In "Her Stories: Daytime Soap Opera and U.S. Television History," the author (Elana Levine) talks briefly about the way "How to Survive a Marriage" approached the lead character's sexual desires differently. It's nothing earth shattering, but I thought those interested in the show might be want to read the snippet.

 

Edited February 1, 20251 yr by chrisml

Thanks.

From what I gather, it sounds as if the soap spent more time preaching instead of focusing on telling compelling stories with 3 D characters.

The Fran story sounds like the exception rather then the rule with cards and sympathy being sent in by viewers.

Maybe the focus of the soap should have been on her with the Chris story being the secondary story.  And having her remarry her ex seemed like it was done because viewers weren't attached to a tale of a newly divorced character...especially one audiences hadn't had time to become attached to.

35 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

From what I gather, it sounds as if the soap spent more time preaching instead of focusing on telling compelling stories with 3 D characters.

More than once I have wondered exactly what Lin Bolen saw in this particular project that she was so determined to see it be produced. I found the opening to be visually off-putting. Nothing about it "grabbed" me. No character made me interested in what was going to happen to them. I wouldn't say that I hated it but also I definitely didn't like it or feel attached to it.

I was definitely an NBC soap fan. I had watched both DAYS & AW since 1970. When I got my first VCR I daily taped the entire lineup which included Generations and Santa Barbara,

 

HOW TO SURVIVE A MARRIAGE

JANUARY 7, 1974- APRIL 18, 1975   NBC

LAKEVIEW, USA

Neil Abbott      George Shannon      1974       a friend of the Kirbys  

David Bachman         Allan Miller    January 7,  - July 1974       a sportswear manufacturer, and his wife Fran are next door neighbors and best friends of Chris Kirbv. David dies of a sudden heart attack. leaving Fran in financial difficulties.

Fran ___Bachman         Fran Brill          1/7/1974 - 4/18/1975     following Dave's death faces financial problems as she is unqualified for a job. Runs a thrift shop out of her garage with Maria McGhee.

Greg Bachman       Richie Schectman      1/74-4/75

Moe Bachman          Albert Ottenheimer     8/1974 - 4/18/1975     

Rachel Bachman             Elissa Leeds    8/1974 - 4/18/1975   

Lieutenant  ______ Bolling        Al Fann               March-April 1975 investigated the death at Noah's Ark that Johnny was framed for.

Dr.  ____    Brady                    Daniel Keyes  

Jim Brody                Tucker Smallwood          8/1974-????

Joshua Browne.       F. Murray Abraham    6/74-4/18/1975       owner, Noah's Ark; Hired Johnny McGhee as a bartender, then set him up to take the rap for taking counterfeit money. Jerry Nelson, the counterfeiter, sent a guy to threaten JB, but he got the upper hand. Told Jerry there was an envelope in the safe for the District Attorney if Jerry tried to get him again.  JB blamed Jerry and Jerry blamed JB.  Both are eventually taken away, but JB gave Johnny the deed to Noah's Ark.

Dr. Max Cooper        James Shannon  8/1974 - 4/1975       Doctor that hired Chris Kirby. His nurse was Susan Pritchett. Later took on Dr. Monday, an internist as a partner.

Monica ___     __    ____  Courtland        Joan Copeland   1/7/1974-4/18/1975    Chris' mother, now married for the third time to Terry Courtland. Opposed to Chris and Larry reconciling. Attracted to Robert Monday. Runs a PR firm.

Terry Courtland         Peter Brandon        1/7/1974- ????/1974      college professor; Monica's third marriage

Dr. Tony DeAngelo          George Welbes         1/1974  - 6/1974   Left town with Dr. Julie Franklin

Harry Forrester    ??????  April 1974                             high powered executive; went on a date with Chris

Dr. Julie Franklin     Rosemary Prinz     1/7/174   -   6/??/1974     a psychotherapist, single, and very much the liberated lady Introduced by the Bachmans to the Kirbys. she's helping the Kirby's daughter recover from a traffic accident.

Sandra Henderson          Lynn Lowry       1/7/1974-4/18/1975            girlfriend of Larry. Worked at Noah's Ark for JB with Johnny.  Joined forces with Maria to help Johnny

Chris Courtland  Kirby   Jennifer Harmon       1/7/1974-4/18/1975   housewife separated from her husband. Larry, and raising their daughter while also coping with problems posed by separation after 12 years of marriage. Got a job as file clerk to Dr Max Cooper, with whom she had a brief affair. Eventually reconciled with Larry after becoming addicted to alcohol.

Larry Kirby       head of advertising for a men's magazine and separated from his wife.Having affair with sandra. Remarried Chris. Valentine's Day 1975.

                 ... Michael Landrum   1/7/1974 -8/1974        

                 ...Michael Hawkins           8/1974

                  ...Ken Kercheval 8/1974 -  4/18/1975  

Lori Kirby              daughter of Chris and Larry.A victim of a hit and run in the first episode, confused by her parent's divorce.

                          Lori Lowe      1/7/1974   - 1/??/1974

                      Suzanne Davidson     1/???/ 1974 -6 /1974         

                       Cathy Greene   6/1974- 4/18/1975           

Alexander Kronos        Brad Davis     1/1974  - ???/1974

Mr. ___   Kronos         ??????     1974

Rick Lewis           Jay Morran                  piano teacher, Joan    

Dr. ____  Loeb     ???????

Dr. Carl Maynard   Paul Vincent   1974-75          neurosurgeon in the hospital that received Lori when she was in an accident.

Johnny McGhee   Armande Assante        6/1974-4/18/1975     ex prize fighter, bartender at Noah's Ark, framed by JB for murder at Noah's Ark, married to Maria.

Maria _____ McGhee       Lauren White    6/1974-4/18/1975        new neighbor to the Bachmans when she and Johnny buy the Kirby home, Becomes pregnant in March 75. Initially jealous of Sandra, the two worked together to clear Johnny from the counterfeiting and murder charges.

Patricia____ McGhee       Sylvia O'Brien           6 /1974-12/??/1974  Johnny's mother left town to live in Boston with her elderly sister Ivy.   

Annie Milagro    Phoebe Dorin                       

Dr. Robert Monday   Gene Bua       January 1975 - April 18, 1975            internist partner of Dr. Max Cooper; enamored by Monica  

Jerry Nelson      Dino Narizzano    1/1975   - 4/18/1975           Counterfeiter; sent a thug to pick up profits from the transactions at Noah's Ark 

Nurse Susan Pritchett      Veleka Gray     8/1974 - 4/18/1975        worked for Dr Max Cooper. Rival to Chris at work.    

Joan ___Willis            Tricia O'Neill     1/7/1974 - 4/18/1975       Peter's wife, drinks a bit too much. Once a mother she became overly concerned with her daughter, who has possible health issues, neglecting Peter. When Joyelle is finally properly diagnosed as healthy, Joan begins to live a better life!

Joyelle Willis      ??????  1/1975 - 4/1975     daughter to Peter and Joan born Jan 75

Peter Willis       married to Joan, friend of the Kirbys.

                       Steve Elmore      January 7, 1974 - June 1974

                      Berkely Harris     June 1974 - April  18,1975     

Chuck ??????         1974   college boy +Rachel   

Stan ???????                henchman   Jerry       March 1975

 

Larry's  "Dumb " Secretary   Kathryn Harrold 

Judge    David Timmins         2/1975    Officiates Larry and Chris' wedding

Original Manager of Noah's Ark before JB.    Jeff David 1974 - 8/1974

 

Unknown Roles

Susan Harney     

Anita Keal                      

Jay Rasummy

Eric Roberts     

Thanks to @Paul Raven for additional character information.         

Edited 56 minutes ago56 min by slick jones

Thanks @slick jones .

I loved How to Survive a Marriage in its "middle" period.

It started out as a flat, preachy, didactic snooze fest written by Anne Howard Bailey, which was a chore to watch. None of the characters were developed well or had any dimension to them.

It was basically sermonizing/lecturing the audience about how women needed to strengthen themselves in a male-dominated society. That was a worthy discussion to have, to be sure, but it was all presented in a sophomoric, black-and-white and tedious fashion.

After Bailey was fired, Rick Edelstein assumed the role of head writer, and the entire series turned around. Rarely have I seen any soap opera rebound like that. It was a miracle, really. It was akin to how General Hospital suddenly SOARED upon the arrival of Gloria Monty. Focus was now placed on multi-dimensional characters and heart-felt interpersonal relationship drama. The dull tone and sermonizing disappeared. The closest comparison I can draw about the writing, is that Edelstein's HTSAM was similar to Harding Lemay's early years at Another World. The material was mesmerizing throughout RE's tenure.

Sadly, once Lin Bolin decided to cancel the show, Edelstein left and the dreaded Margaret DePriest was hired to bring HTS to a close. While not as awful as AHB had been, MD's material has always been tepid at best, and her closing of the show was a disappointment after RE's stellar work.

Edited 49 minutes ago49 min by vetsoapfan

I vaguely remember the commercials before its debut. I was probably too young to notice the feminist side - it wouldn't have seemed different to me in our feminist household.

The commercials were risqué to me and my siblings, especially my sisters who were very interested. One had a female character in bed, implied nudity or a very skimpy nightgown, with the covers pulled up, hair a bit disheveled, looking very post coitus. I believe she spoke directly to the camera. She might have had a glass of wine in her hand. I can't remember which actress but I suspect it was Jennifer Harmon.

I saw part of one episode - the heart attack. At age 15 I found it embarrassingly over acted by Fran Brill. But I wasn't smoking weed yet and my later appreciation of a good hammy performance was not yet developed.

6 minutes ago, Stevel said:

I vaguely remember the commercials before its debut. I was probably too young to notice the feminist side - it wouldn't have seemed different to me in our feminist household.

The commercials were risqué to me and my siblings, especially my sisters who were very interested. One had a female character in bed, implied nudity or a very skimpy nightgown, with the covers pulled up, hair a bit disheveled, looking very post coitus. I believe she spoke directly to the camera. She might have had a glass of wine in her hand. I can't remember which actress but I suspect it was Jennifer Harmon.

I saw part of one episode - the heart attack. At age 15 I found it embarrassingly over acted by Fran Brill. But I wasn't smoking weed yet and my later appreciation of a good hammy performance was not yet developed.

I thought Brill's work after her TV husband died was stellar, to be honest. The show delved into the intense pain a woman, a mother, would feel in a situation like that. They played all the beats (something soaps of yore could do so well) and really made us experience the agony with her.

I was pleased for Fran Brill when she won the Best Actress in a Single Sequence award from Afternoon TV magazine for the storyline.

I was, however, sorry to hear that she developed trench mouth from all the crying he had to do.😬

19 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

I thought Brill's work after her TV husband died was stellar, to be honest. The show delved into the intense pain a woman, a mother, would feel in a situation like that. They played all the beats (something soaps of yore could do so well) and really made us experience the agony with her.

I was pleased for Fran Brill when she won the Best Actress in a Single Sequence award from Afternoon TV magazine for the storyline.

I was, however, sorry to hear that she developed trench mouth from all the crying he had to do.😬

Like I said... too young to appreciate it. I joke about smoking weed to watch soaps but it was an almost perfect combination back then. Vegetating we called it. A few spliffs after school and we were ready to feel every beat of every story in the 1970s.

I wish I had stuck with that show after reading your post. Not sure what I would have clicked to instead. The Edge of Night maybe? The Guiding Light? The Secret Storm? I was more used to them.