As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Neither did I - apparently it was said in this video.

[NothinButAttitude]

Oh wow. Like many here, I try and watch a Locher interview but I only find myself being able to endure 10 mins before I tap out. I find him to talk more than the guests do at times. And with the guests that command the room, he lets them rant for ages. I need him to make those reunions more concise. 

 

[Soaplovers]

Tom/Brooke both said that there was an elitist attitude from the directors that the only true actors were on Broadway while people like Kelley/Brooke were not real performers.  Just typical NYC elitism rearing its ugly head.

One of the reasons I thought Sam was a great character was because of Brooke and how she played her.   She had a lowkey and naturalistic take on the character... and she had a dry sense of humor that contrasted nicely with the dramatic takes of both Lucinda/Lily.  Sam and Sierra served the same function.

If I recall, post Caso.. the show/P and G did three waves of firings in 1995/1996/1997.. and I think Brooke/Sam was the 2nd wave in 1996.

And I think Sam would have survived beyond 1998 had Brooke come back to play the part... and I had a feeling so would have the character of Georgia.

Edited April 11 by Soaplovers

[Soapsuds]

Brooke was also embarrassed on the PA by Wagner. It was some sort of party but Brooke had no lines. She was in the background mingling.  Wagner noticed from afar that Brooke wasn't mingling with the cast. Through the PA system she told Brooke ummmm...aren't you suppose to be acting?

To Kelly I believe she said out loud....You call that acting?

Brooke said many were picked on. 

Tom and Brooke laughed when Paul Lammers was mentioned but they knew he was a good director and he was firm with everyone. Even Melanie Smith ex Emily mentioned Lammers getting after her when she premiered. But Melanie agreed that she was bad when she first started.......

Edited April 11 by Soapsuds

[Soapsuds]

I haven't seen it all but what I have seen....

Regis talk 

ATWT, GL and Capitol were in danger of being cancelled going back to 1985.

Caso was responsible for bringing Douglas Marland as HW to ATWT as well as Robert Calhoun as EP.

Capitol had no chance of surviving. Even though Lipton turned things at the end but it was too late. Capitol had an identity problem.

BB was in the works so Capitol was going to be canned. Caso worked with WJB on BB.

 

[wonderwoman1951]

it actually began in 1995, when john valente replaced laurie caso. there was a lot of pressure from cbs, which had engineered the executive producer shuffle, and it was les moonves who ‘suggested’ valente hire black&stern as head writers. 

i was on the set the day they shot the 40th anniversary episode and the constant refrain from tptb was ‘we’re not 40 years old; we 40 years young!’ 

and for the second time, the hughes family was pushed to the sidelines. the first time was in the early 1980s, as atwt chased the luke and laura phenomenon. ironically, it was laurie caso who righted the ship with bob calhoun and doug marland, which he discusses in the locher room interview (amazed that it’s been a week and no one has commented).

things deteriorated further when goutman took over and brought on hogan schefer. the [!@#$%^&*] really hit the fan in 2003, when barbra bloom took over at cbs daytime and start bringing on actors she worked with at abc. although, to be fair, the abcification began in 1997, when felicia mini behr took over from john valente and immediately replaced allyson rice taylor’s connor walsh with susan battan — possibly the worst recast ever!

[DramatistDreamer]

Thanks for providing that account of the series of events. My attention waned during that period but truly hit its nadir in the final 10. 
 

[vetsoapfan]

UGH! The beginning of the end. The destruction Goutman and Sheffer heaped onto ATWT did not even surprise me very much, however, after seeing how other P&G soaps like TEON, AW and TEON has been crippled by painfully incompetent management and TPTB who just did not understand their shows or the soap medium in general.

Susan Battan was indeed a horrendous recast. But let's not forget Charity Rahmer (DAYS), LOL. Even our ATWT hired the inexplicably-cast Jason Kinkaid to play Tom Hughes back in 1984. What were they smoking???

[Liberty City]

@NothinButAttitude Jane Elliot admitted in a 2016 interview that her 1993 exit from General Hospital was because she was "in talks" to join As the World Turns thanks to Douglas Marland prior to his death. Upon his death, the talks stopped and she tried returning to General Hospital but was denied. And that's when she took on Valley of the Dolls in a non-acting capacity.

[gimmetoo]

Brilliant interview...kudos to Locher for giving Caso the space to remember the glory years of ATWT.  

Wonderful memories of story, casting and his collaboration with Marland.   Caso shed's new light on Marland's death and Michael David Morrison's.  

A must watch for any ATWT fan. 

Edited April 20 by gimmetoo

[Reverend Ruthledge]

Delete

Edited April 20 by Reverend Ruthledge

[Soapsuds]

I saw about half of it and need to see the rest of it soon.

[Mitch64]

A really good interview and Caso is on top of his game with his memory of things. I don't agree with Caso that the depressing stories of Margo's rape and the incest thing and the pulling the plug was stuff women could "relate to," but it was good drama if a bit much all at once. Interesting that Ann Sward suggested the Casey plug thing and wonder how she felt about Dolan getting it instead. 

Caso seems to be a rare person in that business, he was savvy, knew how to run the business to make money, but still invested in quality and support of the actors, writers, staff AND respected the audience! Why he wasn't chosen to take over instead of the MADD cow.  Is she still alive? An interview with her would be.....interesting!

 

[Reverend Ruthledge]

I didn't listen very closely but I don't think that's what he was referring to. He was talking about women entering the work force. I think he was talking about having the female characters do the same. He was talking about the socially-relevant storylines just being something that Doug enjoyed doing. 

[NothinButAttitude]

MADD is someone I'd love to hear her idiotic takes on and why she felt they were good during that time. But my only gripe is that I don't feel that any soap podcaster/journalist will truly hold her to the flames. I've noticed that almost all of them softball the people they are interviewing. I want the interviewers rake certain people over the coals if need be. Yes, sing their praises in certain areas but call them on their sh*t in other areas.