Primetime Soaps

[Cat]

Dynasty was absolutely my favorite Primetime soap ever. And The Colbys, because of Stephanie Beacham.

One mini-series I remember (along with Lace -- I remember reading the book with my schoolfriends when I was little. It was full of rude bits!) was Judith Krantz's Princess Daisy. Pretty much most of Judith Krantz's books were made into mini-series, weren't they? Mistral's Daughter... PD... I'll Take Manhattan... Scruples. I think her hubby Exec Produced them all.

[Paul Raven]

Gloria Monty,legendary GH producer,was involved in a summer soap called 'The Hamptons'.ABC Jul-Aug 83

It was about two families linked by romance and co-ownership of a department store chain.The setting was NY and of course The Hamptons.

Cast:Leigh Taylor Young(SB) John Reilly (GH ATWT) Craig Sheffer (OLTL) Kate Dezina (AMC)Jada Rowland(DRS SS) Daniel Pilon(RH)

I think it was shot on videotape, which would've made it cheap to produce and given it a daytime look.

I forgot to mention that Executive Suite was written by Henry Slesar,who was also writing Edge of Night at the time.

Kings Crossing ABC Jan-Feb 82 Sat 8-9

About a family who move to the town of Kings Crossing to make a fresh start.The focus was on the younger characters and 4 of the young actors fom Secrets of Midland Heights ,including Linda Hamilton appeared in this show.

Also starring Mary Frann(DOOL) and Bradford Dillman

CBS had originally planned Secrets as an 8 o'clock show but when it was scheduled at 10 the focus changed.

The same producers were behind Kings Crossing so this may have been more reflective of their original premise.

[kade]

Hey Paul! I mentioned those two soaps (Midland Heights/King's Crossing) earlier in this thread, you seem to be the only one who knows anything about them! I saw clips of them in a media/history of TV class (discussing the quest for the youth demographic) and I noticed some of the same actors in both series (Midland Heights seemed dark , set in the east, and almost gothic while King's Crossing looked like a sunny mid-western kind of thing...do you know if the characters moved from one show to the other like a spin-off or sequel or did the second show simpy use alot of the same actors?

Thanks!

Kade

[Paul Raven]

Kade,the young actors in question that appeared in both shows were

Linda Hamilton

Doran Clark

Marilyn Jones

Daniel Zippi

They did not play the same characters and there does not appear to be any connection between the two shows apart from both being from Lorimar Productions.Obviously,someone behind the scenes was enthused about these actors and wanted to give them another chance-or maybe it was some kind of contract thing.

Dark Shadows NBC Jan-Mar 91 Fri @9 then Fri @ 10

A lavish revamp of the daytime soapwith a great cast

Ben Cross, Joanna Going(SFT,AW) Jean Simmons,Roy Thinnes(GH,OLTL) Michael T Weiss(DOOL)Julianna McCarthy(Y&R)Ellen Wheeler(AW,AMC, current GL exec producer)

This debuted as a 4 hr 2 parter before weekly 1hr eps

I thought it was very well done but the ratings were poor-maybe because it almost immediatedly shifted back to 1790 for the bulk of the story before the current day characters were established.It would have been great to see how it evolved.

[heatherwebber]

Dark Shadows-

hit by the news coverage of the gulf war right after it premiered leaving chunks unaired, then by the removal of the head of NBC. The new guy wanted his own material so zapped it.

Rumour has it he changed his mind later and tried to revive it but most of the people involved had left the production company so the producer Dan Curtis wasn't able to get it going again.

[Paul Raven]

Around 2002 ,Fox ordered a Dark Shadows pilot with a younger cast but it wasn't picked up.

The Survivors ABC Sep 69-Jan 70 Mon 9-10 Up against MayberryRFD/Doris Day on CBS and NBC movie.

Based on a Harold Robbins novel and starring:

Lana Turner (Falcon Crest)

Kevin McCarthy(Flamingo Road)

Jan Michael Vincent

Ralph Bellamy

George Hamilton

Louise Sorel (DOOL)

Donna Baccala (GH)

Despite lots of publicity the show bombed.

The Monroes ABC Thurs @9 Sep-Oct 95

About a Kennedy like political family

Starring William Devane (KL) and Susan Sullivan (AW,FC)

Cancelled after 4 airings

Valley of the Dolls CBS 6hr mini series Oct 81

Based on the landmark novel and movie about 3 women and their misadventures in searching for fame and fortune.

Starring

Catherine Hicks (RH)

Veronica Hamel

Lisa Hartmann (KL)

David Birney (LIAMST)

James Coburn

Jean Simmons

A 65 episode syndicated series followed in 94.Not sure how it tied into the original in terms of story but some original characters were included.

Cast included

Sharon Case (Y&R)

Kamar De Los Reyes (OLTL)

Lauren Koslow(DOOL)

Kevin Spirtas (DOOL)

Sally Kirkland (DOOL)

Al Rabin and Becky Greenlaw -former Days producers were involved.

[aMLCproduction]

This is a straight throw back one but UPN made called LIVE SHOT. It center around a news crew or tv station or something. I dont know how long it aired but I see a few eppies then it was canned. It was VERY good. Was The Monores metioned yet?

[heatherwebber]

There were 3 later Dark Shadows attempts.

There was an aborted musical intended for Broadway. Rupert Holmes was writing music for it.

There was a Fox pilot written but never shot.

There was a WB pilot filmed but never quite finished and never aired, not picked up for series.

[Paul Raven]

Malibu Shores NBC Sat 8-9 March -June 96 10 eps

NBC attempts a teen soap. Students from upper class Malibu mix with their counterparts fom San Fernando Valley

Cast-Kerri Russell Greg Vaughn (Y&R,GH) Susan Ward (SuBe) Randy Spelling(SuBe) Michelle Phillips(KL)

Four Corners CBS Tues 10-11 Feb-March 98

A widow struggles to manage her late husbands ranch.

Cast Ann-Margret,Kamar De Los Reyes (OLTL) Justin Chambers (AW) Doug Wert (ATWT Y&R)

After a 2hr pilot CBS played just one episode.

[Paul Raven]

Bringing this thread back to life.

Hollywood Wives-The New Generation

starring Farrah Fawcett,Melissa Gilbert,Robin Givens and Jack Scalia.I don't think this one faired to well in the ratings.The days of the big rating mini series seemed to be over.

[DRW50]

Wasn't that Farrah's last acting role?

[JackPeyton]

I have this show on DVD.

I see why it didnt last. Kerri Russell & Charisma Carpenter was the standouts, IMHO.

[EricMontreal22]

Thanks for bumping this! I got a LOT of Amazon gift money for Xmas and blew some of it on primetime soaps I had never been able to see and was curious about--I got the first two seasons of Knots Landing, and both volumes of Peyton Place. I haven't sat down with Knots yet, but I've always been curious to see it partly as it seemed to be one of the more lower key primetime soaps compared to Dallas and Dynasty, etc (About ten years ago the country music station here in Canada aired Dallas reruns every morning--I think I watched the first three seasons or so. I liked it a lot but I have to admit it wasn't fully compelling to me--not enough to justify buying the DVDs at this time anyway, though Knots looks to be more my thing).

But I'm already done with the first box set of Peyton--I think it's *outstanding* stuff. I knew I'd like it, I liked the novel, liked the movies, like the actors, but I didn't expect it to be as sophisticated as it is. For a show that was so rushed, some of the direction honestly reminds me of a Sirk melodrama! It's a fascinating mix of what we consider a primetime soap (which in my experience are more plot driven than daytime ones) and daytime ones. I'm already dreading what will happen when I'm done the second set--I may break down and buy a bootleg set from ebay.

[EricMontreal22]

Was this the one with Drew Barrymore?

[JackPeyton]

No, That was 2000 Malibu Road. That show was fantastic. I also have it on dvd.