Jump to content

Interview with Jeanne Cooper


Recommended Posts

  • Members

I was lucky enough to talk with Jeanne Cooper recently. Here is the little interview I did:

CZ: Jeanne, you joined “The Young And The Restless” in late 1973, months after the show premiered. It is said that Bill Bell hired you to dynamise the show. Is it true? How do you end up doing a soap-opera?

JC: That’s true Cedric, Bill did hire me to dynamise the show. Indeed, it was the original producer, John Conboy, who convinced me to do the show. I was in Hawaii with my kids when I made the final decision to go ahead. I thought long and hard and realized it would be a great opportunity.

CZ: Katherine Chancellor has not left Y&R since while the Brookses and the Fosters were replaced by the Newmans and the Abbotts. Why do you think made her so special for the soap?

JC: I feel that Katherine became the color wheel for the soap and I believe that is why they kept my character.

CZ: Your character has known a lot of love interests (Phillip, Derek, Felipe, Cash, Earl, Rex, Arthur, now Murphy to name a few). Which ones remain special to Kay’s heart?

JC: The love interests that remain especially close to my heart are Felipe and Rex because they both influenced many of Katherine’s decisions in life.

CZ: Do you have a storyline you mostly cherish throughout the years?

JC: The story line that I treasure the most is the first: Phillip's betrayal of Katherine. It was just a turning point for my character.

CZ: Kay and Jill’s long-running feud is one of the most important of daytime. What did you feel when Jill was made Kay’s daughter in early 2003?

JC: I was not very fond of the idea of Jill becoming my daughter. I felt that it interfered with the great love/hate story line that we had shared for so long.

CZ: About Kay’s fabulous wardrobe, do you have an influence on how clad she is. Do the famous diamonds belong to you?

JC: I do have an influence on the wardrobe that Katherine wears and yes, the diamond does belong to me!!

CZ: You probably have the most famous mannerisms in soaps. Was it your decision that Kay shows lots of her temper through your hands or did Bill Bell or any other producer encourage or discourage you with it?

JC: All of Katherine's mannerisms, using my hands to express certain feeling and such were my own idea.

CZ: With the new regime of writers and producers (Maria Arena Bell, Hogan Sheffer, Paul Rauch), you are constantly in the frontburner. Do you enjoy this for Kay?

JC: I truly enjoy being the frontburner. All of the writers have kept Katherine a true character.

CZ: You have worked with every producer the show has over the years (John Conboy, Wesley Kenney, Edward Scott, Charles Shaughnessy, now Paul Rauch). What is your opinion on each of them. What do you think they each brought to the show?

JC: I feel that John Conboy was important in changing daytime TV, Wes Kenney had a true love for actors, Charles Shaughnessy undestood the actors’ needs and Paul Rauch keeps showing a great sense of discipline.

CZ: Is there any character you would like to see Kay more involved with? Maybe even actors you wish would come back?

JC: I would love to see Beth Maitland more on the show. But otherwise I say “March Forward”.

CZ: Recently, Thom Bierdz has brought back Phillip Chancellor III on Genoa City. Fans have mixed reactions because it rewrites the history of the show. What do you think of this storyline? Do you think Kay’s own lesbian fling (with Joann Curtis in the late 70s’) should have been mentionned?

JC: I think the storyline with Thom was unnecessary. I don't believe that Kay's fling with Joann needed to be mentioned because there was no real story development.

CZ: “Guiding Light” last aired last week. You even made a guest appearance in the finale. What are your opinions about the future of daytime soaps? A lot of soaps have come and gone since you’re in daytime. What, in your opinion, makes Y&R so special for it to still be #1 ?

JC: As for the future of daytime soaps unless there is a fix it looks very dim after the next 4 to 5 years. It was not long ago that daytime is what financially supported primetime. That is no longer the case. I believe that Y&R is still #1 because there is a great deal of character identification by staying in everyday relationships.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 16
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

This was my question. Thanks for asking. What a blunt response! I completely agree with her. Her reaction basically tells me that the story is now completely done.

I agree with her about Beth Maitland, I'd love to see her more, as long as they knew what to do with her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • Marland was long gone by this point.  He quit in either August/September 1982. I think it was due to letting the actress play out her contract and use her for party scenes and/or scenes with Phillip/Justin.   I was surprised she was still on in June 1983 myself, because I figured she had been written out before Pam Long joined the writing staff. Thankfully, having episodes uploaded during this period on Spauldingfield YT site has helped to connect some of the dots.  It looks as though Pam Long starts the first week or so of May 1983.. and in those first few weeks: Morgan and Evie were both written off and Lillian/Mindy/Billy/Beth/Annabelle all come onto the show.    
    • @MaximThis really  old song popped into my head this morning .... 

      Please register in order to view this content

       
    • For any military veterans and family: Military discount for *NEW* subscribers for any type of ParamountPlus subscription, "for the life of the subscription" (whatever that means). Includes: active duty, retirees, reservists and National Guard, veterans, dependents and spouses. Military veterans will receive 50% off new subscriptions (They have a verification process) https://help.paramountplus.com/s/article/Does-Paramount-offer-Military-discounts For existing subscribers, who would be eligible but haven't used the discount: (from the same paramount help link) Question: I’m an existing ParamountPlus subscriber in the military. How do I get the discount? Answer: To take advantage of the military discount offer*, you’ll first need to cancel your existing subscription, then re-subscribe to Paramount+ [at the verification link] on your desktop or mobile browser. During the signup process, your credentials will be verified to confirm your current status. Once you've been verified, your discount will be applied in the next billing cycle.
    • What a lovely gif!!!!!! @Maxim

      Please register in order to view this content

        @Maxim  
    • I didn’t find it that interesting

      Please register in order to view this content

    • I can't watch until later (Canada issues). What is Philip's motivation for stealing the drug? Only plot I cared about today and you did not mention it 
    • Doug III’s first day of work. Hope he does a good job… or that Tate tries to sabotage him somehow

      Please register in order to view this content

      His scenes with Holly were nice though. They’re sweet together and I understand why some people think that they have more chemistry than Tate/Holly do. And I liked that Doug III opened up to her about his past. Maybe that could lead to something good happening in the future.  I also enjoyed Roman and Kate, and how they’re both being tied into EJ’s shooting. The mystery of it all is really compelling. I don’t think Roman is the shooter though either.  I didn’t have much sympathy for Kristen though. She has no one to blame for Rachel’s problems than herself. But at the same time, I’m really surprised that Days actually remembered the Alex/Kristen fling. I thought Ron had erased that from existence. I’m not shipping them at all, but I’m definitely shipping a permanent end to Brady/Kristen but after today, I’m not so sure about that either.  And, Johnny and Chanel were still great together
    • https://parade.com/news/beyond-the-gates-actor-flexes-like-a-wrestler-in-viral-shirtless-photo
    • Some country club revelation thoughts from a casual watcher no one asked for. The Great: Daphnee Duplaix gave the best performance we've seen yet. Nicole's dialogue was also well thought out and felt character specific. TJ Maxx Ted was also pretty good. Trisha Mann-Grant steals every scene she's in. Often without even trying. Carrying multiple episodes worth of exposition heavy soap dialogue with starts and stops and recapping and drama and humor is no small feat and she nailed. Vernon telling Lesliana to STFU.  The Bad: So much of the dialogue for the rest of the cast was overly written. Martin said "You are a vile human being with a hole in your heart!". Marty, what are we doing? It's SO dramatic and sounds so silly coming from this grown man. Do Bill and Hayley do anything but talk about the Duprees? And the nerve of her to get so excited to find out Ted is a cheater when she and her husband are too. There should be a hint of shame mixed in with your glee, ma'am. The Questionable: Coffee and a rendition of Amazing Grace after finding out Nicole was betrayed by her husband. The Duprees are an odd bunch. The stinger of one segment had Anita prepared to lambast Lesliana, when we came back someone else was talking. When Anita eventually said something to Wig, it was a lukewarm at best. And then of course she thought singing a song about something that should absolutely not be extended to her son-in-law. The entire family allowing this deranged woman to speech at them in their own was...nuts. I know she said something about what would the neighbors say but my GOD. Is she just going to be allowed to trespass whenever she feels like it now? The focus on Leslie and her wig usage as an oddity is...odd. I think Chelsea said something like "and she wears wigs!" (while wearing a buss down middle part). Okay? It's just not that odd for a black woman to change up her hair. It's the different names that's the problem. I know it's meant to be humorous, in a throwback soap kind of way, but it fell flat for me.  I'm sorry I find the whole family to be WEIRD. It's like they want us to see them as ruthless yet benevolent, open yet furtive, snobbish yet tooth achingly sweet all at the same time. I cannot get a lock on the family dynamics. Everyone is just there.  I'm gonna cry if this show doesn't start giving us ages (or close to it!) for these characters. Because if Eva is 21-22 then Martin was being given crayons, a soda pop and blinders when he was 15-17 years old. Martin had to have been under 8 for me to buy this story, which would make Eva and Kat late 20s (Martin is at least 35 since he wants to run for president), which I don't think they're meant to be. It's honestly minor but it bothers me. I've mentioned this to @Vee but I think the optics on opening the show with both sisters discovering their husbands of over 30 years are cheaters should've been considered. I doubt there was any intention behind it, no one's rubbing their hands together as they scheme to say the married black men can't stay loyal but how does it look? Maybe it's just me. Honestly it's probably just me!
    • Thank you very much!!!! I really appreciate it!!! I also have read the GH coffee table book from the 90s!!!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy