As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[juppiter]

The Reid storyline was also stupid because GL had just done the same exact storyline with Annie Dutton/Teri DeMarco. And that didn't exactly end well for them either after Teri was revealed to be Annie (though the build-up to the reveal was better, IIRC, and required fewer mental gymnastics and characters being stupid as hell.) Reid was surrounded by red flags and it took a year for anybody to realize anything (plus why would he switch Lily's white baby with Denise's biracial baby? lol.)

[amybrickwallace]

Did Gillian Spencer choose to leave ATWT in 1975 or was she fired? I know several years later she went on to the role that brought her the most fame, AMC's Daisy, and then became a writer for many soaps. I also remember when she made the brief return to ATWT in late 1997 as Jennifer's ghost (and that was also the story that brought Scott DeFreitas' Andy Dixon back to the canvas, if I'm not mistaken).

[DRW50]

I got the feeling it was mutual, but I don't know. At one point I thought it was her choice, then I thought it was the show's. I remember reading somewhere that the character hung on several years longer than she was supposed to, because she was extremely popular with fans. I think at one point she was supposed to die of an illness.

One of her last stories, and probably one of the last of that kind for ATWT, was her wanting to want to go back to school, over Bob's vehement objections. Nancy convinced her that her place was in the home.

Edited May 11, 2014 by DRW50

[amybrickwallace]

OK, thanks. Wow. No way would a story like that fly today (about Bob AND Nancy objecting to Jennifer wanting to go back to school, etc.) - I'm guessing Gloria Steinem didn't hear about it!!!

[DRW50]

There's a clip of that in the 40 Years of Soaps special.

And when ATWT was forced to change with the times, around 1979 or 1980, Bob was suddenly much more supportive of women in the workforce (as he defended Annie Stewart against chauvinists).

[Paul Raven]

Just guessing but I think it was Gillian's choice to leave, based on the fact that on OLTL, she quit as Viki and did the same later on AMC. I recall some mag articles where she intimated that she didn't want long running soap gigs.

[Khan]

She was. IIRC, and this is only from what I've read, Jennifer contracted a rare (and fatal) nerve disease. However, the fans caught on, and they begged the show to reverse course. Soderberg & Sommer felt they had no other choice but to acquiesce. However, they did kill her off, finally, a short time later in a sudden and unexpected car accident. That way, they must have reasoned, the viewers wouldn't be able to stay her execution, so to speak. (Of course, nowadays, seeing a character die in a car accident guarantees nothing.)

Edited May 11, 2014 by Khan

[Bright Eyes]

Weird, as that would have been around the same time as Addie on DAYS.

[amybrickwallace]

Interesting, because she played Daisy on AMC for almost a decade. Maybe she liked writing for the soaps better?

[Paul Raven]

Delphi Harrington played Sally Mitchell in the late 70's.

As previously noted Mary Mitchell was around in the early 60's.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Paul Raven

[amybrickwallace]

Interesting. I'll have to check out that clip from the 40 Years special. I know they divided it up into 8 or so parts, do you know which one it's in?

[Paul Raven]

Irna Phillip's return to ATWT.

A lot has been written about Irna's last stint on the show, which saw her fired from her own creation. My impression from what is written is that she came in and made drastic changes that immediately alienated viewers. However, looking more closely , it seems that at first her changes were not that startling and may have returned the show to it's former quality.

Irna returned in January 1972 and left in mid 73 so was there for quite a period of time.The controversial deaths of Liz and Paul Stewart didn't happen for almost a year after her return.

Here's what I can gather from research

Gillian Spencer was brought in to replace Geraldine Court as Jennifer in March 72

Recasting of Liz Stewart.

Barbara Ryan character dropped and Carol Demming returned(April 72). Tom and Carol married in July 72.

Don and Lisa's romance and her phantom pregnancy.Don's departure

Introduction of Wally Matthews and Peter Burton (father and son) October 72 Wally was a love interest for Lisa.

Bob and Jennifer's marriage and arrival of Kim (Oct 72)

Dan and Liz's marriage and her subsequent death (Feb 73)

Introduction of Bruce Baxter and his marriage to Susan (late 72)

Death of Paul Stewart (Nov 1972)

Arrival of Amy Hughes (April 73)

Writing off Dan and Susan Stewart as well as Betsy and Emmy.March 73

Departure of Bruce Baxter March 73

If there are any mistakes or more information to be added that would be much appreciated.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Paul Raven

[amybrickwallace]

Wow, I thought Gillian Spencer was the only actress to play Jennifer. I had no idea she was a recast.

[danfling]

Gillian Spencer was near my hometown for a telethon (probably in 1973, but possibly in 1972). She told fans that she would be leaving the show then. She said that she was earning certification as a therapist and that she would leave acting.

She left As the World Turns. She later joined All My Children as Daisy. I was extremely surprised to see her on that show.

I think that she wrote for As the World Turns also. She was a story consultant for All My Children and a co-headwriter of Another World.

[DRW50]

2 minutes in.

I guess they're talking about a job and not college. Maybe GL is the story that had a woman wanting to go back to school (Leslie Bauer?) come to think of it.

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