Does anyone know whose idea it was to spin Iris off to TX? I'm sure many of us know that the original plan was an antebellum New Orleans period soap called Reunion. Was Paul Rauch already set to EP that? I wonder if it was his idea or the network's to have Beverlee McKinsey headline TX when NBC nixed the Reunion concept.

I didn't watch Texas when it was on, but have been watching episodes on youtube and fell in love with it. I get a kick out of Rena in her fur coats and calling everyone honey.

Nelson or one of the current soap scribes called Pam Long one of the GREATS--only having watched her AWFUL run at OLTL I'm left dumbfounded.

Eric, You have missed out. She was wonderful on Texas and then tremendously wonderful on GL. She is truly a gifted writer but as with most writers some shows are not her forte. Sadly One Life To Live has been the downfall of a few (i.e. Claire Labine).

After Susie Horgan left OLTL as EP in Oct 1996 ABC took more control of the show. Thats why they put a former ABC program exec Maxine Levinson in as EP & Writers like Claire & then Pam in who had no connection to the show

Harding Lemay who was a consultant when Pam was HW at OLTL said the suits at ABC wouldnt leave them alone.

If left alone Pam is great

I think this is Randy Hamilton today.

https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrink_500_500/p/7/005/016/035/2c5976c.jpg

I had thought when Pamela Long was hired as headwriter for One Life to Live that it would be wonderful. I had heard that she wrote well for male characters. I was terribly disappointed, and I am glad now to know that network interference may have been why!

I loved her primetime show Second Noah.

Pam did the David Renaldi return which was great for Michael, Laura, Robin & Stephen.

I don't remember characters named Robin, Stephen, Laura, or Michael.

Did she created the character of R. J. Gannon? (I don't think that she did) I do remember that Claire Labine tried to give R. J. more to do.

Did she create R. J. Gannon. I think that he was probably already on the show, but I cannot remember who created him.

I do remember that Claire Labine, as headwriter, tried to involve him in more scenes and storylines.

I don't remember characters named Robin, Stephen, Laura, or Michael.

Did she created the character of R. J. Gannon? (I don't think that she did) I do remember that Claire Labine tried to give R. J. more to do.

Did she create R. J. Gannon. I think that he was probably already on the show, but I cannot remember who created him.

I do remember that Claire Labine, as headwriter, tried to involve him in more scenes and storylines.

I was talking actors: Robin (Dorian), Laura (Cassie), Michael (David) & Stephen (Mel)

Malone & Co created RJ

Dianne Thompson / Alexandra Neil (Ruby)


From the book  - Now you tell me! 12 Actors Give The Best Advice They Never Got by Sheridan Scott & Chris Williams (2012)

Why exactly did Bev McKinsey leave? Was it fatigue, the de-clawing of Iris, something else or a combination of things?

I think it was both. Harding Lemay has said that she believed it was a mistake to do TEXAS and play the softer, more sympathetic side of Iris (they paid her well, but she still felt it was a mistake); and in her infamous interview w/ Michael Logan shortly after leaving GL, she alluded to the fact that she ultimately left TEXAS for the same reason she left GL: she was tired, feeling overworked and angry.

Thank you. She sure was one of the greats!!!

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19800803&id=hj1PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lAIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5478,5059737&hl=en

Texas premiere article