Another World Discussion Thread

[AbcNbc247]

-There was no exit for Clarice and Larry. They just disappeared after Zane’s funeral. 

As for Sean, if you think about it, it’s possible that the writers didn’t even bother to learn the history, especially since Sean’s last name was McKinnon and Kevin’s last name was Anderson. 

Edited August 17, 2024 by AbcNbc247

[watson71]

There was some kind of behind the scenes fallout between Laura Malone and Chris Rich/Nancy Frangione in 1984.  Could TPTB gotten rid of Malone to appease Rich during contract negotiations?  All three actors eventually left the show.

 

Also, when Allen Potter announced his retirement, P&G was going to transfer ATWT EP Mary Ellis Bunim to AW.  Bunim went to Santa Barbara instead, while AW got Stephen Schenkel as EP who did a lot of damage to AW in 1985.  Do you think Bunim would have been better for AW then Schenkel?

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[Mona Kane Croft]

I don't know.  I have not heard good things about Bunim at any New York soaps, so she may have been a better fit for an LA soap like Santa Barbara.   I don't remember much about AW in 1985, so I can't comment on Schenkel.  But my dream team for Another World in 1985 would have been the return of Paul Rauch as executive producer, and hiring Douglas Marland as head-writer.  

And yes, I have heard about the conflict between Malone, Rich, and Frangione.  The conventional wisdom is that Rich and Frangione had the clout to gang-up against Malone and get her fired.  At this point, I suppose I do believe it is true.   

Edited August 17, 2024 by Mona Kane Croft

[Contessa Donatella]

In the chronology, then, when did Bunim go to SEARCH? I mean, if you know. Because at SFT  she was operating under a mandate as obnoxious to fan goals as JFP when she came in 1995. 

[Mona Kane Croft]

What was Bunim's mandate at SFT? I know she had poor Mary Stuart fearing for her job. I'm not sure, but I think Bunim was at SFT in the late-70s and left around the time the Corrington's were hired as head-writers.  But I might be completely wrong about that timing.    Let us know if you get any details.   

 

Edited August 17, 2024 by Mona Kane Croft

[Contessa Donatella]

Her mandate was to drastically change the "age" of the show, moving veterans who were much older, if not to the backburner, at least somewhat off to the side & to bring younger characters way to the forefront. Mary Stuart was afraid she intended to run them completely off the show, but that was not in the works, ever. I'm under the impression that she was blamed & hated when she was only doing, literally, what she was hired to do. She didn't like Pete Lemay. He didn't like her. Patrick Mulcahey told me she would not defend herself. Then, of course, there was a writer's strike & things became even more complicated. 

To me that sounds a great deal like JFP at AW. Although Jill was always ready to defend herself & cast blame on someone, anyone, else. 

[chrisml]

Wasn't Bunim also accused of bad behavior on SB? If I recall correctly, Linda Gibboney came out in the press about bad treatment at the hands of Bunim. Maybe why Bunim had to move into the reality sphere.

 

[Mona Kane Croft]

Well, if Bunim was at SFT when Lemay was head-writer, then I was completely wrong about the timing.  Lemay was hired some time after the Corringtons had left.  So maybe 1981-82ish??   

And I always thought SFT was modernized by the Corringtons, with Travis and Liza, etc.  I'm surprised to see a mandate for modernization post-Corringtons.  But who knows??

[Contessa Donatella]

Don't know about her at SB. However, I think moving into soap-hybrids was a choice she & her partner made, a very conscious choice. They were considered to be "movers and shakers" & very progressive & leaders. Before she became ill & died she reaped considerable acclaim. (F*ck Cancer!) 

You know me & dates!! If I don't look it up, I can be way off. But, I do know that she evaluated Pete as a Headwriter & found him lacking!! However, she told him he needed to write more sex & he was as offended by her as she, him. 

[watson71]

Bunim was at SFT in the 70s and Fred Bartholomew was the EP of ATWT.  They did one of those famous P&G producer switches in the early 80s.  Bunim went to ATWT and Bartholomew went to SFT.  He was the EP of SFT when it moved from CBS to NBC.

[Paul Raven]

Mary Ellis Bunim was at search throughout the 70's starting in the production office before becoming EP around 75.

Then in 81 she went to ATWT and stayed till Sept 84.

[Xanthe]

The interesting thing to me about that dynamic and the timing is that Cecile disappeared right before that -- the AWHP has Nancy Frangione's last day for several months as July 31, 1984. So Nancy was already gone (with a brief return in November for the Majorca remote) and Chris Rich stayed until March 1985. I am very ready to blame Chris Rich but if the producers replaced Laura Malone to try to tempt him to stay longer it doesn't seem to have worked. They might have done better to recast Sandy and keep Malone as Blaine. (But at the time he and Frangione were still married so maybe they were trying to keep the Cecile door open.)

[Mona Kane Croft]

Interesting information.   Thanks for sharing

 

[Contessa Donatella]

Thanks for the dates, folks! 

[Khan]

Frankly, that's tough to say.  If her time at ATWT was/is any indication, I think MEB might have shifted AW's focus even more on younger and younger characters to the detriment of veteran cast members.