Another World: Whatever happened to the Matthews family?

[King of Pine Valley]

When "Another World" premiered back in 1964, it originally focused on the lives and loves of the Matthews family in Bay City.

But over the years, AW had underwent a series of massive changes.

As the Frames and Corys are becoming the show's newest focus, almost all of the Matthews are either written out or kinda faded into oblivion and we don't have a reason why.

So does anyone know whatever really happened to the Matthews family?

[SteveFrame]

Jim & Mary of course died.

William & his son Bill both died.

Janet, Jim & William's sister, went to live in California.

Liz is still roaming around Bay City somewhere.

Alice moved to Washington.

Sally (Alice's daughter) died.

Russ - just said to have left town for another job.

Olivia - living in Paris

Ricky - living in San Diego with his mother, Missy

Susan - living in Colorado

Pat - moved to New York

Michael - living in Florida

Marianne - moved to Chicago in 1980

Julia - dead

************************************

It was always sad what the writers did to the Matthews family but it all couldn't have happened if one of AW's greatest writers Harding Lemay hadn't so crippled the family.

He killed off the Matriarch. Turned the strong Liz Matthews into a meddling old aunt instead of the powerful bitch she was. He killed Steve Frame and thus destroyed the shows big super couple and strong love/romance. Also firing the actress that was so identified with Alice for 11 years hurt too. Then he broke up the only other long-lived couple John & Pat Matthews Randolph and then later even killed off John.

He almost did more damage to one of daytime's founding families than any other writer ever.

[Efulton]

I agree Harding Lemay began the decimation of the Matthews family.  I am watching 1981 episode of Another World on Youtube and the Matthews family was made strong again by head writer L. Virginia Brown.  Russ, Pat, Liz, Jim (although rarely seen) were still with the show when she took the head writer position.  She brought back Alice and Sally (the wonderful Jennifer Runyon) and put them front and centre.  Unfortunately Corrine Jacker soon takes over as head writer and the less said about her the better.

[denzo30]

I would say the obvious like what has happen on every soap.  New writers and new producers.  I would like to blame Harding Lemay for the Matthews disappearing but it began more or less before he started.  I would say Agnes Nixon took the show in a different route in the late 60's and when Harding Lemay stepped in, he made Steve Frames family a fabric of the show.  They all want to do that writers and producers.  They want to change things so they can take credit for something good coming out of it

I would say the obvious like what has happen on every soap.  New writers and new producers.  I would like to blame Harding Lemay for the Matthews disappearing but it began more or less before he started.  I would say Agnes Nixon took the show in a different route in the late 60's and when Harding Lemay stepped in, he made Steve Frames family a fabric of the show.  They all want to do that writers and producers.  They want to change things so they can take credit for something good coming out of it

Read more: Another World: Whatever happened to the Matthews family? - DTS: Cancelled Soaps - SON Community http://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/27960-another-world-whatever-happened-to-the-matthews-family/?_fromLogin=1#ixzz40GW0C2KZ

[kylefish76]

What about Corrine? I dont know much about AW history from that era. Thanks.

[robbwolff]

Jacker's year-long stint was horrid. Schizophrenic is how I would describe 1981-1982 when Jacker was at the helm. Characters were introduced and written out at such rapid pace. Entire new families, like the Sheas and Wileys, were introduced and written out within a matter of months. 

[kylefish76]

Ok she brought on the sheas and then they were all gone the following fall. I remember that now.

[danfling]

It should be remembered that head writer James Lipton introduced a new family (the Gregory family).   His successor, Agnes Nixon, brought the Matthews family back into the prominence of the show.

[Efulton]

I would say Robert Cenedella began the destruction of the Matthews family by killing Lee Randolph and Bill Matthews.  Those 2 characters should have been leads for decades to come.  However, Harding Lemay put the nail in the coffin by killing Mary Matthews, John Randolph and Steven Frame.  And having Jacqueline Courtney replaced.  Horrible decisions will long term effects.

 

L. Virginia Brown did an excellent job slowing rebuilding the family by bring back Alice and Sally.  During her tenure we had Jim, Liz, Alice, Pat, Russ, Sally and Marianne.  I would have loved for her to have a longer tenure as head writer.

 

Richard Culliton and Gary Tomlin also tried to bring the Matthews family back into focus with the return of Jacqueline Courtney, Sally being front and centre and Liz as a key supporting character.  Unfortunately they killed off Julia which was a stupid move IMO.  

[Efulton]

 

_

[Soaplovers]

I do agree Jacker wrote off Pat and Marianne...and also Alice (cause that recast was horrid).  Jim had passed in real life so I understood that.

 

Tomlin got points for bringing back Alice and keeping the focus on Sally....but killing off Julia was a bad move.  Both actresses that played Julia brought different aspects to the character...but what they each brought worked.  My theory was that Julia and Marley were too alike so they opted to keep Marley.  That is just my theory.

[teplin]

 

I always assumed Lemay's late '80s story bible was responsible for the introduction of Olivia Matthews, the return of Russ (in limited capacity) and the increased use of Aunt Liz. Rumor was that he also wanted to bring back Pat, but Donna Swajeski didn't follow that thread.