Ryan's Hope Discussion Thread

[Khan]

First of all, I doubt every scene took place inside Ryan's Bar. Second, if Joseph Hardy, who I consider an otherwise excellent producer and director, had a problem with the majority of scenes taking place inside the bar, then he never really understood RYAN'S HOPE. That bar was as integral to that show as "Cheers"'s was to theirs.

However, I must agree with Hardy and Pat Falken Smith that the show needed to be "opened up" in order to allow the Ryans and Coleridges to interact with other characters. By the early '80's, all the running stories between those two families had been exhausted. I just feel there was a way to do that without de-emphasizing them or the bar (which -- let's face it -- is what PFS and JH did).

[DRW50]

I haven't seen a lot of 1982 or 1983, but the show was increasingly opened up in 1980-1981 - all kinds of time spent in the Crystal Palace, in the crime world, then the Egyptian story. The myth of people sitting around talking had already ground down several years before Hardy arrived.

The biggest problem was freshening up characters. Delia was #1 on the list but she was far from alone. It's too bad they couldn't have worked with this instead of bringing in character who were a dime a dozen.

If ABC hadn't fired Ilene I wonder if Hardy and Falken Smith would have written for her or if they still may have recast.

[DRW50]

12/29/87 Digest

[DRW50]

[Chris B]

Carl, thanks for making my blood boil lol. It always upsets me to hear what happened to Ryan's Hope during that period. To think the bar was blown up and not used for so long is just sick. Obviously they can't admit they were influenced by the success of GH, but that is really what it was. If you wanna speed things up, add teens, etc. you can do that, but it should still be the same show. What is described in that article is a completely different show. One thing I love about Claire Labine is that she seemed to embrace what she was given and weaved it into a better story (and show). She was even able to salvage a Kirkland and Dakoda. She's a smart writer and always did a brilliant job digging RH out of a hole.

Unfortunately, I've only really seen 1978 through wherever SOAPnet ended. I hate watching soaps on the net so I haven't seen any of the episodes on YouTube. I'd love to one day be able to see those later years and Robin Mattson as Delia in particular. Perhaps I'll stop being lazy and look on YouTube. I do think I plan on buying the SOAPnet years soon so I can relive this. I wanna really focus in on those earlier years. I've o nly seen bits and pieces which is a shame.

[DRW50]

A lot of 1983-1989 is available on Youtube.

Someone is putting up the 1977 episodes day by day, from where they ended on Soapnet - if you want the link just PM me.

GH began directly influencing Ryan's Hope around 1979, probably in a far more blatant way than any other soap on ABC. It did the show very, very few favors. I would guess that those at ABC did not "get" RH and never did, and once they owned the show, they moved in.

[DRW50]

March 1976 Day TV

[DRW50]

lived in a commune-like atmosphere with 30 other people. "We were doing a film called 'Getting Together' and took over this building and all moved in so as to keep expenses down. We pooled our talents and our money in order to do the film. Then the 30 of us took a percentage of whatever the film will make...it should be out sometime in '76. I even got Nancy Addison a part in it...there was this group wedding scene and I asked her to join us...and she was tickled pink.

"Nancy and I have been friends for years before either of us landed a part in 'Ryan's Hope.' In fact, Faith Catln and I played brother and sister in 'Skin of Our Teeth' at a Carolina Repertory Theatre almost 5 years ago. Then of course Ilene Kristen and I appeared on Broadway in "Grease.' None of us could believe it when we were all hired for the same soap...it was a real high. Because of our friendships we really have a good and close cast relationship. We enjoy each other's company away from the set and often get together for dinner.

"In fact, even though we hadn't worked together before, Justin Deas and I have become real good friends. I haven't done it yet, but I'm sure looking forward to the day when I can have them all over here to the apartment for a little party."

Malcolm waltzed me out to his backyard to show me where the overflow from his party would be able to go...providing they had it in the summer. Scattered around the backyard which was surrounded on these sides by tall loft-like buildings, were about a dozen stone statues....all of which he picked up on a trip to upstate New York with friends. At the far end of the garden sat a stone Buddha. Malcolm told me that when they started "Ryan's Hope" they were all given a complete biography of the characters they play and there are some fascinating secrets in their pasts - which will probably come out as time goes on!

It was during a trip to New York that Malcolm first became interested in Buddhism and Transcendental Meditation. "I had seen all of these signs hanging on posts around town asking people to come hear a 13-year-old guru at Hunter College in Manhattan. My older brother Lyle, who lives in Denver, Colorado had his guru...today he is the head of the computer center division for the Divine Light Mission in Denver. So naturally I was looking for someone to follow so I made my way up to Hunter College and was completely captivated by this 13-year-old guru Maharaji Ji. His presence was absolutely amazing and his charisma was absolutely overpowering. I saw a 13-year-old youngster who realized being. I felt drawn to him and in October, 1971, I went to India with my guru, Ji. I stayed in India through December...I had to go to speed up my purification and experience what was really happening in life. It was a time I will always remember. I feel I got knowledge...knowledge is something you realize from within...unknowing."

Malcolm came back to the States on New Year's Eve riddled with hepatitis and dysentery but he felt good and knew what he was looking for out of life. "Although I studied theatre at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I never really committed myself to my craft," admitted the young man who daily practices yoga. "When I came home from India...full of peace and knowledge, I realized that my service in life is to act. So I threw myself into my craft with all of my energies." Malcolm went on to study dancing at the school owned by Richard Thomas' (John-boy Walton) father and also is studying opera and pure voice production with a lady voice teacher named Amri Galli-Campi. After his trip to India he totally devoted himself to the world of acting.

Malcolm Groome was born in Greensboro, North Carolina and was brought up around the country because his father, Carlisle was a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. "Today my dad is retired from the Marines and is a stockbroker in Springfield, Virginia," Malcolm told me, adding, "With a father a stockbroker I never had the capital to dabble in the market." His mom, Jane, is a housewife who is into meditation and truth-seeking. "As a child I was brought up in the Protestant Church but today our whole family is more into thinking. My mom is now a member of the Unity Church which she attends with my 8 year old brother, Andy...and hopes that my father will also join.

"I spend much of my free time in meditation and therefore do not entertain at home that much. I feel that my home is sacred and should be a place of peace. I don't own a phonograph, although I do like all kinds of music especially jazz and I've just recently borrowed a television set from my upstairs neighbors, Gordon and Lisa. When I'm home I do raja yoga, meditate and read a lot. I like to read novels, Tarkington, and books on Buddhism. I've only been in this apartment since July, and as you can see, I'm still trying to fix it up. I'm a vegetarian and do all of my own cooking using vegetables and grains. However I do use milk, cheese and eggs but I do not eat meat."

Malcolm smiled when he told me that he was indeed seeing one girl. "She's an actress and her name is Kathy," he admitted..."but I won't give you her last name because she is the type of girl who refuses to cash in on my publicity. She's a wonderful actress who recently appeared in a major motion picture but isn't working at the moment...anyway I don't know if we'll be dating by the time this story comes out," he stated breaking into a fit of laughter. I wondered if he was thinking of his role of Pat Ryan, who dates new girls every week or so.

"Kathy is really special to me and we do have a special kind of relationship. We love to go to the movies or out to dinner or to visit with friends. But we really love to spend time at home, either mine or hers...she lives in the East Village. We read out loud to each other, meditate with one another and do yoga together."

Although Kathy and Malcolm have their own apartments, he said he felt it was healthy having two people living together. "I've lived with a girl," he admitted, "and found it very rewarding because we were supporting each other. I don't mean monetarily. I mean spiritually. So long as you can give each other the space to do it, it's a wonderful way to love. Love that is stifling is no good. I feel good about marriage and hope some day to get married and I feel that living with someone prior to marriage is good. It's a way that you can test if you are sexually compatible and can deal with each other's living habits." For Malcolm Groome, his dream for a wife is someone who is exciting, exotic, mellow and down home...and that Kathy, no last name, fits all of those categories.

Malcolm also admitted that he does not smoke and that he only drinks occasionally. He says that he would like to supplement his income by doing theatre but that he hasn't been able to get his heart into doing commercials. "I really would love to do a stage play and have it in my contract that I can be let out for a rehearsal for a play."

Malcolm noticed it was almost time for him to dash off to take one of his singing classes. He zipped into the kitchen to feed his cats, turned off one of his second hand lamps and put on his used hat and street-bought jacket and together we walked to the subway where we parted.

[DRW50]

9/14/82 Digest

[safe]

The 10/7/86 Soap Opera Digest Ron Hale interview

Always heard that the “Kirkland's Hope” moniker was credited to Ron. It never quite made sense to me because Hollis Kirkland was on several months before his daughter arrived in late summer, and his wife didn't arrive until the end of 1982, and they were shipped out of town by March of 1983. During that time the daughter was involved with a Ryan (Pat) and 1982 was also the year when Siobhan (a Ryan) and Joe were one of the biggest couples on daytime TV. The webmaster of Memory Book said it sounded like sour grapes on Ron's part because Roger didn't do much that year. And yes, the show had changed a few years before the Kirkland's ever came on board.

Edited December 13, 2011 by safe

[safe]

Afternoon TV Yearbook 1978

Edited December 11, 2011 by safe

[safe]

[safe]

[DRW50]

Thanks for those. I'm not quite as fond of the abortion clinic sequences as they were, although they were better than the weeks and weeks spent with every character saying it would be better if Jill had a miscarriage.

I'd never seen any of that before. I really appreciate seeing it.

Hopefully my bandwidth will be back to normal again within a day or two - I hope you got to read some of my articles from the past few weeks.

[safe]

The abortion clinic scenes were a little heavy handed. It was also hard to believe that two women would start pouring their hearts out to a stranger (Jill), no matter how nice of a lady she looked.

I had only time to read a few of them: they were great.