2 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

It was during the writer's strike so listing the 'scab' would have been a kiss of death for their career. I'm not sure if any script writers on ATWT were working as scabs during the strike or not.

One of Marland's many trademarks was his love of writing gothic stories. The one's he wrote for GL were pretty good (seamlessly picking up where the Dobson's left off and creating his own), but I didn't think he successfully infused ATWT with that gothic sensibility. The closest he came was the Doug Cummings mystery and Lilith, but one was more of a mystery while the other bordered on camp.

Was it because ATWT didn't seem to lend itself to gothic storytelling like other soaps of the era like AMC or GL?

I didn't think of it being the scabs writing---that makes sense.

I just don't think gothic fit on ATWT. I think part of the reason was it's long standing sensibility and stability. Marland grafted Duncan/Shannon/and the McKechnie castle into Oakdale, but it was kind of contained to "the island". Even though other characters were woven into the plots, it always seemed isolated. And then the castle was converted into the Earl Mitchell Center

On GL, you've got an ever changing run of regimes and cast purges. Marland only wrote about a year and a half of Quint/Nola, and I daresay the more gothic elements probably would've disappeared once he resolved the Quint/Silas story. Long's southern gothic vibe stayed around as long as she had Reva.

4 hours ago, kalbir said:

Tad Channing was 1986 I believe. There were episodes of that storyline online in the early days of YT, but I think they are long gone.

Yes, it was indeed 1986, a year that was pretty stacked with storylines, coming off the Doug Cummings storyline. 1986-87 were jam-packed, with storylines being layered, overlapping one another (1986 was also the year that James Stenbeck returned from the "dead"). I miss that type of storytelling in daytime, although I'm not generally a fan of back from the dead storylines, that one in particular was novel at the time.

Edited May 11May 11 by DramatistDreamer

4 minutes ago, DramatistDreamer said:

1986, a year that was pretty stacked with storylines

1986 and 1987 were the best years.

Nov 1978 Lynda Hirsch

“As the World Turns” might as well be renamed “As the Cast Changes,” as several cast members and characters have recently left the venerable CBS soap.

Ed Kemmer, who has played lawyer Dick Martin on and off for the last 10 years, is off again.

William Johnston, who once portrayed the Shadow on the famous radio series, departed with his character, Judge Lowell, not too long ago. In the storyline the Judge has decided to look over some New England property he owns; the business trip will be a permanent one.

In recent weeks, the evil charmer Nick Conway played by Doug Travis, dropped out suddenly when his plan to murder his wife backfired and he met his own deadly but Just reward.

Then, Michael Nader, playing Kevin Jameson the past few years, was replaced by Max Brown While Michael will miss the show, he has a lucrative modeling career to fall back on. Max Brown had once filled in for Mike when he was ailing. This new assignment on “As the World Turns” is Max’s first major serial role, but viewers will recognize him from dozens of national commercials.

Also, Dorothy Blackburn, who had been brought in to substitute for the ailing Ethel Remey, has left the program.

There are even more departures. After longstanding’ tenure as head writers of “As the WorlTurns," Ethel Sommer and Robert Soderberg have been replaced The husband and-wife team were let go by the producers for what is termed “irreconcilable differences.” Insiders claim those differences arose when producers demanded a more youthful look for the show, with contemporary storylines to match. Eugenie Hunt and Ralph Ellis, who have - helped with the show’s scripting chores for quite some time, take over as head writers beginning Monday. As for the Soderbergs, don’t be surprised if they turn up on another soap. You can expect even more changes for “As the World Turns" in the coming months

Kemmer, Travis were no great loss.

If Johnstone wanted to retire, Judge Lowell should have been given a proper send off.

And maybe Alma should have been killed off. That would have given Lisa a poignant story and be a nice tribute to that character.

In 79, Susan and Sandy and Dan were dropped. The show needed a housecleaning, but the new characters like Doug and Marcia were not the answer.

Edited Tuesday at 04:40 AM4 days by Paul Raven

New York Post Monday August 20 1962

Soap Opera Star Must Go-A Death in the Afternoon by Bob Williams

There was no joy in Sudsville today. The sad news was out. TV matinee idol Mark Rydell, darling of the housewife for six years as the long-suffering Jeff Baker in the top-rated CBS soap opera, "As the World Turns, was not long for that long. He "dies" in an auto crash. Rydell could not repress sense of "shock," although he conceded that Jeff Baker had already lived a cat's quota of lives in his brief, unhappy span.

The mourning had already started. Jeff Baker's No. 1 fan—Rydell's mother was first to hear the news. "When I told her," said Rydell, "she actually broke into tears." Word of Baker's impending demise leaked out at a CBS party Saturday night for Jackie Gleason. Network sources said producers of the soap opera had been "uneasy" over Rydell's refusal to sign a long-term contract. Rydell confirmed the details. "They've been trying to get me to sign a contract for years," he said. "I've always had a verbal commitment. I've become Increasingly interested in directing, rather than acting. "I've been up to my ears in directing at Actors Studio. I've had to turn down a great deal of stage work and Hollywood offers. Frankly I feel emancipated."

Neither producer Allen Potter nor associate producer Lyle B. Hill could be reached for comment. Rydell said he was given a hint recently that there was an automobile accident in store for Jeff Baker. Then last week he got an advance script with the grim details . . ." The death certificate, as it were." Red-haired Rosemary Prinz, who plays Jeff Baker's wife, Penny, said she was stunned by the prospect of widowhood. "I'm sure I will somehow carry on bravely, however," she added. "I'm also in the accident. The makeup lady told me Friday she'd have some 'scars' ready' for me.*'

The love story of Jeff and Penny, very good for soap sales, has hardly served as a testimonial to matrimony. Their first marriage, a tonnage thing, was annulled. They later remarried with parental approval. Jeff suffered and vanquished the curse of alcoholism, beat a murder charge and later deserted Penny. She almost divorced him once. They were about to adopt a baby when their world took the violent new turn. "We'd been through practically everything possible," said Rydell. Jeff and Penny were actually about to be happy." "Happy families," Miss Prinz observed, "unfortunately do not sell soap."

*So Rydell was never on contract? That's surprising.