Proposed Soaps Over The Years

[Paul Raven]

http://www.itsabouttv.com/2014/07/this-week-in-tv-guide-july-9-1966.html

It says here that NBC plans a soap - excuse me, "daytime series" based on Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights this fall, and that Jane Eyre andRebecca could follow suit. I don't know that the Heights idea ever took off; NBC only had a handful of soaps in the coming season, and all of them - Days of Our Lives, The Doctors, Another World - were pretty well established by that time. A pity, I suppose; so many of these books were built-in soaps, just waiting for their stories to reach a daytime audience. On the other hand, though, it might have been difficult to figure out how the network could have stretched Heathcliff and Catherine's tortured romance out for thirty years or so. Even if they'd filmed it in real time they couldn't have made it last that long.

[Paul Raven]

This has been mentioned before:

TV Guide Nov 14 1964

Stirling Silliphant has been signed by Universal TV to develop a daytime sees called The Bitter and the Sweet, with production set to begin in April 1965. Silliphant will write the first 65 episodes (13 weeks).

[dc11786]

http://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/22/universal-plahs-tv-soap-operas.html?_r=0

NY Times article on "The Bitter and the Sweet."

[Paul Raven]

In 1963 actor/producer Keefe Braselle was working on a CBS pilot "My Third Angel' based on Pulitzer Prize winner author Jerome Weidman's 'The Third Angel' with Weidman writing as a once a week continuing serial.

The show dealt with a suburban (Westport) widow and her three children.

According to Wikipedia

Brasselle had a close friendship with CBS executive James Aubrey. Brasselle started his own production company and Aubrey granted Brasselle's company three television series without any previous script, pitch or pilots. The insider-chicanery resulted in a lawsuit against Aubrey and Brasselle launched by CBS shareholders. There were rumors that Aubrey had no choice in the matter due to threats from the Mafia, with which Brasselle was known to be connected.

[DRW50]

Geez. The real life story sounds like a good soap.

[DRW50]

September 1971 TV Radio Talk

Also, ABC is kicking around the idea of introducing the most unconventional soap opera to date, tentatively called Separate Lives. It will be about a woman family-court judge, and at least half of the serial will deal with courtroom family struggles. The whole effort will be extremely contemporary and is intended to appeal to young homemakers.

[SFK]

That sounds like that 60 Minutes piece on Judge Judy which led to her getting her own show. I'd watch the life and times of Judge Judith Sheindlin in a New York minute.

[Paul Raven]

In development at NBC for the 69/70 season was 'Shameful Secrets of Hastings Corner' a soap spoof 30 min sitcom from Screen Gems.

[KMan101]

I'd watch that too.

[Paul Raven]

Charles Pratt and Frank South were working on a soap for the UPN network with the tentative title 'Players".A pilot script had been completed and Pratt said it had 'a UPN slant' (whatever that meant).This was in 1995.

[titan1978]

That slant could mean that it was going to be cheap. Or take place on a starship?

[Paul Raven]

Way back in the thread NBC's 'Best of Friends' was mentioned.

Jacqueline Smith, who had been head of daytime at ABC during their glory years was lured to NBC and this was one of her proposals in early 85.

According to Smith,it was to be across between a serial and sitcom,perfect for the morning. It won't have a laugh track but will have sitcom humour.It will deal with continuing stories of love and jeopardy.In another article she likened it to Neighbours ,the Australian soap.

Also, the late Ann Marcus was writer of another proposed soap at that time 'Fitzgerald and Fenelli.'

[John]

Before they moved forward with Real World. MTV was developing a daily soap called St Mark's Place. However once they saw the budget MTV dropped the project. Murray-Bunim then decided to turn that concept into what became The Real World

[Soaplovers]

I often wonder if there will ever be a proposed traditional soap opera ever presented again?

[Paul Raven]

Hollywood Reporter Nov 2012

At ABC Transformers star Josh Duhamel is teaming with Gretchen J Berg and Aaron Harberts for an untitled drama about a daytime soap opera that explores the loves, lives and lunacy at an on the bubble network soap opera, where the antics of the cast and crew are crazier than any plot lines they broadcast. Set as the TV genre is faltering, the larger than life workplace family fights a never ending desperate battle to keep their show on the air, egos secure and relationships intact.

The new show is based on an original idea by Duhamel, who appeared as Leo in All My Children.. The actor co-created the concept with Berg and Harberts(Revenge,GCB,Pushing Daisies,Wonderfalls) - who will pen the script- and executive produce alongside Mark Gordon Co. head of drama Nicholas Pepper and actor Oliver Hudson.

Hudson and Duhamel may appear onscreen,though not in a regular series capacity.