Love of Life Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

That's interesting. I don't know a lot about Chuck and Patti.

I wonder if LOL might have thrived at another network, after CBS canceled it.

[beebs]

Considering how full ABC's schedule was at that time, the only option would've been NBC who were incapable of keeping the soaps they DID have from spiraling out of control (which spoke more to problems with the network than anything else). I think if they had chosen LOL, they would've put it in the 12:30 slot. I hypothesize that CBS would've canned SFT in '82 anyway, and as soon as Y&R moved into that 12:30 slot, any headway LOL would've made at NBC would've vanished and they'dve been off the air by 1984 at the latest. I don't think any amount of good story could've helped that show at NBC.

MAYBE at ABC if it were put back in the morning, but then it would've run into Price and I don't know that running opposite Price when they were pulling in ratings in the 8's would've been much help either.

CBS had a very strong lineup, but when the weaker pieces of that lineup were pulled away, you really saw how strong CBS was as a BLOCK, not necessarily the individual shows (with the obvious exceptions of Y&R, ATWT and GL).

[DRW50]

Do you think if P&G had not insisted on the block lineup being rearranged in 1972 or 1973, the struggling shows would have lasted longer? The P&G shows might have too...

[beebs]

Absolutely. EDGE being the best example of this. If P&G had left well enough alone I'd say that Edge would still be on now and we wouldn't have an hour of LMAD to contend with. Some of the others I'm not so sure though. I don't think SFT, ATWT or GL sustained any real lasting damage from the moves. I think SFT's real damage was from the one-by-one hacking off of Jo's proverbial limbs in the 70s when they got rid of all of Jo's blood relatives, all in a desperate attempt to woo young viewers. I think SFT had problems, regardless. The "one woman's struggle" angle the show was stuck with hurt them in the long run. I honestly don't think that even under the best of circumstances that SFT would've lasted on CBS past the mid-90s. It was simply too narrow a focus for any soap in that day to really thrive while appealing to their base market, and by then the network would've been crying "younger younger!" at them until they were blue in the face. I don't believe it was possible in the 90s to have a soap focussing on an elderly woman. It would've been very interesting! But the networks wouldn't have gone for it.

[beebs]

One thing I DID leave off though! I firmly believe that Where The Heart Is should've been left alone to run in a midday block with LIAMST and Y&R. It would've absolutely become the backbone of CBS down the road from a demos POV. WTHI still comes across to me like the kind of soap that had was just a few years ahead of its time, and had CBS been able to handle the criticisms thrown at it, with Labine & Avila Meyer running the show it would've eventually become a monster.

[DRW50]

From the July 1976 Afternoon TV Stars (Lorelei Publishing Co).

Edited November 22, 2010 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

[DRW50]

[DRW50]

From the November 6, 1979 Digest (S. O. D. Publishing Inc.). Christopher Reeves returns to the LOL set.

Edited November 22, 2010 by CarlD2

[Paul Raven]

Reading a SOD interview with Einar Perry Scott who was playing Nels,James assistant on ATWT at the time(1982) and he staes that he played Alan Sterling on Love of Life. Checking various sources and none of them have him listed in that role.

The actors listed as playing Alan are Dan Ferrone,jim Bayer, Dennis Cooney and John Fink.

So,did he also play the role for a short time(weeks/months) and it has never been noted or did he use the name Jim Bayer for that role. i ask that because on IMDB Jim Bayer has LOL as his sole credit.while al the others have multiple credits.

Anyone know more?

[DRW50]

From the July 1976 Soaps and Serials.

[DRW50]

[Paul Raven]

Loving these articles Carl esp about the cancelled shows.

Charles lasted a long time on LOL. although he seems abit of a loser type character. Charles and Diana never seemed to have a story until the mid 70's when he developed sexual problems and they broke up. i guess up till that time they had been supporting characters,rather like Stu and Marge on SFT, advising Van and Bruce and dealing with Bill and Tess's problems.i think that he was never given a send off,just faded away,never to be mentioned.

[DRW50]

Thanks for reading them. I always look forward to what you have to say.

That's too bad the character just vanished. Maybe he would have been better if he'd stayed as a supporting character.

Was Diana gone by this time?

[Paul Raven]

After an affair and pregnancy by the much younger Jamie Rollins(she lost that baby) Diana sought solace in religion and retreated to a convent.That was in 76.

Charles second wife Felicia,fell for Eddie Aleata,Meg's ex and died in childbirth