What Makes Your Show Unique?Producers comments

[Paul Raven]

Do these statements hold true for these shows today?

OLTL - Paul Rauch exec producer

"I believe we break the rules of storytelling.It's a matter of recognizing convention and the finding a way of breaking it.For example,doing remotes.Early on in the seventies,we started going to exotic palm filled locations in the Caribbean.We determined,after a number of years,that going on location to these places had become quite common with other shows and decided not to continue unless it could be done in a more interesting way-involving it in long term storytelling instead of using it for short term hype.Last year,we did the 'Heaven' story line,which was certainly unique.This year we did 'Buchanan City',which is unique and quite extraordinary.Another thing is that all of the writers actually work right here with me on a week long basis,so we are able to operate as a self-contained unit.No other show,except maybe General Hospital,works like that.The head writer,associate head writer,three breakdown writers,one dialogue writer and all the researchers work right here in the studio with me.It's a real community".

GH - Wes Kenney exec producer

"That's a hard question to answer.It's a combination of things.Since I'm kind of the new kid on the block,I would have to say the thing that Gloria Monty established so successfully and soundly,is the action approach to daytime,which she put to use more successfully than anyone else.Over and beyond that,is the talent themselves.I feel we have a talented group.We're trying,in addition to the entertainment and adventure,to take on a social issue here and there.I think it makes it interesting."

ATWT - Robert Calhoun exec producer

"I think it's the history and vibrancy of the characters that makes the show unique.I think that the continuity of the characters makes it the richest show on the air.We've got the cast to play that complexity and history.The show has not been created anew with each set of writers the way NYC has eaten up it's architecture.Under Doug Marland's tutelage,nobody has been relegated to back burner status."

DOOL - Al Rabin Supervising Exec Producer

"We believe that soap opera is a romantic medium.The audience watches to experience an emotion.So,hopefully,after you watch Days, you can say,'I was so sad',or'I was so angry' or 'I was so happy'.Five or six basic emotions that the audience can experience and walk away satisfied.If you can have an investment in the character,regardless of the adventure the characters are in,the audience will care.In any successful story,the adventure stuff is just a vehicle.If it becomes the dominant issue,the audience will be bored.That's why nightime shows go off the air.You must have an investment in the chracter,not the adventure.That's what Days has,and thhat's why people watch."

Y&R/B&B Bill Bell Exec Producer

"There are very exciting and talented people on both sides of the camera."

AMC Stephen Schenkel Exec Producer

"I think what makes our show unique is the richness and the warmth of our characters.Our show has a wonderful mixture of chracters who are parts of important families.I also think we do big stories about romance,life and death and family.Comedy and adventure add delight.there have always been good writers on our show.AMC has always been stylish and entertaining.I think it's the excellence of our oustanding cast-the passion that they bring to their work to make it the best show they can."

GL Joe Willmore Exec Producer

"We have chracter motivated stories - stories that come out of who the chracters are.That's what makes their actions make sense to the audience.We know why people behave the way they do.The audience also wants to see how people they know will react to new situations.Were family oriented and have every single generation represented on this show.And there's strong emotional involvement between the characters.People can identify with those emotions and be touched by them.That's important.Performance values are the other thing that have always been the strong suit of Guiding Light."

[rangethatrover]

Cool stuff-

I love Bill Bell's non answer "We are number 1 now, so F- OFF!!!

Paul Rauch was such a cocky bastard! Love it.

AMC was stylish???? Yeah suuuure. The rest- AMC was certainly known for back then.

I think the most accurate quote was by ATWT's producer.

I have never watched an episode of ATWT in my life, but I remember how critically acclaimed it was, and I always read about what an excellent storyteller Doug Marland was. I also remember reading that ATWT had a HUGE cast but Doug somehow wove such excellent storylines for all of them. OLTL got the big ratings in the 2pm slot but critics TRASHED the show. They loved ATWT.

[rangethatrover]

And why did Wes Kenney sound so damn non confident?

I loved GH then. He worked at Y&R too. He was an excellent executive producer..

[Dan]

Wow. Joe Willmore actually sounds like he knew what he was doing, lol.

[EricMontreal22]

Wes was brand new wasn't he?

While AMC certainly wasn't bad under Schenkel that was the first time people started having probs with the show--till Behr turned the show around (and gave it a visual makeover) in 89

And no Loving producer??

[YRBB]

Bell practically gave no answer It really was a "We're #1, what do you want?" thing

[EastMA2]

I hated Joe Willmore's tenure. The only good thing he did was recognize GL's 50th year in 1987 with lots of flashbacks and clips. But other than that, he was blah. How ironic that years later he would return to the show as a Stage Manager. Not that there's anything wrong with that, because stage managers do an important job. But to go from Executive Producer to stage managing shows that he was miscast in the role of EP. LOL!

[Dan]

Yeah, I know. Was actually being sarcastic. This putz was the one who said at a soap panel discussion that soaps shouldn't do social issue stories because they were boring. Did I mention that the other panelists were Agnes Nixon and Doug Marland?

[AMCHistory]

1988 for AMC was a hard year. A stagnant cast, the WGA strike left dangling stories. They had their shinning moments, but it definitely was a critically panned era. You have to wonder where AMC would be if Schneckel did not become ill and had to step down as EP. Without Felicia, I doubt AMC would have survived into the 90's with the path they were on.

The stories became grounded in reality again. The identity of the show as one of social relevance was realized again in a way absent since Babbin's departure.

[David V]

Willmore was also EP at ATWT in the 70s, when their stranglehold at the top was being seriously threatened and eventually lost.

For me, one of reasons soaps have dug their own grave in the past decade in the half, has been the decline in originality and obliteration of soaps' distinctive identities. This did start in the 80s, but accelerated greatly in the 90s and 00s.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

LOL! at Bill Bell's quote, gotta love the man.

1988 was Calhoun's last year at ATWT, I believe. When did he switch over to GL, in late 1988 or was it in early 1989?

Calhoun is one of my favourite soap EP's ever...

[Dan]

1989.

[DaytimeFan]

I can see it now...some poor SOD writer phones up Bill Bell, petrified of him and he gives THAT one line non answer. Hilarious.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

From what I hear, Bill Bell was one of the sweetest people to talk to. The soap press really adored him.

Thanks Dan, too bad he pretty much quit daytime after he left in 1991.

[DaytimeFan]

Oh absolutely, I didn't mean to imply that Bill was anything but a great guy and an absolute gentleman. Rather, I meant that some young, inexperienced SOD writer, with an editor breathing down their neck likely, had to phone THE Bill Bell and got what amounted to a non answer.