I agree about your assessment a 100% DramatistDreamer. I can imagine that writing non stop for over 8 yrs takes it's toll. Mr. Marland was only 58 when he passed away. Even in his last yrs he did a great job at keeping ATWT entertaining.

4 hours ago, DramatistDreamer said:

In some cases, I think that unexpected circumstances contributed to some of these storylines stalling a bit (actors leaving in the cases of Gregg Marx, Scott Bryce and Finn Carter etc) and Marland perhaps getting distracted from reuniting popular, smart couples by shiny new characters

 

I've often wondered if that pace eventually took a toll on Marland's health. I often wonder whether it might have made a difference if someone could have relieved Marland of his duties for awhile, let Marland go on a sabbatical to refresh himself, eliminate the obvious signs of burnout he was experiencing a year or two before his death.  

Not to sound too dramatic but it might have saved his life.

 

Yeah, I sometimes wonder if the breakup of Brown's marriage and relationship with Bryggman didn't somehow play into Marland's writing. I know I've read several blurbs from the actors about how he seemed to channel their personal lives in the writing somehow.

 

And given what I've heard---that Marland fine-tuned every script before it went on air, I wouldn't doubt he was consumed by his career and might have ignored some warning signs. I know after my father's heart attack, we could see signs we'd missed.

And Marland was known to enjoy La Dolce Vita - he was a heavy smoker I recall and wine drinker. Probably a very sedentary lifestyle.Hours at the typewriter/computer poring over scripts etc.

13 hours ago, P.J. said:

And given what I've heard---that Marland fine-tuned every script before it went on air, I wouldn't doubt he was consumed by his career and might have ignored some warning signs. I know after my father's heart attack, we could see signs we'd missed.

 

What did he die of? Wiki only says complications from abdominal surgery. Was it a heart attack?

No wonder his shows were very talky talky and more like gossip then actual conversations people would have in real life. (Regarding fine tuning each script).  I know at GL...that the dobsons had a few writers write each script based on outlines provided by the Dobsons..it was more of a team effort...while Marland came in and seemed like a micromanage.

 

His plots and pacing were good..but the day to day scripts were weak sometimes.

16 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

And Marland was known to enjoy La Dolce Vita - he was a heavy smoker I recall and wine drinker. Probably a very sedentary lifestyle.Hours at the typewriter/computer poring over scripts etc.

 

I remember one of my screenwriting professors grumbling at us with our bottled water, asking where was the booze and why don't writers drink and smoke like they used to in his day!

 

Sadly, a few years later, this professor died of a heart attack.

10 hours ago, GH_Girl said:

 

What did he die of? Wiki only says complications from abdominal surgery. Was it a heart attack?

 

I think I heard something more at one time, but whatever that might have been, I can't recall. I was just relating the situation to real life.

What were the airdates of Martha Byrne's departure at ATWT and her return?

21 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

No wonder his shows were very talky talky and more like gossip then actual conversations people would have in real life. (Regarding fine tuning each script).  I know at GL...that the dobsons had a few writers write each script based on outlines provided by the Dobsons..it was more of a team effort...while Marland came in and seemed like a micromanage.

 

His plots and pacing were good..but the day to day scripts were weak sometimes.

 

 

Some of his stuff was good and natural...like Nancy asking where the serving spoon was and I liked that people actually used their kitchens and made dinner (in today's soaps its as if no one does anything "normal") and worried about who was going to watch their kids...(in between kidnappings and murder trials..) but when it came down to people having a conversation that moved plot along it was stiff and unnatural and contrary to what someone posted above...everyone sounded the same...like they just stepped out of a touchy feeling group therapy session ("honesty..feelings) GL at the time ..while their plots were sloppier, made their characters sound like real people talking..and sometimes, even the "good" people didn't like other "good" people and made bitchy gossip about them...(Marland's characters were too earnest to do that...)

Ironically, Marland worked with a much larger writing staff at ATWT than he did at any of his other shows.

I have re-watched some episodes in '85 months before Marland started and believe me, stilted dialogue did not start with his tenure on the show. 

It remember a January 85 episode, in particular where it almost seemed like several actors were trying to ad-lib their lines. Lots of awkward pauses and stumbling over words. The most veteran actors managed well with the dialogue but some of the less experienced characters...no bueno!

wrong thread oops

 

Edited June 4, 20178 yr by slick jones

 

Was there ever a character on this series that got kidnapped more than Lily??  It seems like every few years she got kidnapped.

What year did Oakdale Latin first started getting mentioned? Was it in the 90s or 80s or 70s?

Edited June 6, 20178 yr by cassadine1991