Interview with Richard Backus

[Sylph]

You added a very nice, actual example!

[MarkH]

Is the "surfer" he's talking about "Bob Purvey"?

If so, is this clip of him during this era?

http://bobpurvey.com/clips-from-the-1970s.html

The final scene on that clip was of SURFING, LMAO

If that is true, he was apparently recently back on GH.

http://bobpurvey.com/gh-promo3.html

[MarkH]

Is this Backus? If yes, I do remember his face from RH...but nothing more .

Interesting too...here's a link to a video with Backus, Nancy Marchand, and Mark Lamura, Soldier's Home. A still is pasted below.

[Ann_SS]

Thanks. It is strange to look at the scenes and think about the technique instead just the story. This interview has been very illuminating and has increased my already very high regard for Marland's work.

What a wonderful idea! I would buy a biography on Marland in a heartbeat. FrenchFan should team up with Richard to undertake this project.

But Emily was not a slut, at least not a stereotypical one note slut like Stacy on OLTL. Under Marland, Emily was a mess and complex. She constantly fell in love with the wrong men. She fell in love with James Stenbeck, but betrayed him to save his son, Paul who she had grown to love as a sister. She then passed off James' baby as Holden's child. Eventually she fell in love with Paul who had always loved her desperately love her, only to dump him for a man who treated her badly. I loved Emily because she was flawed, but she was never deliberately cruel or manipulative.

Melanie Smith also had a natural sultry sexuality which Hensley does not have. The last acting job I saw her was on Deep Space Nine as Ziyal. She must be doing something else now.

After reading this interview, I am feeling so nostalgic about Marland's ATWT. I loved the show, the stories, and characters so much back then. William Fitchner (Josh) was my favorite actor. I was convinced that he would make it in prime time or in the movies and now he has to some degree.

[Soapsuds]

It was a great read. I loved what he had to say about Marland. So much detail about his writing. I knew about the Emma reference to his mom. I also liked what Backus had to say about the two Emilys. I so much prefered Smith's version over Hensley's.

[MichaelGL]

This is probably my favorite quote out of the entire interview. When has a writer apologized for any misteps they've taken during a certain tenure. He seems very genuine, and who can really blame him? When DM passed away, Marland had so many stories going on at the time. I don't think anyone would have done those stories any justice other than Doug.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

FANTASTIC interview, FrenchFan! I'm really glad he took the time to really answer these questions in detail.

AMAZING information...

Wow, so much here, just very detailed and informative.

I'm surprised he didn't talk more about JFP's time as defacto HW at OLTL. I'm surprised his firing came from higher-ups, but not really, it is all about budget after all...

Curlee era GL.

And he should be writing for daytime again, and he WANTS to write for daytime again. Shame no one cares anymore.

[Ann_SS]

Richard is exactly what GH needs. He could help fix a lot that is wrong with that show. His agent should contact Brian Frons.

[DRW50]

The interview is sublime. I did laugh when he said the producer found KMH's Emily to be non-slutty. At first, maybe, but by 1994, those puppies were on display 24/7.

I thought he was great on RH, his relationship with Delia was the high point for Randall's Delia (she got far too much crap material during her run as Delia). I was disappointed when he was moved away from Delia, instead just stuck in a friendship with Frosty Faith, then working for Joe, hooked on gambling, and...did he even have an exit? That era of RH depresses me.

[Vee]

Malone's second run on OLTL definitely did not have the sophistication of the first, and I felt the scripts were all over the place and often terrible, underlining broad "Malonian" ideas and archetypes that might've seemed poetic in 1993, but under the then-current team came out clunky and childish, like slogans.

Some of what he did at AW seemed interesting to me, but a lot of it seemed just as campy as his second turn at OLTL (some sort of mummy's curse at a museum?), or rehashing Marty's rape - certainly the story of black policewoman Toni being raped by a fellow officer could've worked, but from what I saw, it didn't turn out too well.

Ron Carlivati started at OLTL around '95, I believe; according to Malone, he worked with him for a number of months before Malone was canned in order to bring back Roger Howarth.

Every time I watch it Doug Marland's ATWT feels like a totally different animal from soaps today, full of a strange, simultaneous mix of home, hearth, and family, and sharp, ambitious professionals. It seemed like the characters were often unfailingly polite, keeping their true feelings close to the vest, dancing around things - much like we do in real life. I think today some would find that "too slow," sadly.

[Soapsuds]

This is why I became a big fan of the show.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

He'd be an asset to any writing team right now, and he seems genuine when he says he wants to write for soap operas still.

[classicmoment]

This is just classic because it holds true to this day:

I have no idea who this guy is but absolutely incredible interview. It is rich with information, I am appreciative for having read it. Loved Loved Loved the entire read. Thank you for conducting and then posting

[Soapsuds]

I wonder what he would do as HW of ATWT. He can't be any worse than Jean. I think the last time there was too much pressure to live up to the Marland legacy.

[dc11786]

LOL. This is my favorite time from RH.

My favorite Barry Ryan story was Delia's search into his past. Barry claimed his wife Catherine had perished in a plane crash while pregnant with their child. So depressing. One day, Delia is at Ryan's Bar (which she owned at this point in time) and in walks Elizabeth Shrank-Ryan, Barry's ex-wife! Elizabeth was looking for overdue alimony and had tracked Barry down to NYC. Delia was upset and even more upset to learn Barry had another ex-wife. When Delia went ot see this ex-wife, Bonnie?, Delia leared Barry had another ex-wife. Delia's reaction was classic. As her engagement present, Delia through a party at the Crystal Palace and invited all three ex-wives as well as two former lovers. It was a delightful mess. This eventually led to the car accident storyline, which was also great. Who's Sorry Now? Not Delia.

Barry departed for California in September 1981. He was going back to the entertainment industry. By Thanksgiving, Maeve revealed that Barry had reunited with Lilly Darnell.

Interesting to hear him talk about "Lovers & Friends" and "For Richer, For Poorer". There were two Rhetts, one only lasted a few weeks. Jason was a fascinating character. Too bad his story didn't heat up on "For Richer, For Poorer" until the show's final months. Funny, the way he described Caleb Snyder is the way I would describe Jason based on what I've read.