Edge of Night (EON) (No spoilers please)

[saynotoursoap]

Mimi Kennedy did not play Phoebe. When the character returned in 1972, absent since 1968, actress Laurie Kennedy was cast in the part. Laurie is the daughter of film actor George Kennedy. It is my understanding that Kennedy could not cope with the pressure of live performances and was let out of her contract after only a few weeks in the role. Leister replaced her.

Johanna chose not to renew her contract, and Slesar used her departure in the Claude Revenant plot, which affected most every character on the canvas.

Phoebe's first story upon her 1972 return involved her affair with the older Ashley Reynolds. Ashley was married to wealthy socialite Kay LePage. He convinced Phoebe that he wanted to divorce his wife, and of course he had no intention of doing so as her money supported his carefree lifestyle. The affair with Ashley segued into two major plots.

In the first, a concerned Martha hired private detective Joel Gantry to expose Ashley as a liar. Gantry was also investigating Nicole's boss Jake Berman, whose first wife Edith had committed suicide months before. It transpired that Edith had in fact died by Jake's hand, and he made it look as if she took his own life. Shortly thereafter, Jake himself was murdered, leading to Adam Drake being arrested and tried for the crime. The real killer was Joel Gantry. Unknown to anyone, Edith Berman was his mother from her first marriage. Kevin uncovered evidence incriminating Joel. Joel kidnapped him, took him to a deserted cemetery and forced him to dig his own grave.

The second major story to offshoot from Ashley involved his wife Kay's father, entrepreneur Walter LePage. Following her divorce from Ashley, Kay married Laurie Karr's ex-husband Vic Lamont. Vic had divorced Laurie after she had an affair with Johnny Dallas, who had mob connections and had been hired by Jake Berman in the plot mentioned above. Johnny's restuarant The New Moon Cafe had been infiltrated by the mob. Several characters were killed off, including Vic himself, who died without knowing that his father-in-law Walter LePage was head of Monticello's crime syndicate.

Yes, Phoebe's death created the perfect environment for Geraldine to push Raven and a vulnerable, lonely Kevin together. Of course, it eventually had fatal consequences for poor Kevin.

Edited May 9, 2015 by saynotoursoap

[saynotoursoap]

Yes, Leister recurred on OLTL through the end of 1979 as Jenny Wolek's obstretician in the infamous baby switch story of Jenny and Katrina Karr.

[DRW50]

Thanks for all the details. I think I may have seen a bit of Phoebe in your uploads...I can't remember.

Sounds like some great stuff. How was it at the time? Did it pale compared to the previous big stories like the Jonah Lockwood tale?

Which Kevin did you prefer? Shoberg or Driver?

It sounds like even if Slesar did not get as much of a heavy "youth" mandate until the late 70's or early 80's, he still tried to put young characters in central roles.

[slick jones]

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19780420&id=5ZxPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vgUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6027,6343172&hl=en

Edge's 22nd anniversary party

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19600717&id=TaIkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OvoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5272,2269441&hl=en

John Larkin article, not sure if it's been posted before...

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19790104&id=Vp5PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wQUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6989,1007551&hl=en

Cast article

[DRW50]

March 1981 Digest

[DRW50]

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[NothinButAttitude]

Thanks for posting this, Carl. I can officially scratch this off my list of EON episodes I wanted to see.

[amybrickwallace]

Thanks for posting those. How long did USA air the reruns?

[danfling]

I cannot remember when the shows began and ended. However, I can tell you the point in the storylines on which they began.

The show began airing in the summertime, I do remember. The Bryson clinic storyline was just complete. I think that the first episode was the one after Nancy's rescue. Beth was seen in at least one episode when she was shown in prison.

USA Network aired the series until the very final episode. The show aired Monday through Thursday nights, and two episodes were shown on Thursday.

When USA Network began airing the reruns of Search for Tomorrow (shortly after its the final network episode), Search for Tomorrow picked up at the very time that the episodes of The Edge of Night was airing. Then, after The Edge of Night's final episode was presented, Search for Tomorrow began airing two episodes per night. I guess that four episodes may have been presented on Thursday evenings. However, the run of Search for Tomorrow did not last long after The Edge of Night ended. I suppose that the ratings were not as good for Search for Tomorrow as they had been for The Edge of Night.

If that is the case, it shows that ABC made the mistake of not airing the show on latenight network television when the show switched networks in 1975. The network was in favor of doing that, as well as Procter and Gamble Productions and much of the show's cast. However, one particular performer (Donald May) objected because the performers would have received no more monetary compensation (or possibly very little) had the show aired in late night television. He refused to allow the show to air without a doubling of his salary. ABC made the decision to not air it based on his reservations.

[danfling]

As I think back, The Edge of Night aired its final broadcast in December 1984. It must have been late July 1985 or August 1985 when the USA Network began these broadcasts. If I am wrong, it may have been 1986. I hope that someone will correct me if I am wrong.

[robbwolff]

According to information online, Edge aired on USA from August 5, 1985 to January 19, 1989. The USA run started with episodes that aired in June 1981.

I forgot how quickly Edge removed Lisa Sloan from the opening credits.

[NothinButAttitude]

OK, EON fans, I have some questions from fully watching those two episodes:

1. Who killed Nicole? Was it intended or was she truly the wrong target?

2. What did Nicole just off of murder for?

3. Why was Malloy so solemn over Nicole's death? I know they were friends but it seemed like something more. Was he developing feelings for her?

4. Was Didi well-received with the audience?

5. Was Cliff always a dud? I found him to be the same during the Clown Murder Mystery too. So I am guessing he was the show's comic relief character?

[slick jones]

[NothinButAttitude]

Thanks, boo! And I totally forgot that Nicole had just been accused for Nora's death. Had a brain fart.

But when did Derek for feelings for Nicole? Did he always have them? Or did they form around the Nora investigation? Because I remember him being with Raven during the Clown Murder story and then being tossed aside for Sky.

And Louis Van Dyne--that was the killer that Chris came into contact with on Wonderland Lane, correct? What was his vendetta against Nicole? I thought Louis had a bone to pick with Sky....

[DRW50]

In Derek's first months on the show he was drawn to Nicole, and flirted with her, which sent Miles (who was being drugged at the time) into a rage.