The Doctors Discussion Thread

[Chris B]

I just realized the actor playing the return from the dead story for Mike Powers is Michael Landrum. I just assumed it was Armand Assante because I've heard his name so many times in the role, but I think he is the next Mike. I wonder why they recast as he seems like a good actor. It looks like they went for a more mature, leading man type that looks like his father. It's a big contrast to Peter Burrell, but I feel like he'll make sense standing next to Matt. 

Also, I hope I don't regret asking in case its a big spoiler, but how do Hank and Laurie get written off? I know they don't stay until the end, which is a shame, but I really enjoy them. I had no idea a soap (other than OLTL with Ellen Holly) in the 70s had long running Black characters, especially ones that seem to get good screentime like Laurie and Hank. They're better written than most of the Black characters in 2022.

[danfling]

I do know that actor Michael Landrum was in the original cast of How to Survive a Marriage as one of the show's main characters, Larry Kirby.    The show replaced him with Michael Hawkins.   I was not watching The Doctors at the time, but I can imagine that the network (which, as owners of How to Survive a Marriage) may have had a contract with Mr. Landrum.    He was encouraged to play this role on The Doctors.

[Paul Raven]

It does seem odd that he was replaced on one show, only to turn up on another on the same network.

I can only assume they weren't happy with his portrayal of Larry. Maybe they thought he was better suited to be Mike.

It must be demoralizing for an actor to be replaced two times in succession.

Then they again cast an actor from HTSAM in Armand Assante, whose looks and demeanour were completely different to previous Mikes.

It seemed like they liked the actor so shoehorned him into the role of Mike. The role would go onto be recast over and over. It's a wonder they didn't just decide to drop the character. Many other shows in the same position did just that.

[Paul Raven]

Variety August 14th 1968 reported on the unique deal that  Rita Lakin had negotiated with Colgate Palmoive and the Ted Bates Agency going into her second year as headwriter.

She now shares the assignment with Rick Edelstein, a former director, while she resides in California and he is based in New York.

They work through mail, only coming together with a weekly phone call with EP Allen Potter and have an arrangement that gives them 16 weeks off per year.

Miss Lakin noted that most serials have one writer or a team working constantly to produce scripts for 5 episodes a week, 52 weeks a year. She initially worked alone but then created a company and hired staff to help reduce the workload.

She then partnered with Edelstein and the two split the more than $100,000 salary which after taxes works out roughly the same as what she was earning solo.

The agreement created has them working together for five weeks by mail, during this time they alternate writing the outlines for the week ahead and split up the writing for the current week with one writing MTW and the other Th F and then alternating.

Then every 3 months one of them will provide a 3 month projection to the sponsor.

After the 5 weeks of joint work, one of them will depart for 8 weeks leaving the other to write solo. They then collaborate again for 5 weeks before the other writer has an 8 week break,

Miss Lakin said she was 'floored' when this writing schedule was accepted but noted the sponsor wanted to retain her and this way nobody gets too tired. She gets on well with Edelstein and is a fast writer finishing her 40 page story every morning as well as weekly and quarterly outlines.

Lakin is collaborating on a feature film script 'Breakthrough' with Doris Silverman. She worked for 15 months on Peyton Place and is pleased with her current position financially and creatively,

She noted that she could earn $6000 on a half hour script in primetime but then spend weeks in story conferences and rewrites, only to have it not how you intended in the first place.

[Chris B]

That's interesting about Rita Lakin. I found her writing to be the strongest the show ever had. It's a shame they didn't have full writers rooms back then so she could potentially have stayed longer. I don't think they ever reached the heights they did when she was writing.

[Soaplovers]

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Basically she had no life when she wrote solo..and she had school age kids at the time.

[jam6242]

Laurie just disappeared and it was said that she had left Hank to be with her agent, Harry, in NYC and returned to singing.  Marie Thomas used to post on a FB group for The Doctors when her episodes were airing.  She said tptb wanted her to go on recurring and she didn't want to do that.  I think Hank was offered a job elsewhere and never returned from checking it out.

[victoria foxton]

Hank was around without much to do for over a year. Until he was written out by Doug Marland. Both Hank and Laurie deserved much better. 

[jam6242]

Agree, there was still plenty of story that could have been written for them.  Could have still done the story with Laurie wanting a career and maybe Hank wanting to start a family right away.

[Jdee43]

Watching the September 19, 1968 episode, it's great to see Lydia Bruce finally with a flattering hairdo. They've had her hair so matronly since she's started. She looks so much younger here. Nice too that they have her acting more like Bethel Leslie's Maggie. 

Speaking of hair, I can't believe they did a story about Jody Lee Bronson having to cut his hair in order to get a promotion. They even have Nick and Mike mistake Jody Lee for a woman. Talk about being on the wrong side of history; in just a few years, everybody will have their hair looking like Jody Lee!

Edited January 2, 2023 by Jdee43

[DRW50]

Many already did at that time. Maybe a writer was trying to prove a point.

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[jam6242]

I once worked with a man who said in the late 60s/early 70s, our organization would measure the men's sideburns to ensure they weren't too long, so maybe Matt's obsession with Jody Lee's hair wasn't that far off.  I remember my father being appalled at The Beatles "long" hair when they first became known.

[Jdee43]

Here are the missing and mislabeled episodes on the itsrealgoodtv site for July through September 1968:

July 1968 is complete on the site

Thursday 8/1/68 -- not on the site; aired on Retro TV; in the clinic, as Karen and Matt try to explain, Maggie just won't listen 

Monday 8/5/68 -- not on the site; aired on Retro TV; features just Matt and Maggie and their crumbling marriage; starts and ends with Matt alone at the motel

Tuesday 8/27/68 -- not on the site and never aired on Retro TV; missing or the show was preempted that day or the next day; Days of our Lives might have been preempted on Wednesday 8/28/68

Friday 9/6/68 -- not on the site and never aired on Retro TV; missing or the show was preempted that day; Another World might have been preempted that day too

Friday 9/13/68 -- is labeled on the site as 9/12/68 Part 1; actually never aired on Retro TV during its first run through; features Carolee's reaction to Karen telling her that she and Steve just got married

Wednesday 9/25/68  -- not on the site; aired on Retro TV; features the return of Phillip Townsend and Steve bawling out Mike

Thursday 9/26/68 -- labeled on the site as Wednesday 9/25/68

Friday 9/27/68 -- labeled on the site as Thursday 9/26/68

 

 

 

 

Edited January 5, 2023 by Jdee43

[Chris B]

I'm finishing up March 1975 and it's a mixed bag. Two stories I LOVE: Tom and Althea's romance and the Karen/Steve/Carolee story with Erich. Nick is pretty much off canvas and much like with Alan/Mike, he is a clear recast of Nick, but with a new name. Nick and Althea had gotten to such a nice place so it's nice seeing the romance somewhat continued with this new character. The Karen story is enjoyable because they've finally allowed her to grow out of that villain role. Granted, I don't agree with her being a villain considering Steve raped her, but I'm glad opinions are more balanced amongst the other characters when it comes to her.

The stories that are just awful is this medical mystery involving a new character named Iris. It's obvious Iris and her witch doctor won't be integrated in the cast and it's just a silly, vague story about some mysterious virus she picked up in Africa. It's hard to get invested in this.

 

The other big stinker remains Mike's returns. It's been MONTHS since they recast and he still hasn't made it back to town. I can't imagine how tiring this was when it first aired. I checked the episode guide to see when he comes back to town and it's something like 8 months after we first learned he was alive. Why would they do that? There is only so much story you can tell by isolating a character in another location with only one person to talk to. It's extremely repetitive and the fact that the story is on so much is draining because absolutely nothing has happened. It's the same conversations over and over again.

I wanna say the Pollocks leave in August or September. When I get closer to that date I'm going to start monitoring the comings and goings with the writers because I know this is the point when everything changes. I know it's not all good, but I'm ready for the ride.

[Soaplovers]

Between August/September 1975 to fall 1976...you'll have 3 headwriters....Cendella, Depriest, and Marland... very different writers and styles.