I didn't see a thread for Capitol so I decided to start one.

CBS premiered Capitol as a prime time special on Friday March 26, 1982, and the daytime premiere was three days later in the timeslot previously occupied by CBS's then-longest running daytime drama Search for Tomorrow.

Capitol was best described as Dallas meets the Reagan administration, with its Washington DC political backdrop combined with the glitz and glamour that characterized CBS's biggest primetime drama.

Despite being middle of the pack ratings-wise during it's run, Capitol ended a little less than 5 years later on Friday March 20, 1987, and three days later CBS premiered Bill Bell's 2nd show The Bold and the Beautiful.

I feel Capitol went on the air so CBS could draw a younger audience to compete with ABC (who pretty much owned daytime in the early 1980s with the action/adventure plots on General Hospital and the young love plots on All My Children). I also feel Capitol was used as a placeholder as CBS was probably waiting for Y&R (which became CBS's highest-rated daytime drama in the 1982/1983 season) to be established among the top 3 daytime dramas (which it was from the 1983/1984 season onward) before they were ready to give Bill Bell a 2nd show.

I’ve been watching the late 1985/early 1986 episodes that recently propped upon Jim’s channel - right now it’s the whole Baxter McCandless storyline and I’m up to the part where Paula has just kidnapped Mark from the hospital after his shooting (damn she is one freaky lady…).

I do have to say though, I *ADORE* watching Constance Towers - she lights up every scene she is in. And also fascinated by pre-Loving Catherine Hickland! 

There was a lot going for CAPITOL, especially when Peggy O'Shea and (later) Henry Slesar were writing it.

7 hours ago, OzFrog said:

And also fascinated by pre-Loving Catherine Hickland! 

I maintain that she is a totally underappreciated actress.  However, I could watch it endlessly just due to my fascination with the Jenny wig.  How did they get it to lay so snatched?

Jim Muneco has uploaded several more Capitol episodes (all still poor quality but watchable).

@SFK You may be interested in this - the video is basically a Constance Towers compilation. Several appearances on Merv Griffin and a segment on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

In the fashion parade for the first segment, you also see Julie Parrish and Karen Kelly.

 

Edited June 21, 20241 yr by DRW50

A set of very good quality episodes focusing on Trey and Sloane's Lincoln Memorial wedding.

 

To me, still one of the most gorgeous dresses in daytime history (headpiece not withstanding).

Poor Sloan, betrayed by her mother and her father.  That's good soap when a vixen is given context and motivation for their actions.

And, it always amazes me that you can hardly tell how horrible the weather was on the day of filming; that's some Hollywood magic.

Edited July 6, 20241 yr by j swift

Thanks @dc11786 there have been a number of Capitol videos on Youtube but rarely that high quality.

 

I wonder how the 16 affiliates were chosen?

Broadcasting March 14th 1982

Washington goes Hollywood -or vice versa

Film crews and promo teams convened in Washington last week to tape segments of Capitol, the new CBS soap opera to be launched Friday, March 26, with a one -hour prime time special from 10 to 11 p.m.

The new daytime drama portrays the fates and fortunes of two prominent political families, the McClandlesses and the Cleggs, who have been enemies for generations and now face new rivalry on the Washington battlefield of political and personal affairs.

To herald the new series, camera crews representing 16 CBS affiliates followed the Hollywood set to the nation's capital for a week of on- location scenes, socializing, press conferences, dinners and an elaborate reception at the Phillips Collection. The show stars veteran actor Rory Calhoun, along with Carolyn Jones, Ed Nelson and Constance Towers. It is produced by John Conboy, winner of eight Emmy awards and producer of The Young and the Restless. The special one -hour introduction was directed by Corey Allen. After its March 26 prime -time launch, Capitol will air every weekday from 2:30 to 3 p.m.

Hadn't seen this before. A rarity (to me anyway), and all the more notable as CBS wouldn't have the show on much longer.

 

4 hours ago, DRW50 said:

Hadn't seen this before. A rarity (to me anyway), and all the more notable as CBS wouldn't have the show on much longer.

 

John Conboy(There's hardwood under that rug). Thanks for finding that and sharing. 

 

 

 

This probably was in response to the storyline where Grant Alexander's D.J. Phillips had Kelly Harper addicted to pills. I think that would have been 1986. 

Only in the Reagan 80s would your PSA present a serious medical issue as a serious economic threat to the private sector. Wild. Almost makes you want to edit Conboy's title to producer of Capital. I'd be curious how long after Todd Curtis' accident this was. Do we know what caused the car accident?

Thanks @DRW50.

I looked up information available in the papers on Curtis' accident. It sounds pretty awful. He and his girlfriend were driving when they were rear-ended by another vehicle. This caused the car to go over the guardrail flipping in the process. His girlfriend was the driver and I think it said he was in the back seat. Both were injured, but his were worst. 

 

On 7/6/2024 at 9:43 AM, dc11786 said:

A set of very good quality episodes focusing on Trey and Sloane's Lincoln Memorial wedding.

 

I meant to download these. Damn.