I have so much respect for this woman. She walked away from daytime at the top of her game, she could have gone on to be placed in the same category of more well-known soap writing legends, but she refused to let her work be comprised by networks and production studios who don't care about the art of writing. Bravo Nancy, as much as I want you back writing for television, I understand your reasons why for completely shunning the industry.

Edited April 4, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

NCD: I joined the show in 1984 as a scriptwriter, and before becoming part of the headwriting team with Pam Long in 1989.

So, I guess she was indeed Pam Long's Co-HW during the end of Long's tun at GL. I remember seeing her and sometimes Trent Jones listed after Long in credits from 89 and 90, but I always assumed they were just Associate Head Writer credits. I do have an interview with Nancy where she talks about how it was her or part of her idea to bring back Roger Thorpe to the show and how she wrote his return episode. Roger's return was in 1989, btw.

Edited April 5, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Alvin, honey, why don't you just contact her already?!?!?! :

What is prevalent in the entire industry, not just daytime, is this terrible reliance on marketing and focus groups. People can only tell us what they liked before, not what they wish they could see. That's the artist's job, to create stories and lead people to conclusions that they aren't equipped to anticipate until they see the scenes. It's like a mother taking dictation from a child about how he'd like to be reared... backwards. It has never worked, never will, yet it's the rare executive who understands this.

The best quote. Ever.

I love that she listed her favorite characters. You can tell in much of her tenure that she so adored those three, yet managed to make a very balanced show. JC, BM, and MZ were indeed the leads of GL back then. I hated how JC and his character has been reduced to such a minor and at times comical role.

All of those positions were instructive and I think prepared me for the rigors of managing the show and executing my own stories. I knew the characters and actors so well, and chose to do idiosyncratic, character driven stories. Because of the wealth of talent on the show, it was enormously satisfying.

Nobody but her could describe perfectly the kind of stories she told on GL in the early 90s.

God, this makes a bit sad, bc I would give anyting to relive the experience of watching the Guiding Light of the early 90s even more.

Great interview Frenchfan. You have a real knack of giving us SONers gifts such as these. I'm very proud of you. Your interview was outstanding.

You know, while there might be some bad blood between JFP and Curlee, you've got to give it to the two of them for creating such wonderful soap opera from 199-1994. JFP's production quality (and casting) and Curlee's stories meshed so well. Other than Robert Calhoun, I couldn't see any other EP paired up with such a incredible Head Writer.

Nobody but her could describe perfectly the kind of stories she told on GL in the early 90s.

God, this makes a bit sad, bc I would give anyting to relive the experience of watching the Guiding Light of the early 90s even more.

Great interview Frenchfan. You have a real knack of giving us SONers gifts such as these. I'm very proud of you. Your interview was outstanding.

It always made me wonder what GL would have been like today if Robert Calhoun (who gave us that beautiful Hold onto Love sequence) wasn't replaced with JFP. I always believed that with Calhoun remaining as EP well into the 90s and Nancy as Head Writer, the show could have really thrived and we would have never had the mess that began in late 1994 early 1995.

BTW, does anyone know was RC was replaced with JFP?

Edited April 4, 200916 yr by ClassicSoapFan

It always made me wonder what GL would have been like today if Robert Calhoun (who gave us that beautiful Hold onto Love sequence) wasn't replaced by JFP. I always believed that with Calhoun remaining at EP well into the 90s and Nancy as Head Writer, the show could have really thrived and we would have never had the mess that began in late 1994 early 1995.

I honestly think there would have been only minor differences. When Calhoun was the EP of ATWT, he didn't really indulge as much as JFP did as EP. I don't think GL would have had those special episodes like Ross's Election Day dream or the special episode featuring Eleni and Frank's wedding, and who knows, we probably wouldn't have gotten Justin Deas at all, nor Ellen Parker's departure. I think that maybe, GL would have had a better 50th Anniversary episode under him than JFP too (I've heard from many people who say that the one under JFP sucked). Other than those few nitpicks, when you get right down to it, I think the production quality would have probably remained the same.

BTW, does anyone know was RC was replaced with JFP?

I don't know where I heard this from, but didn't he step down as EP?

BTW, does anyone know was RC was replaced with JFP?

He stepped down in mid 1991 and was replaced by JFP.

Calhoun is the reason why we had Nancy as HW, he faught for her and had her promoted. What a legend he was and is, RIP Robert Calhoun, he really understood both ATWT and GL.

BTW, he and Pam Long clashed like hell at GL, they couldn't stand one another.

Edited April 5, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I love that she listed her favorite characters. You can tell in much of her tenure that she so adored those three, yet managed to make a very balanced show. JC, BM, and MZ were indeed the leads of GL back then. I hated how JC and his character has been reduced to such a minor and at times comical role.

Kim Zimmer's departure in 1990 was a damn blessing for this show. It allowed them to grow and focus on a variety of characters, which Nancy did so very well.

I am sad I didn't tell FrenchFan to ask her about Trent Jones and Lorraine Broderick and about who was really in charge. Also, I bet Toups would've been interested to know what she had to say about James E. Reilly.

He stepped down in mid 1991 and was replaced by JFP.

Calhoun is the reason why we ahad Nancy as HW, he faught for her and had her promoted. What a legend he was and is, RIP Robert Calhoun, he really understood both ATWT and GL.

BTW, he and Pam Long clashed like hell at GL, they couldn't stand one another.

But does anyone know why exactly he stepped down?

I remember reading before that he and Pam didn't get along. It's a good thing they didn't because we would have never had Nancy as HW then.

But does anyone know why exactly he stepped down?

I guess retirement from the industry, he never worked again in daytime after leaving GL.

I guess retirement from the industry, he never worked again in daytime after leaving GL.

What a loss for us. He really was a great EP who understood GL and ATWT.

CZ: Most fans think your run was the last golden era for the show (the ratings went from 5.2 to 5.4 with even a peak at 5.6 and you won the Emmy Award for Best Writing in 1993). What do you think made the show special back then?

NCD: The ratings actually came up from a good deal lower from 5.2. I think we were at something like a 4.6 when the show began to gather momentum. Mainly due to a burgeoning sense that we all had, writers, actors, producers alike, that we had our hands on something rare. There was a palpable sense of enthusiasm in the studio...people started stopped in their tracks to watch fellow actors taping scenes that were funny and real and moving. The dialogue was crisp, and the scenes well constructed. And those veteran actors knew it. It was thrilling and we all felt a part of it.

I remember GL hitting a high of #4 in the ratings ahead of ATWT. I was shocked because Douglas Marland was still writing ATWT at the time.

This woman needs to be back in daytime in some form. I would love to see her HW ATWT possible last year. I would love to see what she would do to ATWT.

I remember GL hitting a high of #4 in the ratings ahead of ATWT. I was shocked because Douglas Marland was still writing ATWT at the time.

This woman needs to be back in daytime in some form. I would love to see her HW ATWT possible last year. I would love to see what she would do to ATWT.

Sadly, I think she'd have about 6 hours (if that much) of tolerance for the Bloom/Goutman bullsh!t. And then we'd be saying farewell to Ms. Curlee all over again. Which is unfortunate. These are the people who need to be wooed back, not pushed away.