Search For Tomorrow Discussion Thread

[Vee]

I had no idea about DeWitt Bodeen and Val Dufour either! I know Bodeen via the Cat People films.

[Paul Raven]

DeWitt was about 20 years older than Val.

[DRW50]

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[Paul Raven]

Jon Michael Reed  September 6 1980

Mary Stuart, Jo Vincente on "Search For Tomorrow" since its debut in 1951, once remarked, "I've seen more writers come and go on our show than there are years we've been on air. I think everyone in the business has written for us at one time or another."

Gabrielle Upton, who has written for scores of soaps, the most recent being this year's canceled "Love of Life," has been named the now head writer of "Search " Upton replaces Linda Grover and John Porterfield, who wrote the show for the last half year. It is rumored that Upton is an "Interim" writer, that P&G, which produces "Search," is training a new head-writing couple to take over by the end of the year.

If this is so, It's hoped that the trainees, along with Ms Upton, will be able to remedy the show's allments Groverand Porter field have, frankly, left "Search' In a shambles. Despite several humorous character touches, the folks on "Search"" have been generally dangling by bare story threads. One special and unique character, Renata Sutton (played by Sonia Potrovna), was recently killed off in a most viewer. anguish-provoking manner And at least two other previously powerhouse characters are slated to get the ax within the next month. One of the relative newcomers is Ralph Byers, who portrays conniving Jim Ramsey. Byers has a most interesting background. Born in Washington, D C. he worked for the govern ment in astrophysics for the space program He originally intended to be an astronaut, but got sidetracked when the acting bug bit him. You might say he got 'Star Trekked' since he appeared in that film. He also played Hugh Sloane in the TV version of"Blind Ambition " In 1971 he was the sixth ranked amateur fencer in this country and qualified for the Olympic team. Byers says he "owes everything" to Robert Milli (Adam Thorpe on "Guiding Light") who saw him in a play in Washington and recommended an agent. This led to his landing the Ramsey role. Let's see if he'll be among those searching for another soap role In a few months.

[Franko]

Well, now I'm curious.

ETA: Found it. Renata, pregnant from a rape, considered suicide. She found new happiness with David (Lewis Arlt). It all ended when the "fireproof" Henderson Towers caught fire. Martin, drunk, passed out. His cigarette caused a couch to catch fire, causing a chain reaction (a subsequent summary reveals that the disaster spread due to substandard electrical equipment).

Renata and David attempted to flee the Towers and she, of course, went into labor during this crisis. The baby, Mia, was delivered in a storage room and survived. Renata demanded that David flee with Mia to safety. "With the baby in his arms, David climbs through an air duct to the roof." (!) Renata couldn't manage that. Firefighters warned David that she's doomed, stuck with a bunch of soon-to-explode chemicals.

Renata wasn't directly killed in the explosion, but as a result of it. David found her bloody body buried under rubble. She lived long enough to have a tender farewell.

 

Wow. Yeah, I can see why this would upset viewers. And if you didn't care about Mia, there's the elements that seem to be ripping off The Towering Inferno.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Franko

[Paul Raven]

Mia was Travis' half sister and David Sutton's first wife. Mia could have survived the fire but be badly affected causing much angst for David,Travis and Liza. 

Liza could have taken over mothering of Mia, causing complications.

At least another years worth of story but in typical Search fashion for the time ,Renata dies and David leaves.

Maybe Lewis Arlt wanted to leave, in which case write David out but keep Renata.

[Franko]

"He Knows You're Alone's going to make me a star! Everything's coming up Arlt!"

No, but seriously, thank you for that extra insight.

[danfling]

It is interesting that the possibility of moving Search for Tomorrow out of Henderson and, possibly, to New Orleans is discussed above.    Also that the the late Val Dufour was leaving a role on Search for Tomorrow.

If the show had moved to New Orleans, it would have made a lot of sense to have kept Val Dufour on the program.   He was a native of New Orleans in real life.

Also, I had never known that Ralph Byers had played a role on Search for Tomorrow.  I only knew him from the last months of Edge of Night.

 

[dc11786]

Byers' appeared on "Search for Tomorrow" in 1985 as banker Melvin Hibbard, who rented a room at the Caldwell House, the historic home that Jo and Stu had converted into a bed and breakfast, with plans on going through the basement to get to the bank, located next door. He was introduced by Stephanie Braxton and Paul Avila Mayer. He was crotchedy at first, but I cannot remember if he was out and out villainous until Gary Tomlin came aboard in September, 1985. His nephew appeared briefly, hit on Adair, and then ended up murdered. Hibbard himself kidnapped Jo for sweeps in November, 1985, in a poor man's version of the Vargas story from a few years earlier. 

In 1980, Byers ended up being out shortly after the article posted. The heat was turned up on Jim Ramsay as it was becoming clear that David Sutton was getting closer to learning about the deception involving the building's construction (there were expensive fire systems in place for inspection, that were removed afterwards). Also, Ramsay had run into an old aquaintance, Dr. Jamie Larsen, who had known Ramsay in some way that Jamie didn't want let out. Jamie and Ramsay met by the train tracks and an argument ensued that was escalated by the arrival of Ted Adamson that ended with Ramsay in the river presumed dead. Jamie used this to get Ted to break things off with Janet Collins and they would later marry. I believe Jamie's big secret was that she was involved with terrorist activity. I believe this came out in early 1981 before Gabrielle Upton was shuttled off the show as headwriter. 

I think that Renata Sutton's death was more practical in some ways. I think the show intended to repair David with Kathy Phillips, who was the mother of his son Doug Phillips. Scott, as I recall, was said to be serving time for a vehicular manslaughter charge stemming from his drinking (this happened offscreen). While a divorce was more practical, killing Renata gave the added (temporary and longterm) drama. David raising another man's child, while Scott had raised David's son would have given David perspective when eventually Scott was released from prison and returned to Henderson looking to rebuild his life with his wife and sons (Erich had been around in 1980 and was briefly paired with Wendy). The story involving Renata's introduction and her rape by Prince Antonio were not the most beloved stories of the Corrington period. I wouldn't be surprised if the show was just looking to remove that story element. 

[victoria foxton]

Mary, Lynn Loring and Lynn's real-life mom.

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Edited March 2, 2023 by victoria foxton

[victoria foxton]

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[victoria foxton]

The David Gale channel has just uploaded more episodes. This time April and June 1982.

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Edited March 7, 2023 by victoria foxton

[victoria foxton]

Patsy Pease appears as Cissy. 

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[Joseph]

Patsy Before Kim!!! almost unreal to watch But LOVE IT!!!!

[Sapounopera]

Was Tom always called "Trip"? I had no idea.