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UFFALO EVENING NEWS—TV TOPICS May 13, 1961

Each Actor on 'Roots' Has a Theme Song

Most television shows have, just one theme song —but the From These Roots daytime series (330 PM, Ch. 2) has eight themes, And there might even be more. "Not only is there a theme for the show, but each major character also has a song," explains organist Clarke Morgan, who provides the music for the program. "HE'S an idea I introduced when the show started (in June 1958) and which we have used ever since when our fans wrote in to approve," said Morgan . "Our cast also likes the idea."

TO FIND appropriate songs for each character often requires detective work on Clarke's part, but no two songs came about in the same way. The music I play for Maggie and Buck Weaver (actors Billie Lou Watt and Len Wayland) is called 'Green Years,' but it took me a long time to come up with it," said Morgan. "For some time the characters just weren't set in my mind and I couldn't decide on a song for them. "Then one day they began talking about their high school days together and recalled how green they were at the time. This brought to mind 'Green Years,' which proved to be perfect for them."

THE MELOD Y Morgan plays for Liz (Ann Flood) and her husband David Allen (Robert Mandan) came about in another way. "It was originally David's song," Morgan explained. "As a bachelor, he was always feeling sorry for himself. So one day, as a joke, I played 'Hearts and Flowers' behind his dialogue. Everyone liked it, so I adopted it as David's song." Lyddy's (Sarah Hardy's) theme is an original tune by Morgan titled "Julie." It was written several years ago, before Morgan came to From These Roots. But when he saw Lyddy, a_pretty and bright young lady — on the television screen, he knew the song had to be Lyddy's. Its mood was "perfect for her."

VIEWERS LIKE the idea of individual themes, and Morgan also finds them helpful as a basis for the improvisations that form the show's mood music Clarke describes his job as "translating into music what happens to the characters." "I frequently try to feel the same emotions that the characters do," he said. "This is the only way to get the proper mood in my music." Morgan must follow each day's program just like any home viewer — on a TV monitor. He works in a windowless room shared only by the sound effects engineer and his equipment.

Very bittersweet to read this article when we never have and likely never will hear anything of this show.

Citizen Register, Ossinlng, N. Y., Wed., June 1O, 1959

Ursula Has Reasons to Be Sad By STEVEN H. SCHEUER

When I saw Ursula Stevens recently, she had a complaint. "I play a mean character in 'From These Roots' (.NBS - TV, Mon. through Friday, 3:30-4 p.m.). I've been on the show since February and so far I've only smiled once— and that was when I was trying to put something over on my grandfather. I'm angry all the time. I wish I could be happy just once."

Poor Ursula. It's unlikely she'll have any reason to be happy now. Since I spoke to her, "From These Roots" received its cancellation notice and will disappear at the end of this month. To make matters worse, "Tis Pity She's a Whore" (or "Tis Pity She's A - " if you have a sensitive soul), the off-Broadway play which earned Ursula sensational notices, closed unexpectedly. Tis Pity It Closed "I don't think I'll ever have a better part," she said. "Different yes, but better never.". "'From. These Roots" is was Ursula's first real TV role, though she's made other appearances in the medium. The soap opera has given her a couple of problems. • I. still. can't get used to the teleprompter" (a device which enables actors with poor memories to read their lines), she commented, "mostly because I haven't been able to find it. Consequently I'm not as dependent on it as many actors are. I can't afford to be. "And," she went on, "since I play a very mean character, I'm forever slamming doors, and I keep forgetting that .TV sets have no substance to them. I'm surprised I haven't knocked one over yet."

Couldn't find anything about Ursula Stevens on line, so she either quit or just went in to regional theater.

5 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Citizen Register, Ossinlng, N. Y., Wed., June 1O, 1959

Ursula Has Reasons to Be Sad By STEVEN H. SCHEUER

When I saw Ursula Stevens recently, she had a complaint. "I play a mean character in 'From These Roots' (.NBS - TV, Mon. through Friday, 3:30-4 p.m.). I've been on the show since February and so far I've only smiled once— and that was when I was trying to put something over on my grandfather. I'm angry all the time. I wish I could be happy just once."

Poor Ursula. It's unlikely she'll have any reason to be happy now. Since I spoke to her, "From These Roots" received its cancellation notice and will disappear at the end of this month.

Was the show unexpectedly renewed after this?

6 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Citizen Register, Ossinlng, N. Y., Wed., June 1O, 1959

Ursula Has Reasons to Be Sad By STEVEN H. SCHEUER

When I saw Ursula Stevens recently, she had a complaint. "I play a mean character in 'From These Roots' (.NBS - TV, Mon. through Friday, 3:30-4 p.m.). I've been on the show since February and so far I've only smiled once— and that was when I was trying to put something over on my grandfather. I'm angry all the time. I wish I could be happy just once."

Poor Ursula. It's unlikely she'll have any reason to be happy now. Since I spoke to her, "From These Roots" received its cancellation notice and will disappear at the end of this month. To make matters worse, "Tis Pity She's a Whore" (or "Tis Pity She's A - " if you have a sensitive soul), the off-Broadway play which earned Ursula sensational notices, closed unexpectedly. Tis Pity It Closed "I don't think I'll ever have a better part," she said. "Different yes, but better never.". "'From. These Roots" is was Ursula's first real TV role, though she's made other appearances in the medium. The soap opera has given her a couple of problems. • I. still. can't get used to the teleprompter" (a device which enables actors with poor memories to read their lines), she commented, "mostly because I haven't been able to find it. Consequently I'm not as dependent on it as many actors are. I can't afford to be. "And," she went on, "since I play a very mean character, I'm forever slamming doors, and I keep forgetting that .TV sets have no substance to them. I'm surprised I haven't knocked one over yet."

Couldn't find anything about Ursula Stevens on line, so she either quit or just went in to regional theater.

'Tis pity she ended up unemployed.