Bright Promise

[Mona Kane Croft]

Hiring former movie-stars into major daytime roles seemed to be a priority of NBC in the mid to late-1960s.  NBC had hired MacDonald Carey on DOOL in 1965. And on Another World, Hugh Marlowe was hired as patriarch, Jim Matthews, around 1968.  Also on AW around the same time, film actress, Ann Sheridan, was cast as Kathryn Corning.   Adding to all this, Dana Andrews role on Bright Promise, one might assume there had been significant pressure from NBC for daytime production companies to reach out to aging movie stars as possible cast members.  Although there was some of this happening on all three networks at the time, it seems to have been a larger priority at NBC.  

[Contessa Donatella]

Here is a general information post I made about Bright Promise last month on its anniversary day. 

Today is Fri., 9-29-23 and it is another important day in soap history. Bright Promise had its debut on this day in 1969. You might recall that it is one of the shows that uses Star BIlling with Dana Andrews in its opening. It was a half hour show, on NBC from 9-29-1969 to 3-31-1972. Gloria Monty was one of its directors. Gail Kobe was one of its actresses. They would both later be EPs, Monty at GH & Kobe at GL & Texas! The creators & then HWs were the Hursley husband-wife duo.

The fictional Bancroft College, situated in the town of Bancroft, someplace in the American Midwest, served as the center of the show's focus on its students and professors.

The show's title represented the main idea of the dazzling potential that Bancroft's graduating class of future leaders would ostensibly provide.

Thomas Boswell, the college president, was initially the primary character (Dana Andrews).

Subsequently, attention switched away from the College and toward the entire town of Bancroft, with a particular emphasis on the families of Pierce and Jones.

The major character at this point was Sandra Jones, a former Bancroft College student who wed into the affluent Pierce family.

Frank and Doris Hursley, a husband and wife writing duo who had previously written General Hospital, produced Bright Promise as their final work before retiring.

Cox Broadcasting provided support, and the packager was Bing Crosby Productions (doing business as Frandor Productions).

Filming for the opening and closing scenes took place at UCLA.

Original cast members included the show's star, Dana Andrews with Susan Brown, Paul Lukather, Ruth McDevitt, Ivor Francis, Forrest Compton, Richard Eastham, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Coleen Gray, Gary Pillar, Peter Hobbs, Peter Ratray, Pat Woodell , Susannah Darrow, Cheryl Miller, and Eric James. Later additions included David Lewis, Annette O'Toole, Dabney Coleman, Marion Brash, Anne Seymour, Anthony Geary, Gail Kobe, John Considine, Philip Carey, Anne Jeffreys and Sherry Alberoni. Isn't it amazing how many recognizable names were in this show?!

[Jdee43]

If Bing Crosby Productions was involved, any chance this show might still exist? They found Game 7 of the 1960 World Series in Bing Crosby's cellar. Maybe if they looked, they'd find some Bright Promise too? Maybe someone should contact Retro TV..

[jam6242]

Can't remember where I saw it, but I remember reading that Bright Promise was preserved. 

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Edited October 7, 2023 by jam6242

[jam6242]

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