Pre-Gloria Monty GH what was it like?

[quartermainefan]

The only MST3K I remember really was this gem "I accuse My Parents!" about a kid and his essay.

They probably paid ABC a small fee for the tapes, and ABC probably views them as worthless. Or, whoever made the decisions could have been a fan of the show and enjoyed the laugh.

[DRW50]

It's just odd because I always think the networks either let those old episodes rot or junked them long ago, they never bother to sell or market them, even though they'd make a decent profit if they did. And then there you see a few on MST3K, of all places.

I watched Joel's MST3K just about every week, I liked that not everything was sci-fi, and I liked the shorts they had at the beginning. My favorite was always Manos Hands of Fate. There's also The Gunfighter, starring the wonderful Beverly Garland, which actually isn't all that bad, considering.

[Paul Raven]

This SOD synopses is late 77.

I would think ,judging from Laura/Scotty ,David Hamilton and Lamont/Katie Corbin that this is Marland's early work pre Monty.

Steve has given Jeff the answer to his dilemma. Going over Lisa’s x-rays with Jeff, he tells Jeff it looks to him like Lisa is suffering from Breechman’s disease – a very rare leukemia-type illness. The prognosis isn’t good. As far as he knows there is no cure. Jeff asks Steve if it would be alright if he went to New York and spoke with Dr. Breechman personally. Steve gives his okay.

Jeff’s meeting with Dr. Breechman leaves him very depressed. The esteemed doctor confirms Steve’s diagnosis and prognosis. Jeff cries inside. How is going to tell Lisa that she’s going to die?

A PARTIALLY WELCOMED HOUSEGUEST

Seeing how depressed his good friend is, Rick makes a magnanimous gesture. He tells David that after he’s released from the hospital he can come stay with him and Leslie. It was a very compassionate overture – but not a wise one. Rick failed to consult Leslie before making this offering.

At first, Leslie is really steamed. She tells Rick she doesn’t want to share their new home and new marriage with a stranger. How could he invite David to stay with them without first consulting her! The man is suffering from psychosomatic paralysis! Who’s going to take care of him?

Rick doesn’t understand this sudden change in Leslie. She’s usually so sweet, so giving. When Leslie later comes back and apologizes, Rick takes everything at face value. He will not allow himself to see that his soon-to-be wife has not killed her anger, but merely repressed it. Leslie still doesn’t feel right about the whole idea. She’s just doing it to please Rick.

Laura and Scotty’s relationship is veering away from the platonic. He’s beginning to see her in a more romantic light. She no longer looks like such a kid to him. Scotty expresses his change of heart by kissing Laura long, hard and passionately. Laura responds in kind. It looks like a new romance is beginning to blossom in Port Charles.

Mark received some very bad news. While escaping from the state mental institution in a stolen car, Mary Ellen ran the automobile into a brick wall and was killed instantly.

Jeff returns from New York. He goes to see Lisa but can’t bring himself to tell her the truth about her illness. In answer to her question, he just says it’s serious. At the time he thought it was the right thing to say, but now, because of what happens next, he sees it as nothing more than a serious lack of medical judgment.

What happened? Lisa has left the hospital. When Jeff went to examine her the next morning, he found her room empty and her clothes gone. Peter enters the room and tells Jeff he saw Lisa getting into a cab. He thought Jeff released her. Jeff curses himself. Since Lisa doesn’t know how sick she really is, she probably won’t seek medical attention when she suffers an attack – and this is a course of action which could cost her her life! Jeff immediately calls the police. Lt. Sage later reports to Jeff that a woman bearing Lisa’s description was seen boarding a bus bound for Montreal. It’s bad news and Jeff fears Lisa may be doomed.

A REALIZED DREAM?

Heather’s New York City landlady, Mrs. Hadley, is heavily involved in the seedy world of pornography and prostitution. She wanted to entrap Heather in this sticky web – but her plans have been foiled. Heather will no longer have to take any job to pay her bills. Her dream may soon become a reality. She may soon be a movie star. She has been discovered by a Hollywood producer. Mr. Sherman tells Heather if she comes to L.A., he’ll introduce her to the right people. It’s glorious news – but what is she to do with Steven Lars? She doesn’t want to give up her baby, but if it hinders her chances…Should she give the child to Jeff? Is that the thing to do?

Mark has a new patient. It’s wealthy business man, Lamont Corbin. Mark gasps in surprise when he sees Lamont’s wife. It’s his childhood friend, Katie O’Reilly. She did all right for a scrapper from Boston’s poverty strewn North End. Katie tells Mark she wants to keep their relationship strictly professional.

Laura cajoles Monica into giving her a prescription for birth control pills – just in case. She can’t ask Leslie – her mother still thinks of her as a little girl. Monica didn’t want to get involved in such a sneaky deed (the wounds between her and Leslie are hardly healed), but she had no other choice. Laura tells her if Monica doesn’t do as she asks, she’d make it with Scotty without the benefit of protection. She would just have to take her chances.

Jeff quickly opens the large manila envelope bearing the Utica, N.Y., return address. He shakes the package and out tumbles a check and a pendant. The check is for Dorrie and the pendant is for him – and both items are from Lisa! She’s returning the money she borrowed from Dorrie…but why is she sending him the Gemini pendant? All Jeff remembers about the pendant is that Lisa told him it stood for “eternal love.” Jeff is confused.

A few days later this confusion is increased. Jeff is refilling some papers at the nurses’ station when suddenly his concentration is broken by a rather melodic female voice asking, “Do you know where I can find Dr. Jeff Webber?” Jeff turns around, his mouth goes slack, his eyes open wide with shock. The woman is Lisa! Or is it? She says not. She’s Lisa’s twin sister Lana, Lana Holbrook. She’s here to see her sister and she was told Dr. Webber is her physician. Jeff says he’s Dr. Webber but seeing Lisa is not possible. Her sister skipped out of the hospital a week ago – and they don’t’ know where she is. Jeff then tells Lana the sad news. Learning her sister is terminally ill causes Lana to nearly faint – but she quickly recovers. Jeff notices Lana is wearing a Gemini pendant. Lana says she and her sister both have one. Lana quickly points out that while she and Lisa may be identical in appearance, they are in no way alike in personality. Lisa is quiet (a shrinking violet) and very sweet; traits which far from win Lana’s stamp of approval. The disdain is very evident in Lana’s voice as she tells Jeff it’s no wonder she and Lisa never got along.

Wanting more than anything to become a big Hollywood star – and needing more than anything, a great deal of money to achieve this dream – Heather finds herself forced to take drastic action. She’s going to let the Taylors adopt Steven Lars for the $10,000 they promised her. She doesn’t want to give up her baby, but what other choice does she have? She tells Mrs. Hadly of her desire and her landlady (and friend?) immediately comes to her aid. She tells Heather she knows just the lawyer who can help her. Mrs. Hadly places an urgent call to her friend Mr. Wallace.

LANA TOO?

While meeting with Jeff and Lt. Sage (she was to tell the lieutenant about her sister), Lana suffers a strange tingling sensation in her hand and then faints dead away in Jeff’s arms. Jeff brings her to General. He runs the necessary tests and diagnoses Lana as also suffering from Breechman’s disease. The problem gets more perplexing by the day. Breechman’s disease wasn’t known to be genetic. Jeff worries that Lisa may be getting worse.

In addition to his concern for Lana and Lisa, Jeff is also very worried about his son. He learns from Heather’s mother that Heather is planning to go to Hollywood, and he hits the roof. That’s the last straw. Heather is not going to run around the country with his son. He’s going to track her down and fight for custody of the boy.

He writes to Heather, in care of her GPO address, and tells her of his intentions. He then places a hurried call to Lt. Sage and asks him to give him the name of a private investigator. He doesn’t care what it costs. He has to find Heather Grant!

Jeff’s letter puts Heather in a real squeeze. She can no longer dally in her decision to give up her son – but can she find the strength to do it? Does she have any other choice? She wants her son; she wants her dream, but it now seems clear she can’t have them both.

The adoption won’t be entirely ethical – but it will be much more expedient. The Taylors will adopt – and pay for – her baby – but they won’t know it’s hers. Heather would much rather have handled things more above board, but speed is of the essence. Mr. Wallace said an entirely legal adoption would take months. Seeing that Heather is still a bit hesitant, Mr. Wallace (very anxious to get his grubby hands on part of her money) does something to cement her decision. He tells Heather he has taken the first step and sent Diana and Peter a telegram.

Mark tells Katie the outlook for her husband isn’t very good. The operation is very risky and there’s a very good possibility that Lamont will die on the operating table. Mark wants Lamont to know the truth about his condition, but Katie disagrees. She says such news would cause her husband to retreat in his work – and that’s what is keeping him alive.

[DRW50]

Lana and Lisa?? I've never heard of these characters. Who played them? Were they just filler?

Mark is one of those characters who must have dominated story for several years but I never knew much about him, because in the long run he had little impact on the canvas. I'm sure the actor must have been annoyed, since he was probably hired from The Doctors at great expense. What was his exit?

Marland usually didn't kill existing characters off so quickly in his run as headwriter. They must have really wanted Mary Ellen outta there.

[Paul Raven]

When you read SOD synopses,a lot of stuff is mentioned that never made the summaries in references books eg Lana/Lisa.I think that Marland inherited the character and this twin thing was part of the write off. Janice Heiden played the part.

I think Mark and Katie left Port Charles happily after Lamont's death.Surprisingly,the actor and character returned in 82/83 but was given nothing and departed again.

Marland brought on a number of new characters in 78 but didn't write out many.Characters like Heather,Gina and Gary Lansing,Nurse Dorrie stuck around into 79.

Marland brought on (amongst others)Tracy,Edward and Lila,Anne Logan,Amy Vining,Bryan and Claudia,Mitch Williams and Bobbie Spencer.

[DRW50]

He wasn't with Katie in 1982/83? I guess he returned during the time when GH was going through a lot of backstage upheaval, with writer changes?

I'd definitely never heard of the twins. IMDB only has her playing one role. It seems like an odd twin story. I guess it was to mark time while moving Jeff away from Monica.

So the Pollocks were the ones who created Heather? But Marland gave her the LSD exit?

[Paul Raven]

According to an article published in Aug 77 ,Irving and Tex Elman were the new writers.They wrote off Tom Baldwin and Terri Webber Arnett(jeff & Rick's sister),Georgeanne LaPiere(Cher's sister)departed as Heather and Patsy Rahn was dumped as Monica,There were hints that Monica would become involved with Mark/

It stated that the emergence and dominance of the Webbers the year before,had alienated viewers and cast members and that ABC head Fred Silverman,who had taken primetime to #1,was determined to do the same in daytime(he had worked in daytime at CBS)

Brooke Bundy came over from Days to replace Valerie Starrett,who had played Diana for many years.

[EricMontreal22]

GH and Doctors exchanged a lot of writers for a period there, it seems.

[Dion]

I've had a feeling which I have never been able to confirm that Lisa and Lana weren't twins but two different personalities of the same person coz i've always seen them listed as Lisa/Lana rather than Lisa and Lana, plus from this summary(which I have read before in fact) Lana turns up just as Lisa has dissappeared.

[Paul Raven]

Maybe Lana/Lisa was a trial run for Marland's Carrie story on GL.

I think the Elman's also introduced Alan,but Marland expanded the family.

The year before the big triangle was Rick/Monica/Jeff but this was splintered off into Jeff/Heather,Rick/Lesley and Monica/Alan.

Monty/Marland recasted Rick and Alice(Heather's mom).

[saynotoursoap]

I will confirm it. Lana/Lisa were a split personality, not twins. The storyline lasted about six months. It was started by the Elmans and concluded by Doug Marland.

[DRW50]

What other shows did the Elmans do? What do you think GH would have been like if they'd stayed?

[Paul Raven]

The Elmans had been primetime writers.Irving had a stint at SFT in the mid 70's.

As for GH ,who knows?Production wise,the show was in a bad state.I recall Marland saying that he was watching the show,and it was just characters talking and no movement.Monica and Alan were arguing but he couldn't see any subtext to indicate whether they liked or hated each other.

[Dion]

Thanks

[beebs]

I do remember reading in an article from that era that the show had the feel of an amateur college production, and this pretty much affirms that it wasn't just the sets or the production but also the ACTING that really brought this point home.