Another World Discussion Thread

[Paul Raven]

Oakland Tribune, 14 July 1985

  AW is another show with Schenkel at helm By Connie Passalacqua

For the most part, dictators of South American banana republics enjoy better reputations than executive producers of daytime soap operas. Total authority is vested in these producers, who can kill off a character (thus firing an actor) with a stroke of a pen, or completely change life in his or her soap opera dominion (both in its fictional locale and backstage at the studio) on any kind of whim. 

Most rule despotically, inspiring fear in their actors and writers. Which inevitably surfaces on the screen and subtracts from a show's quality. Then there's Stephen Schenkel who became executive producer of Another World last fall. He's been described by one of his actresses as "a teddy bear."

He has noticeably improved the show, mostly because his natural warmth encourages backstage cohesiveness, and he believes in personally nurturing his staff and cast. 'I like to be supportive', he said.' I like to generate a certain amount of enthusiasm. I love actors and writers and technical people. And I like to laugh..  '

Schenkel said that most of the factors that have led to the shows improved ratings existed before he took over. There were well defined characters, outstanding writers and excellent production values, he explains. 'These things were in place but needed to be stimulated. There wasn't a lot of excitement. What really was missing was an adequate story. We added Gillian Spencer as a writer. (she also plays Daisy on All My Children), who's wonderful, and it just coalesced. The writers energy and commitment to the show began to give it an emotional intensity and some real passion within the characters."

Schenkel, a former ABC programming executive who helped develop Ryan's Hope, is a strong believer in stressing romantic and comedy elements in soap operas. AW is also one of the only soaps with an established group of comic characters, including Wallingford (Brent Collins) and Lily Mason (Jackee , Harry). Schenkel raves about the talents of all his actors, and even has something good to say about the Brooklyn location of the shows studio, which most of his Manhattan-oriented staff loathe. I like the people here. I like to walk down the street and feel their energies, he said. He also violateda soap opera no-no, ' inviting actors and writers to the same party. "Everyone got to know one another, he said. And I didn't get any complaints about actors ' begging for story lines, he said. 

[DRW50]

Thanks @Paul Raven 

That's a lovely writeup. Do fans feel it was warranted?

[Contessa Donatella]

Thanks, Paul, I did not know about his interest in the comedic elements or that he was one of our many people who came from the network!

I have always liked Marlena de la Croix's writing, which is not to say I 100% agree with her. She's been a member of my FB soap group for a good long time & she actually posts, which I love. Recently I posted about an e-copy of Robert LaGuardia's SOAP WORLD that is free to borrow like a library e-book but on the Internet Archive site & I posted that at the time of their publications, all of his soap opera books were the gold standard. 

She immediately posted about "Bob" who was her close friend & how much she still misses him to this day & that he loved to talk soaps & was also a nice guy, etc. which I was over the moon to have her share about the author & his time etc. like that!!!

 

[Xanthe]

Dragging this quote over from the Texas thread just because it shows a reference to Bay City as a fictional location at least as early as 1981. It doesn't quote Gail Kobe as saying it directly but the point she is making about the Houston setting of Texas does seem to take it for granted that Bay City is not real.