Members Paul Raven Posted May 18, 2011 Members Share Posted May 18, 2011 I wish I knew! Relying on you Carl to dig out some treasures... I wish i had more time to chat to Patty McCormack as she might have been willing to talk BOE. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted October 30, 2011 Members Share Posted October 30, 2011 I found this review on imdb.The most detail I have seen on the shows storylines. I followed this short-lived serial for most of its 6-month run on ABC back in 1970 - and it's amazing how TV soap watchers from that era still remember it as fondly and curiously some 40 years later. I recall "The Best Of Everything" being preempted or cut into a few times so local ABC news affiliates could update viewers on such life-changing events taking place in the real world (Vietnam War, Kent State shooting), not just an alternate world in Manhattan we watched through the eyes of this show's ingénues: Linda Warren (former child actress Patty McCormack), April Morrison (Julie Mannix) and Kim Jordan (Katherine Glass). Patty McCormack was Oscar-nominated for her dead-right portrayal of cold-blooded pig-tailed murderess Rhoda in "The Bad Seed" in the mid-50s. But as career girl Linda on TBOE, the producers saddled the young actress with a hackneyed love triangle that went nowhere. It kept Patty's alter ego too low-key and forgettable, rather than letting Linda be written as a soap vixen variation of devious Rhoda, all grown up and taking New York and its men by storm. Married Mike Carter (Jean-Pierre Stewart) had fallen for Linda, but was obligated to his needy, bitter wife Anne (Diane Kagan), who had some rare, incurable disease and/or was wheelchair bound (yet may have been faking it to keep Mike and Linda apart). Linda was often featured in the office scenes at the Key Publishing Company with her fellow stenographers: blonde, perennially rattled April and cool, upbeat Ginnie Curtis (Gwen Mitchell), an attractive young black woman who lent a sympathetic ear to her troubled co-workers. I don't recollect her having a storyline of her own, but she always wore groovy hair pieces and miniskirts. The company's steno pool was supervised by a tense older gal, Kate Farrow (Me'l Dowd), who was often at odds with the other women - since they brought their ongoing personal baggage to the office daily, getting little work done. April was having a shameful fling with playboy Dexter Key (James Davidson), son (or was he the orphaned grandson?) of wealthy, imperious Amanda (Gale Sondergaard, movie actress who won the first Best Supporting Actress Academy Award given - she was 71 when TBOE aired). April became pregnant, but no marriage proposal from Dexter followed - just panic. I remember finding April's character a bit strident, but maybe it was just Julie Mannix's tight hair bands and overbite that distracted me. And I suspect April lost the baby after a car accident, or perhaps after a confrontation with Dexter's nasty mommy. Details are sketchy on that one - the same set-up of sorts was used in the 1959 movie "The Best Of Everything" (also based on the novel by Rona Jaffe), where in the film version, April impulsively jumped from a speeding car and subsequently miscarried her love child fathered by Dexter. Several characters lived and intersected in the same apartment building owned and managed by kindly Violet Jordan (veteran movie actress Geraldine Fitzgerald) and her husband Joshua, while their young daughter Kim was either in college or grad school. She had a crush on tenant Eddie Perrone (Victor Arnold), a doctor at the hospital with whom she shared space in a basement room, which they had converted into a small laboratory. Eddie thought Kim was a nice kid, but he had eyes for wispy April, while April was headed for hard times with callous Dexter. Dexter had a free-spirited and outspoken sister, Joanna (Bonnie Bee Buzzard), who was usually at odds with the rest of her ruthless, pretentious kinfolk. Also in the Jordan's building lived an unhappily-ever-after married couple, Barbara and Ken Lamont (Rochelle Oliver and Barry Ford) and their young son Johnny. Barbara sank into a severe depression as her rocky marriage fell apart, though neighbors in the building tried to rally her sullen spirits, with little success. Ken eventually moved out and planned to divorce Barbara and seek custody of son Johnny since Barbara could barely function with her persistent melancholia. It was here where the story gets moving: Kim moves on from her infatuation with doctor Eddie, and begins dating a guy from the wrong side of the tracks, blonde motorcycle-riding tough guy Randy Wilson (Ted LePlat, a dancer on "Where The Action Is" a few years prior). At first the easy-going Jordans are nervous for their only daughter, but Kim's warmth and optimism turns Randy around, and he opts to leave his old street gang behind. Enter the unforgettable villain Squirrel (effectively realized by Gregory Rozakis, who portrayed a similarly sinister role in the Charles Bronson film "Death Wish"), a sadistic punk who vows vengeance against the Jordan family, blaming Kim for Randy's defecting from his gang, a dangerous group of dope peddlers and thugs. Inside the Jordan's apartment building one day, Squirrel slips into the basement laboratory and plants a box of chocolates laced with LSD. Unfortunately, little Johnny Lamont stumbles upon and consumes the drugged candy, has a horrible reaction and is hospitalized, sending frazzled mother Barbara further off the deep end. Meanwhile, the police suspect Kim is responsible for making the illegal drugs and for causing Johnny's condition. Randy confronts Squirrel and vows to rat him out to the police to save Kim from blame. But then Randy dies in an accident while riding off on his motorcycle to incriminate Squirrel (or did Squirrel's thugs run him off the road, or rig the brakes on his bike?). Kim finally realizes Squirrel's true colors and crimes, but is beaten up, stabbed, and left for dead outside a deserted storefront by Squirrel and his henchmen before she can expose his reign of terror, clear her name, and avenge Randy's death. Whew! So much for living in Manhattan in 1970. Memorable show and great cast. It deserved a happier ending. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted October 30, 2011 Members Share Posted October 30, 2011 Thanks. That sounds like such a bleak ending. I wonder what the other stories were at the end. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted November 11, 2011 Members Share Posted November 11, 2011 Daytime TV Yearbook #1 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted March 7, 2012 Members Share Posted March 7, 2012 October 1970 TV Picture Life 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted March 7, 2012 Members Share Posted March 7, 2012 acting by the House Committee on Un-American activities. She and her husband, director Herbert Biberman, couldn't find movie employment, but they managed. They lived mostly in New York and Hollywood, raising their two children. Then in 1969 she returned to the stage, via The Visit, for Tyrone Guthrie's Minnesota Theatre. Now she has a three-year contract with Best of Everything, and gladly gave up her Hollywood home to move to New York. She plays Amanda Key, a role that requires an extensive wardrobe - something Gale likes. "I love clothes!" she says, and she has the trim figure and regal bearing to make good clothes look better. Patty McCormack (playing Linda Warren) also gave up her Hollywood apartment to move to New York for the serial. A New Yorker, she became a name overnight when, at 9, she portrayed a psychotic child in the stage drama, The Bad Seed. She also played the part in the movie version. Patty married hair stylist and former schoolmate Bob Catania in 1967, and last July 27, gave birth to her first baby, Robert Richard. When she signed for her role on The Best of Everything, it meant taking her husband, a Californian, to New York for the first time. "Bob didn't know what to expect," she said, apprehensively. But, apparently, he is making the adjustment to New York nicely. Patty's been hunting for an apartment with a large kitchen (she loves to cook) and a well-lighted den where she can do her sketching. "I'm not very good at art, but I enjoy working on it." The third movie name in the series is Geraldine Fitzgerald (portraying Violet Jordan), who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and got her dramatic training at Dublin's Gate Theatre. She moved to London to make some movies, married a Britisher, Edward Lindsay-Hogg, bore a son, Michael, in 1940 and got a divorce in 1946, ending the 10-year marriage. Then she married New York businessman, Stuart Sheftel. Geraldine quit her career for four years in order to stay close to her daughter Susan, born in 1951. "And I enjoyed every minute of it." But she knew she couldn't be happy without being an actress, so she returned to movies and the stage. An Academy Award nomination went to her for her Hollywood debut movie, Wuthering Heights. Some of her other films are Wilson, Three Strangers, Uncle Harry, The Pawnbroker, and Rachel, Rachel. Victor Arnold (Dr. Edward Graham), born in Herkimer, N.Y., now has a bachelor pad in New York. After earning a degree in physical education at New York University, he taught for a year, then got into acting as a hobby. Of course, the hobby became an occupation, and Vic has no regrets. He has been in many plays and one movie, The incident, in 1967. Another veteran is Rochelle Oliver (Barbara Lamont), a born New Yorker, who got her first taste of acting at the Henry Street Settlement. She's done a lot of Broadway plays, including Toys in the Attic, for which she won the Clarence Derwent Award as Outstanding Young Actresses of the 1960 Season. Best of Everything is her first daytime serial. Julie Mannix (April Morrison) is mother of two children, yet manages a hectic career. Among the many roles she's tackled are Peggy on Pepper Young's Family on radio; "color test girl" on CBS Network, Angela Carter on The Doctors, and Wendy Porter on The Secret Storm. Julie's also done a lot of commercials and a lot of photo modeling for magazines. She is married to Francis von Zerneck, a Broadway theatre manager. They live in midtown New York. Their children are Danielle, 4, and Francis Ernest, 2. Me'l Dowd (Kate Farrow) is often asked if Me'l is short for Michael. In answer she smiles enigmatically and says, "I won't tell! Besides, it's supposed to get attention for me, and it does!" M'el comes from Boone, Iowa, was trained for acting in Chicago, and made her New York stage debut as Lady MacBeth with the Shakespearwrights Company. She's been in many Broadway plays ,and also on TV in The Nurses, Naked City, Flipper, The Trail Begins. She lives with her "gorgeous French husband" (whom she will not name) and her son, Richard, 6, in New York. Before she married, she used to run around town in her motor scooter. Now that she's a wife and mother, she takes taxis. "I always wanted to be an actress," Gwen Mitchell (Ginny Tate) confesses. She also wanted to be a doctor, and was even accepted for pre-med studies at Boston University, but got married instead. When the marriage didn't work, Gwen joined the Negro Arts Ensemble and got her career going. She's been in As the World Turns and on The Edge of Night, and plays a stewardess on a United Airlines commercial. "I keep busy, "she says. Bonnie Bee Buzzard (Joanna Key) says that's precisely her name, and she's not going to change it. Born in Boston and raised in Cleveland, she's a graduate of Brandeis University and has appeared in plays throughout the East. She has also done many TV commercials, and right now is adjusting to her New York apartment with its typically tiny kitchen. James Davidson (Dexter Key) was born in Wisconsin, raised in California, and has been in many night-time TV dramas, along with appearances on Search for Tomorrow. His new movie, The Long Ride Home, is being shown in Europe now. Originally from San Francisco, Harry Ford (Ken Lamont) graduated from University of California at Los Angeles, spent 3 1/2 years in Paris, singing and dancing on French TV, and doing a French radio talk show. His movie credits include Winning, Counterpoint, Tobruk, The Scorpio Letters, Von Ryan's Express, The Longest Day, and others. A direct and exuberant fellow, Barry believes in living "every day as if it were the only one!" Katherine Glass (Kim Jordan) is from New Haven, Conn. Her drama training at the Yale School of Drama and at Morley College Theatre School in London paid off - she's been in many plays. Katherine does everything herself in her New York apartment - wall-papering, cooking, sewing, cleaning. Diane Kagan (Anne Carter) spent her young years in Jano Beach, Florida, where her father is mayor. After graduating from Florida State University, where she majored in dance and drama, she went to New York to study the dance with Martha Graham. Then she switched to studying acting, toured Europe with a repertory company, returning to New York for stage appearances. She's single and lives in Manhattan. Jean-Pierre Stewart (Mike Carter) says he's carrying on "the dynasty of my actor father, David J. Stewart." Born in Florida, Jean-Pierre spent time in New York and Europe, and studied at Cornell University for two years. He holds a degree in international relations from the City College of New York. An avid student of politics, he also enjoys mountain climbing, music, antiques, carpentry, skiing. His skiing is so good that he qualifies as an instructor. ABC-TV has invested heavily in The Best of Everything and feels it has a good chance to become a winner. So far, it looks as if ABC-TV has made the right choice! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matt Posted March 7, 2012 Members Share Posted March 7, 2012 Now how did I never know that Julie Mannix was Danielle Von Zerneck's (ex-Lou Swenson, GH) mother? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted March 8, 2013 Members Share Posted March 8, 2013 October 1970 TV Radio Show 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members danfling Posted March 9, 2013 Members Share Posted March 9, 2013 Mr. Arnold was on The Edge of Night as Joe Bulmer later (in the 1980s). I had not known that he had been on A Time for Us. Does anyone know who he played? He died in 2012. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slick jones Posted March 2, 2014 Members Share Posted March 2, 2014 Does anyone know who played Fred Shalimar and Gary Warren on TBOE? Any idea who these actors played: Jane Alice Brandon, Terry O'Sullivan, and Jill Melody? Thanks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted September 25, 2014 Members Share Posted September 25, 2014 Julie Mannix has written a book 'Secret Storms' detailing her having an out of wedlock pregnancy and giving up the baby for adoption, http://www.redbookmag.com/kids-family/advice/adopted-daughter-found http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Storms-Mother-Daughter-Found/dp/0985735805/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1411634085&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=secret+storm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted December 7, 2018 Members Share Posted December 7, 2018 Oct 62 Young Actor Pens TV Play A present day morality play written by Gregory Rozakis, 19- year-old actor-playwright, when he was 17, will have its TV premiere on "Lamp Unto My Fee t " Nov. 4 on CBS. Th e tape drama , "Chalk Mark s on a Brick Wall, " tells the story of a slum youth, played by the author, who is the focal point in a tug-of-wa r between good and evil. The drama is Rozakis' first play. Th e author has a starring role in Elia Kazan's new motion picture , "America-America, " now being filmed in Greece "Chalk Marks on a Brick Wall " is produced by Prentiss Childs and directe d by Marvin Silbersher. Dr. George Crothers is the program's host. Rozakis went on to play Squirrel on BOE. Dr Crothers was Joel Crothers dad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members danfling Posted December 16, 2018 Members Share Posted December 16, 2018 I have (somewhere) a tape of an episode of One Live to Live on which Mr. Rozakis appeared. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted April 26, 2020 Members Share Posted April 26, 2020 (edited) Never thought I would come across actual stills from this show, but here they are! John Rust, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Patty McCormack Embed Comp Kathy Glass and Patty McCormack James Davidson, James Karen, M'el Dowd and Gale Sondergard Barry Ford, Rochelle Oliver, Steven Grover Edited April 26, 2020 by Paul Raven 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted April 26, 2020 Members Share Posted April 26, 2020 Jean Pierre Stewart. Diane Kagan Embed Comp 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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