Lovers and Friends/For Richer For Poorer Discussion Thread

[Sapounopera]

Reading the entire thread once again...

I can't believe how many similarities L&F had with Generations. Both set in Chicago, with a formerly poor family moving in a big house, previously owned by rich people who lost their fortune. Ellie Saxton is similar to Ruth Marshall, both poor daughters who want to be accepted by the high society.

L&F reads a lot like the movie Interiors (like Carl said some ten years ago). Adult, sophisticated drama. And all these workplace stories sound fascinating. And what an amazing music theme the show had. I guess casting was its biggest problem, charismatic actors might have made up for the slow start. The idea behind FRFP was insane from the start. It would have never worked. 

[DRW50]

Please register in order to view this content

"a new daytime drama you'll care about"

Get the hint?

Connie sitting beside that huge-ass headshot of Bill cracks me up.

[j swift]

It's like an SAT analogy - L&F is to Palmolive as FRFP is to Dawn - the promise of something new, but really just the same old soap packaged differently

Edited January 18, 2023 by j swift

[Franko]

I hope that at least once, Connie imagined "Bill" talking to her.

[Paul Raven]

Jon Michael Reed Sept 24 1978

It's all over except for the ending for NBC's "For Richer, For Poorer." The youngest network serial will be canceled at month. The show premiered in January of 1977 under the title "Lovers and Friends." After six months it took a leave of absence from the airwaves for a period of story and actor realignment. The show reappeared last December under its new title, new writers and a few actor replacements.

Still, "FR, FP" never managed to grind up much audience enthusiasm and support, despite visually stunning sets, costumes and production values. The story, too, although increasingly intriguing in recent months, failed to garner a sufficient audience to make it a going proposition.

In the wake of "FR, FP's" demise are the aborted serial careers of several promising performers. In addition to such serial veterans as Patricia Barry (Viola) and Stephen Joyce (George), who were shamefully wasted in terms of story material, "FR, FP" boasted a fine cast of attractive serial neophytes, especially Christine Jones (Amy), Richard Backus (Ja- son), Rod Arrants (Austin), Cynthia Bostick (Connie), Julia MacKenzie (Lauriel), and Darlene Parks (Megan). The show also spotlighted a young actor from a racial minority group, Chu Chu Malave who matured in acting skill as Paco. Hopefully, some smart serial producer will pick up the talents of "FR, FP's" cast.

[j swift]

I am a big fan of JMR's writing and we did some research on his career when @will81 was posting his articles on his tumblr.  Are you using a sharable reference for these articles or your own archive?

Edited February 22, 2023 by j swift

[dc11786]

"For Richer, For Poorer" seemed to gain a little life later in the run, but who knows how things would have panned out in the long run. I don't have much interest in mob tied Lee Ferguson chasing after blonde heroine Tessa Saxton while father Les huffs and puffs about their involvement. If they were going to be written out, that would have been preferable. Though, I think the idea of posh Edith Cushing's goddaughter Wendy Prescott hooking up with reformed street hood Paco Morales was much more intriguing. Futhermore, the battle for Cushing & Sons seemed to gain some momentum when Austin returned to the firm at his mother's request, to his wife Amy's concern, to go against Jason for the presidency. Jason and Megan's marriage was destined for failure and what a wonderful trainwreck that would hav eben to see play out. 

I know the show was intending to kill off Dr. Roy White in November, 1978, had the show continued. I would speculate that Connie or Bill would have been accused, but they would have pinned it on Roy's lover Nancy Snyder's Colleen Griffith or tied Roy to the mob. I also have to wonder if the show was going to pair Dr. Chris Gifford, Amy's doctor brother introduced in the final weeks, with Connie once things settled in Connie's universe. 

Lemay's version was still stronger, but King's version had some interesting elements. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Lovers & Friends aired on NBC from Jan. 3, 1977 to May 6, 1977. It was taken off the air at that point & re-tooled & renamed & began again as For Richer, For Poorer. For Richer, For Poorer aired on NBC from Dec. 6, 1977 to Sept. 29, 1978. 1977-78 where ATWT & AW were tied for 1st ranking both with 8.6 and EON was 13th out of 14 with 5.2, Lovers & Friends was 14th, dead last, with 3.9 so substantially lower than low. Lovers & Friends debut had been 15th out of 15 with only a 2.1. And, in 1978 when For Richer, For Poorer was canceled it was 14th out of 14 with that 2.1 again and above it EON & LOL were tied for 12th place with 5.8, so again much higher than this NBC show. It's impossible to talk about For Richer, For Poorer without first talking about Lovers & Friends which aired on NBC from Jan. 3, 1077 to May 6, 1977. After having great success at Another World Pete Lemay (writer) and Paul Rauch (producer) collaborated on creating a brand new serial about two families.

The wealthy Cushings - Austin, an unemployed college dropout who has a problem with the bottle. His sister Megan. Their father Richard a stockbroker. Edith their mother who is a socialite.

The other family is the upwardly mobile Saxtons. Rhett Saxton fell in love with Megan Cushing. His parents, Lester & Josie. His brother Jason who also had a crush on Megan. A younger brother named Bentley & 2 sisters, Eleanor who was a social climber & was married to George Kimball & the baby of the family, Tessa.

Concentrating on Class conflict & psychological themes it was set in a suburb of Chicago, fashionable Point Clair. This soap was similar to Another World in that it relied on character development more than on plot. But Lovers & Friends had a more youthful cast than AW. After 4 months it was decided to pull it & re-tool it.

After a hiatus of 7 months the show returned to NBC daytime renamed For Richer, For Poorer & this iteration was broadcast from Dec. 6, 1977 to Sept. 29, 1978. Changes: Still located in the same Chicago suburb but no longer neighbors. Tom King is now the Head writer with Lemay acting as a consultant. Edith Cushing was recast & made a widow. Austin Cushing is married to Amy Gifford. Two of the younger Saxtons, Bentley & Tessa are now in college. The star-crossed lovers, our leads, Megan & Bill (Rhett was dropped as a name.) were recast. It began the day of Megan & Bill's wedding with his ex telling the bride she's pregnant with the groom's baby. A 3rd wealthy family was added. Mac & Rachel from AW were on several days. Some of the cast was the same but it was larger so there were new faces.

Please register in order to view this content

Edited December 6, 2023 by Donna L. Bridges

[Paul Raven]

Contra Costa Times,  2 January 1977

The three major TV networks are revving up for a daytime programming race. It promises to be an especially exciting one to watch,and an absolutely frustrating one as well for serial soap opera viewers. Eyebrows were raised when NBC announced that Its new serial starting Monday “Lovers and Friends" would be berthed in the 11:30 am time dot on Channels 3 and 4 against Nielsen ratings lion “Search For Tomorrow" on CBS Channels 5 and 10. NBC - TV has not had a late morning serial in its daytime line-up since the early 1960s.

And to pit a new aerial against established shows is in the words of NBC vice - president of daytime programs Madeline David “a very courageous aggressive daring and I hope long term creative move" It's also audaciously calculating because the men who developed the new show are writer/ creator Harding Lemay and producer Paul Rauch. This team forged “Another World" into NBC's top rated and artistically successful daytime program.

David states that "Nobody expects this or any other serial to do well overnight. A serial takes a year and a half before it begins to make any headway before it can develop a loyal following. But she is so enthusiastically positive about “Lovers and Friends" that it doesn't appear to faze her a bit that ABC programmers pulled a last minute surprise by shuffling the time slots of “AIl My Children" and "Ryan’s Hope" recently before NBC debuts its new product.

On paper “RH” and “LAF" have similar formats - the interactions between a wealthy family and its less - well off neighbors. Identlfiable locales — New York and Chicago respectively. extensive locations shootings and an emphasis on exciting attractive young talent. The ABC move may put the double whammy on the soap simply because of "RH's” already tested and hopefully assured audience loyalty.

On the other hand Lemay and Rauch's skilled efforts could very well steal the audience in this time period. ABC's move is also geared for the expected expansion of "All My Children" to an hour format in the spring 

[DRW50]

That's certainly one way to put it! 

What blather. Kind of tells you they knew it was going to fail. I guess they were just throwing anything at the schedule and hoping they would be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks for the article.