As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[jam6242]

Beau does look a bit like Rex Smith in that picture! I see that Rita McLaughlin's husband was the minister. A bit of typecasting! I remember liking the girl who played this version of Dee.

[DRW50]

She seems like a very believable daughter to Ellen and David and also very pretty but not generic (I hate the outfit they stuck her in).

I kind of wonder sometimes where ATWT might have gone if they hadn't recast Betsy/Dee/Annie so many times. I know Jacquie Schultz and Meg Ryan were both popular but it seems like the characters were not defined.

[jam6242]

They were making an issue of Dee's weight at that time. That could be why they dressed her that way. I liked Jacqueline Schulz too, as well as Glynnis O'Connor when she played Dee. I guess I just liked Dee, lol! It's too bad her character wasn't continued on the show.

[DRW50]

What did you think of Vicky Dawson?

[soapfan770]

Really didn't know Michael Nader played Kevin Thompson. I only really have seen Nader's work on Dynasty, how was he on ATWT? Never saw his AMC role although I certainly recall all the juicy details and gossip from his drug arrests in the late 90s in the soap mags. I believe I've stated before through my readings on ATWT history I didn't understand the character Sandy's continuing presence on the show. I wonder if she was a popular character with the audiences in spite of the recasts. I think the anecdote goes that in the 90s Dagne Crane ran into a woman who told her "glad to see your out of prison" in reference to Sandy being in jail with Ellen story in the 60s.

Its interesting what the Dobsons wrote in 1983 clicked but what they wrote in 1980/1981 didn't. Was the John/Dee story really a rip off of Roger and Holly on GL?

[jam6242]

Well, I remembered her from Another World so I liked her o.k. But I really don't have strong memories of any storyline she had as Dee. I guess JS was hard to follow!

[DRW50]

jam I don't know if you saw the earlier ATWT Daytime Library scans I put up but I was going to ask if there are any specific actors you'd like me to post that I haven't yet. If so let me know.

[DRW50]

He's in the one 70s episode available on Youtube. I can't embed but you can just go in and search As the World Turns 1978. He's in the first part.

I remember Schemering saying that the "recycling" of an alcoholism story and a story about a hooker helped the ratings fall. I guess that must have been Kevin. I think he had a lot of baggage with Susan over drinking and it ultimately led to his death.

Edited March 2, 2011 by CarlD2

[soapfan770]

Thanks I'll definitely check that one out!

I had also to grab some more Marland era ads. Love the one with Paul and James' helicopter of death:

[DRW50]

Those are great ads, so unique and they also make you care about the story. Love the one of Barbara looking nuts.

There's a color one of Dusty from around this time, some sort of smoldering type of shot. It's interesting they would market him that way when Marland wrote him just the opposite (much to Bloom's annoyance).

Speaking of Marland, this is one of my favorite endings to any soap episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxyqPyM5qVI&feature=related

Do you have any idea of where specifically the strike material began, and what the scabs created?

I know Marland didn't write Dusty's exit (although I thought it was fine). He also apparently did not write the part where Sierra was presumed dead when Craig returned - someone said he was very angry about that. Did he write all the stuff with Lillith? I guess he had mentioned her years before she showed up didn't she? I just wonder because so much about Lillith was un-Marland, at least ATWT Marland.

Did the scabs change Laura from obsessing over Tom to obsessing over Bob?

[DRW50]

From the June 3, 1980 Digest.

[Paul Raven]

Interesting that Bruder spoke of a storyline for Ellen in early 1980 but it wasn't until the David/Donald story and divorce much later that a real story for Ellen kicked in.

[DRW50]

I was trying to remember when that story started. I wonder if something was planned but dropped.

Poor Pat - she always gave her best even in the smallest scenes. I know many felt that she was a spare part but I feel like characters like Ellen are what make soaps unique, these figures of history and wisdom and warmth, yet also with an occasional edge. She's someone I didn't appreciate until I was older and she was already gone.

[DRW50]

1969 Who's Who in Daytime TV (Eileen looks like some of the more experimental artwork from Marvel at this time):

[DRW50]