Random soaps history question

[soapfan770]

In the late 50s Irna Phillips stepped back from her soaps and handed the writing over to her heirs, Bell and Nixon at ATWT and GL respectively. Who then was given the task of her other TV soap, The Brighter Day? When did it expand to 30 minutes? (I know Love of Life went to 30 mins in 1958, so I assume not long after that?) And what imput if any did Irna have in bringing her own radio serial Young Dr. Malone to NBC in late 1958? Who wrote that?

Of course given both were cancelled in the early 60s maybe that's why we don't know who the writers were...

[EricMontreal22]

Irna stayed with ATWT thru till 1967 or so--Wiki says 1966, but every soap book I've read actually says she was there till nearly 1970 (she left reportedly to help her daughter at A World Apart and then of course returned with disastrous results--with David Lesan as assistant HW). Co-HW though (Bell left ATWT in 1966 to focus solely on the ailing DAYS). Agnes co wrote ATWT with Irna till 1958 when she was given complete headwriting duties at GL (ironically Irna returned to GL briefly in the late 60s after Agnes had left, with less than great results).

Brighter Day had already moved on to a different writer (I forget who but I can check my radio soaps book later if you want) by 1950 or so, so before it went to TV. The only radio soap of Irna's she stayed with throughout its radio run was Guiding Light (remember though Guiding Light didn't have as steady a run as they like to claim--it was put on hold and revamped twice in its radio days, off air for several months even). Most of the others she gave over to other writers after 5 or so years (like my fave, Right to Happiness).

Oddly, it seems Irna did return to Brighter Day briefly on TV in the 50s, but aftert hadbeen on tv some years already--before the network bought it and moved production to LA withdisastrous results, I assume. BD for a while was a big TV hit--I sometimes wonder if it had the chance to be as long lived as GL...

I can type out the writers in order from Schemering's book if you'd like, but he doesnt give years, just in what order.

Young Dr Malone is often credited to Irna, but it wasn't an Irna soap--it was one of the very few she wrote for a time AFTER it had been created (on radio) and headwritten by someone else. The tv version was was different from the radio--not a direct continuation like GL and BD either. Anyway, Irna had ZERO involvement with the tv version (i think her time with it on radio was early 40s).

[Paul Raven]

Brighter Day expanded in 61 after the show moved to Hollywod.

The majority of the radio years were penned by Orin Tovrov.

On TV,the Pollocks were replaced by Sam Hall,who had ratings success.

Irna showed interest and p&G forced Hall to collabarate with her.It didn't work out and Hall quit.

Irna revamped the show moving the locale to Columbus and diminished the Dennis family to focus on the Clarkes.

According to this writer,there was a crossover from ATWT when Ellen delivered her illegitimate son and left him in the care of family friends.

phillips tenure was unpopular and she qiut,or was fired.

The writers in order

Doris Frankel

James Cavanaugh

John Haggert

Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock

Sam Hall

Irna Phillips

Barry Lake

David Davidson

Hendrik Vollaerts