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Texas!


Chris B

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Posted (edited)

I just finished the Locher Room Texas reunion.  I really enjoyed it.  I love that the actors have such fond memories of the time they spent working on Texas and with each other.  It is really special and unique.  Kin was being Kin.  He was moving the camera around or he was constantly moving, at one point he is completely in the dark, then you can't hear him.  lol.  He is like a hyper child.  

And as I suspected Alan admitted he has not read Tom Lisanti's book.  It is lazy and unprofessional for him to not have done so before speaking with this group.

Edited by Efulton
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Alan not reading the book was probably wise because he didn't interrupt as much and the five guests (Caryn and Tom especially) were all talking to one another with little to no input from Alan. 

I think Caryn was pretty honest about the common bond of being young, new to soaps, and venting about the confusing structure of their stories that bonded them together.  And she was right that the stories changed left and right... her character alone had several stories/love interests during that two year period.

Kin was also a bit bitter and I can't blame him considering he was forced on the soap.. and the show really didn't know what to do with him  and Rauch made him feel unwelcome to boot.  I'm sure he enjoyed hanging with everyone when not at the studio.. but I think he doesn't view his time there fondly.. and I can't blame him.

 

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Kin was definitely unhappy that he was not used effectively on Texas. I actually liked Jeb’s introduction and was looking forward to a Jeb / Courtney romance. Unfortunately he never got a well written front burner story and was gone in a year.

 

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Posted (edited)

Yeah, but...

It always seems hypocritical when actors complain after the fact about a role that they clearly took for the fame and the paycheck. Kin Shriner, left General Hospital at its peak for NBC’s Texas, chasing bigger money and visibility. The writing was not comparable between the two shows, but let’s not pretend that was the draw. Off-screen, he was young, rich, and living it up in disco-era Manhattan. If the craft really mattered, he wouldn’t have bolted the moment the money got better.

 

Edited by j swift
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I think Kin was dissatisfied at GH in as much as Scotty had been pushed aside for Luke/Laura and the writing was doing him no favors as Scotty was now seen as an obstacle to their romance.

So with his contract up he was offered big $$$ to move to Texas, which you can't blame him for. In addition to the money, I recall he was promised that Jeb would be a more dynamic character than Scotty. The money came through but not the story, so  don't blame him for being  slightly bitter.

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i am now watching December 1980 episodes and I am enjoying what is happening. Most people in this thread have said they think Texas did not have a chance in Hell of succeeding but I don’t agree.  While I agree that it got off to a rocky start and the competition was fierce by the end of 1980 it was hitting its stride.  I believe that if Paul Rauch and the Corringtons had been left alone they could have brought Texas to the middle of the ratings pack of the other soaps. There was years of story to be told for
 
- Iris / Dennis / Paige / Elliot
- Samantha / Justin / Reena / Max
- Courtney / Jeb / Elena
- Billy Joe / Nita / Ricky.
 
I would have kept Terry and moved her into the Ryan / Ginny / Barret story. 
 
Writing out Dawn, Clipper, Kevin and Bart was smart as those characters were boring. 
 
would have eventually brought back a recast Dawn who was stronger to cause problems for Iris and Paige. 
 
Replacing Robert Gerringer as Striker was a head scratcher.  I’ve liked Gerringer since Dark Shadows and don’t understand what the point of that move was. Recasting Max because an executive’s wife could not tell Max and Justin apart was also a stupid move. Chandler Hill Harben may not have been the greatest actor of all time but he had fire and sex appeal. 
 
I also would have killed off Alex but would have had Iris wreak havoc in Houston with her new money and power. 
 
I would have kept Maggie. She was a great talk to for many of the younger characters.   
 
I’m looking forward to the introduction of Grant, Judith, Mark & Brette Wheeler, Ruby and Lurlene and especially Hitopah. 
 
I’m curious to see if I enjoy the Pamela Long / Gail Kobe era. It is what I remember most.  I suspect that I will enjoy the writing but not the new characters they introduce who are not connected to the core families.
Edited by Efulton
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Pam Long wrote the show for a very short period at the end although it's been reported that she was submitting story ideas for a while, I believe she's only credited as head writer for the last 8 weeks or so. After the Corringtons (Aug 80- to Feb 81) Paul hired Dorthea Ann Purser and Sam Ratcliffe (March 2 81 to Nov 6 81). There was a writers' strike from May to July 81 during which time it's been speculated that Rauch hired Gerald Flesher and Paul Rader to write. They later replaced Purser/Ratcliffe as of Nov 9 1981 when Kobe took over as EP. Paul is credited as head writer at least through October 4, 1982. On YouTube I found an episode from Oct 22, 1982 and Pam is credited.  Flesher was fired and out after June 11 1982 episode. I believe Gary Tomlin and Linda Hamner were co heads with Paul through Sept or so then Linda was moved back to scripts/breakdowns (or was fired) and Carolyn Culliton got the third co head writer slot all until Pam was named sole head.

Edited by VelekaCarruthers
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