Search For Tomorrow Discussion Thread

[soapfan770]

I had been meaning to reply to this but I too in a strange way feel a strong connection to SFT. SFT has always struck me as being closer to ATWT and GL and from what I've seen and read I'm more interested in this show than Edge and would rather see reruns of Search than AW. Maybe because unlike AW after 35 years SFT kept its history intact. I wish I would have been alive to see SFT air alongside GL, ATWT, and Y&R. I don't think there was or has been such a line-up of powerhouse shows like that in daytime.

[edgeofnight]

Congratulations to Jane Krakowski on the birth of her first child, a little boy! Best wishes to the new family!

[Paul Raven]

SOD Synopsis Oct 77

Cindy has to think fast! Tom stopped off at her apartment after school to see her…It seems Gary has warmed Tom away from Cindy – telling Tom the whole ugly story. Tom is frankly bewildered – and so is Cindy – but this scheming young lady only needs a minute to compose herself and rethink the story with enough twists and lies to make Gary into a lust-driven, vengeful ogre, and she the poor, put-upon virgin, knee-deep in pure driven snow! Tom believes her story about Gary pursuing her sexually at every chance he got. She tells Tom that Gary couldn’t accept her rejection. After all, who is little Cindy to reject Gary Collins – a wealthy, respected doctor of Henderson? Yes, Cindy is indeed skillfully maneuvering Tom right where she wants him! To Tom, Cindy is a virginal, hard working young woman all alone in the world who should, by rights, have an unsullied reputation. Her only problem, as Cindy paints it, is coming from the “wrong side of the tracks” and defending her virtue against the unwanted attentions of Gary!

And things couldn’t be working out better for our amateur team of detectives! Janet asked Allen to help her with the fund raising for the hospital, and also to accompany her to the dance! He readily accepts, naturally! Later on Janet stops off at the hospital to thank Allen personally, and Fay hears every word! She is outraged! She says it’s clear that Janet is in love with him! Allen dismissed the idea as silly, and suggests Fay go to Rome or Paris and wait for him. She says no way!

TURNING POINT

Later on, Fay and Allen have yet another confrontation; but this time, unknown to them, David is listening from the closet! Fay acidly suggests that perhaps Allen is thinking of marrying Janet for her money! He takes that opportunity to retaliate that such an idea might be good! He rationalizes that if he married Janet, he could channel a lot of that money to Fay! And that is the statement that will finally goad Fay into seeking out Janet with the whole story! Now she furiously tells Allen she refuses to be his mistress. She did that once for two years when he was married to Doris, and she will not do it again! The quarter of a million dollars is in her apartment right now! She tells him they should take it and run. He refuses.

When Gary, Bruce and David go to Capt. Porter with this latest finding, they are finally able to persuade him to check out Fay’s apartment. They agree, and, of course, find the money hidden in Allen’s golf bag. When the hear Allen coming, they hide long enough for him to incriminate himself as he rushes for the money in the golf bag. When Capt. Porter and his men confront Allen, Allen gives up. He tells them the truth. But they cannot locate Fay! She left the hospital two hours ago! Where is she?

Fay is holding a gun to Janet, forcing her to write a suicide note! Unknown to Janet, Fay had already slipped a vial of something (drugs? poison?) into Janet’s coffee, but does that really matter? Fay has told Janet the whole lurid tale of Wade’s murder, and now fully intends to pull the trigger on Janet, as well!

Worried about his mother, Gary calls Janet at home. When she answers, the poison has already begin to work its way through her system, and her voice is slow and measured – it’s an effort for her to speak. Still, despite the poison and the gun held to her head, Janet manages some fast thinking. She tells her son that he has the wrong number!

Fay, of course, thinks nothing of the conversation, and when Janet hangs up, forced her to continue writing. But it’s a laborious effort for Janet to even speak now, let alone write, that Fay will have to wait an awfully long time for the letter! And that’s just what Janet needs! – Time for Gary to come to her rescue!

Janet, thankfully, is rescued from Fay’s gun just in time! – But what of the poison? Janet is rushed to the hospital, and the wait to hear of his mother’s condition is agonizingly long for Gary. Luckily, he has a very loving and supportive Carolyn to comfort and support him!

The news is good! Janet will be alright! Still, the doctor stresses the seriousness of the situation. It seems Gary rescued her just in time! Another ten minutes and…tragedy would have struck a second time in the Collins’ household…

Kathy, meantime, is still fighting her way through a personal crisis of her own – the baby! Whose is it? Is Scott the father – or is David? The situation is definitely taking its toll on poor Kathy.

BECAUSE OF THE BABY

Scott comes home one day and casually asks Kathy a few questions about her health and the baby, etc. Kathy literally flips out! She accuses him of suspiciously interrogating her, and when Scott quietly explains that he’s just asking questions any normal father-to-be would ask, Kathy blocks out Scott and “sees” David! She begins screaming “stop it, stop it! Stop it, David!”

A bewildered Scott finally manages to bring Kathy out of her hysterics – and he is quite stunned himself now. He tells Kathy she was yelling “stop it, stop it,” but he doesn’t mention David’s name…

Scott isn’t the only one who is concerned about Kathy’s welfare. John feels a caseload would be too much for her to handle right now, and tells her he’s going to have David take over her cases of the time being – for her sake. Kathy won’t hear of it, however, and, against his better judgment, persuades John to let her continue her work.

Kathy’s doctor also wants to help her. Her blood pressure is dangerously high, and he suggests she see Carolyn for counseling. Kathy agrees.

But not everyone is unhappy in Henderson. Greg just asked Jo to marry him! She happily says yes, in essence, but she asks, and he reluctantly agrees, that they move slowly – though surely – toward an ultimate marriage and life together. They kiss happily, lingeringly…

Despite Kathy’s objections, John has David take over her Swanson case. John was sitting in the courtroom watching Kathy in action – only to see her stumble forgetfully about and become emotionally distraught – all of which could endanger the chances of John’s firm winning the case! He asks the judge for a recess and gives the case to David.

MORE PROBLEMS

Later, an hysterical Kathy tells David that he never would have passed the bar exam or gotten into the firm if she’d hadn’t helped him! She accuses him of trying to steal her every caseload! She yells that she’ll not let him usurp her position with the firm, and would he please just get out and leave her alone! A bewildered and concerned David tries to reason with her, but it’s impossible.

Scott and John also find it hard to reason with her. They are both concerned for her health. If she continues the way she’s going she will not only endanger her own health, but the health of the baby, as well. John and Scott meet to discuss the situation, and finally agree to talk to her doctor and, since Kathy won’t listen to them, perhaps, if her doctor talks to her, Kathy can be persuaded to listen… But that doesn’t work. Kathy finds out about Scott’s going to the obstetrician behind her back, and yells at him to never do it again… Where will the end of all this find Kathy?

Greg, meantime, has gone to Switzerland to bring his daughter Meredith home to Henderson. When he and his now ex-wife, Diane, were divorced, and she gained custody of the child, the social butterfly kept her unwanted daughter locked up in boarding schools – as a kind of full-time babysitter so Diane would never have to be “bothered” with the child. Now a young teen, the parents are called to her bedside, as Meredith tried to kill herself over an unhappy affair with one of the school’s married instructors! The poor girl is just a child – her teacher seduced her – and when she romantically asked when they would be married, he dropped her. Her young, naively romantic soul, quite literally, sadly, wanted to die…

LIZA’S BACK!

The girl’s mother is disgusted with the whole affair, but Greg, the loving father, is concerned. He takes Meredith back with him to Henderson – and to an equally concerned and loving Jo. It seems quite obvious that Jo will indeed marry Greg, and when Jo tells John herself of the happy couple’s good news, John (with remnants of unrequited love?) is quite depressed. Oh, Stephanie, perhaps now is the time to draw your little net in around John…

Liza, meantime, is home again! Steve still had to honor his Caribbean cruise contract; but when Liza heard of Janet’s hospitalization, she came straight home, vowing to remain till Janet was again in good health!

Kathy’s doctor asks Stephanie to try and reason with Kathy. Stephanie complies, only to walk into Kathy’s office as Kathy is storming out after her confrontation with David! Stephanie follows Kathy and consoles her, then returns to David. At her questioning, David tells her that Kathy is upset that John gave her case to him – But does Stephanie somehow know the real reason? She quite cynically – bitterly – tells David to forget it – he doesn’t have to spell out the real reason to her!

Poor John, meantime, is being dragged about to the town’s nightspots by the well-intentioned but misguided David, as he tries to set John up with all sorts of dates. But none of them are right. Compared to Jo, David’s array of models and stewardesses are flighty and superficial.

Kathy, meantime, tells Scott (after dreaming that her doctor tells Scott that David is the father!) that nothing matters more to her than him and Eric. Scott again tries to normalize the atmosphere around the house. He and Eric secretly fix up the baby’s room as a surprise for Kathy!

And will there be another surprise in Henderson? Lunching with Liza, Greg tells her he thinks more can be done to further eradicate her scar! Liza gives permission to consult Dr. Caulder.

[DRW50]

Thanks for posting this. I don't know a lot of these characters, like Cindy, Fay, or Greg (is that the guy from Our Miss Brooks?) and his daughter. Her story seems a bit risque for the time.

Did David rape Kathy?

Was this John James as Tom?

[Paul Raven]

Greg was the Robert Rockwell character. John James was Tom and David and Kathy had a one night stand.

[DRW50]

Thanks.

It's crazy when I read some magazines from 1976 or 1977 and Search is the second highest rated show, and gets around 9-10 million. I wish CBS had remembered that and not canceled so casually.

I was reading some old magazines from the 50's and didn't realize Terry O'Sullivan had left the show for a year or two (IMDB mentions it - I guess I didn't read IMDB first). There's a photo of his replacement. There are also two or three photos with Terry and his wife, Jan Miner, wearing silly outfits to celebrate winning the TV Radio Mirror medals for their work. I didn't even know they were married - her profile doesn't mention it. She went on to be Madge the manicurist.

Mary Stuart also won those over and over, and made the cover (as one of many never a solo cover) several times. It's easy to forget now just how iconic she was at that time. I will never understand why the producers started trying to dump her in the early 60's.

[DRW50]

[DRW50]

I didn't know Travis was still on the show at this time.

[Paul Raven]

[FrenchFan]

Melba Rae died three months later

[Khan]

Feel free to disagree, but I think Ann Williams' husband, Dan Welch, was a hunk, lol.

[DRW50]

That's a great scan. It's so nice to see all the actors like that.

I remember Mary Stuart talking about how she and Larry Haines basically went to watch her die for several days. It must have been such agony. And her poor family. Melba had a rough life - about 11 or 12 years before this, she gave birth to twins, and one was stillborn, while the other was in the hospital for months and months, clinging to life.

I wish I could see more of Melba. I know all the central heroines of soaps had a best friend, or a stable couple who advised her, but it seems like Stu and Melba were very special to viewers - they lasted for 20 years (then 15 more for Stu), whereas most of the talk-to/best friend characters only lasted a handful.

All I could think was, "He wasn't the guy who sang Sentimental Lady, was he."

[DRW50]

June 1974 Afternoon TV.

[DRW50]

John - and we discovered quite a lot about this charming, dynamic man.

He speaks like a polished actor (which he was), and has an enormous knowledge not only of theater and television, but music and ballet as well. He has a bachelor's degree in English, and a master's in theater as a directing major. He taught for a year in a small girl's school (Christian College) in Columbia, Missouri, where he says, "I was the drama department."

He came to New York in the summer of '63, and worked for four years with the local CBS station as a production assistant in the news and public affairs department. "I was with 'Camera Three' for some time, which you may have seen on Sunday mornings. I was also with 'Dial M for Music,' and 'The American Musical Theater,' though I think both these series are no longer running." Then Mr. Edwards chuckles as he adds, "'Camera Three' has been going forever, almost as long as 'Search.'"

He then went to Channel 13, which is the New York NET outlet, as staff associate director. "Then I received a letter in May of '69," he recalls. "It was a letter from Bob Driscoll, who was then producing 'Search For Tomorrow,' asking me if i would be interested in the position of associate producer. Interestingly enough, he had tried to phone me in my apartment, which was then on the upper West Side. This was all before I was married. He was unable to get me on the telephone. I was never in, and as a matter of fact I was in New London, Connecticut, then directing a production of 'My Fair Lady' for the Pfizer Chemical Co., which is how I met my wife, because she was the choreographer.

"Well, anyway, Mr. Driscoll sent me a letter and it was mailed from this building (57th St.) on a Monday. I received it thirty-five blocks north of here on Friday! So it's a wonder we ever did get together, but we finally did. I was interviewed, and met the people at the ad agency, and from Procter & Gamble, and became associate producer in May of '69.I took over officially as producer in the early part of '72, although I'd been producing on an interim basis since July '71."

John told us that prior to coming to 'Search,' all his experience had been in the control room, so this was a big step into management. We asked him if he liked being a producer.

"Yes.You're on top of things from the very beginning, from the concept of the storylines, right through the breakdowns in the scripts, and participate with the directors and the cast in the actual rehearsal process."

John S. Edwards was born in Middlebury, Vermont, and studied at Dartmouth. He has a master's degree from the Yale Drama School. HE lives in a brownstone house that he bought almost two years ago in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn, with his wife Lotte, and his step-daughter, Carla Witmer.

What led him into acting and the TV field?

"Well, I think the same thing directed me to the theater that directs everyone there - some inarticulate longing. Some would call it a disease and some would call it a calling, but I think you just head in that direction. When I first became an undergraduate, I took the English major, thinking I was going to be a lawyer. I'd done a lot of acting when I was in high school, and in a sense I tried to avoid going into show business. But I discovered that was what I wanted, and there was no sense in denying it any further. I really began acting when I was a junior in college, and started making preparations to go to Yale."

Edited May 17, 2011 by CarlD2

[Paul Raven]

Very interesting article re the 'relevance' stories on Search, Edwards seemed to be interested in doing new things to keep the show up to date.Although the ratings were high,I wonder if there was any backlash? P&G are always accused of being conservative but they went ahead with Kathy having an abortion.

Edwards never worked on another soap-I wonder whether that was his choice ?

Some more nostalgia

Edited May 16, 2011 by Paul Raven