As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[Scrapple]

Totally off the recent topics, but I was just curious about something. When Ben Hendrickson died, there was a memorial service for him attended by his co-stars. I've never heard anything about the service, and I just wondered if any one else has. I'd love to know who attended, tributes given, etc. Were there any articles about the service? Thanks. 

[DRW50]

I'm not sure. I do remember Ellen Dolan or someone saying that when the show was ending they burned one of his old rugs.

[Paul Raven]

Back to the Dan character.Someone suggested that rather than Sorasing Dan,Ellen could have had a younger brother who could have played out most of Dan's stories,leaving Dan to come of age in the mid 70's. So Ellen could have been concerned sister rather than mother,thus not pushing her into an older age bracket.

[zanereed]

This would have been a much better option.  In fact, Ellen could have had *two* brothers - "Dan" being one brother and another brother to assume the "Paul Stewart" role.  So basically a "Dan Lowell" and a "Paul Lowell" who would have played out the original storylines.  It would not have screwed up the canvas as much, plus it would have allowed the Lowell family to survive longer than they originally did on the show.

[SoapDope]

They could have let Dennis Cooney play Ellen's brother Jay Lowell instead of "Stallings"

[soapfan770]

I'm probably certain these have been shared before, but trying to getting away from the comedy that airs daily on CBS at 12:30 I needed to look back on what I miss most of the CBS daytime line-up. This from SOD in October 1976 but it was aired in July I believe: 

 

 

Annual Status Charts from the 1970s: \

 

1970 Births: Betsy Stewart Deaths: Dr. Michael Shea, murdered	1971 Deaths: Claire Shea Chuck Ryan Miss Peterson
1972 Marriages: Carol Demming to Tom Hughes-July 26 Jennifer Sullivan Ryan to Bob Hughes-Summer Susan Stewart to Bruce Baxter Divorces: Elizabeth and Paul Stewart Dan and Susan Stewart Deaths: Paul Stewart--November Maria Marino, following gall bladder surgery--November Births: Emily Stewart--Circa April 1972	1973 Births: Frances Jennifer (Frannie) Hughes-Christmas Deaths: Elizabeth Talbot Stewart, from internal injuries suffered in a fall on the stairs--February Marriages: Elizabeth Talbot Stewart to Dan Stewart--January Kim Sullivan Reynolds to John Dixon--October--elopement in Reno, Nevada Marian Graham to Peter Burton Divorces: Susan Stewart and Bruce Baxter (annulment)--March
1974 Divorces: Grant and Joyce Colman Deaths: Gil Stallings, hit by truck--March	1975 Marriages: Natalie Bannon to Tom Hughes--Dec. Will (Grandpa) Hughes to Irma Kopecki--July Sandy Wilson to Norman Garrison Carol Hughes to Jay Stallings--May in New York Lisa Shea to Grant Colman--Circa May 30/June 2 episodes Divorces: Tom and Carol Hughes--April   Deaths: Jennifer Hughes, auto accident-October Norman Garrison, heart attack-Dec. 10
1976 Deaths: Will (Grandpa) Hughes-June Brian Ellison, farming accident--April. Divorce: Kim and John Dixon Birth: Andrew (Andy) Dixon-Week of Oct. 25-29.	1977 Marriages: Joyce Colman to Donald Hughes-Week of April 11-15 in Washington, DC Annie Stewart to Beau Spencer-Week of Oct. 17-21. Sandy Wilson to Kevin Thompson-Week of Oct. 31-Nov. 4. Kim Dixon to Dan Stewart-June 24 Pat Holland to John Dixon-Week of July 4-8. Deaths: Pat Holland Dixon, injuries from a fall down the courthouse stairs-Week of July 18-22. Chuck Shea, auto accident-Week of July 11-15. Pete Larsen-found dead week of Dec. 12-16. Divorce: Natalie and Tom Hughes
1978 Marriages Valerie and Nick Conway (Remarriage)-Week of July 10-14. Divorces: Jane and Ron Spencer. Birth: Amy Stallings--January 20, according to a note sent by Natalie to Carol and Jay in April. Deaths: Mark Lewis-March Walter Vested--shot by police-Week of May 22-26. Nick Conway fell to his death while attempting to kill Valerie-Week of Oct. 16-20. Kevin Thompson--hit by car-Week of Dec. 11-15.	1979 Marriages: Melinda Gray to Beau Spencer-Week of March 12-16. Valerie Conway to Alex Keith-Week of Aug. 20-24. Divorces: Annie and Beau Spencer-March Melinda and Beau Spencer-June Lisa and Grant Colman-Week of Oct. 8-12. Births: Twins of Shirley, a stable owner--Christmas. Deaths: Dan Stewart--Week of Sept. 10-14. Hester Pierce--December. Joyce Colman--June Return From the Dead: Joyce Colman--December

[NothinButAttitude]

Thanks for sharing this, @soapfan770! I'm going to enjoy reading this. 

[DRW50]

Thanks.

 

So glad "bedscapade" never became a word.

 

Poor Val - a character they never had any idea what to do with.

[soapfan770]

This from SOD again and it is a little bit earlier in 1976, but it always reminds me that Tom Hughes had a life before Margo and never aged. Poor Kevin and Sandy in the long run, what was the reasoning of bringing Sandy back in the first place? 

 

Edited November 20, 2015 by soapfan770

[NothinButAttitude]

Judith Chapman was playing Natalie around this time, correct?

[zanereed]

Correct.  I believe Judith's tenure as Natalie Bannon was from 1975 to 1978/9.

[SoapDope]

Judith Chapman said that fans would refer to her character as Nasty Natalie. I would love to see some of her run.

[NothinButAttitude]

But reading up on what the character has done, it pales in comparison to soap vixens nowadays. But I guess different times, different morals. 

 

I'm surprised they never brought her or Carole back to mix it up with Tom and Margo.

[DRW50]

Other than his Vietnam years the show tended to pretend Tom had no life before Margo.

[Khan]

I feel that's because they aged Tom so early and put him through so much (with Carol AND with Natalie) that it otherwise created unnecessary story baggage down the road.

 

I don't know whether I've mentioned this before, but I always wanted Meg Bennett (ex-Julia, Y&R; ex-Liza, SFT) to be cast as a returning Natalie Bannon Triandos.