ANOTHER LIFE

[Bright Eyes]

How do you pronounce, Ione?

[DRW50]

I think on the show they pronounced it I-Own.

[dc11786]

There are clips of Lori March on youtube. Lori March played a character involved in the DOMI plot. I believe her name was Barbara. Jayne Heller played Phyllis Carpenter.

[Paul Raven]

From The Boston Globe Dec 81

Dissatisfaction on the part of wealthy contributors may have been a major factor in changing the direction of the show. The giant CBN organization in Virginia Beach, Va., depends heavily on contributions amounting to $58-60 million a year. Said [Roy Winsor]: "I understand that the heavy hitters, especiallyfrom the South and Bible Belt, were not happy because the show did not preach born- again salvation. Television Christians like Pat Robertson depend on contributions. [bob Aaron] and I were not interested in a daytime serial for those who have received a born-again message. We simply tried to produce a secular serial about a Christian family."

Last September, Aaron, Winsor and two writers were fired at the instigation of Dr. Pat Robertson, the CBN chairman. Bob Slosser, executive vice-president and CBN board member was brought in, along with David Hummel, another CBN insider, who became the show's executive producer.

[SFK]

^^That's really too bad. It was a cute little show from what I've seen. I think they went about it the right way, no one likes watching PSAs when they've come to be entertained, that stuff flies on a children's show, but not with adults. You have to have a "show don't tell" manner of writing if you're trying to get certain points across/sharing Christian themes. You don't want to hit your audience over the head with it. I was just watching a funny scene with Ione and that crazy b. Nancy and Ione has a line like, "The scripture says..." and it immediately takes you out, you're reminded that you're watching a soap with a message.

I was just reading up on Edye/Eyde Byrde (Ione), who went on to be with the Lord in 1999. Had a couple of lightbulb moments reading her resume, some of those guest stints I knew her face and voice from like Will's nurse on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and as Beverlee McKinsey's maid in Bronco Billy.

[saynotoursoap]

dc, thank you for correcting me! I need to watch my old tapes again because I would have sworn on a stack of bibles that Lori March played Phyllis. I do not remember her playing Barbara at all. So, Carl, Lori was not on 6 months, she was only in a handful of episodes in the summer of 1984.

Barbara was Barbara Gilbert. Vanessa kept DOMI going through contributions from wealthy patrons, and then she killed them. Barbara Gilbert was the red flag that something was amiss within DOMI. Ione's son Gene was a newspaper reporter, and he worked on an expose of the organization. Vanessa got her hands on Barbara's money and hypnotized her into taking a drug overdose (tranquilizers or sleeping pills). Barbara's death appeared to be a suicide. Vanessa turned her attention to another wealthy patron, Beverly Randolph. I remember her name because Beverly Penberthy played Pat Randolph on AW. Since P&G was involved in the production, I wondered if the name was an in-joke. Vanessa convinced Beverly to seek medical attention from Ben Martin. Ben refused to prescribe her tranquilizers, so Vanessa hypnotized her into going to a local drugstore and telling the pharmacist that Ben Martin recommended that she buy the strongest over the counter allergy medication on the market. Beverly had some medical condition for which antihistamines were contraindicated. Vanessa gave her a posthypnotic suggestion to take the whole bottle, and Beverly died too. Beverly's death accelerated the story to its conclusion.

I apologize to all for posting incorrect information. I must re-watch these episodes to ensure that I did not goof elsewhere.

[DRW50]

You remember so many details it's just natural for a few to blur together in the mind.

I do remember that clip of Beverly. I was impressed by the actress in those clips so I guess it's fitting that she turned out to be a longtime soap actress. I'm glad she at least got some more work. The P&G-related soaps seemed to help her out.

It's too bad that Winsor's last soap experience wasn't happier. I do kind of see their point, I guess. I wonder if being more outspoken about Scripture might have helped them get a few more viewers, since they didn't do it in a way which would alienate a secular viewer.

[DRW50]

More Another Life clips up!

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[DRW50]

Some more Another Life clips, from 1982. Who was Jill and what was her story? She's not fantastic but there is some raw talent. The only really bad work is from the man in the jail scene - shocking.

And she's being wooed by Al Franken!

The makeover is way too Small Wonder or Darla from Little Rascals.

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[DRW50]

The last episode. I think the last scenes are quite touching. It's a nice tonic to what soaps have become.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5O6BknvMXs&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ31mviiccE

[dc11786]

I appreciate seeing the final episode. I had been told that the final episode had involved the end of DOMI plot, which obviously it didn't. It does seem to have a very nice ending though I do wonder about the Courtney / Vaughn relationship. Initially, Courtney / Peter, Terry's son, had been the couple to root for or so I had been led to believe. I believe Vaughn had lied about being able to have children and Vaughn and Courtney married anyway. How was Peter going to win in this Christian soap? Divorce was a no-no. I assume an annulment would have been an option since Vaughn was withholding information from her when they entered the union, but would that be enough? Or would Vaughn have to die in order for Courtney and Peter to find their happiness?

The underlying message of the DOMI plot is interesting. Weren't self help / spiritual groups sort of a fad of this time period? I seem to recall "The Golden Girls" doing an episode where Rose and Dorothy became involved in one? The DOMI plot seems to suggest these groups are evil, literally, and are being used to lure people away from God and religion. I might being reading a little bit too much into it, but I seemed to get the sense that AL was putting down these groups for taking away from Christianity.

Jill was a teen runaway. Her biological mother was Beth Slaymaker, a local judge. I believe Beth had cared more about her career than her child and gave her away. Jill and Beth had a tough time forging a mother / daughter bond, but they did in the end. TV Tome use to have some good summaries for Another Life. I believe the site is now called TV.com

There are episodes from 1982. They are in English, but there is foreign subtitles on the bottom. The period covers Lori Martin's attack at the school and Nancy Carpenter faking her paralysis as Charles Carpenter falls back in love with his first wife Helen.

[DRW50]

LOLFanMe has uploaded some more Another Life episodes, with the Der Salam Bible story and some of the DOMI story with the hypnotic Vanessa.

[Bright Eyes]

Does anyone know what time this usually aired?

[MontyB]

I know here in NYC it aired at 12 noon on WPIX channel 11. After channel 11 stopped showing it, I watch in on CBN every night at 7 or 7:30 pm, but I'm pretty sure CBN air it in the morning and late light also.

[saynotoursoap]

The regular CBN schedule for Another Life was: Morning 10:30 CT/ 11:30 ET; Afternoon 3:00 CT/4:00 ET; Evening 10:00 CT/11:00 ET. There was also an early, early morning feed (5 a.m., I believe).