Loving/The City Discussion Thread

[GymnastGuy]

I am up to late May 1995 and I am seeing that there are 7 Black characters on the canvas.  Jacob/Angie/Charles are the front burner storyline too.  This is so great.  Other than Generations I do not think any soap had 7 or more Black character on at one time.  Plus, Loving is only a half hour soap.  Brava!

[victoria foxton]

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 2-16-1990

[gimmetoo]

Can anyone share details on Doug Marland's departure ?  On paper Agnes Nixon + Douglas Marland appear to be a dream team...but that wasn't the case.  Would love any insights ?

[GymnastGuy]

Yes and why since Marland Co-Created why down the rode was he no longer credited?

[dc11786]

We will probably never know what happened unless somewhere correspondence between the two pops up or some network executive has some insight. The closest thing I have been able to gather comes from Patrick Mulcahey, who wrote scripts for Marland at "Loving" in the first year. I'm pretty sure I have another Mulcahey quote in here somewhere, but this one is from Santa Barbara Online

How did you start in Santa Barbara ?

Thereby hangs a tale. After working with Douglas Marland on Guiding Light and then on Loving, which I hated (and where Agnes Nixon was like some psychotic schoolmarm on speed, making copious condescending red-pen "corrections" in the margins of scripts - "You used the same word on page 2 and on page 34 ! Too repetitive !") - after that, I decided I was done with writing for soaps. Douglas was the best. He'd taught me more about writing than any ten literature professors ever could have, plus I'd won an Emmy. I figured I'd never have another experience like that, so I decided go back to what I knew best : waiting on tables and writing plays at night and being a starving artist again.

He has given the same variation on this response over the years in several interviews. I thought he did a similar one with WeLoveSoaps, but WeLoveSoaps is linking me to Nelson Branco's column. Either way, Mulcahey has made it abundantly clear of his displeasure for working with Nixon. To be fair, this was a woman trained by Irna Phillips so I'm sure she felt she was providing much softer feedback than she would have received, but it doesn't seemed to be received well. I cannot imagine Marland felt much differently. 

Marland's creator credit appears to be due to the fact that he was the show's original headwriter. Nixon wrote the bible by herself which outlined Lily's sexual abuse, the Roger / Merrill affair, and Mike Donovan's descent as a result of his failure to seek treatment for PTSD. Nixon made it clear that she felt she deserved credit for creating "Search for Tomorrow" because she was the headwriter for the first thirteen weeks even though Winsor created the concept. Marland's credit would appear to be something that Nixon agreed to on the basis that he was the first headwriter and knew that that influence would set the foundation for the show. How it went away would be more speculation. There seems to be no legal drama involved so either Marland didn't care or maybe there was some sort of financial settlement. 

[Paul Raven]

I think it was jusrt a case of two strong willed individuals clashing. I'm sure they admired each others work but were used to executing their vision their way.

also I think ABC's interference might have rankled Marland.

Despite what is said about P&G, it seems they were quite supportive of their headwriters. ABC perhaps not so much. Look at all the changes Loving went through.That speaks of too many cooks.

Agnes was used to dealing with that.

I remember that during his GH days, Doug talked to Agnes before a meeting with Jackie Smith ABC VP. Marland was on a high as GH was shooting up the ratings and getting great critical response.

Agnes wryly told him to 'fasten his seatbelt' so to speak and sure enough Jackie came on like gang busters about the state of the show and how her maid had said the last few weeks had been boring etc and they were in trouble.

Gloria Monty was also used to dealing with the network and she too cashed with Marland.

So maybe after 2 years of that Doug had enough.

He was happy to return to CBS and P&G.

[gimmetoo]

@Paul Raven appreciate the insights !  Where'd you get all this ?  and is there more ?!?

[Paul Raven]

That anecdote came from a book/study about BTS on GL that was once on the net but since disappeared.

[gimmetoo]

Great stuff -- any other details about Doug's tenures around daytime ?  Would love to hear more...

[Forever8]

Loving - 2-17-1990

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[j swift]

@Kane Kudos on your blog  https://lovingsoapopera.wordpress.com/home/

I appreciate the character bios, along with your witty editorializing.

I could spend hours reading your posts about the various sets around Corinth.  It is so interesting to see how Burnell's changed over time.  The photos of the Alden estate are so helpful when trying to remember it's various iterations.  And it is so fun to re-visit places like The Tides (I love a house with a name).

I know it is never easy to keep these things going, but I wanted to drop a note to say that I admire your efforts.

 

[Kane]

@j swiftThank you, that's very nice of you to say. I enjoy writing about the sets, but it can be hard to find good shots that really show them off because obviously the characters are often in the way.

As an aside, if anyone knows how and when Rocky and Rio were written out, it would really help me out for an upcoming character profile. I gather that it happened sometime in September of 1991, but they disappear from SOD's recaps after a mini buried treasure adventure with Trisha and Trucker that happened in August.

[Franko]

Yes, three cheers for @Kane! I look forward to your posts.

[slick jones]

@Kane I hope you don't mind, but I posted a link in my Facebook group.  It's a great blog.

[Kane]

I don't mind at all - thanks for the plug!