Paul Raven

TRISTAN ROGERS Bellbird unknown role (Australian serial) Crossroads unknown role (UK serial)

The Abbott dining room-when was the last time that was seen? And yes, the ugly flowers at both the Abbotts and Newmans were distracting. Cole is looking way better-that weird beardline he had at first has gone. Don't mind CLB with the grey, but I am never a fan of the bouffant aspect. Can't say I'm noticing a dramatic improvement in women's clothing as yet. Why is Alan still around? Just arm candy for Traci? Nate fill out the pink top very nicely...

Re Monica. should the role be recast? How should they deal with Leslie Charleson's absence?

ABC failing to land a single show in the Top 20. They were so far behind the eight ball in those years with only Bewitched, FBI and a few other shows making any impression. Smothers Brothers was the first show to make any impact on Bonanza but controversy over their content and clashes with CBs saw them cancelled. NBC's Wednesday and Thursday lineups were the only nights all the shows made the Top 20. arland

This has been discussed before but Marland's 13 week stint at ATWT seemed very much a 'caretaker' position. He did not make any major changes, merely continued the stories in place. No formal announcement was made at the time oh is appointment as headwriter. However, when the Dobsons moved to ATWT and Marland took over GL there were announcements and in both cases a shift in storylines and character was apparent from the get go. So it seems like for whatever reason ATWT needed someone to fill in. Maybe Marland had already been signed for GL and there was some backstage stuff that had to be worked out, so took the temp ATWT stint.It has never really been resolved. The Dobsons had left GL in far better shape than what they inherited at ATWT.

Are they some of the oldest skewing network shows? I know that has been an ongoing issue for years, as the shows tried to attract the next generation of viewers. Even as far back as the 80's when Days decided to move the focus from the aging characters eg Doug/Julie, Mickey/Maggie to Bo/Hope,Roman/Marlena and change the storytelling approach. i guess that's why they now focus on the same characters for years and are very hesitant about dropping them, for fear the remaining viewers will be turned off.

You might not be far off the mark. I'm pretty sure in an interview Higley complained about execs asking 'and then what happens?'after she had pitched a story thinking she was pointing out their shortcomings rather than her own.

Jon Michael Reed discusses the killing off of John Wyatt and I am inclined to disagree on his take. John may have been popular but he had been on 6 years and been through 3 marriages. He had no family connections and there were other lawyers on the show to fill that role. I'm sure Val Dufour would have been expensive and they would have to come up with another 3 years of story. Despite what Reed claims there were still plenty of vets on the show-Jo, Stu, Ellie, Stephanie, Janet, and they were getting story. Ted and Martin had been added so there were still older characters in the mix. As for killing him off mid week, I guess they didn't want to make too much of it for fear of negative feedback. Search was only a 30 min show and room had to be made for new characters. Sometimes cuts have to be made. Courier Express, 11 November 1979 The Soap Report John Wyatt a Strange Demise by Jon Michael Reed There's something awfully fishy about the death of John Wyatt, which occurred recently on "Search For Tomorrow. It's no secret around the years studio that headwriters Bill and Joyce Corrington don't have much fondness for most of the longer running characters on the show. It's true that the Corringtons have done wonders by upgradiig the show in the past year, but they've accomplished this by concentrating on new and younger characters. THEY HAVE said publicly that they would like nothing better than to move the show out of the fictional town of Henderson, where they'd line to leave all the old-time residents in mothballs. The Corringtons simply haven't written dynamic stories for most of the veterans of the show and there have been backstage rumbles of malcontent from performers who have been with the show for many years. Val Dufour who has played lawyer John Wyatt since 1972 won't confirm or deny rumours of his own dissatisfaction with the way his character was developing, or rather not developing. "I simply thought it was time to call it a day" says Emmy award winning Val of his decision not to renew his contract. "I'm very sad about leaving, but the show has gone in different directions recently and I felt there wasn't much reason for me to stick around. At this point I can only say that the shows sponsor Proctor & Gamble has been very good to me throughout the years, and I hope our relationship continues in another soap opera. But not I really want to vacation." Val has reason to be grateful to P&G. The actor began his soap career in the 1950's in one of the earliest serial efforts 'First Love'. In 1965 he portrayed an elegant villian, Andre Lazar on 'Edge of Night',a P&G show. Then he won wide acclaim on another P&G vehicle 'Another world' playing the charming but nefarious Walter Curtin. "INTERESTINGLY," "fans see more readily as Walter than they do as John." Which isn't surprising as John has been out of the "Search" story limelight for many of Val's years on the show. The really 'fishy'aspect of John's demise however, lies in the fact that the writers chose to get rid of the character midweek. Usually the death of a major character occurs on a cliff-hanging Friday after a long stretch of suspense. Although John Wyatt went out with "a bang" from a gun, he really went out with a whimper a long, long time ago Poor Val, he suffered the same fat twice, Harding Lemay came on AW and wrote Walter off and the Corringtons did the same at SFT. He got to save face by saying he chose to leave, but I doubt it. And his sucking up to P&G didn't help. He never worked on soaps again. They probably didn't realize at the time, but he was one of many 60's and 70's soaphoppers that found themselves no longer in demand in the 80's.

Exactly! Y&R focusing on the same characters for years and trapping them in these romantic merry go rounds does the show no favors.

Daren Kelly tested for Pat on Ryan's Hope and Jeff on AMC before landing the role of Dan Kennicott on AMC.

AfterMash couldn't sustain its early promise and CBS must have been disappointed by its failure to compete with the TV movies in the second half of the season. So when Kate & Allie came along and did just that CBS washed its hands of AfterMash, tossing it into an impossible timeslot in Season 2. Wk 1 #1 Wk 2 #1 Wk 3 #4 Wk 4 #17 Wk 5 #8 Wk 6 #15 Wk 7 #13 Wk 8 #13 Wk 9 # 13 Wk 10 prempted by The Gambler Pt 2 #1 Wk 11 # 18 Wk 12 ? Wk 13 ? Wk 14 ? Wk 15 # 9 Wk 16 #39 up against Something About Amelia #1 Wk 16 # 28 up against American Music Awards Wk 17 #16 Wk 18 # 20 Wk 19 # 33 Wk 20 #36 Wk 21 # prempted by Master of The Game Wk 22 # 49 up against Lace #1 Wk 23 # 17 Wk 24 # 40 Wk 25 Kate & Allie takes over timeslot #4

I know it's apart of soaps for couples to split and move on but Y&R keeps it so confined. And each relationship lasts less than a year of 'true love' before they're ready to move on. Adam/Sharon/Chelsea/Sally. Nick/Sharon/Phyllis/Chelsea/Sally Billy/Chelsea/Phyllis/Lily/Sally

ONE LIFE TO LIVE I think these are all new Astrid....Missi Pyle Jan 6 99-?? the beautiful decoy in Blair's plot against Téa. Mrs. Linda Kasarijian - Jenna Stern Jan 11 99 - ?? the director of the adoption agency who meets with Jessica and Viki. Dr Posner ...Tom Stechschulte Jan 11 99 - ?? Cassie's caretaker at Llanview Hospital Dr Redman.... Ned Van Zandt Jan 13 99 - ?? Cassie's doctor and more info on Okie ..Jamie Gustis Jan 8 99-?? a classmate of Will’s. Okie tries to get Will to hang out and drink at the Student Union.

M Mmmm.....that got me thinking that instead of Kevin, Nikki had slept with Lucas. Maybe Lucas, not getting any action from Leslie or Casey had availed himself of Nikki's womanly wiles and got her pregnant(supposedly) Wanting a child of his own this time he could have fought to marry Nikki. That would have kept Lucas in the story and caused problems for Nikki/Casey. Instead of killing off Vanessa, she could have hung around to been a thorn in Nikki's side and clash with Katherine. Then Lucas is devastated when he discovers Victoria is not his and decides Victor and Nikki must pay. Interesting possibilities.

Yes, I don't think Mary Lynn Blanks or Gwyn Gillis were fan favorites but Agnes also killed off Phil (Nick Benedict) and wrote off Linc (Peter White) and Kelly (Francesca James) who were quite popular I think.

Bill Bell gets a lot of attention for phasing out the original families on Y&R and changing the focus but Agnes did a similar thing in the late 70's/early 80's with most of the Tylers and Martins being dropped. The Soap Report Jon-Michael Reed BUFFALO COURIER-EXPRESS, Sunday, February 8, 1980 Exodus at 'AMC' Touches Off Cast Shake-Up The casting wheels of change are afoot at all of the ABC soaps. The first soap to be struck by the Russian roulette casting game is "All My Children".Mary Lynn Blanks (Tara) was the first "AMCer to receive her walking papers. For Mary Lynn, it was an especially crushing blow, since she had been led to believe the show was gearing up terrific triangle involving Tara, Chuck and Jim. Add to that her father's holiday advice that ~ she's "wasting her time with acting business," and you can imagine how down in the dumps she is these days. Paul Falzone, who joined "AMC" as Jim Jefferson three months ago, is now hustling to find work elsewhere to support a new addition to his family. Paul's wife is expecting a child in July: Several weeks ago, Paul's agent complained that he wished Paul had more time to be sent out on lucrative commercial auditions. Now, he has the chance. ALSO SLATED to exit within the next month is Gwyn Gilliss and her "AMC" character of Anne Martin. Gwyn's screen husband, Paul (played by William Mooney) will probably be shipped off with a handful of other actors. It's a sad day, indeed, in seap heaven when such stalwarts as Tara, Anne and Paul, who've been mainstays since "AMC debuted, are relegated to the junk heap. On the other side of the casting coin, Tudi Wiggins joins "AMC" as Sara Kingsley; Brandon'd wife. Erica, who's been sleeping in Brandon's bed, should really love that bit or news,as she had no idea her lover has a Mrs. Add the fact that Wiggins is one of the best "scene-chewers" in the soap business and "AMC" might have at least a temporary remedy for viewers who will bellyache about the dismissal of familiar Pine Valley folks. One guy. who won't be missed, however, is wife beater Kurt Saunders.Judging from fan mail, the actor who played this character was as loathed for his overplaying theatrics as for the character's vile story behavior. We respectfully refrain from mentioning the actor's name. He's probably a niceguy who deserves an acting job else where, like Siberia.

I don't believe any TV movie following bested the numbers of 'The Day After'. And look at AfterMash at #13. Those early ratings were fine but somewhere along the line it lost it's luster and CBS gave up. Putting it up against the A Team was crazy. They had very few sitcoms. Surely a better slot could have been found.

Only for camp value. A little of the Maestro's shtick went along way for me.

Yes there is something about GR's onscreen persona that is grating to me. Same with Michelle Stafford. Nina on GH was just as annoying to me as Phyllis.

But they then have the option of dropping Chance for a while when he is not needed. Recurring works well budget and story wise as long as the actor is happy with more limited appearances. These ongoing characters appear to be recurring. Most, but not all officially acknowledged. Esther Lauren Michael Chance Abby Jill Mariah Tessa

I agree but as I stated Mamie didn't really change with the recast. It wasn't like she suddenly became Auntie Mame instead of Aunt Mamie. She still filled the same role as Marguerite. Maybe it was a BTS thing-money or personality clash?

josh saying he loves Hitchcock and was inspired by 'Strangers on a Train'. Let's hope he doesn't rewatch 'Psycho' or 'The Birds'.

That brief scene demonstrated both the feelings Mamie had for the family and through Ashley the family's love for her. Well played. A couple of things...Why was Marguerite Ray dropped? Veronica Redd didn't really change Mamie in anyway and I could see MR doing fine in scenes with Winters sisters. And how many strokes and heart attacks did John Abbott have?

Courier Express, 3 August 1980 Eplsodic TV Bores Star of "Texas" BEVERLEE MC KINSEY, looking lean but hardly mean as afternoon soap fans know her, sat down in a room filled with television columnists who usually pass on watching the afternoon serials. Miss McKinsey, who this week shifts her act from "Another World" to NBC's new hour soap, 'Texas," sized up her situation immediately and smiled. "What's that?" she asked. "You don't know Iris? Why, that's like not knowing J. R. Ewing!" The veteran of afternoon drama, viewed loyally by far more than housewives in this modern era, took a deep breath and intoned: "'I've been on that show 7and a half years. Let's see now, how do I describe that woman?" I'LL SPARE YOU the trials and tribulations Beverlee spun before us. If you've followed a soap for a time, or even if you know of someone who has, you can imagine what Iris Bancroft has been through. Call it the wringer of life. Only Iris isn't one of those characters to whom things happen. No, she makes them happen to others. She's a villainess. But now here's the deep shocker for all faithful followers of ""Another World": Iris will be a villainess no more. And Beverlee McKinsey isn't sure that turn of events augers well for "Texas." "I don't know if audiences will like that,"" she admitted to the assembled scribes "I've found they like Iris because she's bad. But now she's going to be a romantic heroine and my challenge will be to keep enough of the old character in there " BEVERLEE LEFT no doubt she's genuinely worried about the serial even before the suds appear. 'You must have a villain for it to work,." she stressed "And I don't know who it's going to be on 'Texas .'" Now if you're getting the idea that Beverlee McKinsey is one who speaks her mind, you're getting the right idea. Another example came when someone asked her about the deep moral messages many feel can be found throughout soap operas. "Soaps are moral?" she asked with a grin. "If they are, they only do it to keep you interested - and not for any real moral reason." What does she think about soap operas - 'Another World" for instance? "I DON'T READ the scripts." she replied to incredulous looks. "And I don't watch the show I can't tell you what's happening on 'Another World" right now. I don't watch it and I never did." So there. How's that for honestly? But wait - there's more ''Episodic TV bores me," Miss McKinsey maintains ''So I don't watch it " And so in a few sentences, she has lambasted afternoon soaps and much of prime. time programming as well What's next? Well. there are certain things she won't do on TV. For example, she won't go for '"'stripping'' scenes, which, in case you think evening TV is suggestive; no longer raise eyebrows in the afternoon. So when her producers asked, Beverlee said no-no. "I read this script and said, what is this? Not only do we have to be 18 but naked too? I called up and told them, 'I don't take my clothes off. As Jim Garner said, I don't do horror films. I will appear to be naked - but sitting in bed taking each other's clothes off? That's out." Now stand by for more honesty from Beverlee. "I was going to leave 'Another World' and daytime TV when 'Texas' came along," she revealed. "At the end of November, (producer) Paul Rauch called me into his office and said, 'You're going to be the star.' I replied, 'What am I here?' And he said, 'No, I mean this new story will feature you.' "I HAD PLANNED to tell him in a month that I would retire. But I accepted for a limited time. And I will do this for only 18 months." Beverlee sounds as if she doesn't enjoy acting in soaps, doesn't she? It's true she does dwell on the negative aspects, but beyond all those complaints exists appreciation for her good fortune "I heard the girl who plays Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) on 'Dallas' say to (Johnny) Carson one night that hers is the most exciting role in soaps," Miss McKinsey said. "I thought, honey, you haven't tapped It. Daytime TV offers roles you cannot find else. where Look at me. I'm going from 90 to 60 minutes (dally) and my salary is going upward. "IF THERE IS anything really bad about it," she continued, 'it's the work routine. I don't take my work home with me and why should I? I leave my house at 5 a.m. and finish shooting at 8:30 p.m. It gets very tiring." It also gets painful when an actress going through such a grind falls off a ladder at home and injures her arm. "I was taking a curtain rod down in my bedroom," she relates. "I flew and the wall gave way. I landed about five feet away and lay there for 3% hours until my husband found me. "At first, they said I had a broken collarbone. I don't throw anasthesia off quickly, so I didn't have surgery. I was advised not to unless it's life or death and this wasn't. And without surgery I'll never have full use of my left arm. They should have pinned it. It's still extremely painful." So that unfortunate accident idled Beverlee for a time, but now she's ready for "Texas" starting Monday (Ch. 2, 3 p.m.) following "Another World," which is being trimmed to an hour to make room for the spinoff. How will the transition come? "IRIS MOVES," Miss McKinsey explains. "Her marriage is falling apart, her son is going to Houston and there's nothing to keep her in Bay City. What she encounters when she arrives in Houston is key. I should say who she encounters - someone she knew a long time ago. She actually just goes there for a holiday. But she stays because of this man Soon, we'll have fashbacks to flesh scenes of 25 years ago. "I have to look 18 and I ask them, 'What are you going to shoot it through a blanket?" But they were romantic scenes,so they'll put gauze on the lens and you could play the role and no one would know the difference." So get out the fresh suds,if this daytime answer to Dallas makes it to the 21st century, some actress will say what Beverlee McKinsey says of so many soap plots: "Honestly, you could get into incest on that show without even realizing it'"

I felt that Robert Adamson and Melissa Ordway were both too old for Noah and Abby. Both roles had been SORASED too quickly and should have been age stabilized for a while instead of casting actors who not only looked too old onscreen but were also older IRL. And for Abby, daughter of Ashley and Victor,to have such a bland personality was a misfire.