Another World

[Xanthe]

It's funny because I think Kim Morgan Greene's Nicole could have been convincing as a doomed rebound relationship for Cass. Or maybe that's just because I saw him as her escort at a party in one of the Italian episodes we saw a little while ago.

Anne Howard's Nicole as written had things a bit too simple -- she was established as a good designer whose professional issues (sabotage by Barbara Van Arkdale; need for investors) were solved pretty quickly, and her drug addiction and failed relationship with Jamie were pretty much ignored. Donna didn't do much to hinder or disapprove of her, and neither did Peter or even Reginald. If they had let her have some of that messed-uppedness and had allowed a bit more tension in her other relationships it could have been more interesting. 

 

[Contessa Donatella]

I think of Kim Morgan Greene's Nicole as Cocaine Nicole. I think of Anne Howard's Nicole as the too short to be a model, designer & also before they are done with her I think of her as Blanche Dubois, who relied on the kindness of strangers but that is because of the way they led her away, just exactly like in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. 

[Paul Raven]

The Phoenix, 11 September 1986 Brooklyn, Inc

At Brooklyn’s NBC Studios, Business Is ‘Another World’ BY TRACY GARRITY

It’s raining in Bay City. Sheets of water wash down the windows of the Cory House with a soft hiss. Rachel and Mitch argue tersely over their son Matthew until Felicia and Quinn are shown into the room. “Is it raining out?” asks Rachel, as several sets of fingers point to the rain-flecked window. “No, I mean in real life.” No one knows the answer because this is not real life. This is “Another World” and Bay City — the sprawling Chicago suburb that is home to the Corys, the Loves, the McKinnons, and millions of daytime television viewers — has been built into an airy room on the first floor of the NBC studio in Midwood, Brooklyn. In fact, Brooklyn is basking in crisp fall sunshine as the rain falls inside the studio. It was damp and cloudy on Tuesday when most of the actors arrived at 7am to run lines for the day’s taping, foreshadowing the Bay City weather, and some of them won’t get out before dark to enjoy the “real life” weather. Bay City is their work-a-day world, controlled by a veritable army of technicians, producers and directors who keep the studio humming from take to cut, creating a realistic fantasy from roughhewn boards, well-used furniture, and a cast of characters who run into more mishaps than Job.

“The show has changed a lot over the years,” says producer Karen Stevens. “We are trying to reach out for a different audience, but still keep our old audience happy.” Stevens has worked on “Another World” in several capacities for roughly a decade and is now responsible for the day-to-day production of the daytime drama. “I think all soaps have changed,” she says. “When I started here, the stories took a lot longer to finish. Our audience is influenced by the nighttime dramas where the action moves quickly. They want the same from us.” One thing hasn’t changed, however. “They still want romance. They want to know who is in love with whom and who’s cheating. You can have a shootout every week, but nothing will ever take the place of romance.”

CHEATING HEART DEPARTMENT The romance department on the show — or more appropriately the cheating heart department — has been roguishly handled by Steve Schnetzer, who now plays the reformed cad, Cass Winthrop. When Schnetzer joined the show four and a half years ago, Cass was a womanizer, the sort of man women long to write about in their memoirs, but someone who never stays around long enough to finish the chapter. Cass’s libido has been calmed down over the past year as the story line has linked him to Kathleen McKinnon (Julie Osborn), a bring-home-to-mother-type character. “Love has ruined Cass,” he sighs, sitting in his dressing room and waiting for a call to the set that probably won’t come until early afternoon. “He’s easier to play this way,” says Schnetzer, “because I really had to act to come on to the number of women the script called for. But good characters have a short life on these shows. It’s easier now because I’m really not a cad.” Although Schnetzer does have some input into what happens to Cass, his ultimate future is up to the writing staff, currently headed by Maggie DePriest. She is the ninth head writer since Schnetzer joined the show in what is a high turnover business — especially when you’re reaching for a new and different audience.

BEST COMBINATION WE’VE HAD “I’m hoping they’ll bring an edge back to him,” says Schnetzer of Cass. “I think the new writers and the new executive producer are the best combination we’ve had since I’ve been here. People aren’t all good or bad, and I think they realize that.” The fact is that on most soaps characters are defined as good or bad, and “Another World” has had its share of nasties. According to Stevens, the writers are now looking to add some spice to female characters’ personalities. “We have developed some • ( very strong male characters,” she says. “And now we are going to start working on the women again.” Rachel Cory, in fact, was something of a Queen Bitch when she started on the show, but has reformed to become one of the Queen Bees. “We’ve had other characters with an edge,” says Stevens. “And there will be more soon enough."

While the cast relaxes upstairs in dressing rooms, or in make-up chairs as they are transformed into their characters, the real life-blood of the studio is occurring several floors beneath them on the set. A small handful of actors pace around the Cory drawing room waiting for the director to signal them. A short line and blocking rehearsal is followed by a taping, and usually another taping, but the action moves quickly. Unlike weekly shows or movies, the actors must get the show in the can quickly so that tomorrow’s shooting can begin. There is still time, however, for small conferences to get the characterizations down pat. “Do I have the body language right here?” asks Bill Espy (Mitch) draping a protective arm around Daniel Dale who plays Matthew Cory. “He’s just met me. Would I act like this?” In the next take, Espry holds off a little on the affection, and the scene works. “Make-up,” calls Victoria Wyndom (Rachel Cory), and a make-UD artist rushes over to powder her nose and re-apply lipstick for the next scene. She pushes up the sleeve of her blouse only to have it fall down again. “What is this?” she points to the offending sleeve. “I think it has a life of its own. It must be raining,” she adds. “That’s why we are going so slow.Several of the actors, both those on the set and those waiting in the dressing rooms and make-up rooms upstairs, observe that the taping this day is taking longer than usual. But there is no time to discuss it because the stage manager is calling for quiet and the tape begins to roll.

Meanwhile, upstairs Patricia Hodges is being made up to play Maisie Watkins, a truck stop waitress who now owns the diner. “I came here as just a day player,” she says as her eyes are smudged with brown and yellow hues. She lives in Cobble Hill, but takes on a Southern accent when she hits the set.  When I started here I was just a waitress, and I wondered what I could do with it, you know, to stand out. I tried the southern ac­cent and it worked.” Many a plan has been hatched and many a hand held held in Maisie’s Diner. “I’m the sort of character that can keep things going. People come in and keep me up to date, and that way we can keep the audience up to date.” Keeping the audience up to date is impor­tant in soaps, especially with plots that now change quickly. “We used to do just 15 to 17 pieces per show,” says Stevens of the number of scene changes. “Now on several occasions we’ve gone over 30. We’re trying to stay in the 25 range to keep it from get­ ting too confused.” The increased number of pieces makes editing essential to the quality of the show, as the scenes are not taped in sequence. Each segment is timed down to the se­cond, and pieced together again by the editors under the watchful eye of the pro­ ducer and directors.

“Another World” has several different directors and producers who all work together at different times. Continuity comes from the script, the story line and the ability of the creators to understand one another’s creative soul. “You have to remember the limitations of the medium,” says Marge Dougherty, production coor­dinator, who spent this morning as our tour guide. “Everyone realizes that, and if you follow the story line and the script, the con­tinuity remains with different directors and producers.”

MUSIC ENHANCES THE MOOD After the tape is edited together, the sound is edited on. An entire wall next to the editing room is devoted to sound effects and music. Music, especially in daytime dramas, enhances the mood the actors have created. When all the pieces come together, the trysts and turmoil in Bay City make it to the small screen — usually less than two weeks after the episode is taped. “We’re working about eight days ahead now,” says Dougherty. “Which is a little behind, but we do take some days off.”

Time is confused in the Brooklyn studio as actors play parts a week in advance, but know the story line several weeks in advance. Lines are memorized only days (even hours) before they are repeated for the camera. It is a frantic laziness focussed on the action in front and behind the camera, but languishing in the dressing rooms — waiting for the call. Daytime drama is fantasy culled from reality creating timeless problems and joys, but occasionally, the reality spills into the set from fantasy. Take Rhonda Lewin, for instance, just signed to play Victoria Love. “I was here for a modeling booking,” she says. “Actually on vacation from California. I came here, auditioned for the part, and got it. I started yesterday.” She says working on the soap is so far an exhilirating experience. “It’s been a great vacation.” But for the hundreds of people who work at the Brooklyn studio breathing life into Bay City, the action is a job. And right now that job is to keep the rain falling in Bay City, while the rest of the workforce enjoys the Brooklyn sunshine

[DRW50]

Thanks @Paul Raven . Poor Patricia Hodges having no idea she wouldn't be on much longer. I wonder if it was Steven Schnetzer's choice to leave - is that why he came back relatively quickly, and they just wrote Cass out for half a year or so due to Julie Osburn wanting to go?

The part about making the women stronger is a laugh as the period coming up may have been the show's weakest for female characters, along with the last 5 or so years of the show. 

[Xanthe]

According to my understanding it was -- he went out to California for pilot season, but didn't get anything and decided to return for the stable paycheque. I know his son Max was born somewhere around this time (Ben is younger and was born in 1990) but it might have been after Schnetzer returned rather than before he left. In any case with a young family or wanting to start a family he settled down for stability. 

The timing doesn't seem to match exactly with either Julie Osburn's contract or his. They left in early December 1986. Her first airdate was early September 1984 (2 years + 3 months) and his was mid-July 1982 (4 years + 5 months). But closer to hers so she might have extended a bit.

The idea that it makes any kind of sense for production to claim that they have focused on developing male characters and will now get around to working on female characters is bizarre, even if the results had not been what they were. I'm not even sure what she thinks she meant, although the talking point that soaps were too feminine was certainly around. I remember the interview posted here a while ago with Pamela G Kay and Russell Curry where Pam Kay promoted the idea that men were getting their manly due on AW at last.  

[DRW50]

Thanks for piecing dates together.

Yes, I'm sure Hogan Sheffer, with his worries about soaps not having enough men with balls, would have loved this conversation.

[Xanthe]

That was certainly memorable -- and I'm sure production nurtured that line of thought as well.

It occurred to me that neither Kathleen nor Frankie was typically referred to by the surname Winthrop while married to Cass. Most other female characters I can think of did change their surnames (although Rachel mostly used Davis professionally when the writers were paying attention, except of course under DePriest when they had her exhibit under Cory, and of course Felicia didn't change her nom de plume even when she had husbands with their own surnames). Is there anyone else I'm not thinking of?

[Contessa Donatella]

Wasn't Donna Love always called Donna Love? 

[Xanthe]

I think she went by Hudson while married to Michael. @Maxim if you have noticed one way or another please confirm!

[Maxim]

I remember that Iris has called Donna... both Donna Love and Donna Hudson. It made an impression on me... and she's also called them Michael and Donna Hudson when speaking of them together.

[Maxim]

Another World - December 26th 1988

The Christmas spirit has not left Bay City yet. But it's on it's way out. 

Michael and Donna Hudson are spending a wonderful evening with their boy, when a knock at the door reveals the always smiling, always nice demonic presence that's been haunting the entire city - Iris Wheeler has come to sniff around and look for rotten flesh that she can sink her teeth into. She is searching for any sign that Michael and Donna's marriage is unhappy one... any weak spot she can sneak through like a wicked fox.  

Some Christmas presents are leaving people with bad taste in their mouths. Bridget's prediction became a reality when Vicky gave Jamie a key to the house she bought for him. She not only stole the moment from him (he had just given her his grandmother's ring), but also showed a complete disregard for his approval or opinion. The mood suddenly became dark and gloomy.  

Mary and Vince came to celebrate Christmas in Marley's hospital room - just after her surgery. While they were unpacking the basket, Vince realized that one of Mary's silver candlesticks was missing. One look at Mary's face and I knew what she was thinking. I wonder... if Vince's words that she'll regret trying to help that girl... returned to haunt her.  Marley, still weak after the surgery, wanted to see the babies in the hospital nursery and watched them in awe, through the glass. Dreaming that one day... she'll have one of her own. 

At the end of the Christmas day in the Hudson's apartment - the contrast of emotions was evident. Michael, Donna and Vicky were cheerful and happy, while Jamie and Iris - in another world of Misery. Jamie - feeling betrayed and forced to accept a gift he doesn't want, Iris - feeling jealous and like she doesn't belong. We see her leaving the apartment without even saying Goodbye - staring at the Hudsons with nothing, but bitter sadness and a little contempt. She then walked out to the lonely and cold world of her own making. 

Karma always finds people on Holidays. 

Overall:

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[Contessa Donatella]

Love this episode!!

[Maxim]

And this scene, that I planned to make a separate post about later this evening... made me weep like a baby. I haven't cried watching a soap like this in years. I won't even attempt to describe it, people should experience it for themselves.

 

 

 

 

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[Mona Kane Croft]

Beautiful scene.  I'd love to know who specifically wrote it.

Great actors with a good script.  That's really all we need to make a good soap opera.   

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes, that's very special. There was a lot about Vietnam in John's story.