Paul Raven

Izaiah works at Banneker as some sort of counsellor? We've yet to see him at work or refer to it much. He's another charcter floating around various eateries. Donnell and Deanna are there. Why are we not seeing him at work? He could interact with Deanna especially with all the stuff she's going through. A small office or a an area to suggest a student lounge. Actually Caffeine Fix set would have worked better as a student cafeteria/lounge.

Variety review AS THE WORLD TURNS With Helen Wagner, Don Mac- Laughlin, Hal Studer, Rosemary Prinz, Ruth Warrick, Anne Burr, Les Damon, Bill Johnstone, Joyce Van Patten, others; —Producer: Charles Fisher Directors: Ted Corday, Bill Howell Writers: Irna Phillips, Agnes Nixon 30 Mins., Mon.-thru-Fri., 1:30 p.m. PROCTER & GAMBLE 'CBS-TV, from N. Y. (Benton & Bowles) If anybody got the idea that Procter & Gamble was pioneering something by sponsoring the first half-hour soap opera, they were greatly misinformed or mistaken. There was an advantage of doing the first of the 30-minute soapers, but it may not prove to be of enduring importance. Weighed against it, the disadvantage is emphatic in nature. As the first of its kind to reach beyond a quarter-hour, “As the World Turns” has the potential, if only because of its size. of overwhelming the viewers and temporarily capturing their favor to a larger degree than its antecedents. But from the point of program content, 30 minutes simply require the writers to fill the usual amount of time with twice the usual amount of pap, as was so painfully evident in the preem (2) telecast. If P&G were interested in innovations, it might have started by hiring a. staff of writers which hadn't remotely been connected with the old way of soap opera, a way much exposed over the years to the worst of critical barbs. Veteran scribe Irna Phillips and Agnes Nixon,the team responsible for the storyline, seemed to confuse quantity with quality. Depending on how they're counted, the pair contrived six or seven plots and they all came out in the all-expository first program. Evidently, Misses Phillips and Nixon didn't want to get caught short as the problem of creating situations got tougher with time. Not all of the cast members were introduced in the initial undertaking on Monday, but the viewer met {Chris and Nancy Hughes, their three kids and a friend’s daughter, and it was through them that the future of the show was unravelled. The plots: (1) Penny Hughes, about 15 or 16, hates her mother Nancy; (2) Penny wants to go away for a week during spring vacation with friend’s daughter (her name sounded like Ellen Lowell), screener doesn’t learn why; (3) there is a grandfather, off on a farm someplace, for whom the Hugheses want to find a city home: (4) there is some planning to be done for the Hughes’ wedding anniversary; (5) 18-year-old Don Hughes is in love with a yet to be seen 20-year old girl name of Janice, and (6) the Hughes’ friends Jim and Claire Lowell have been separated for a couple of years, while (7) daughter Ellen is terribly melancholy about the rift. These were all given equal importance in the script. There wasn't much directors Bill Howell and Ted Corday had to do, it appeared; the actors had to walk through their scenes by rote. Since none of the roles were demanding, it would be hard to judge the competency of the actors. Helen Wagner and Don MacLaughlin appeared as Mrs. Hughes and her lawyer hubby; Rosemary Prinz as their problem-daughter, Penny, Hal Studer as their 18-year old son, Don, and there were a | couple of others seen; the remainder of the dramatis personnae ,including Ruth Warrick, as Mr. Hughes’ sister, to appear at a later date.

Variety review of the 3rd episode. THE EDGE OF THE NIGHT With John Larkin, Teal Ames, Ian Martin, Don Hastings, Mark Rydell, Maxine Stewart, Betty Garde, John Raby, Leona Powers, Bob Dixon, Ruth York, Charles Taylor, John Gibson Producer: Werner Michel Directors: Freddie Bartholomew, John Wallace Writer: Irving Vendig 30 Mins., Mon.-thru-Fri., 4:30 p.m. PROCTER & GAMBLE CBS-TV, from New York (Benton & Bowles) Those old-fashioned quarter-hour soap operas sold a lot of detergents for Procter & Gamble. The new half-hour soaper should sell more —only because P&G have twice as much selling time. The plugs come fore, aft and three times in-between. P&G is running “The Edge of the Night” concurrently with “As The World Turns,” another 30- minute stanza aired earlier in the afternoon on the same net. “Night” is cut from the same cake of soap as its mate. . On the stanza caught last Wednesday (4), “Night” just seemed to be getting its feet on the ground. The plot line was still being unspooled but the characters had already begun to take shape (a neat trick since scripter Irving Vendig had only two previous halfhours in which to do it). Briefly, the story line is shaping around young lad being brought up by his mother and sister., falling in love with a bad crowd. Sub-plots include the sister’s romance with a police lieutenant and the sister’s friend’s romance with a police-sergeant.. Vendig is developing the story slowly and methodically. The stanza builds carefully to a “tune in tomorrow” close familiar to all soapers. Wednesday’s clincher, for example, had a young hood telling the young hero that he would have to pay off his debt by buying him ‘a pack of cigarettes. It was said with such a meaningful leer that everyone could guess that those cigarettes won’t come with a brand name imprinted. Cast lineup for the series is impressive but only John Larkin, Teal Ames, Don Hastings, Mark Rydell and Maxine Stewart were up for the Wednesday shot. They did their jobs in true soaper fashion. Direction, split between Freddie Bartholomew and John Wallace, kept the actors in a minor key. Sets were economical but served the purpose.

Agree. They had the chance to introduce a much needed new character and went with a recast for a divisive character with years of bad back story. Really don't see the point of making him Cane for all the reasons mentioned above. And that leaves the twins in limbo as there doesn't seem to be any interest in bringing them on due to the dumb SORAS of 2017. So the constant mentions just remind of that and their non presence. Same for Roger Howarth. There was no reason for bringing back Matt from the dead. Mitch could have been a shady new character involved with Noah, again with no baggage, to be a threat to the Newmans. They literally brushed off an onscreen death with a couple of nonsensical lines of dialogue.

Variety review of first TV episode. GUIDING LIGHT With Jone allison, Herb Nelson,Susan Douglas, Lyle Sudrow,Charita Bauer ; Producer: Dave Lesan Director: Ted Corday Writer: Irna Phillips 15 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri,, 2:30 p.m. PROCTER & GAMBLE CBS-TV, from N. Y. (Compton) One of the longest-run radio soap operas, “Guiding Light” has been duplicated for TV by Procter & Gamble as the first AM daytime |serial to get the combined spread. Show preemed on CBS-TV Monday (30) with the same writer, Irna Phillips and looked as though it will achieve the same mid-high ratings it’s obtained on radio. Fact that the video version is to follow the same basic story line as its AM sister, however, indicates that it won’t pick up many viewers from the radio side. Preem had no lead-in to indicate that it was a first, merely picking up the yarn as though viewers had seen a preceding stanza last Friday. Initialer had Joe Roberts separated from his wife, Meta, who’s having nightmares over fear of, how their daughter, Kathy, will fare in Joe’s hands. Kathy, in turn, is giving Joe trouble by wishing to move into her own apartment and substitute college for a career. Sounded rather schmaltzy, but the ground work has been laid for succeeding stanzas, which, after all, is and always has been the format for these soapers. Jone Allison and Herb Nelson, doubling from the radio version, registered capably as Meta and Joe, while Susan Douglas made for an attractive and personable Kathy. Lyle Sudrow and Charita Bauer play Meta’s brother and sister-in- law, respectively. While it’s difficult to judge the production credits on the basis of a single installment, the two sets used on the initialer, plus camera work and other mountings, reflected careful planning on the part of producer Dave Lesan and director Ted Corday. P&G is sponsoring “Guiding Light” as a permanent replacement for ‘First 100 Years,” which was TV’s first soap opera. Compton agency handles this one for Crisco and Ivory, while Benton & Bowles had “Years” for Tide.

From what I've seen, Connie had Ada seldom looking directly at other characters as a way of using teleprompters or cue cards. With VD and JC being fired and comments made, it seems Rauch and Lemay were down on them because they had only done soaps whereas other cast members had done theater, movies or primetime. And therefore had a(perceived) greater range of experience and technique.

BUFFALO COURIER-EXPRESS, Friday. April 5. 1957 NEW YORK. April 4—Recently the top executives of CBS radio programs wanted to find out how their daily 3-hour daytime women's serials were going. Also they asked who was writing them. So they tiptoed into the w r I t e r s lounge to see what was what. To their astonishment they found that all the writers were men! Eight men writing women's happiness-and-heartthrob programs! Those sometimes belittled soap operas that make the loudest, most golden clunk in the CBS cash register — was it safe to leave this lucrative channel to women's emotions to the literarv devices of men? Quickly they put the statistical department to counting how many women listen to these everyday 15 - minute serials. Came the correct count: 20,548.000 listeners. Who could quarrel with such figures or question such male talent, Why must it be men who engross that many women's minds after the kids get off to school, or while making the baby's formula, preparing the vegetables or dusting furniture and making beds? It seems women prefer the masculine point of view in their daily radio serials. Upon further research it turns out that eight men write seven of the longest-lived daytime dramas. Theirs are among CBS' best paid, most coveted and steadiest radio writing jobs. The men are not worried about writinq deathless prose. They merely want big salaries and lasting employment. Several of their serials are more than 20 years old and still very popular. Let any one of the programs be two minutes late and you can hear the listeners* squawks all along the network. LUCKY EIGHT—Here are the lucky eight: Frank Provo and John Pickard jointly author "Wendy Warren and the News." Milton Lewis turns out "This Is Nora Drake." Orin Tovrov writes "Ma Perkins" and David Lesan signs his name to "Young Dr. Malone." "Road of Life" is the product of Charles Gussman. "Right to Happiness" is by John M. Young, and "The Second Mrs Burton" by Hector Chevigny. There are. to be sure, some women daytime serial writers, but for some reason men outnumber and outclass them. For the most part these men work at their homes and come to the office only for occasional story conferences. Probably the sardonic truth is that some of these men's wives would prefer to have their husbands off in an office instead of cluttering up the house. Yet these very husbands have the insight and the power, through their writing, to spellbound millions of other men's wives. C'est la vie! The stock in trade of these masculine writers adds up to sympathy, joy, suffering, regret,frustration, ambition, anguish, revenge, hope, disappointment and love on every level. Their writing contracts call for a minimum pay of $300 a week for writing five 15-minute programs. None of these eight can even remember when he was being paid as little as $300 a week. Not only do they all have yearly raises, but there are "escalator clauses" in their contracts which are like the cow jumping over the moon; no calculating how high they can go, WED STEADY WOMEN—They all lead simple lives and they seem to take care not to marry women anything like the characters in their serials—women who are prone to emotional flights that are interesting to hear but hard to live with. For a thumbnail sketch of one of the CBS radio serial writers, take Hector Chevigny, author of "The Second Mrs. Burton." He comes from the State of Washington, where he prepared for a medical career and then switched to writing. He entered the radio script field in Hollywood, mastering the mechanics of broadcasting as well. In 1940 he stepped into free lancing with instant success. But four years later misfortune struck: he became blind. That was 13 years ago. Did it defeat him? Not at all. It spurred even greater output

EVELYN JUSTER RADIO/TELEVISION GUIDING LIGHT ???? Registered Nurse 1953

SATURDAY June 24 1972 Renne Jarrett has joined the cast of "Somerset," NBC television Network daytime dramatic serial, in the role of Ginger Kurtz. Miss Jarrett won a wide following for her protrayal of the title part in the NBC comedy series "Nancy" last year. A sharp change of character has come about for Miss Jarrett: from the lovable president's daughter in "Nancy" to the scheming Ginger in "Somerset" According to executive producer Lyle B Hill, "Ginger thrives on the unhappiness of others." Renne has been an actress most of her life. At the age of seven she was appearing regularly in "Portia Faces Life." During school days she appeared in TV shows continued her education in regular schools. At Northwestern University she majored in drama. She played on Broadway in "Giants, Son of Giants" and also appeared in several off Broadway productions. On TV before assuming the role of Nancy, she played in "The High Chaparral," "Then Came Bronson," "Mod Squad" and "Medical Center" among others. Other dramatic serials in which she has played are "Edge of Night" and "Love of Life." Renne is married to actor Jack Stauffer, who plays Chuck Tyler in the dramatic serial "All My Children." Renee stayed a year. GINGER KURTZ COOPER (Meg Wittner, August 30, 1971 - April 1972. Renne Jarrett, April 1972 - June 18, 1973. Fawne Harriman, July 3, 1973 - July 1976).

Further back, I posted an article about Vigard's firing. The claim was she was often late to the studio and unprepared. As for her saying she wanted to leave-that might have contributed to her behaviour. Who knows what really goes on BTS? A few years later she was back on soaps on OLTL.

Jane Eliot signed for a year. Hence the story reaching a conclusion at that time. However Marland wanted her to continue and Jane was agreeable. Potter disagreed, feeling that the story wasn't bringing in the ratings. Jane wouldn't have come cheap, so that was another consideration. I think that as time went on Marland and Potter began to clash more. I don't think Marland was happy about Mart Hulswit going or the recasting of Kirsten Vigard. So a lot of stuff going on.

New York Post Monday August 20 1962 Soap Opera Star Must Go-A Death in the Afternoon by Bob Williams There was no joy in Sudsville today. The sad news was out. TV matinee idol Mark Rydell, darling of the housewife for six years as the long-suffering Jeff Baker in the top-rated CBS soap opera, "As the World Turns, was not long for that long. He "dies" in an auto crash. Rydell could not repress sense of "shock," although he conceded that Jeff Baker had already lived a cat's quota of lives in his brief, unhappy span. The mourning had already started. Jeff Baker's No. 1 fan—Rydell's mother was first to hear the news. "When I told her," said Rydell, "she actually broke into tears." Word of Baker's impending demise leaked out at a CBS party Saturday night for Jackie Gleason. Network sources said producers of the soap opera had been "uneasy" over Rydell's refusal to sign a long-term contract. Rydell confirmed the details. "They've been trying to get me to sign a contract for years," he said. "I've always had a verbal commitment. I've become Increasingly interested in directing, rather than acting. "I've been up to my ears in directing at Actors Studio. I've had to turn down a great deal of stage work and Hollywood offers. Frankly I feel emancipated." Neither producer Allen Potter nor associate producer Lyle B. Hill could be reached for comment. Rydell said he was given a hint recently that there was an automobile accident in store for Jeff Baker. Then last week he got an advance script with the grim details . . ." The death certificate, as it were." Red-haired Rosemary Prinz, who plays Jeff Baker's wife, Penny, said she was stunned by the prospect of widowhood. "I'm sure I will somehow carry on bravely, however," she added. "I'm also in the accident. The makeup lady told me Friday she'd have some 'scars' ready' for me.*' The love story of Jeff and Penny, very good for soap sales, has hardly served as a testimonial to matrimony. Their first marriage, a tonnage thing, was annulled. They later remarried with parental approval. Jeff suffered and vanquished the curse of alcoholism, beat a murder charge and later deserted Penny. She almost divorced him once. They were about to adopt a baby when their world took the violent new turn. "We'd been through practically everything possible," said Rydell. Jeff and Penny were actually about to be happy." "Happy families," Miss Prinz observed, "unfortunately do not sell soap." *So Rydell was never on contract? That's surprising.

1970 Acting Holds 'Bright Promise' Actor David Lewis finds daytime drama believable and to his liking. He feels that daytime drama tends to be much more true to life than other types of dramatic shows. "People really aren't so poised as others portrayed in sleek plays, and they don't resolve their problems that neatly," he said. "People's lives really are much more complicated. They keep going over their problems. Even when they come to a decision, they fluctuate the next moment." Lewis is pleased with this decision to portray Dean Henry Pierce in "Bright Promise," shown Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 4 p.m. on WRGB. "The stage is my first love and daytime television is the closest thing I've found to the stage," he stated. "We've been working together since September. We know each other's timing. We know how to help each other and relate to each other. Consequently we are more relaxed and therefore the roles have more reality." LEWIS FINDS that the role has grown on him in a number of ways. "There's such a wealth of things to read now on the revolt of the campuses. I ask myself,'How do Ifeel about these issues and how would this man, whom portray, react?' He's pretty much conservative, but I've tried to make him broad-minded. He's firm in his convictions but at least understanding of the other side. This makes him an Interesting character to play." Lewis has played many interesting characters in the course of his long career. He has been a featured guest in many TVseries and appeared as a regular in "The Farmer's Daughter" series for three seasons, "The John Forsythe Show" one season, and "Peter Loves Mary

TV/Radio & Cable Week, May 30, 1982 I didn't think ^Falcon Crest' would be a hit, Foxworth says by Jerry Buck Robert Foxworth says he was skeptical when he was offered a role in the hew CBS prime time soap opera "Falcon Crest." First, he had starred in the movie adaptation of Joseph Wambaugh's "Black Marble," which was a box-office disappointment. Then he went on stage with Marsha Mason and Michael Learned in "Mary Stuart," another disappointment. "They were making some changes in the pilot of 'Falcon Crest,' including some cast changes," says Foxworth, "and I got a call asking me to look at a script and meet with Earl Hamner. "I talked to Earl and he was just wonderful. I don't think he has a devious bone in his body. But being from the South myself I know how Southerners can work around you." (Hamner is one of Hollywood's best known transplated Southerners. Besides creating "Falcon Crest," he based "The Waltons" on his own family in Virginia and was its narrator.) Foxworth, whose light brown beard shows traces of gray, says, "So with those disappointments I decided to accept. I said don't sit around here and whine about it, get to work." He smiles. "But I must say I didn't think 'Falcon Crest' would be a hit. Other people told me it would be, but I didn't believe them. I guess it was a lack of faith on my part." "Falcon Crest," paired with "Dallas," another Lorimar Productions serial on Friday nights, is one of the few hits among the shows introduced last fall. Actually, the only other is ABC's "The Fall Guy." The show is about a winegrowing family in California's Napa Valley, headed by matriarch Angie Channing, played by Jane Wyman. Foxworth plays her nephew and adversary, Chase Gioberti. He controls a choice piece of vineyard Angie would like to get her hands on. (Hamner, in jest, once cautioned against thinking of the program as '"Dallas' with grapes.") The pilot was filmed last year on location in the Napa Valley, but after that it underwent considerable retooling. Foxworth replaced another actor and Susan Sullivan replaced another actress as his wife, Maggie. Miss Wyman was also given a new look. Her gray wig and matronly wardrobe were tossed out and replaced by her own natural blonde hair and designer fashions. "They toughened my role up," says Foxworth. "The changes are still in progress. It evolved as the writers and producers saw what I was bringing to it. I don't think the character is there yet. It's really hard to define a role of this sort. It's not a type or a character that fits into a pigeonhole." Foxworth says, "I think one important thing about my character is the almost fantasy thing of changing his life in midstream. Here's a guy in his 40s, with a good career as an airline pilot and he gives that up to start in the vineyards. As a result of that he gets involved in politics. The Napa Valley is filled with people like that. I think it enhances the character because it's a fantasy fulfillment. "Another thing I'm trying to do more with — and this is more of a battle with the network and the producers than with Earl Hamner — is when there's a family conflict we should try to deal with it in a more naturalistic way rather than an overblown way. I think people are more drawn to that, probably in a backlash to the way other shows have overdone it." Foxworth says he has met a number of vintners in Napa, including Carl Doumani, who owns the land where the stonehouse is located. "He and his wife moved there 10 or 12 years ago to retire," he says. "It's kind of the same story as Chase. He was planning to retire, only he didn't retire. He's out working in the vineyards every day." He says, "I just hope this series goes on long enough so I can make enough money to buy some property in the Napa Valley and be a real wine-maker."

THE JOURNAL-NEWS, SUNDAY, JULY 11, 19 Guiding Light'—Another side to story by Lynda Hirsch Allen Potter, the urbane, triple-Emmy-winning producer of Guiding Light,” has been reading all the press concerning the imminent departure of that program's Jane Elliot, who plays Carrie. Potter does not wish to do battle with Jane, with whom he has made peace, but merely set viewers' minds at ease by telling the other side of the story On the issue of Jane’s departure: “Jane was not axed.When we went into negotiations it was for a year's contract only. As the end of that year drew closer it was obvious from the way the Carrie storyline was being written that the character was being terminated. I spoke with Doug Marland, the show's head writer, a few months earlier, and he said he had an alternative story which would have Carrie develop a third personality, still be troublesome to Ross but not as evil as the wicked Carrie we’ve been presenting "I felt that the story had been done. At no time was Carrie's storyline about her per se, but it was really about her effect on those around her and those who loved her. To me, seeing Carrie’s evolvement would not have been a great storyline, although it would have been feasible and I know as a writer Doug Marland could have handled it. "Jane felt that as her contract time ran short she should have been called into the office by me and told. Maybe so, but I felt she knew when her contract was coming to a close — she negotiated it — and seeing how the story was going, didn’t need to be notified. At that point I felt it would have been stating the obvious. Perhaps I should have spoken with her and said, 'By the way, your contract's up in a month.’ I didn’t. It was not meant as a slight in any way. Other actors have had their contracts come to a close and have not been called into the office.” In a previous column we mentioned the possibility that the cut of Elliot may have been due to budget. Potter says not true. “Procter & Gamble is not pinch-pennying on Guiding Light.’ I was just told last week by the powers that be that any money needed for storyline or location will be given to the show.” Potter also spoke to the possibility of castcutting. “We have just begun a 13-week cycle, and none of our stars has been let go. Janet Grey, who plays Eve, has just signed a new contract. Every cast member who is part of the show will remain with the show through this cycle and the foreseeable future.” Potter’s main concern is that neither cast nor viewer feels that “Guiding Light” will be sending tons of characters to the hinterlands. One rumor that Potter is trying hard to squelch through the press and by sending memos to the cast concerns Doug Marland’s leaving the show. According to Potter, “Doug is still doing breakdowns for the show, he is under contract and will continue to remain the ‘Guiding Light’ head writer in the foreseeable future.” “However, Procter & Gamble and Doug have decided to explore the expansion of Doug's considerable talents in the area of consultant to other P & G soaps while he continues as head writer of ‘Guiding Light.’” This is not an uncommon practice, since Agnes Nixon often toiled as consultant to ABC’s soaps while exercising control over “All My Children." As for Jane Elliot, she considered staying in New York since her husband Luis was working as a cameraman for “All My Children,” but the duo have decided to pack their bags and head home to LA And in the future for “Guiding Light,” Potter promises — and will certainly deliver if last year is an indication — exciting storylines, sleek production and a socko cast.

THE JOURNAL-NEWS, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1982 ‘Guiding Light’ gets a new head writer by Lynda Hirsch L. Virginia Browne has been named head writer of “Guiding Light’’, replacing Pat Falken Smith. “I was stunned, since I had assumed that my option was going to be picked up by the show,” Falken Smith said. “Word came to me two days before the option should have been picked up. I did not get word from the show’s producer, Alan Potter, but instead was called by Procter & Gamble official Ed Trach.” Falken Smith, who has also been head writer for “Days of Our Lives” and ‘ General Hospital’’, believes she was let go for two reasons. “It was very difficult for me to be writing aNew York soap and living on the West Coast. I have a 15-year-old daughter who needs my time and attention. When I first signed on to write for ‘Guiding Light’, the show was dreadfully behind. In fact, it was not unusual for an actor to be getting his script one day before taping. “I literally locked myself into my New York hotel room for two weeks, trying to get the show caught up. In fact, in that time in New York, I only went out to dinner twice, having meals sent up and working to get the scripts in ahead of time. It was a herculean task. “Also, when I came on ‘Guiding Light*, there was to be no head writer per se. Evidently there had been many problems with strong head writers on Guiding Light’, and it was felt that they wanted the role of head writer decentralized. I had to deal with long-term storyline projections turned in by other writers. None of these were acceptable, and so I took on what amounted to head-writing duties. I felt that I needed to get paid for these duties. I am a good writer, therefore my work does not come cheap. Perhaps it was felt I wanted too much money for my services. “When I joined Guiding Light I was told that in the past six years, none of the head writers had ever dealt with actors’ time off, vacations, etc. In other words, actors could request and get advance tape dates with their scenes shot ahead. When I came on to write, I had to deal with five major characters being unavailable. I made it clear on my first week with the soap during a meeting with the actors that I did not work that way, and that time off would not be granted at the whim of the performers. I must say that all the actors were very understanding. Falken Smith is talking to NBC about converting Judith Krantz’s best-selling novel "Scruples" into an afternoon soap opera to hit the airwaves this coming spring. Although she was unhappy about her release from Guiding Light, she said she is pleased that several “Guiding Light’’ actors took the time to write, stating their regret about her leaving and their pleasure with the scripts that she had turned As for her hopes for the upcoming project: "I m delighted. In fact, with my option coming up from Guiding Light’, I had been called by someone about the Scruples’ project, a project that we’d been working on for quite some time. I said I had to turn it down because I assumed I would be with Guiding Light’ for a very long time. When that did not pan out I called my contact and said I was available again. “I guess in a sense you could say ‘Guiding Light did me a favor by letting me go at this time But when I made a commitment to the show, I felt that that commitment would be coming from both parties.”

THE JOURNAL-NEWS, FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1985 Terry Lester exiting soap for the Orient by Lynda Hirsch After a four-year run as the channing, manipulative Jack Abbott on “The Young and the Restless,” Terry Lester has decided to leave the show. Lester, who recently starred in the CBS movie “Blade,” about an American private eye in Hong Kong, was negotiating with “Y&R” producers until the last moment. “I wanted to work something out. I’ve enjoyed being with the show However, I was concerned about the possibility of Blade’ being picked up as a series and being tied to “Young and Restless.” We were in negotations for the last few months. “I’ve enjoyed working on “Young and Restless.” I think Jack has changed in the past four years, although every once in a while there’s a tendency to make him the same old circus villain he was in the beginning. Happily the producers, the writers and myself were usually able to keep Jack progressing — never a wonderful person, but not nasty just to be nasty.” If Lester’s series is picked up he will be spending most of his time in the Orient. Although “Blade” would be based in Hong Kong, eventually it’ll go on location all over the Orient.

Greenfield Recorder, July 3,1982 Days of Wine and Rises for 'Falcon Crest By CHARLES WITBECK HOLLYWOOD— Unlike the rich bouquet of a fine Napa Valley pinot noir, "Falcon Crest," the CBS Friday night soap opera on life in the California wine country, usually tasted like cheap muscatel last winter. One sip and you wanted to spit it out. Inheriting the zesty, madcap "Dallas"as a lead-in could be considered both lucky and unlucky for the new soaper. It spelled survival for "Falcon Crest," - and disappointment for audiences because any comparison was so obvious. The Napa Valley show stumbled along, lacking wit, style or shape as matriarch Jane Wyman called the shots, barking at sullen relatives. Then, four weeks before the season ended, something happened. Grandson Lance Cumson (Lorenzo Lamas) married pregnant Melissa (Ann Alicia). The show jumped to No. 8 in the ratings. Without the benefit of publicity or network pro-. motion, viewers nevertheless tuned in to catch the marriage between a pair of brats. The show had found a spark, a chink of light, and it didn't emanate from the august Miss Wyman, but rather from movie actor Fernando Lamas' son Lorenzo and a pretty young Mexican law student, unknown Ana Alicia. When "Falcon Crest" resumes production this week for the fall, the kids — Lamas and Alicia — will be forernost. Fernando's boy, Lorenzo, with Arlene Dahl for a mother, is no surprise, having learned his trade over the past few seasons in various TV spots. Lorenzo drew fan mail from the very start. But Ana Alicia, born in Mexico, raised in El Paso, Texas, a student on a scholarship at Wellesley College, a waitress, bartender, realtor. is the surprise. Last January, Ana was hired for one show after giving a racy reading with a stand in for Lorenzo's character,- Lance Cumson. Producers Earl ("The Waltons) Hamner and Michael Filerman were mesmerized. Four days later Ana signed a series contract. In her series debut, Ana's Melissa seduces two boys to set the tone, a far cry from the sweet, sensitive types usually offered the youngster. Anna giggles over the scene. The censors cut out all the moans, so we were forced to add dialogue in a looping session, my first. A good Catholic girl Ana almost rejected the role because it was "overtly sensual." Would she offend viewer sensibilities? Mulling it over, Ana consulted a priest, who found a way out, saying "The better you play evil, the more good will out." Worried about family reaction, especially from her grandmother. Ana called home to ease fears. "It's all pretend," she said. "Don't take it seriously. I'm just playing a role." The role of bride Melissa Cumson, pregnant by another man, not her groom Lance, calls for a spoiled witch-brat," says Ana. "She learns from her father that land, Napa Valley land, is power, and she is determined to grab Falcon Crest from matriarch Angie (Jane Wyman) Ana approves of the show powerplays by women father than by the men. It's old stuff-to Ana, even in Mexico. "It's not overt, but women run things," says Ana. "Power is not a male prerogative." Up to this point, neither power or material things hold much interest for Ana. She is too busy testing real estate, and vows she will finish her law studies. But right now it's discovering her acting talents, using them to the limit. "Unless you test yourself, you never know what the possibilities are,"she says. • "I don't want anyone saying '.What was Ana Alicia?' This isn't a dress rehearsal. No fooling around. This is it."

Gannett Westchester/Saturday, December 13, 1980 Midland Heights' dreadful fun by Peter J Boyer LOS ANGELES (AP) - One of the luxuries enjoyed by TV soap operas is that they're judged apart from other TV entertainment. Viewers tend to indulge soaps their weaknesses in areas of dramatic structure, execution and dialogue. Character is the thing in soaps. What I'm trying to say is, CBS' new prime time Saturday night soap, "Secrets of Midland Heights," could become a hit show in spite of its dreadfulness. In a very busy premiere debut episode Dec. 6, "Midland Heights" showed itself to be a creature grossly fat with overacting and ludicrous situations. But, in the way soaps are, it was also sort of amusing. It's like this... Midland Heights is a little town out there somewhere in Soapsville County, where every citizen's life is a tangled web of deceit, lust, passion and sorrow, and where all the webs are interconnected. The burg is run by old lady Millington (Martha Scott), a crusty old bird" whose people founded Midland Heights. Running point for Mrs. Millington, and for himself, is Guy Millington (Jordan Christopher), the series' chief misanthrope. Of Guy's many reasons for unpleasantness, the most pressing seems to be that his niece, Ann (Doran Clark), somehow stands between him and the family fortune. Ann's mother is suggested to be insane, and Guy is most willing to assist Ann along a similar path. Ann loves a poor dropout, John. So, Guy has John run out of town. John might be saved, though, by Holly and Teddy, who ... never mind. Let's just say "Secrets of Midland Heights" wasted no time in setting up shop. Some of the situations were just too goofy to let pass without a snicker. There's a lot of emphasis on adolescents in this soap, so it wasn't surprising to find in the first episode a young virgin seeking to alter her situation. She talked a young man into going to a motel with her. Who do you suppose was in the next room, consummating infidelity? The girl's mother. Who do you suppose the girl's mother was with? The boy's father. (Tee hee. I have to giggle even now.) As I say, soaps are accounted on a separate ledger. This is a really bad show. But bad, in this case, could prove to be good. It doesn't matter to me, in any case. I'm equipped to handle but one soap at a time, and "Dallas" came along first

Fran Myers is still with us and working on Days. Someone should interview her. She's been involved in soaps for 60 years!

Agree re Mona. To have her turn up after so long and play the exact same scene with Randy as she did last time. What's the point? She isn't on often enough to have any value. Apparently she works for Nicole but we never see them together. I get she's non contract but she's basically non existent.

SEARCH FOR TOMORROW Fred Metcalf Alcoholic, womanizer... newspaper man Tom Carlin 1961-64 Donald Madden August 1964 - ?65 David O'Brien... October 1965-66

GUIDING LIGHT Anthony James "J" Reardon ... son of Quint and Nola KEVIN PATRICK MADDEN 3 month old playing newborn June 1984

TV Radio Week, January 21,1979 Whenever a new year begins, most people reflect on how they spent last year — and last year, we spent more than 2,500 hours watching soap operas. With those viewing hours under our eyelids, we feel that we have a right to hand out accolades for the best in daytime drama for 1978. In past columns, we have given awards for the very best and the very worst. Since we're still in the holiday spirit, today's mentions will be positive. When the joyous mood has worn off, we'll present the contrasting negative awards. Cutest Baby Ever to Grace a Soap Opera Nursery: Hands down, the winner is the lass who plays Ryan Fenelli on "Ryan's Hope." That infant smiles when she's supposed to, gurgles on cue,, and even wails at the proper time. Several other little ones who appear on afternoon TV would do well to take baby lessons from her. The Juvenile Actor Who Makes Us Wish We Were 10 Years Younger So We Could Date Him: John E. Dunn, "All My Children's" Tad Martin, wins this one. This actor manages to make his overly good character sparkling and likeable. And those brown eyes are incredible. If we can't.be 13 again, we wouldn't mind having a 13-year-old daughter who could date him. The Man We'd Most Like to Have Comfort Us in a Crisis: Bob Hughes of "As the World Turns," as played by Don Hastings, takes this award. Here is a man who hands out the same "things-willbe-better-advice" everyone else does on daytime TV, but when he delivers the line, we believe it. Even when he is proven wrong, we believe him the next time he says it. The credit goes to the actor. Most Realistic Portrayal of a Married Couple: Ray MacDonnell and Mary Fickett (Joe and Ruth, "All My Children") play a married couple like no other couple on afternoon TV — you believe they are married. They are able to argue, love and banter just like real folks. Credit here goes to both writers and actors. Most Charming Villain: The nod here goes to Roger Thorpe of "Guiding Light," as played by Michael Zaslow. We know Roger is a scoundrel, but Zaslow is one of the few bad guys on television who are shaded gray. Brotherly Love Award: This goes to William Mooney, who toils as Paul Martin on "All My Children." Since his soap opera wife Ann has been in a sanitarum, the actor has little to do. This is a shame, because the scenes he does are marvelous — especially when he starts to tease his brother Joe. It is comforting to see siblings goading each other and acting like real siblings. Most Insecure Character: Thank the Lord for "Guiding Light's" Katie Parker, as played by Denise Pence. Those wonderful put-downs Katy aims at herself are terrific. What started as a minor role seems to be blossoming for the actress and the character. For us imperfect television viewers, it is nice to have a character voicing insecurities. Although Denise, with her looks, has nothing to be insecure about, her delivery makes it believable. Best Actress to take over a Role and Make it Her Own: Jada Rowland takes this one. When she replaced Carolee Campbell on the "Doctors," it seemed strange. Now we find it hard to remember that anyone else ever played Carolee Aldrich. Serenest Person Around: This award goes to Susan Brown for her portrayal of "General Hospital's" Gail Adamson. She allows the character to be calming without being boring — which is no mean trick. Many heroines on afternoon television simper from one problem to the next. This character has grace and style. Actress Most Able to turn a Character Around: While we're stopping at "General Hospital," Leslie Charelson deserves a mention for winning in this category.Monica was truly a witch, but when Leslie joined the cast, Monica softened. She still doesn't always believe that right is right and that's it, but she's a charmng schemer and one we'd like to have in our corner. Best Crier on the Airwaves: Judith Light, as Karen on "One Life to Live," has no rivals. She makes the tears flow on cue, but does it in such a touching way it doesn't grate. Some daytime criers are enough to warp the living room floor, but our girl Judy has just the right tear flow. We've had our turn.

THE JOURNAL-NEWS, SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1975 Soap opera heroines fill gaps by Tom Donelly WASHINGTON-It isn’t every day you can talk to a soap opera heroine in the flesh and when two such heroines come to town for interviews, the chance to clear up various little mysteries is not to be missed. After all, even the most ardent soap opera freak is bound to miss a crucial episode now and then. Lynne Adams and Fran Myers, who play Leslie Bauer and Peggy Fletcher on ‘The Guiding Light” weekdays on CBS were most obliging about supplying answers to nagging questions. The most baffling single episode I've ever seen on a soap opera took place some time ago on “The Guiding Light.” We zoomed in on a London telephone booth containing Leslie Bauer. Leslie rang up her mother, an enigmatic lady named Victoria Ballenger, and said: ‘‘Hi Mom! I'm in town unexpectedly, and I’m coming right over to your flat.” Or words to that effect. Whereupon Mrs. Ballenger, looking upset in the extreme, turned to the distinguished gray-haired gentleman seated beside her and told him that she couldn’t explain why, but a woman was going to turn up in a few minutes and pretend to be Mrs Ballenger’s daughter, and the gray-haired man should pretend to be a clerk who worked in Mrs. Ballenger’s boutique. Whereupon the man leaped up, announced that Mrs. Ballenger was obviously trying to drive him crazy, and raced for the door, vowing that he was going to take a taxi back to the sanitarium, where he wouldn’t be subjected to such vile and incomprehensible games. ‘‘I can’t explain! But trust me!” shouted Mrs. Ballenger. ‘‘I have a reason! Now what was that all about? Miss Adams said: ‘‘Well, you see Victoria Ballenger was a really terrible phony. She ran out on my father, Dr. Stephen Jackson, and me when I was a baby, and then years later she turned up pretending she was full of maternal feelings. But what she was after was money to pay for psychiatric treatments for her lover — the man who was in her flat with her. He was on leave from a mental institution. “So I had a big crying scene when I found out she didn’t really love me all that much, and she turned on me and said: ‘You think I’ve been lying to you! Well, your father has been lying to you! He’s not your father!’ So for a few weeks I was terribly upset and wouldn’t talk to him, but then I realized the man who brings you up and takes care of you is your real father even if he isn’t your blood father. You know, like in ‘Silas Mamer.’ The viewers wouldn’t know Dr. Jackson isn’t my actual fatner it they missed a few episodes. We go on the way we’ve always gone on.” See? Naturally a woman who has a lover in the booby hatch wouldn’t want him to know she was raising the money for his cure by telling fibs. ‘‘The Guiding Light” began on radio in 1937 and switched to televison on June 30, 1952. Miss Adams started playing Leslie in 1966 and Miss Myers signed on as Peggy a year earlier. Although the bloom of youth is bright upon them - MissAdams in 28, Miss Myers is 24, these women have suffered, professionally speaking, more agony than Bette Davis and Joan Crawford collectively endured in all their years in Hollywood. During the course of the interview, I kept calling Miss Myers “Peggy” because, off and on, I’ve watched her grow from a 15-year-old boarding school innocent to a woman on trial for the murder of her first husband to a somewhat older woman whose second husband seems to have disappeared into thin air. Miss Myers said:“The writers just felt he was expendable, I guess. We’re never told why they get rid of somebody. I mean, when it happens all of a sudden like that.” Whatever became of Bill Bauer, the first character in a TV serial to have a heart transplant? Peggy, I mean Fran Myers, said: “He was reported missing after a plane crash in Alaska five years ago. But he might turn up one day. Miss Adams said: “There’s lots more suspense in soap opera than there is in primetime television. You know Mary Tyler Moore isn’t going to drop dead on Saturday night, and whereas a series hero may be in great peril between 9 and 10 p.m. you know he'll come out of it. But you can’t ever be sure when a soap opera character will be snuffed out.” The soaps are plotted a year in advance, Miss Myers said. But changes are constantly being made, sometimes drastic ones. “The writers often get us involved in a story that looks terrific on paper,” Miss Adams said. “But when I left ‘The Guiding Light’ to play in ‘The Secret Storm’ a couple of years, nobody seemed to mind. I must say I didn’t like the story line on ‘Storm’ at all. I’m married and I think I’m pregnant but by the time I find it’s a false alarm my husband has become paralyzed. He’s living for the birth of our child, so I decide to have one by artificial insemination. And, can you believe it? The doctor who takes care of me is in love with me so he acts as the donor. ” ‘‘Such a romantic gesture,” said Miss Myers. “The whole idea was so icky I really didn’t want to do it,” Miss Adams said. “But you have no choice.” The two heroines got into a slight argument about how the characters they play on “The Guiding Light” feel about another character, apparently a most irresponsible type “Nobody really blamed her for letting the child catch fire,” Miss Myers said. “I blamed her,” said Miss Adams. “I most certainly did blame her. At first, anyway.” Miss Myers said: “Here we go again. We iust naturally get to talking that wav.” Miss Adams said: “We were in a cab and Fran was saying, Do you think I murdered him?’ I said, ‘I’m not sure.’ And Fran said, ‘Well, he did get me pregnant. We suddenly realized the cab driver was getting more and more nervous, so we put his mind at rest. We’re always wondering out loud whether the characters we play have really done this or that. The producers seem to feel it would spoil the effect if we knew in advance. Laurence Olivier does all right, even though he’s read the third act. But then, he’s Olivier.”