The Doctors

[saynotoursoap]

Mona's maid Mrs. Sturgis was known to the audience. She was a recurring character played by Marjorie Lovett. She had appeared on the series since at least 1978, though often she was offscreen somewhere and only mentioned.

[DRW50]

Thanks, saynotoursoap. I really appreciate the detailed descriptions. You've probably already answered these questions before, but do you think they should have killed Billy off, and do you think the stories they were telling at the end of the show had potential? Which new characters had potential? I know Hillary Bailey had just started as Kit (who was Mike at that time, I keep forgetting).

I'm glad to know that Mona's maid was actually a fairly known character.

[DRW50]

Here is the recap from the 10/14/82 Digest.

Hope Memorial is on the brink of disaster! Patients are mysteriously dying as hysteria grows among the staff. Faced with this crisis, Althea deems it necessary to quarantine the Fifth floor! In doing so, Jeff is trapped by mistake, and Adrienne, livid, vents her fury on Althea. "What a perfect way for you to keep me and Jeff apart! You still want him for yourself!" "Don't flatter yourself!" Althea retorts. An angry Jeff, meanwhile, attacks Mike for "taking over fast" in the crisis. Mike asks Jeff to put aside their personal differences, for now, as they're going to be here for a while.

Lt. Reed tells Carolee to get him Mona Croft's necklace, the Faberge, convinced there's a connection between it, the grave robberies and the epidemic!

At the same time, Billy informs a wary Luke he's concerned about a hospitalized Natalie's health. "I know we've had our differences, but I wouldn't want the poor girl to suffer," says Billy. Luke thinks Billy's concern is strange, but admits that he's acted more human than Luke's ever seen him. Billy then goes to Frankie, wanting the name of a good narcotic. Frank suggests Demerol. "Good," Billy says, "now all I have to do is get myself checked into Hope Memorial!"

When Billy enters Hope, claiming that he's "feeling sick," a skeptical Althea takes his temperature, only to find it's 102! Billy does have "the fever," a shocked Althea believes.

Meanwhile, Philip finds Matt's disappearance from the hospital quite strange, "What's all the mystery behind Matt's sudden absence?" he asks Althea. She refuses to answer. It's no secret Philip's out to get Matt, Althea accuses him.

As Steve nears death, Carolee sadly recalls the treasures times and how much they loved each other. Meanwhile, Jeff realizes he loves Adrienne, and phones her. She doesn't answer, as she's in bed with Jean-Marc! Later, Jean-Marc tells her not to forget who and what she is, as he injects her with an unknown formula.

Murray returns to help Maggie find the fever cure. "I hope it wasn't only my brains you wanted," he admits. "No," says Maggie, "I'm not allergic to your company." Murray is pleased - maybe he has a chance with her after all.

Seeking a Cure

A damaging story on Matt and Hope Memorial is leaked to the paper. Livid, Althea tricks the reporter into revealing that the source was Philip, finally caught at his own game. Althea then pressures Maggie to find a cure for the epidemic. "Your research is the only hope left for any of us!" says Althea.

Hiding a secret, Kit tells Mike "the problem" between them is that she doesn't happen to dig him. Mike is hurt and angry. Finally, she tells Mike the truth. "I'm not ready for you, or any man. Find yourself a nice girl who doesn't have problems." What "problems"? Mike asks. kit runs away in tears, unable to answer!

Out to get the world, Billy, from his sickbed at Hope, uses Frankie to get a key to the drug supply closet. He is determined to make Natalie pay for all his troubles with Philip. Meanwhile, Althea has trouble coping with unbearable hospital pressures in Matt's absence. She calls Matt in Boston and he assures her she'll handle everything "just fine." Althea feels better until Murray announces he's back in Maggie's life again, and means to stay.

After agreeing to do business with Jean-Marc, Philip's first project is to market his astronomically-priced cosmetics. Thanking Philip for his help, Adrienne is shocked when he makes a move on her! She finds him hard to resist, but does for the moment. Philip reminds her, "I always get what I want."

As Adrienne moves into her beach house, Philip promises to give her a housewarming gift she'll never forget! She reminds him that it's Jeff she loves. Philip says that's alright, as long as "love" stays in the family.

Luke learns Natalie will be well and home from the hospital soon, not knowing Billy is closer to getting the drugs needed to keep Natalie under his thumb!

Carolee is alarmed since Steve's condition has deteriorated faster than anybody's. Her entire family is falling apart with Billy sick and Mona, now having periodic convulsions.

Meanwhile, Maggie and Murray have moved closer to finding a cure for the plague - and each other! Numerous tests show that the "bug" is a mutation of the dreaded Legionnaires' Disease. Elated with his find, Murray tells Maggie he's "got the hots" for her. To her own surprise, Maggie admits a strong attraction for him!

Denying interest in Mike, Kit tells him she has no intention of getting romantically involved - ever again! That's good enough for him, Mike retaliates, he'll find satisfaction elsewhere.

After being rejected by Kit, Mike takes Hollis, another nurse, up on her offer to meet "in the elevator, between floors, for some fun." Kit is aware of the exchange and fears she's lost Mike for good, as the rumor of Mike and Hollis' sleeping together spreads through the hospital.

Natalie is happy when Luke tells her she's going home soon, but worries she won't be able to sleep without pills. She asks her doctor to prescribe some strong ones, and in doing so, confesses that she was once a junkie! Later, a feverish Billy enters Natalie's room and tries to seduce her. He collapses before he can touch her.

The plague spreads among the staff. Nurse Rodriguez is stricken and another nurse dies. Panic grows as Murray and Maggie feel they've found the answer. Confident the last test will prove successful, Murray tells Maggie that once this is over, he'll "put the light back in our eyes." Maggie is unsure and goes to check test results - no good. It's back to square one!

[DRW50]

Recap from the November 6, 1979 Digest.

Mike takes Sara out of the hospital for a night to enjoy a romantic dinner. As the violinists play and the candles glow, Sara feels that everything will be alright. But later that night as he tells her how much he loves her, Sara asks, 'How much time do we have together?" Mike holds her in his arms and tells her the truth: "We have very little time. You're very ill, Sara."

Although Sara suspected something was wrong, she was not prepared for dying. At first she refuses to believe it. Then she becomes furious. She takes the flower pots on the hospital lawn and starts throwing them. "You took me out knowing this! How can you call yourself a doctor if you can't help me!" She starts to cry softly as she paces. "Why me? How could God do this to me? He's evil and bad. What did I do? I want to have babies. I want to watch Michael-Paul grow. Who is going to live in my house? Who is going to take care of my things?" Seeing his wife sobbing on her knees, Mike climbs out of his wheelchair, joins her on the ground and holds her closely.

The next day Mike has the hard task of telling Luke and Barney that Sara is dying. Nola is away on a buying trip in New York and Mike is furious with her. The whole time Sara has been in the hospital, Nola didn't call once. Barney immediately feels guilty. If he had been around more, if he had been more loving, perhaps this never would have happened. But when he sees his daughter later that day, she pleads with him not to act happy for her. "If you pretend this isn't happening, you're leaving me alone. And I don't want to be alone now."

The nurses have been complaining that Sara has been impossible to deal with. But Maggie reminds them angrily that Sara is different! "She is not like other patients. She is not getting better, she's dying. She's angry, wouldn't you be? She feels differently and she is to be treated differently!"

Mike finds the comfort he needs with his father and M.J. He asks M.J. if she ever got over the pain she felt when Tom died. "No," M.J. answers quietly. Mike admits to his father that he wishes he could die. He doesn't want to live in this world without his wife.

TROUBLE FOR MISSY AND LUKE

Luke has been so angry at the prospect of having Kim for a business partner that he can't concern himself with Missy's worries. When she tries to explain to him that she can't relax in bed because she is jealous of Kim he screams at her. "Don't give me that, we made love and it was good. You loved it!" Instead of discussing her sexual problems with him, calmly, as she wanted to, Missy finds herself screaming the truth. "It wasn't good, I was faking it!"

The next day when she tries to apologize to Luke, he ignores her. He just found out about his sister's condition and he is no no mood for Missy's problems.

Colin gets the distinct impression that Mona knows he is Jessica's father and is just toying with him until she finds an opportune time to pounce. She has arranged an engagement party for Colin and M.J. and he is very suspicious of her motives.

Meanwhile, Mona has decided to raise Jessica. She is sure that Nola doesn't give a damn about the baby.

Dr. Bennett is very impressed with Greta's mind. She has organized his professional life and made very intelligent suggestions on his research. But Greta wonders why Dr. Bennett never talks about his wife.

As Carolee tries to help Monnchild deliver her baby, she is thwarted every step of the way. Moonchild belongs to a strange cult that has brainwashed her. The hospital is "tainted," certainly not a place to have her baby.

When Carolee visits Moonchild, she is lying on the floor surrounded by people who are changing. Moonchild is stoned and incoherent. Still, the cult members will not let Carolee take her to the hospital. Far Wind says she must stay there, and Far Wind is the leader of the group! Carolee is terribly frustrated and angry. Moonchild is not having normal labor pains and if she isn't taken to a hospital quickly she and the baby may be in danger! She calls Dr. Bennett, who convinces the cult members to let Moonchild go to the hospital. John Bennett explains to Carolee that these people are incapable of making decisions for themselves, that's why they latch onto someone like Far Wind.

But circumstances at the hospital are no better. The group follows Moonchild into the labor room and chant around her.

There is a serious infection in Sara's body, and because of the hepatoma, she has no antibodies to fight it. Mike and Sara both realize that she is dying quickly now. And though some doctors want to try and fight the infection, Sara declines. She can accept dying now; Mike stands by her decision.

Sara wants to go home. To make love with her husband, to see Paul (Michael-Paul wants to be called Paul now), to cook dinner for her family. But most of all she wants Mike to walk. "I want to know that you really have forgiven me so I won't have to feel guilty anymore," Sara tells her husband.

Later that day he appears at Sara's door holding onto canes. He is able to walk! Matt and Sara both greet him with tears of joy.

Mona decides to confront Mildred. She isn't really a practical nurse as she said she was, is she? Mildred admits she lied. She took all the courses, she wanted to be a nurse, but she just didn't have the money to complete her schooling. "Fine," says Mona. She will help Mildred get her license, if Mildred will help her. All she has to do is be completely honest.

Then Mona visits her lawyer. What are her legal rights concerning Jessica? She explains that Nola is an unfit mother. She abandoned her baby to go to New York. She doesn't even know that her sister is dying because she is too busy buying clothes. Does Mona plan to adopt Jessica?

Sara has decided to take matters into her own hands. She only has a short time left and she doesn't intend to spend it in the hospital, so she walks out!

She hires a taxi for the day. Her first stop is the Medicine Man, to visit Luke. She tells him how proud she is of him. Proud of what he's done with the restaurant, proud of what he's done with his life. She tells him how much she appreciates having this time alone with him. She is going to go to the bakery and smell the bread, go to the jewelery store and try on expensive diamonds...As Luke holds her, tears stream down her face. But Sara's calm eases his pain. And when she leaves, Missy is there to comfort him. She apologizes for her previous insensitivity. "I'm so glad you're here. Just to hold me, just to be here," Luke tells her.

Sara then visits Barney. When he sees her he's overjoyed, convinced that she's released and better. But Sara explains to him what she's doing. In a way, Barney has it harder than she. "I'll never get old, Daddy. I'll never be sick again. And I'll never have to watch the people I love go away."

Lying in bed together, Mike tells Sara how much she has given to his life and Paul's. "I was so angry and you taught me not to waste my time with that. You taught me to believe in myself," Mike says. "Just hold me," Sara replies. "Just hold my hand." Mike puts puts his arms around her and watches as his wife peacefully dies in his arms...

Just after dawn Mike goes to his parents' house to give his son the news. "Mommy won't hurt anymore. She isn't sick anymore," he tells Paul. But Mike expresses his rage to his parents. The men from the funeral home came and took Sara away. They pretended sadness, but how could they feel it? They didn't know Sara, they didn't care! Mike doesn't want to have a funeral, he only wants to be with his wife. Gently, Maggie reminds him that a funeral is not so much for Sara, but for her friends and family. It gives them a chance to say good-bye. Mike understands, now he must call her family.

Slipping into the Aldrich mansion in the middle of the night, Nola reads Sara's farewell letter. She assumes that Sara must have gone on a trip. When Mildred tries to explain that Sara is very sick, Nola dismisses it. How could she be sick if she went away?? Nola is far more interested in all the clothes she bought in New York - clothes she charged to Mona!

Mildred tells Nola that Mona has become very close to Jessica, but that doesn't worry her; she's glad. The closer Mona becomes to the baby, the better chance they have of staying on at the mansion.

When Luke gets the news that his sister died, he has Missy at his side to comfort him. Nola visits him, showing off her clothes. When she casually asks where Sara is, he answers softly, "She's dead." Nola is outraged! "How could she do this to me? How could she leave me? First mama leaves me, then Joanie (another sister who died) then Jason, now Sara!"

HOW LOW CAN NOLA GO???

But when Mildred tells Nola that Mona is furious with the bills she ran up in New York, her sorrow for her sister is forgotten. Instead, she uses it to appease Mona! When Mona starts to admonish her for the money she spent, Nola says, "You're right, it's just been confusing for me since Sara died." Mona is immediately apologetic. She didn't know Sara died. She'll do whatever she can to make it easier for Nola.

In the middle of her contractions, Moonchild yells out, "I'm Lisa Blaine!" Lisa delivers a normal healthy boy. But Far Wind is making trouble. After Steve stops him, Far Wind sends a crow's foot with a message. "Let my children go!"

[MichaelGL]

A promo from 1979 promoting the Nola pregnancy debacle! It features Jada Rowland and Kathleen Turner in it, I'm not sure who the third actress is at the start of the promo, I'm guessing it's the actress who played Sara Dancy?

[DRW50]

Thanks for finding this. I have seen so little of Kathleen Turner's soap work. She seems very cold here -- then again perhaps Nola was supposed to always be cold. When exactly was she written out?

I don't care for the announcer or that tinny music.

[Paul Raven]

Isn't that Kathy Glass (MJ)?

[MichaelGL]

It could be Paul, I only assumed it might be Sara since she was also heavily involved in the Nola pregnancy storyline. Didn't know Katherine Glass was a brunette.

Yeah I don't care for the music too, it's too erratic and doesn't fit the mood of the promo IMO.

It's from my understanding Carl, that the character of Nola Dancy didn't mellow out or for better words, become sympathetic, until Zimmer entered the role. When Zimmer played Nola she became more rootable when Mona tried to portray Nola as a unfit parent and take away baby Jessica. Turner's Nola schemed to get her unborn baby the Aldrich birthright and tried to trick Mona into believing the baby was Jason's(which eventually it did turnout to be, despite Nola's one night stand with Colin).

[teplin]

Yes, that's Kathy Glass as MJ. I think the writers played to Turner's strengths in making Nola more cold, devious and blatantly sexual than her predecessor in the role, Kathryn Harrold. My memories are fuzzy, but I believe Harrold's Nola was warmer and more "relatable." Turner turned her into a real femme fatale, to great effect. I think Zimmer sort of fused the two portrayals.

[DRW50]

I know I've asked this before, but did Turner want to leave or was she let go?

[Paul Raven]

I think Turner was fired due to weight problems.

Just discovered that Jada Rowland's one time partner and father of her son Sparks Blu(!) was murdered in early 1979. Jada married Columbia University professor David Helfandd in 1982.. According to Wikipedia -David J. Helfand is chair of the Department of Astronomy at Columbia University as well as the co-director of the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory. He has also served as part of the university's Physics Department.

Don't know if they're still together.

Edited January 10, 2011 by Paul Raven

[DRW50]

That's terrible. I don't know how Jada got through something like that. Perhaps the heavy work schedule helped her.

[jam6242]

Does anyone remember a storyline in which a patient with a bandaged face is at Hope Memorial (and I think with amnesia) and one of the nurses (possibly MJ) falls in love with him while taking care of him before she even sees his face? And if so, did this turn out to be Billy Aldrich? Thanks.

[DRW50]

July 1976 Digest recap (so this would be about 2-3 months behind?). SOD Publishing Inc. Sorry about the bad cropping.

[DRW50]

August 1976 Digest recap. August being the Digest publication date not date of recaps.

Edited January 22, 2011 by CarlD2