As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

As if I needed one, I have learned a new reason to LOVE Doug Marland:  He quit GH HW over the "re-branding" of the violent rape of Laura as a "seduction." He quit GL HW over principle too. Pat Falken Smith objected to the "seduction" craziness, but didn't quit.

[Paul Raven]

Sept 84

Daytime drama gives songwriter a boost

The scene was a "Cinderella Fantasy" contest, taking place on the popular daytime drama "As the World Turns." In the story, pop stars Jermaine Jackson and Whitney Houston were singing a beautiful ballad especially for the lucky winner, the guest of honor at their concert. - The stuff that fictional dreams are made -of but in real life it was a dream come true for one member of the concert audience, songwriter James Patrick Dunne, who was hearing his song, "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do," sung by one of the renowned Jacksons. and about to become a hit record almost before his eyes.

It all began when the Kentucky-born Dunne made his way to Hollywood with dreams of being a songwriter. Finding the climate difficult for a newcomer, he found work instead at Paramount, composing original music " for the hit comedy series "Happy Days." When the spin-off series "Joanie Loves Chachi" was conceived, Dunne was called on to write material for the two young leads to perform on the series. "I think between the two shows," Dunne recalls, "I wrote 40 original songs. I was super-lucky to wind up working there." But the luckiest thing about Dunne's time at Paramount was meeting Millee Taggart, now principal writer (with Tom King) of "As the World Turns."

Dunne and Miss Taggart worked together writing "Joanie Loves Chachi," and when the shortlived series came to an end. Miss Taggart returned to New York to begin work for "As the World Turns," bringing with her a tape of Dunne's songs. Executive producer Mary-Ellis Bunim took the tape with her to Greece when "As the World Turns" taped there earlier this year, and decided that Dunne's music could be used to highlight a very special upcoming event the wedding in June of long-time lovers Steve and Betsy on the serial. Dunne joined series regular Tonya Pinkins (who plays Heather Dalton) to sing "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" during the touching ceremony, and requests from viewers for copies of the song have been arriving ever since. , "The ironic thing about that," reports Dunne, "is that I originally wrote that song (with lyricist Pamela Phillips) for the wedding of a friend of mine. Bill Allen (Steve Allen's son). So, Steve and Betsy's was actually the second wedding I'd sung it for. "Meanwhile, record producer Clive Davis had heard a tape of my songs. He suggested the song to Jermaine Jackson and Whitney Houston as a possible duet to record, and he suggested they premier it on 'As the World Turns." The chance of exposing their recording to the serial's giant audience was one of the main reasons for Jackson's appearance." The superstar's guest appearance was Aug. 1 and 2, and he and Miss Houston performed the song to an appreciative audience that included James Patrick Dunne.

[victoria foxton]

Very interesting how all this came to be. 

[DramatistDreamer]

When Tonya Pinkins appeared on that reunion livestream, this was barely mentioned. Perhaps she might not have known the creative process of the son, or its full production history, but a host who had done a modicum of research could have expanded the discussion of this topic.
Such a missed opportunity.

[victoria foxton]

 

  

Edited May 19, 2022 by victoria foxton

[Soapsuds]

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[Contessa Donatella]

Just the headline to cause soap fans to guess: DID!

Like Little Lizzie Spaulding coughed once & GL fandom shrieked in one voice: Aplastic anemia!

It's all about the code.

[Soapsuds]

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[MarlandFan]

I loved Jessica and Duncan. She grounded him and he opened up her world. And then of course, their being one of Daytime's first interracial marriages was an important milestone as well. Kudos to Doug Marland for seeing their potential and exploring such social themes.

 

[Brolden]

I don't see it reported on this board yet, but I just heard that Marnie Schulenburg (Alison) has passed.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/as-the-world-turns-alum-passes-away-at-37/

She shared her story in 2020 about battling stage 4 breast cancer. 

Marnie arrived at a time when the show was going downhill fast, but I always thought she brought some light in those years. She is way too young to have passed. I'm very saddened by this news.

It's been a tough year for ATWT fans. Losing so many of our greats.

 

Agim Kaba (Aaron) posted a brief tribute on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RealAgimKaba/status/1526953898312814592?s=20&t=v3gRKo07dmf6VDe73DlNtw

Edited May 18, 2022 by Brolden

[MichaelGL]

So young 

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My heart goes out to her family and friends 

[DRW50]

I'm very sorry to hear she has passed away. She  did her best with such a poor part. 

[Vee]

Oh, that's sad. I found her pretty poor and horribly miscast on ATWT, but I have to blame the writing - because when she turned up on OLTL 2.0 as a very different character she was a firecracker, and a lot of fun. RIP.

[Faulkner]

That’s so sad. I feel like we’ve had so many young deaths from cancer in the news recently. I remember her well.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Faulkner

[Soapsuds]

Gone way too soon. May she RIP

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