As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[edgeofnik]

That was never the ATWT logo -- just a cheap graphic the magazine created. During the 1970s, the logo was spinning globe with "As" on one line "the World Turns" on second line with orchestra music, which was color version of title from the original title sequence. Check youtube for ATWT logo history. In 1981, intro was switched to first modern version -- with globe spinning from outer space, forming the O in "World" and the three beams of light.

[soapfan770]

What's the story on Judith McConnell's Valerie? I've heard and understand she was popular and that Valerie was supposedly a so-called "wild, young fun" character but reading some old synopsis she sounds a tad tame compared to her contemporaries on Y&R, Days, GL etc. and only lasted a few years. Well other than crashing her plane into Kim's house, that must have been quite something to watch for the 70s!

[DRW50]

From the synopses I've read it seems like she and Kim used to be close and Kim betrayed her in the past (or was it her brother Kim betrayed), or she thought Kim had. Then when she came to town, she and Kim became friends, but Susan tried to drive a wedge between them. She was also in love with Dan for a while. I do wonder how fans felt about her.

I guess ATWT had too many women on the show in that timeframe who were around the same age, but it still bewilders me that Judith McConnell bounced to so many soaps without a defining or long role until Santa Barbara. I wonder if the Dobsons would have written for her if she'd stayed on ATWT. She left not long before they took over didn't she?

[Paul Raven]

I believe McConnell made quite an impression on GH as Augusta,written by the Dobsons.i don't know whether she chose to leave or it was decided the character had run its course.

Yes ATWT had Kim,Lisa,Sandy,Susan,Val,Joyce etc I guess having so many 'aging' characters,many who had been around for years contributed to its stodgy rep. The only younger character throughout the 70's were carol and Natalie,until Dee and Annie were Sorased in 76.

[DRW50]

I think Judith said that she was told she would not be written out of her GH role, although she might have known she was Phil's killer, but then she was written out. I guess the Dobsons might have left and the next writer got rid of her?

It's a shame ATWT didn't work out for her because I really think she would have been something special and I think Marland and the Dobsons would have given her some good stuff.

[soapfan770]

Thanks, I know McConnell was a star on Santa Barbara but I had wondered about her Valerie, who even had her own theme music written by Charles Paul.

It's interesting that Hunt and Ellis are credited to extending ATWT's reign at number one after being nearly toppled by Days and AW in the early 70s but they were the ones to also lose ATWT's number one status in 1977/78. It's also weird reading about pre-1981 Tom Hughes, a Tom without Margo. I've heard the castings of Deas and especially Greg Marx really de-aged Tom. I suppose that was a relief to Fulton.

By the way, did ATWT do anything special for their first hour episode in 1975?

Edited November 1, 2010 by soapfan770

[DRW50]

I didn't know she had her own theme music. I wonder what it sounded like?

Yeah Schemering said that they began repeating stories, like one about alcoholism (I guess that was Kevin?).

I have some of the Digests from Valerie's time. I will type up some of the synopses later if they mention Valerie. Unfortunately I don't have all of them so they don't tell a complete story like FrenchFan's do.

While I guess ATWT probably didn't need some of their older women (like Sandy) by the time they started pruning, it still annoys me when I hear that getting rid of middle-aged and older women is what a soap has to do. I think this type of thing has killed soaps. To me this age group is where you find your truly fascinating female characters. When I started watching ATWT it was Susan and Kim and Lucinda who helped draw me in. It's interesting that for all the driving away of older women on ATWT in the late 70s and early 80s, Marland used them to help make ATWT strong again.

Edited November 1, 2010 by CarlD2

[soapfan770]

It's been quite some time since I listened to Paul's Valerie theme on the old WOST site but if I remember right it was a sorta upbeat piano piece.

After reading up on ATWT history I was always amazed that Sandy Wilson was on the show for so long with multiple actresses in the part. Aside from her forgotten marriage to Bob she really had no connections to the rest of the show and I wonder why they kept bringing the character back. They never mentioned her after 1979 did they?

[DRW50]

I think her last few years of story were with Kevin? You're right that the character seemed extraneous. I notice that the interviews with Barbara Rucker seem to be entirely about her and not about the character.

I guess she must have also fit into a very stylized look ATWT had at that time.

I'd love to see more of that timeline. The changes in the early 80s must have been such a big departure for longtime viewers -- fortunately they seemed to have enough new characters who clicked with viewers.

[soapfan770]

I've read before a funny anecdote out there from the either the late 80s/early 90s in which I believe Dagne Crane, the original Sally was approached by a woman who said "Glad to see you out of jail" in reference to the time when Sally was Ellen Stewart's cellmate, over 20 years since that story had air.

To me the most shocking thing would have been November 2nd, 1981 when The World Turns On and On debuted. I know the other P&G soaps had updated their openings to fit with the times (SFT, Edge, and especially GL) but ATWT's was the most drastic. I wonder how many grannies fell out of their chairs that day. On the other hand even though for better or worse ATWT had a banner year in 1983, it didn't seem the show's demographics changed much did they?

[soapfan770]

The climax of the Endicott Awards was great and pure soapy fun to watch poor nasty Katie meet her downfall. Of course, Sheffer had other plans for Katie but still nevertheless the last half of 2000 for ATWT was great in my opinion.

Edited November 3, 2010 by soapfan770

[P.J.]

How ironic it was Hogan's one and ONLY payoff. And Katie was swiftly turned into his bumbling, BUBBLES-Y, quirky "heroine".

[DRW50]

A few months ago some of us, like Paul Raven and Mitch (I hope he's still posting here) talked about David Stewart's funeral and who did or didn't show up.

This Digest from early August 1991 can finally answer the question for sure. It also reveals a Betsy I had never known about. I wonder why they didn't bring her back in 1994. Does anyone remember her? I also wonder why they didn't think about asking Suzanne Davison back.

[soapfan770]

It's fascinating all the little details that sometimes are forgotten off the Internet. What's even more interesting is to see Marland and Caso go out of their way to actually bring Betsy to the screen unlike so many soap funerals and weddings. I know this year's casting of John Martin as Bill Horton on Days for Alice's funeral was a rare example of this. I'm surprised they didn't try to get Jacqueline Schultz back as Dee for the funeral.

One odd thing I've seen going through old clips is Andrew Kavovit's guest appearance at Christmas 1992 as Paul. He shared some awkward scenes with KMH's Emily it was almost unbelievable that his Paul and her Emily were ever lovers.

[DRW50]

Yeah when Caso was replaced that was pretty much the last of bringing back people, sadly ,with a few exceptions here and there. You're right that they did make the effort to bring back people even when they didn't have to. It was important for the Stewarts to be there, even if they had been phased out of the show.

Maybe the supposed tension between CZP and Schultz still kept them from asking her back. Either that or they just went with the last actress who had played her.

I had forgotten Kavitovit and KMH were onscreen together. I can't see that at all. I grew to accept KMH over time but never really saw her as the Emily I knew.

It is interesting though that the Betsy who came back for David's funeral seemed to be entirely forgotten.

Edited November 20, 2010 by CarlD2