watson71

On Pluto TV on the Bob Barker Price is Right channel they are airing the promo during every commercial break. CBS definitely wants people to know that premiere date! 😉

Today’s episode had me thinking about a soap history question- today’s episode featured two characters named Steven- Steve Johnson and Steven Olson. How many times has a soap featured two characters with the same first name? I can’t imagine it has happened too frequently.

Old school soap opera- excellent episode.

The P&G soaps occupy the top 5 spots in the ratings and the 3 ABC soaps are in the bottom 5. In a decade it would definitely change.

The mess that Paul Rauch made out of Another World once Harding Lemay left as head writer. In 1980, the 90-minute AW was airing from 2:30-4:00. When that wasn’t working, Texas was created, taking Beverlee McKinsey to Texas. There were two problems- The 2:30, then 2:00, start time for AW was the first time in 15 years that AW did not air in the 3:00 time slot. Removing McKinsey from AW did not help either. When Texas debuted, it should have aired at 2:00, then AW at 3:00. Once McKinsey left Texas, P&G should have moved heaven and earth to bring her back to AW. It also did not help AW that the storylines were all over the place in 1981-82.

Anderson was there from February to April 1988. Her biggest contribution to AW was Wallingford’s memorial service. The writers’ strike occurred, and it was announced that Harding Lemay would return as headwriter.

For weeks on Another World, a mystery man was stalking Felicia. Jason Frame had given her a gun for protection. At Felicia’s 40th birthday party, the mystery man disguised himself as a strongman from the circus. He followed Felicia into a hall of mirrors, and when she fired the gun- a dead Jason Frame came crashing through the mirrors. The mystery man turned out to be Derek Dane- he was a young boy that lived in Felicia (Fannie Grady’s) house as a foster child. He killed Felicia’s abusive father, Noah Grady.

Christine Jones played Janice Frame on AW for 18 months from November 1978 to March 1980, but her presence on the show and how she and Mitch plotted to kill Mac would play well into the 1990s with her son Evan Bates on the show.

From January to June 1989 AW is pretty much on fire with the umbrella story of Who Killed Jason Frame- it pretty much involves every character on the show. While not bad, thing start to fall apart after Mac’s death and the Red Swan mystery begins.

She could have been cast as Iris on AW as well.

It’s probably Potomac, MD. They should specify the real city, rather than a fictional soap city name since DC will be featured on the show.

The Flood- February 1986

The following characters during this time had potential, but the show really never did anything with them: Caroline Stafford- she was there, but no real story Vivien- should have been kept on recurring status as long as possible- not for any big storyline but she provided continuity and familiarity with the audience Russ and Olivia Matthews- should have stayed in Bay City not only for their historical significance; Olivia’s baby was a Matthews and Cory. After they left Bay City they were forgotten Emma Frame- Elizabeth Ashley’s Emma should have stayed in Bay City and been used as a busybody like Liz Matthews

Thanks for the info- NBC probably should have kept Jeopardy and cancelled HTSAM instead.

The week of 1/6/75 was the first week Another World aired its hour long episodes. The hourlong AW actually gave Somerset a tiny bump in the ratings. I wonder how many times How to Survive a Marriage aired the week of 1/6/75 since it was cancelled to give AW that extra half hour?

This is something I always wonder about- Vicky was arguing with Perry when he fell from the hayloft. This never was addressed after the fact. After Ryan died, they could have had Carl indirectly blame Vicky for the deaths of both Perry and Ryan. If they had not done that Bobby Reno/Shane Roberts story with the character receiving Ryan's corneas, they could have done a story where Ryan's death was faked, and he was placed in a witness protection program. Clearly, Paul Michael Valley was open to returning to the show in the ghost story.

This was not helped by having Donna recast with Philece Sampler and having Rhonda Lewin as Vicky for a few months at the end of 1986; then, having Vicky and Marley off the canvas for the first 6 months of 1987 until Anne Heche took over in July.

Allen Potter had gotten the show into shape in 1983-84, but Stephen Schenkel dismantled most of it in 1985. The only characters introduced with any longevity were Jake, Vicky, and Bridget. The following characters were introduced but did not stay in Bay City long- Chris Chapin, Neal Cory, Dee Evans, Daniel Gabriel, Edward Gerard, Daphne Grimaldi, and Zane Lindquist. The introduction of Sharon Gabet was all over the place when Brittney Peterson arrived in Bay City. Things were not helped when they recast Sally with Taylor Miller. After John Hutton left the role of Peter Love, the role was recast twice in 1985 with Christopher Holder and Marcus Smythe. The character of Carl Hutchins was not shown on a consistent basis in 1985. When he did return in the Fall, Carl was involved in that crazy Egyptian treasure storyline that was hidden in Arizona. These long term AW characters exited Bay City with little fanfare in 1985- Brian Bancroft, Sandy and recast Blaine Cory, Jamie Frame, Alice Matthews, Perry Hutchins, Grant Todd, Ben and Vince McKinnon, and Mark Singleton.

Bunim was at SFT in the 70s and Fred Bartholomew was the EP of ATWT. They did one of those famous P&G producer switches in the early 80s. Bunim went to ATWT and Bartholomew went to SFT. He was the EP of SFT when it moved from CBS to NBC.

There was some kind of behind the scenes fallout between Laura Malone and Chris Rich/Nancy Frangione in 1984. Could TPTB gotten rid of Malone to appease Rich during contract negotiations? All three actors eventually left the show. Also, when Allen Potter announced his retirement, P&G was going to transfer ATWT EP Mary Ellis Bunim to AW. Bunim went to Santa Barbara instead, while AW got Stephen Schenkel as EP who did a lot of damage to AW in 1985. Do you think Bunim would have been better for AW then Schenkel?

When Jake got a half brother when Kevin Anderson arrived in Bay City in 1991, they could have easily made the Kevin character Ben McKinnon.

On Plex, they have a Knots Landing page where it looks like you will eventually be able to select individual episodes from different seasons. They just have not uploaded the episodes yet. Maybe they are letting the series play all the episodes on the Primetime Soaps channel before allowing viewers to stream the individual episodes they want.

Someone should really try to interview Gail Brown (Clarice) as well. She was at the 60th anniversary, and she will turn 87 this year on October 11th. I’m sure she would have some good AW stories to tell having been on the show from 1975-86. I’d especially like to hear about her working with Beverlee McKinsey in those early years when Iris terrorized Clarice over the birth of baby Cory.

Since P&G is involved it would be cool if the show includes some P&G “Easter eggs” like they include in the Marvel movies. For example,Jessica the psychiatrist was an intern at Cedars Hospital. Betty and her senator husband had their biography written by Felicia Gallant, etc. A character could mention Oakdale, Springfield, Bay City, Monticello, or Henderson. They don’t have to feature any specific characters- just mentions.

Another World 1980-81, Texas 1980-81, Search for Tomorrow 1984, and Edge of Night 1980-81 were digitized for the AOL Soap Channel. I know a lot of this is on YouTube, but this could be put on a streaming service if it was saved. Almost every other commercial on PlutoTV is for a P&G product. With all the classic TV they have, I could see a P&G soap channel working there. If they have multiple channels of 30- 40- 50- year old game shows, then a soaps channel, besides Y&R and B&B, could work on Pluto TV. Anyone know the status of the episodes of the TBS P&G produced soap The Catlins from the 1980s? I wonder if these episodes were saved by TBS or P&G?