Return To Peyton Place Discussion Thread

[EricMontreal22]

I see that my hated James Lipton wrote for a time on this show too. Wow, and people are shocked when current "soap killers" are rehired over and over again on other soaps--Lipton I think still must win the prize for most disastrous headwriting regimes.

What confuses me is the comment about how the show seemed like this "dirty little show" next to the family soap One Life to Live against it, etc. Why that confuses me is Peyton Place, for all its controversy, has a strong sense of community... Maybe the daytime version was never able to do this?

[Paul Raven]

Just discovered that the RTTP primetime special aired in which aired Sunday Jan 21st 1973 was a ratings flop.It ranked 58th for the week out of 65 programs with a 12.9 rating.However,the fact that its daytime average was a 7.2 at this time made it a success on those terms.

Does anyone know more about it? I've read that it dealt with Allison being found guilty of the murder of Benny/Jason.

At that time NBC ran Disney from 7.30 - 8.30 and Mystery Movie 8.30 - 10.00. Columbo was the mystery movie that week and ranked 5th with a 28.5 while Disney was 4th with a 28.7

Night Gallery usually ran at 10.30 so RTPP pre-empted it that night.

The competition was most likely a movie on ABC and Mannix on CBS.

I think this was the first and only time a soap made it to primetime until Capitol debuted in 82.

[FrenchFan]

The summary is from Bryna Laub's daytime newsletter. It is very very hard to find. It can't be my memories because I was only born in 1987 but I still tend to be a good soap historian

I have no idea who played Greg Wheelan. I will try to check it this weekend.

[Chris B]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_to_Peyton_Place_(TV_series)

The formerly barebones Wikipedia page for this show now has cast pictures and storyline info. It's like slowly we're learning more info which is exciting. saynotoursoap, I was wondering if you could tell some of the characters/stories featured in the episodes you have.

[Bojangles]

Does anyone know if NBC still has this? If so, are they (likely) willing to give out copies? I don't understand why it's so difficult to get hold of a show that has been aired nationally. Why should copies (if existing) be stocked in some dusty archive without any purpose, if there are people dying to see this?

Oh, for those who are interested, I found an article about the soap in a July 1972 magazine. Here's the scan:

Edited August 9, 2010 by Bojangles

[DRW50]

From the June 1972 Afternoon TV (Roband Publications, Inc) - a feature on the cast being put together. Some very sarcastic comments on not being able to contact one actor (did he do any other soaps after this?).

Did you know Mary K Wells was asked to be Alice Horton?

Edited November 25, 2010 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

Also in this issue, interview and beefcake shot of "Peyton Place's sexy Rodney Harrington."

[DRW50]

[SFK]

The more things change...

[DRW50]

[DRW50]

You mean a new soap starting or a bland blonde guy cast on a soap and stripping down?

Someone replaced him as Rodney on this show didn't they?

Apparently he was in The Erotic Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Huh...

Edited November 25, 2010 by CarlD2

[Chris B]

Ah! Thanks for this! I still dream of one day seeing one episode or scene from this show lol. So odd it's the spin-off of a huge groundbreaking soap and not even a clip is on the net! I'd love to see how Patricia Morrow is in the daytime format and with a new Norman. Saynotoursoap, does Rita appear in any of the episodes you have? Any recollections on her story?

[TC]

Yeah, I caught that. I always keep another window open on IMDB when I read these threads.

And thanks for all these vintage soap articles, Carl. Here and on other threads.

[DRW50]

Thanks for reading them! We'll never get to see these so I just like to give a few details and then also hopefully jog the memories of those who have seen them.

Apparently Casey was also in one of Roger Corman's soft core exploitation films, The Student Nurses, a few years before this. I guess that's why he was so happy to strip down for this photo shoot, if he made a career of it in movies. (Then again 70s men in general were much more willing to do this).

[TC]

I read them all even if I don't always comment. I should express my gratitude more often though. I owe the one from France (name escapes me) a few thank-yous as well. Probably a few others too.