Search For Tomorrow Discussion Thread

[watson71]

John Whitsell orchestrated the flood episodes in February 1986- by late March/ early April, he would be transferred to Another World as executive producer.  Did the soap press ever cover the sudden change at SFT?

 

 

Also, Brian Frons was the CBS executive who cancelled SFT, went to NBC where he cancelled SFT, before going to ABC daytime and dismantled their daytime lineup.  Why did he continue to be employed?!?

[amybrickwallace]

 

I don't think we'll ever know the answer to that one. It just boggles the mind.

[j swift]

Mr Frons gets unfairly treated by soap fans. 

 

I believe it is because the soap press was more likely to interview an outgoing producer with gripes about interference rather than reporting on soap storylines that benefited from his experience.  SFT was a shadow of it's former self, the audience at the time did not value it's longevity, and some characters can not sustain for more than a generation.  Lest we forget, Mr Frons is the last network executive to commission a new soap so, I think it may be time to re-evaluate his role in soap history.

Edited January 29, 2018 by j swift

[robbwolff]

What was the last new soap commissioned?

[amybrickwallace]

I think it was Passions in 1999, on NBC. Frons wasn't still at NBC in 1999, was he?

[robbwolff]

He was long gone from NBC and had nothing to do with Passions. I think Susan Lee was in charge when Passions was launched.

[watson71]

 

Yes- Susan Lee was in charge at NBC when Passions was launched.  She gave several interviews justifying why NBC cancelled AW at the time instead of Sunset Beach which got cancelled 6 months later.

[amybrickwallace]

Thanks for clarifying!! Under his watch at ABC, it was PC, AMC and OLTL that were axed.

[robbwolff]

And at NBC, SFT and Generations were cancelled under his watch. Personally, I think the man more than earned the lackluster reputation he has.

[amybrickwallace]

Yes, he has!! Was he still at NBC when SB was cancelled?

[vetsoapfan]

 

Agreed. 

[amybrickwallace]

The late Ken Harvey, who played Doug Martin for several years, popped up on a 1975 episode of The Doctors on Retro TV a few days ago. Ironically, his SFT wife, Ann Williams (Eunice), originated the role of TD's Maggie.

Edited February 2, 2018 by amybrickwallace

[Soaplovers]

Not to defend Feons...but SFT w asnt cancelled by him..but was cancelled by P and G...NbC wanted to pick it up for another year, but P and G couldnt afford to produce it.  All due to the writer changes and the lousy timeslot (which p and g insisted on). 

 

Not sure about Generations..but AFT, like EON, was cancelled by P and G.

[amybrickwallace]

Generations was owned by NBC, so it definitely would have been Frons' call.

[robbwolff]

I thought the story was that NBC wanted to keep SFT going through March 1987, not another full year, but that Procter and Gamble wouldn't agree to that. I've read that a few times. That would keep in line with executive producer David Lawrence's statement that he believed SFT would air through March.