43 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

 

Also the nursery rhyme stalker story with Holly in the lead climaxed that same week of Manny's 1st wedding in 1999

It looked like ratings were pretty strong in early 1999, I'm not sure whether the story was popular with fans but it did have a positive impact in ratings. The highest numbers for GL for the 98/99 season all happened around that time (Jan-Mar 1999). In fact the last time GL scored a 4.3 or higher was in 97 during the Annie story and one more time in November 97 and those were rare. 

 

 

That 4.6 is impressive for GL for 97.

 

By late 1985 Pam Long had definitely run out of steam and she was pregnant and divorcing Jay Hammer. But typical P&G installs EP safe choice Joe Willmore and fires Jeff Ryder for Mary Ryan (a Labine writer) and Ellen Barrett, RH and SFT producer then dumps them after three months for Sheri Anderson from Days and her ancient soap producer then husband Joe Manetta before Pam comes back from maternity leave in September 86. They should have left Ryder and added Nancy Curlee.  I will say that Sheri and Joe weren't as bad as later temporary HW, McTavish or Anderson.

I did think Pam Long left the show in an interesting place when she left in January 1986 with Reva trying to kill herself, Lujack dying a hero,  Alexandra declaring  war on Billy/Kyle, and seeing how Beth would cope with the death of Lujack.  While the show wasn't at it's heights... Long did leave some interesting story threads for Ryder to pick up and run with... sadly, P & G went through numerous writers between January 1986 and July/August 1987 before rehiring Pam Long.

 

If you look at the episodes during the 50th anniversary week in July 1987 (before Long returned) and the Christmas episodes in 1987.. it was like a different show (an improved show)

I tend to prefer Long's second stint (after Calhoun arrives as EP). If only because I think Calhoun and Curlee and Trent Jones (who were now her Co-HWs) may have tempered some of her worst tendencies. Ratings may not have exploded, but I think the show was more tightly and cohesively executed. 

 

I've said it before, but Bob Calhoun never gets the respect for his contributions to ATWT and GL. I'm sad he never got the opportunity to steer another soap prior to his death.  

1 hour ago, RavenWhitney said:

By late 1985 Pam Long had definitely run out of steam and she was pregnant and divorcing Jay Hammer. But typical P&G installs EP safe choice Joe Willmore and fires Jeff Ryder for Mary Ryan (a Labine writer) and Ellen Barrett, RH and SFT producer then dumps them after three months for Sheri Anderson from Days and her ancient soap producer then husband Joe Manetta before Pam comes back from maternity leave in September 86. They should have left Ryder and added Nancy Curlee.  I will say that Sheri and Joe weren't as bad as later temporary HW, McTavish or Anderson.

Anderson and Manetta weren't bad but the show just got too fluff. It lost that spark it had. The show at the time had some very uninteresting characters too. This lead to GL dropping to #7 in the weekly rankings. It didn't help that it's lead in was Capitol who lost lots of lead in numbers from ATWT.

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by Soapsuds

I think the biggest problem GL faced after Long left the first time is that from 1981-1985 various teams had ripped away the foundations of the show, all at P&G's behest. I have said this before but it is absolutely ludicrous, given the 30+ years of history (just on TV), that Jerry ver Dorn was the senior cast member by this time. Even if Long had stayed, viewers would have spent their time on stories like a mentally unbalanced carnie rescuing Reva and shacking up at Revabend, rather than anything involving the Bauers or other long-gone family units. 

45 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

I tend to prefer Long's second stint (after Calhoun arrives as EP). If only because I think Calhoun and Curlee and Trent Jones (who were now her Co-HWs) may have tempered some of her worst tendencies. Ratings may not have exploded, but I think the show was more tightly and cohesively executed. 

 

I've said it before, but Bob Calhoun never gets the respect for his contributions to ATWT and GL. I'm sad he never got the opportunity to steer another soap prior to his death.  

At this time wasn't Chelsea Reardon hogging up the show? I hated Cbelsea. KD is such a weak actress. Also I think viewers were sick of the Shaynes. Reva and Josh wedding was a flop and so was her exist storyline(and I mean ratings wise). And GL had recasts and new characters debuting at that time.

Edited June 23, 20205 yr by Soapsuds

 

Is this one of the few clips of Anna Stuart filling in for Maeve as Vanessa?

I'd rather have the fluff and warmth of late 80s GL over the coldness of ATWT of the late 80s.  But everyone has their likes and dislikes

 

3 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

I'd rather have the fluff and warmth of late 80s GL over the coldness of ATWT of the late 80s.  But everyone has their likes and dislikes

 

First Dinah, Cam, Sarah and Hawk were pure filler fluff. The show for me became too light hearted. It lost its beef

 

ATWT had more drama going on.

 

1985-1986 is where I felt the shift of ATWT being the better soap.

15 minutes ago, NothinButAttitude said:

 

Is this one of the few clips of Anna Stuart filling in for Maeve as Vanessa?

Who were the actors playing Jackie, Carrie and Joe?

4 minutes ago, RavenWhitney said:

Who were the actors playing Jackie, Carrie and Joe?

 

Carrie Mowery, Jane Elliot and Michael J Stark.

I forgot Jackson Freemont played by Michael Wilding...talk about terrible and taking up airtime during that period. I hated every time he called someone "Love".

21 minutes ago, NothinButAttitude said:

Is this one of the few clips of Anna Stuart filling in for Maeve as Vanessa?

 

There are several clips of her in the "Machinations" clipset that the late ClassicGL put up back in the day. Those episodes have since been uploaded in full on Youtube.

1 hour ago, DRW50 said:

 

There are several clips of her in the "Machinations" clipset that the late ClassicGL put up back in the day. Those episodes have since been uploaded in full on Youtube.

 

I thought so. 

 

I wonder if her stint as Vanessa is what led to P&G wanting to keep Anna under their umbrella and later cast her for Donna. 

 

Anna Stuart excels at the stiff, upper crest socialite.