As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

 

If you're talking about the Angus and Margaret McKechnie haunting story, that storyline was already underway by this episode.

 

I'm not sure if the actual storyboard for how that Hal/Barbara scene lays out visually is  a writer's choice or is it something the director would push.  Remember this is mostly editing that makes the scene look like this visually, which means it was done in post production. Someone could've easily been someone's 'bright idea' to try something new, there have been other times before Marland where someone tinkered with special effects and you look at it now and it looks goofy. Back then, someone probably thought it was cool but in '88, this looks more like a home movie that got 'tinkered with'.

 

Someone needs to ask Colleen Zenk about this!

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Edited November 19, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[DramatistDreamer]

Does anyone know where/how ATWT archives their scripts?  I know that as a student, I use to have access to Primetime TV and movie scripts and I used to go to the New York Public Library and get access to plays very easily but I have always wondered how P&G/ATWT archived their scripts, especially from the past 35 years.

 

I'm so curious about the scripts written during the strike in 88. I just wonder how much of the material was going according to Marland's outline and within that material were any new ideas added in by the scab writers?

 

I guess because daytime was five days a week, unlike weekly Primetime scripts so perhaps they weren't archived with as much care? I know that many old plays are in the public domain and can be accessed digitally. So can movie scripts and many TV shows that are no long on the air are easy to access digitally (not all are free, though).

 

For now, I'd settle for reading a few of those scab scripts because I'm curious. I mean, would P&G really be protective of those?

[NothinButAttitude]

Didn't someone on here awhile back say that a school in California possibly had some? Or was that old footage of the show? It's either or. 

 

I think the only script most people will have access to is the one they offered fans with the DVD sale of CarJack's wedding. Luckily, I have that. 

 

I doubt this show kept archives of scripts. It'd be better going to the actors and asking if they have any old ones. Just like how Martha Byrne (I think) gave WLS access to her copy of the show's rough draft story bible she got. 

[DramatistDreamer]

@Nothin'ButAttitude Such a shame.

 

I know that Bill Bell likely archived every single one of his scripts from Day 1. He did have the advantage of starting in the early 70s and not in the late 50s or 60s like other soaps. He most likely saw what others did and marked their mistakes and learned from them. He treated his show with value from the very start.

 

I wonder whether anyone has bothered to ask Don Hastings, Eileen Fulton, Karthryn Hays or any of the veterans who were on the show during the 70s and 80s whether they kept any scripts. 

What about the writers? Union and scab? 

 

Susan Bedsow Horgan was on the writing staff during some pretty great years in the 80s. She strikes me as may have even kept some scripts.

[NothinButAttitude]

 

There could be archived scripts that P&G kept, but we'll never know. P&G has basically wrapped up tight anything involving their soaps. If anything pops up it is b/c fans got their hands on it and released it, or actors did.

 

I do know that a few years back that some soaps scripts were on Amazon and Ebay being sold, but I am sure they've been bought by now. 

 

I love how EastEnders have a small little archive for aspiring writers to look at on their writer's website even though they aren't episodes from the show's start (from about '05). Something is better than nothing. There is a B&B script on SimplyScripts though. 

[DramatistDreamer]

I just saw that Ohio State University has some working scripts from 1980-1982. 12 boxes of 130 scripts. That would've made a nice summer project for some interns to scan those scripts and prepare them for digitization.  Don't know why they're at Ohio State though.

[cassadine1991]

I love SimplyScripts

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Really?! F-ck! I wish someone would upload those to public domain so we can see them. 

 

Me too. I go there to read movie & TV scripts all the time. 

[cassadine1991]

I found two versions of the failed Superman movie that was going to be made in 1998

[DRW50]

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[DramatistDreamer]

Where's my Hillary Bailey Smith?

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Thanks for posting @DRW50 I wish it were longer. I need Roger Newcomb to start doing some roundtable discussions with these ATWT alums.  I bet a Kickstarter would be pretty successful, fans could get a longer form discussion with some "meat".  

 

Really Colleen? That was her favorite ATWT story?!  

Both Ellen and Martha cited their favorite times being during the Marland years. Martha just put it out there "We were a team...we had fun".  Speaking to the heart of the matter.

 

This really makes me crave more of something like this-- no major network show, just some ATWT actors on a couple of sofas talking about their characters and the show, discussing specific storylines with a single camera, uploaded on the Internet. 

I'd love to hear from some writers, especially from those Marland years and maybe Maria Wagner who directed for many years.

 

I feel like after all this time, the actors, writers and directors would be more forthcoming. Serve wine, it'd be even better.

Edited November 22, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[DRW50]

I can sort of see why she chose it, as she worked a lot that year and had some varied writing after lengthy periods of bad camp or meddling mother. 

 

I'd definitely love to see interviews with more cast members. If anyone is able to get in touch with actors on Facebook maybe they could ask. 

[Vee]

I would still hire Colleen Zenk to play Liz Webber's scheming mother on GH - a neurosurgeon or something.

[Mitch]

Martha is looking good..she was always so frumpy on ATWT. I liked what she said about everyone working together and can see why TPTB at a certain point considered her the morale booster of the show (I read somewhere that she got the twin storyline for reward for helping to keep everyone's morale up during post Marland, etc.) I like that Brygman called it "The factory" and I am sure he didn't mean it as a compliment. I think Colleen did like the last year as it was lighter stuff, she got to play Babs as more of a real person...and having some fun.

 

 

[slick jones]

 

I agree 100%.  I was hoping she'd be cast as Patricia Spencer last year. I would love to see her back on the screen.