An Open Letter from Ken Corday to Marlena De Lacroix
Members
I read with interest your article on "JFP", as you referred to Jill Farren Phelps, in your column about a revival on Another World (Critical Condition, Vol 6 Issue 50) While I congratulate Jill.who happens to be a friend and an excellent executive producer, I noted that throughout the article no one else is given credit, or even mentioned. This may be a subtle point, but subtlety is often the focus of those involved in dramatic serials, and i have always felt the success of any show in our genre is, and must be, a team effort made up of quality producers, directors and, of course, writers.
You even refer to how "Phelps has started to tool and retool most of her stories". No writer was given any credit, not even the head writer. I found it equally interesting that you ended the article by saying AW "should garner better ratings since head writer Jim Reilly's high rated days of Our Lives is providing great lead - in numbers." I must take issue with your giving all of the credit for Days' high ratings to the head writer, while completely ignoring the enormous team effort. You chose not to mention either my involvement,(co-executive producer) Tom langan's superb leadership and vision,nor our other wonderful producers, directors and writers who have taken Days from its position way down in the pack to No 2 in the demographics and overall household ratings.
It was certainly as much Tom Langan's vision and execution that brought our show to where it is today as it will be Jill Phelp's, should her show make the climb we all hope it will,
To sum up, i was simply surprised to see the credit for what is such an enormous team effort all go to one person wearing an executive producer hat on AW, and then see all of the credit go only to the head writer, and in possessive terms as though Days was his show, Jim reilly is a wonderful head writer, and we are very lucky to work with him, but without all of the other equally talented people the fans would have to stop by Jim's house each day to read the show.
I read with interest your article on "JFP", as you referred to Jill Farren Phelps, in your column about a revival on Another World (Critical Condition, Vol 6 Issue 50) While I congratulate Jill.who happens to be a friend and an excellent executive producer, I noted that throughout the article no one else is given credit, or even mentioned. This may be a subtle point, but subtlety is often the focus of those involved in dramatic serials, and i have always felt the success of any show in our genre is, and must be, a team effort made up of quality producers, directors and, of course, writers.
You even refer to how "Phelps has started to tool and retool most of her stories". No writer was given any credit, not even the head writer. I found it equally interesting that you ended the article by saying AW "should garner better ratings since head writer Jim Reilly's high rated days of Our Lives is providing great lead - in numbers." I must take issue with your giving all of the credit for Days' high ratings to the head writer, while completely ignoring the enormous team effort. You chose not to mention either my involvement,(co-executive producer) Tom langan's superb leadership and vision,nor our other wonderful producers, directors and writers who have taken Days from its position way down in the pack to No 2 in the demographics and overall household ratings.
It was certainly as much Tom Langan's vision and execution that brought our show to where it is today as it will be Jill Phelp's, should her show make the climb we all hope it will,
To sum up, i was simply surprised to see the credit for what is such an enormous team effort all go to one person wearing an executive producer hat on AW, and then see all of the credit go only to the head writer, and in possessive terms as though Days was his show, Jim reilly is a wonderful head writer, and we are very lucky to work with him, but without all of the other equally talented people the fans would have to stop by Jim's house each day to read the show.
Ken Corday,executive producer, Days of Our Lives.
Edited by Paul Raven