four of the leading players are in their late teens or early 20s Judi Evans, who plays Beth Raines, Kristi Tesreau (Mindy Lewis), Grant Aleksander (Philip Spaulding) and Michael O’Leary (Rick Bauer). “Guiding Light,” longevity notwithstanding, is a moderate success by that ultimate yardstick of the industry; ratings. The show is behind only “General Hospital,” “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” all on ABC, and CBS’ “The Young and the Restless,” among soaps. And Miss Long Hammer says she’s convinced writing is the key to even greater achievement. “When I say I love the characters, it’s not a light thing,” she says. “I think what the audience senses is an enthusiasm and an energy among the people who do the show.”

San Bernardino Sun, 21 July 1981 Soap gets a new lease on life By TOM JORY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) NBC's Texas premiered Aug. 4, 1980, in the toughest time slot in daytime TV opposite top rated General Hospital on ABC and CBS' enduring -Guiding Light As recently as the first of this year, " Texas appeared doomed, a victim of barely measurable ratings. All that has changed, and the show approaches its first anniversary with a new executive producer, a new team of writers, a new look and a new slant on life. Even the ratings have improved a bit, from 14 percent to l5 percent of the audience in the time period in November and December to 15 percent to 16 percent today. "We have Houston like Ryan's Hope has New York City," says Gail Kobe who took over Texas as executive supervising producer in March,"and we feel a real tie with that city. We've got to reflect in the show what's happening in that real town, and I think we're doing that." It was a significant step, taking Texas- its roots in the fictional Bay City of NBC's Another World -to a real-life setting. "I don't think it's got to be the kind of place that people can't can't find on the map," says Ms. Kobe "I think the audience in daytime is more prepared for reality today." It meant giving the show a recognizable Houston backdrop, a more contemporary sound -country and western performers like Ray Price will appear periodically and a lighting system that would clearly represent the hot, bright Texas sunlight. . Texas faced difficult odds from the start, the competition and the inevitable comparison with CBS' prime-time superhit, Dallas, notwithstanding. There was the problem of introducing a multiplicity of characters, many of them imports from Another World, as well as a story line, in an hour-long format. "It was the first show to start at an hour," says Kobe, a former actress who had been supervising producer for Procter & Gamble Productions, which owns Texas and five other daytime shows. "It's very difficult to fill that much time with a large cast, and not leave the viewer confused. "With a daily show, you have to let the audience know who to root for," she says. ''And if you're trying to begin a story, too, no one's going to keep track." The changes began even before Kobe took the show from Paul Rauch, who had faced the seemingly impossible task of producing both Texas and Another World simultaneously. Beverlee McKinsey, whose generally unpleasant character, Iris, had come to Texas from Another World as a young ingenue, was given back her mean streak. "She had become a sweet woman,"Kobe says, "and the audience was used to seeing her do terrible things. It just didn't work." In addition, she says, time was spent establishing the identities of the characters. Joyce and Bill Corrington, who had created the show with Rauch, were replaced as head writers in February by Dorothy Purser and Samuel Ratcliffe.

You had to wonder what was going on when CBS moves a Top 10 show to a new night opposite one of the hottest shows of the moment. CBS was desperately trying to go young-it was the season of Central Park West -but it seemed short sighted. I suppose MSW represented the 'old' image they were trying to shed and it was probably expensive , but still... If they did want to freshen Sunday where else MSW be placed?

Highest rated shows to be cancelled The Waltons, Lobo, BJ & The Bear, Checking In. I think The Waltons had run it's course and would only had dropped further if given another year. One of the select group that never changed timeslots. NBC should probably held onto Lobo as they didn't have many hits. It might have been useful programming Sat @8 paired with Barbara Mandrell or Friday opposite Dallas or left Tues @8 to be paired with Bret Maverick. Father Murphy could have been placed Thurs to attract The Waltons viewers. As for Checking In it was only 4 eps and the placement resulted from the 1st ep bumping up overall numbers. A spin off from a spin off was too much. Lowest rated renewals NBC Magazine and Hill St Blues. NBC had no luck getting a news show to work. They tried Weekend, Prime Time and the Magazine -still to come were Monitor and First Camera. Hill St caused a stir and raves from the critics so they wisely renewed it and it paid off. Like Flo the season before Private Benjamin/Two of Us couldn't maintain the ratings they garnered as late season short flight entries.

justin Jackson Y&R hairdresser posted on Insta that for Nikki's birtday do he envisioned Marilyn Monroe/rockstar. What on God's Green Earth do those 2 concepts have to do with one another? and how are they appropriate for a society grandmother in her late 60's? Her dress had nothing to do with that concept. And the rest of the guests all looked pretty horrible. Why was Nick in a sweater at a formal party? 1Save 1Save

The show is only a few months in and still finding it's footing. I'm hoping MVJ has years of story in place for these characters and will pretty much stick to that plan (obviously with tweaking along the way) I do have some issues with the initial structure. Making the Duprees the centerpiece and not having a male with that name. Making Martin Vernon and Anita's would have solved that and made the age of the character more appropriate. I agree about not having a young couple in the beginnings of a romance. And having too many married couples. Jacob and Naomi could be just living together. That makes the possibility of other relationships more viable than within a marriage. Same with Smitty/Martin. Having them married with kids limits the story especially in terms of them as a gay couple. The white characters existing in another universe is also a problem. That ties in with the workplace/job issues. I don't think they needed the hospital-instead the police station/real estate office or Martin's workplace could have utilized and have Derek/Ashley/Vanessa/Smitty/Shanice etc working and interacting there. ATM too many characters are meeting up in cafes etc-we're not seeing them at work. We needed to see more of how various characters interact eg Jacob/Bill, Ted/Bill. There were a lot of extended family scenes but there should be more one on one to get a sense of character and family dynamics. Leslie is a great character but her bag of tricks is getting over exposed. I would hate that she is kept on and other character's made to look like idiots by accepting her presence. They'll need some good writing and twists to keep her around. We can only hope some of the lesser actors improve as I don't want too many recasts or writeouts. So it's early days and I look forward to seeing the show evolve. And give the Duprees some staff!

As much as Billy Miller was disliked by many as Billy , at least there could be a lightness and playfulness about him, whereas Jason's Billy is just dour and sour. Of course the horrible writing hasn't helped-remember the soul baring podcasts??

I would agree that Guza was probably signed for a short stint- 13 weeks to provide experience/expertise in launching a one hour show. We don't know exactly what his actual contributions were. The exec producer/ co-writer credits may have been in deference to his position in the industry and also a way of paying him more. If you look at some primetime shows everyone but the car park attendant gets a exec producer credit-it's often just a financial/vanity thing.

Well now we had Ashley's reaction-and weren't we all gasping when she appeared to hate it-but she was just joking!! She loved it. Now we have to see Abby's reaction, and maybe Mamie could come back to say she loves it. How about Jill via Zoom giving her opinion (she'll love it) and bring in a day player to play Mrs Martinez to say she loves it also... I feel bad to keep dumping on this show (not really) but when the choices they make are so inane, it's the only entertainment value the show has. Let's unpack the Nikki birthday story. So Claire wants to throw her Nana a birthday bash as away of endearing Kyle to Victor. Don't quite get the logic there,but OK. She hires a party planner who makes ridiculous suggestions. Slightly annoyed that Y&R are hiring someone for this role for 5 episodes when we never see doctors, co- workers etc. But OK to that to. With all the talk we are expecting something special. What we get is the Jazz Lounge hideously decorated with some ugly tablecloths and a few tacky decorations. They needed a planner for this? Then the guest list consists of family members (no grandchildren)and a few others. Hardly a party. As usual the costuming is pretty awful. A red and black theme ? And our guest of honor is sporting a do that looks like a cross between Cameron Diaz in Something about Mary and Marie from Roxette. They should have had an intimate dinner and ditched all the fanfare. Would have been way more believable.

Seems Traci and Julie on Days are both shopping at 'Granny's Garments'. You just can't go wrong with a loose print long line jacket (hides those figure faults, gals), a comfy pair of slacks, a scoop neck T and some chunky accent jewelry. And don't forget your crowning glory-a wash 'n' go hair do.

Groaning at Pietro the party planner raving about Nikki Newman, style icon. And then Nikki appears in the ghastly floral pantsuit. maybe if it was a jacket only... and a soft blouse underneath? Hate when the writers have the characters be well known to the general public and yet when the various kidnappings/long lost children etc occur it doesn't seem to get any publicity. And Victor is simply intolerable. Any nuance that character had is long gone and he now is simply a pathetic, rambling old man who is about as threatening as a piece of wet toast. And still the family are under his thumb. By now, they should laugh off his threats and leave him alone in his chair at the ranch.

There is ZILCH reason for Cane to return. He has no relatives on the canvas, and they don't seem interested in bringing back the twins after the idiotic SORASING. Putting him back in Lily's orbit would be stifling for that character. And Cane was a horrible character with a dumb backstory.

Could be a false alarm. Or maybe a miscarriage at some point.

Y&R 1976 Pt 9 Learning that Kay is taking Ralph’s rejection very badly, Bill goes to visit her. Without regard to his condition (Bill has emphysema and only one, a damaged lung) she smokes in his presence, causing him to collapse. She administers oxygen and calls for help but now feels terribly guilty. Bill, knowing there isn’t much time left, asks Snapper not to hospitalize him until the very end and considers smoking a cigarette, which would solve the problem quickly and inexpensively for the family. Liz is furious to learn that he’s considered this—it would be tampering” with God’s will. Kay is still feeling so guilty, she refuses to attend Bill’s birthday party but sends a two-hundred-dollar check, saying she’s cutting down on her cigarette and liquor consumption this month for him. Liz is reassured when Kay tells her that Snapper’s being on staff at the hospital will mean no hospital bills for Bill, But Kay is unaware that this medical courtesy extends to Doctor's wives and children only. Chris feels Snapper is being overly pessimistic about his father’s condition until she notices that Bill is becoming confused about people and time. Greg insists Snapper’s wrong, as Bill is always better by evening. But when Snapper becomes firm about hospitalizing his father, Bill, objecting, collapses and has to be taken in now. Liz and Greg refuse to face the fact that Bill won’t be coming home this time. Learning from Brock that. Snapper’s hospital affiliation won’t cover Bill’s astronomically mounting bills, Kay responds to Brock’s suggestion that she cover the costs by insisting that Jill will have to come and ask. When she does, Kay informs Jill she may have the money if she signs an affidavit stating that her child is not Phillip’s. Bitterly, knowing she has to do it for her family, Jill writes out the affidavit Kay dates and signs it, taking the check Kay has prepared. Brock praises his mother for her generosity until he notices Jill’s signed declaration; then he tells his mother she will never know peace of mind through a lie. Snapper lets his father sign a right-to-die statement for his own peace of mind, but informs the family privately that it’s not legally binding. | Jack gives Peggy a ring, saying she saying she can put it on when she’s ready. Peggy starts to think about the things Brock has told her about still being the same person no matter what Ron did, and decides she loves Jack enough to want to marry him. When Joanne sees Peggy displaying Jack’s ring, she’s hurt that he couldn’t even wait one more day until their divorce becomes final and starts eating out of frustration. When Jack tries to make her see reason, she throws him out. But Peggy goes to her and comes down hard on her, finally getting through to her who she’s hurting by this, and Joanne throws all the junk food out. Stuart, believing Leslie’s story that Brad’s mother is sick and they are with her, calls Mrs. Elliot and finds out they’ve never been there. Laurie tells Leslie this so she can put her parents’ minds at rest. She finally tells them she has been staying with Laurie, as Brad’s asked for a divorce, but she’s not sure she’s going to file for one. Stuart confronts Brad with the idea of talking some sense into him but comes away unaware of Brad’s blindness, due to a brilliant performance by Brad, and sure his daughter is well rid of him. Vanessa takes delight in upsetting Laurie by telling her she’s second choice with Lance, that Leslie would be his first choice if she were available. When Laurie retaliates by informing Vanessa that she and Lance will be married within two weeks, Vanessa hires a private investigator to check Laurie out. Laurie now feels she must be married to Lance before he finds out Leslie’s marriage is breaking up, and begs Brad to hold off the divorce until she has accomplished this. But when Leslie herself tells Lance of her marital situation, Laurie finds herself suspiciously examining Lance’s reactions to Leslie at every turn.

GH 1976 Pt 6 Cam’s death has raised specters in Diana’s mind, fears that she will now lose Peter to the grieving young widow. Wisely, she confides her fears to Peter, who assures her he loves her. But Diana’s real peace of mind comes when Leslie calls her to her hospital room and explains that any romance between Peter and herself was an ugly creation of Cam’s evil mind, an attempt to destroy Peter’s career in Port Charles. Diana understands and can accept Peter’s assurances now. Rick suggests Steve call in Dr. Mark Dante as a consultant on his case, as Rick was very impressed with Mark’s neurological skill in Africa. Marriner is very upset at this, as he and Mark have been enemies since Mark’s internship. Mark arrives at General Hospital and soon reports that Steve’s bone fragment could be approached by using an antro-lateral incision. When Marriner runs into Mark in the hospital, he bitterly reminds him that he’s nothing but an ex-con who managed to get a parole-board member, Judge Lowell, to back him. Dante is married to Judge Lowell’s daughter Mary Ellen, who has been in a sanitarium for the past two years and refuses to speak to him. He assures Marriner that he’s paid the judge back. When Steve insists on the surgery, Marriner refuses to take the risk, so Mark will perform the operation. Rick will first-assist and Jeff will. second-assist. The procedure is long and involved, with many complications requiring additional time and attention, but the team work well, and Steve survives. The outlook is good, Steve is soon on the road to recovery, and Audrey, as his physiotherapist taskmaster, presses him to rapid strides on his road back to mobility. Dr. Marriner, feeling that his position has been irreparably damaged by Mark’s overriding his medical decision in Steve’s case, resigns, and Steve offers the post to Mark. Mark tells Steve he has to know about his past before he can be sure he wants an ex-con on the staff, and explains that he killed a man when he was seventeen, beating to death the man who had killed his father. Mark, a Golden Gloves boxing champion, was found guilty of using lethal weapons. Steve assures him that this makes no difference and presses Mark to accept. Dr. Rex Pearson decides that after five years of widowhood, Terri has been deprived of a man in her bed long enough, and takes it upon himself to correct that situation. He remains in the club after closing and surprises her with an attempt to force himself upon her. But Rick drops by to take his sister home and beats Pearson badly. Determined to settle the score, Pearson learns that Monica never reported a previous injury on her young patient who died. Since this old injury caused the embolism that killed him, Pearson suggests to the boy’s mother, Mrs. Galvin, that Dr.Rick Webber covered for her and she should consider a malpractice suit against both of them. Steve informs Rick and Monica that such a suit has been instituted, and Monica panics, telling Rick that their relationship will be revealed. He tells her their love will die, if she’ll only let it. But Jeff, eager to help his wife, learns that Mrs. Galvin herself prevented Joey from being treated for the original injury, and the suit is dropped. With his father-in-law’s approval, Mark accepts the Chief of Neurosurgery post and, at Terri’s suggestion, has Mary Ellen moved to a sanitarium in Port Charles. She begins to respond to the new therapy, directed at her artistic talent, and will now speak to him. While Mark and Mary Ellen were driving—he was behind the wheel—they had an argument over her wish that he enter private practice, and there was an auto accident, which resulted in Mary Ellen miscarrying. Terri is glad that Mary Ellen is responding, but realizes she is falling in love with Mark herself and tries to avoid him. But when she’s asked to be Mary Ellen’s contact with the outside world, Terri finds she can’t refuse. Since Diana’s hysterectomy after Martha’s birth prevents them from having children, Peter and Diana investigate the possibility of adoption. Learning that it could easily take years, they follow a fellow doctor’s suggestion of a Switzerland adoption, and an infant is found for them. They eagerly leave for Switzerland, but their hopes are crushed when the teenage mother, the daughter of a banker, decides after holding her baby that she wants to keep him. Upon their return, the Taylors find that Heather has been caring for Tommy during a family crisis of Audrey’s, and Martha likes having the attention of an older child. With this in mind, they return to the adoption agency to inquire about an older child. During the Taylors’ absence Heather’s ex-husband, Larry Joe, shows up and tells her he wants her back. Heather, whose sights are set on Jeff Webber, refuses, and nixes his consolation suggestion that she steal from the clinic’s drug supplies to finance a business for him. But Larry Joe steals Monica’s purse, and Heather finds it. Getting rid of him by promising not to turn him in, Heather finds the letter Rick sent Monica before he left for Africa, Heather returns Monica’s purse without the letter, which she slips into Jeff’s hospital mailbox.

@chrisml Thanks for all these articles you share.Always pick up some interesting tidbits.

It's interesting that LIAMST got cancelled over LOL or SS , both of which rated lower. I guess other factors came into play.

Any doubts about Nikki's business prowess at running Chancellor were forever extinguished by the scene that played at the entrance to the GCAC where Claire detailed to Kyle how her grandmother took down a cocky young exec over a real estate deal. Hayley Erin dug deep to channel Nikki's savvy business persona while Micheal Mealor remembered that the the best acting is reacting, as he stood wide eyed and open mouthed taking in Nikki's handling of the situation. We can only imagine Melody Thomas Scott's commanding performance as Nikki took center stage in Lady Boss mode and how the newbie actor playing her scene partner rose to the challenge as sparkling dialogue ricocheted back and forth. And a special shout out to Y&R's set designers who we sure would have created an office set that reflected Nikki's elegance and good taste. To viewers bothered by Y&R's continued business focus, this scene that dealt with power dynamics, sexism in business and privilege put paid to that criticism once and for all.

1976 Pt 3 Jenny has now left the order, but her recuperation at the Craig home is hampered by pain and dizziness. Jenny admits to Larry it may be fear of her future that’s hampering her recovery, and she and Tim to put off the wedding. But suddenly she’s overcome by a presentiment of fear and anxiously tells Tim they must be married right away. They arrange a wedding for the following week and rent an apartment. Celebrating there with champagne, Jenny gently refuses Tim’s suggestion that they fulfill their love there by explaining that she wants to bring perfect love, without guilt, to their marriage, to give herself to him without guilt and as a gift of married love. But the following day, while she is making plans for the ceremony, Jenny’s world crashes as Vince, desperate to stop what he feels will be sacrilege, argues with Tim, shouting again that God will seek revenge. Tim, at the top of the stair landing, turns to swing at Vinnie and falls the entire flight of stairs. Jenny insists that their marriage take place immediately upon his return to consciousness, and they are married in his hospital room. Tim’s condition worsens - shortly, and just before he’s to be taken to surgery, as he and Jenny talk about the love they share, he tells her, “If I don’t make it, you go on. I don’t want you sitting around grieving over me, because I love you too much. Live a good full life.” Jenny assures him they'll live that life together, telling him he must believe that. Tim replies, “Oh God, I want to,” and then he dies. Vince is going through hell, feeling that he killed Tim, and his pain only begins to be assuaged when Jenny compassionately and honestly tells him she doesn’t blame him and she’s sure God doesn’t either. Tim’s sister Julie flies from Florida for the funeral, then asks her mother if she wants her to stay, saying that they need each other. Ellen, however, tells, her daughter she must go back to the new life she has made for herself; to delay would only make the goodbyes harder. Ellen offers Jenny some of Tim’s personal possessions, but Jenny gently declines, explaining that Tim will always be with her and she doesn’t need his material things Viki was planning to tell Joe about the medical problem when news of Tim’s death came, and after the funeral Joe suggests that if the baby is a boy, they could name him Tim, and this Tim would live a long, full life. That decides Viki once and for all. She tells Larry she just won’t risk telling Joe after everything that has happened, and that’s final. Since her refusal of his marriage proposal, things have been strained between Tony and Cathy, and Pat, wanting to see Tony happy, pushes Cathy to make the first move—if not a phone call, then at least attendance at the opening of his club, Tony’s Place. The Opening is a great success, but Pat, hearing Tony sing “I’ve Been Alone Too Long,” remembers only that Tony sang that song to her so many years ago in Rio. Dorian manages to leave early with Victor by telling him she’s suffering a headache, and then tells Tony, when he calls the following morning, that their noticeably early departure was Victor’s decision, as he had business meetings the following day. When Tony follows up his call with a visit to his father, Dorian, who worked her way into her preferred position as lady of the house by treating Victor during his heart attack, turns Tony away, claiming that Victor has had too much stress lately and can’t hold up under a visit from Tony. Concerned, Tony leaves a note for his father, which Chapin, Victor’s butler, sees Dorian destroy. Dorian then instructs Chapin that Tony is not to be admitted to see Victor, and when Chapin replies that Victor has ordered that Tony’s visits and calls go through immediately, Dorian countermands those instructions, citing Victor’s health as the reason. When Victor asks Dorian to ease up on Chapin, as Viki has mentioned that Chapin is unhappy, Dorian makes it clear to the faithful retainer that unless he follows her orders explicitly, his years of service to the Lords will be over. Dorian and Victor give a dinner in honor of successful enabling legislation licensing Peter Jansson to practice medicine, and Tony later learns from Jenny that Victor is fine. Realizing that Dorian stands between them, Tony races out to Llanfair to tell his father what he’s married to. Tony confronts his father with Dorian’s schemes, concluding with the revelation that Dorian and her accomplice Matt McAllister knew Tony was Victor Lord’s son but kept the knowledge from him for personal gain. Victor adamantly refuses to believe’ Dorian could betray him this way, but after Tony’s gone Chapin confirms many of Tony’s accusations. When Victor faces Dorian with Tony’s accusations, she evades by insisting that this isn’t rational and she won’t discuss any of it.But, hearing Victor calling his lawyer, Dorian angrily accuses her husband of having judged her and found her guilty. When he concurs, saying he believes his son, Dorian bitterly snaps, “All right. Yes. I knew Tony was your son!” She then pours out the entire plan of how, when she was fired from the hospital, she vowed to get enough money and power to control Llanview and everyone in it. When Tony came along, he was a threat to her plan, and she tried to get rid of him. But, she reminds Victor, she saved his life medically and has given him something to live for; she has been a good wife and hostess. Because of that, she deserves what she has; she has paid for it! Victor, her words hitting upon him like tidal waves, pleads, “Dorian, don’t say any more,” as .he moves to the sofa, where he collapses, suffering a massive stroke.

North County Times, 25 December 1983 Devane keeps talent and spirits high By VERNON SCOTT If a movie or TV series fails, don't blame the actor. Or should you? Either way, Bill Devane's promising career wound up in the outhouse after two consecutive failures- the $35 million movie bomb, "Honkytonk Freeway," and the disastrous 1981 "From Here to Eternity" TV series. Devane, who had been an up-and-coming leading man, became an instant pariah. The strong-jawed, hawk-nosed actor made a powerful impression on Hollywood, and viewers, with his John F. Kennedy performance in TV's "Missiles of October." He was on his way to apparent stardom. After a half-dozen movies and six TV films, Devane was poised for the jackpot. Then he hit the wall. Paul Newman, Warren Beatty and other established stars even a Tom Selleck may survive two or three consecutive disappointments. Their track records and popularity carry them over. But for a newcomer like Devane, one disaster following on the heels of another can spell the end. It very nearly did for Devane. " 'From Here to Eternity' was Fred Silverman's last hurrah at NBC' he said. "It began as a hit six-hour miniseries and was converted into a weekly hour drama. We only did 12 episodes, and the ratings were terrible. "No matter what anyone says, it hurts an actor to be associated with a failed series because the blame is put on the star. "I got a lot of negative publicity and entered a period of pure purgatory. I became an untouchable. The worst part of it was getting down on myself. It's common enough, I guess. You blame yourself for letting people down. "Word gets out, as if you had a rancid smell about you. People actually avoid you. They don't return your calls. Offers quit coming to your agent. "Matters got worse with 'Honkytonk Freeway.' It was just a picture that didn't work." Neither did Devane, at least not for a full year. As he puts it, "I was not a hot property." Instead of selling real estate or moving to New York to tackle the theater, Devane sat around waiting for the telephone to ring. It didn't. Then, shaking off the lethargy of despair, Devane did the unthinkable lowered his asking price for movies and TV and let it be known he was available for any acting work at all. "As Jason Robards once told me, 'The secret to acting success is to outlive 'em,'" Devane said, grinning. "And George C. Scott's advice was right, too: 'Don't turn down anything. Actors have to act.' " In the past year Devane worked for next to nothing in the hit movie, "Testament," currently in release, followed by "Hadley's Rebellion," which will be seen next year. He did the documentary, "Wilderness," for literally nothing. Not a cent. Finally, the producers of "Knots Landing" signed him at a bargain price, hoping to add macho machinations to the weekly soap opera with a guy not quite as sinister as "Dallas' " J.R. Ewing, to be sure, but equally ambitious and ruthless. Devane's spirits, as well as his career, have soared in the past few months. "I joined the series because I wanted to work and I wanted to get paid for it," he said without bitterness. "I hadn't planned on doing another series, but it was good to join an established show with high ratings rather than to sweat out a new series with the responsibility of having to carry the burden of success or failure. "The character I play is a protagonist who keeps things exciting, a duplicitous, power-hungry political candidate. I play a lot of hot love scenes with Donna Mills, which is all to the good. "And I can't believe the recognition factor. Everywhere I go, people know who I am and want to talk about 'Knots Landing.' I've finally managed to pull out of the doldrums. I'm even getting movie offers for the coming hiatus." On top of that, Devane can be seen regularly on the tube in Chrysler commercials, which pay him a fortune. Devane's career is back on track. His self-esteem has been restored, and he is looking to a sunny future perhaps even a future where he can make two bombs in a row and remain an employable actor. *I recall reading the Devane negotiated one of the top salaries to that point when he agreed to do From Here to Eternity as a series. Guess they thought he was vital and he used that to get top dollar. When it flopped,I'm sure there was some bitterness about him getting the $$$ for a failed project.

So good to read positive reviews of the new writers. Just shows what a difference a better quality team can make. No campy stuff/inside jokes/OTT stories. Just good character based writing. I'm sure the actors are happier. Hopefully Y&R will get some newbies who can perform a similar transformation.

I had lunch with a friend who works in the beauty/wellness field. She had just attended a big pow wow in NY with brands big(Estee Lauder,Unilever etc) and smaller players. The talk was how social media and now AI are shaking things up like never before. Meanwhile Y&R are treating Jabot/Vibrante like it's still the 80's.

It only lasted a few weeks so I'm guessing somewhere in the mid to high 3's?

Texas 1981 One Life to Live 1982

Oakland Tribune, 23 December 1984 Osburn faces up to lookalike role by Connie Passalacqua With all due respect to Kim Canes, Julie Osborn of Another World" has Nancy Frangione eyes. Osburn was cast as Bay City secretary Kathleen McKlnnon, a character with a striking resemblance to the mysteriously vanished Cecile de Poullgnac, in a part especially written for her. Oaburn does look very much like Frangione, and the writers used that similarity in a plot twist which had Kathleen (in a blond wig) impersonate Cecile in a successful attempt to smoke out and capture Cecile's captors. Do you really think I look like Nancy? Osburn still asks incredulously. I think I look a lot more like Kathleen Layman (the actress who plays Kathleens sister, policewoman MJ.). It''s dear that Osburn is a seriously determined young actress who'd rather be known because of her own talents, rather than any coincidence. I've been acting since I was 12," said Osburn, who grew up in Arlington, Texas, and took her first acting class there at a children's theater workshop. After leads in high-school plays she studied drama at Trinity University in San Antonio and came to New York City when die was 20, to study with acting coach Uta Hagen. By her own description, the last place she ever thought she'd work was on a soap opera. I was a theater snob," she said. I didn't want to be a soap actress, because it used to have the connotation in show business that you were bad. But that's changed. I see a lot of soap actors on Broadway now. ' Osburn was set in her place when she went out to Hollywood last year during the pilot season. I worked off-Broadway and on tour and I studied with wonderful people, she recalls. But the casting people out there didn't know who they were and didn't care. I wouldn't be out there if I wasn't good, would I? All they wanted to know was If I had done any TV. Well, I decided to break In somewhere She had rejected two previous soap offers but became more receptive to the role offered by Another. World. As wltchy Kathleen, Osburn has deliciously taken up the fallen banner of the shows villianess, now that Frangione has left the show. She even likes her Job. The role is well-written and fun to play, she said. '