As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[lilyredd]

Paolo Serganti was a fabulous find. He made Lily slightly better for a few episodes. I cannot help imagining what type of chemistry he and Melanie Smith could have created. 

[DramatistDreamer]

Melanie has such a delightful hearty laugh and it rings out as genuine. As someone who has had a tough year, I can appreciate her words about what it takes to come back from grief and loss and heartbreak. Hopefully she can talk about her book on bigger platforms to promote her book to a larger audience.

[Soapsuds]

I started watching but got interrupted. To see Melanie and Colleen in a recent picture makes me really miss the good old days of ATWT. They are now living in the same state and city how cool is that.

[DRW50]

Sometimes I still forget that a soap actor has an existence after they stop appearing on the show. I had no idea of Melanie's various losses, or that she left ATWT because her mother was dying. The interview was very heavy at times, but she was very inspirational, and she and Locher have a good rapport. I'm glad to know she is still close with various cast. Colleen was in the chat briefly too.

[Soapsuds]

Yes it was very uplifting for me. 

[FrenchFan]

If you are interested, I've received a few months of scripts (summer 1968). I will try to recap and share with you.

#3179 – Monday, July 1st 1968

Ellen read a letter Paul sent from Vietnam. He hoped he could phone the family on July 4th. Ellen asked David if that meant she should invite Dan if Paul called them. David thought it could be a first step in a truce process. They also talked about Claire. Ellen was worried about her mother since Dick Martin told her what a despicable man Michael Shea was. Ellen also noticed that David was glad to practise medicine again instead of research but he would have wanted to do it under better circomstances. The infection in Bob’s eyes was clearing up and they should know quite soon how it would evolve. They finally talked about Christine Regan, the baby nurse David insisted Ellen hired.

While Christine was feeding baby Dawn with Carol Ann’s help, Dan arrived and introduced himself to Christine. He came to fetch a document David forgot. Dan and Christine talked about her past work in an orphanage. She wanted to return someday. Dan remembered he met Christine through his wife Susan as Christine wanted to be a nurse at a point.

Meanwhile, Ellen was visiting Susan at Dan and Susan’s. She thanked Susan for suggesting Christine as a baby nurse because she was great. Ellen invited Susan to come with Dan on the 4th of July and she talked about Paul’s possible phone call. Susan said she would try to convince Dan.

Ellen then visited her grandfather. Judge Lowell was worried that Claire had decided to see Michael again. She added she invited Dan for the 4th of July but wasn’t sure he would come.

Dan arrived home. Susan told him about Ellen’s invitation but she had to mention Paul’s possible phone call to light an interest in Dan. Dan also talked about Bob’s eyesight. He had noticed Karen seemed fond of Bob.

#3180 – Tuesday, July 2^nd 1968

At the Hughes’, Bob worked on some braille. He told Pa Hughes he had to meet Lisa. Lisa arrived and Pa went to his shop. Lisa told Bob she asked to see him to talk about Tom. She thought they should see each other more often to ease Tom’s rebellious side as Tom had always wanted for his parents to remarry. Bob was not sure as it could mislead Tom and after all, he didn’t like many things Lisa did.

In Dick’s office, Chris and Dick talked about Claire and the fact that despite her divorce she would probably see Michael again. Chris was shocked. He couldn’t understand Claire as she knew Michael was the father of Lisa’s baby. Chris hoped Claire would see Dick as someone good, other than a friend and Dick wished it was true. Dick even thought Claire could remarry Michael. After Chris left, Lisa arrived. She wanted to invite Dick for lunch but he was busy. She thanked him again for his work in pushing Michael to pay for Chuckie’s support. Lisa tried to question Dick about his relationship with Claire but he refused to talk about it. Lisa told Dick she met Claire at the hospital some time ago and she asked Claire to convince Michael to marry Lisa for Chuckie’s sake.

Claire came back home from the boutique. Judge Lowell wanted to bring Claire to dinner but she said she was expecting a phone call from Michael. Judge Lowell was offended when Michael called and Claire agreed to have dinner with him.

Michael and Claire met at a restaurant. Michael assured Claire of his love. Claire then asked Michael to do something to please her out of love – marry Lisa. Claire insisted Chuckie deserved legitimacy and assured Lisa promised she would grant Michael a divorce afterwards. Michael was sure Lisa would find a way to not divorce.

#3181 – Wednesday, July 3rd 1968

Lisa and her mother were having breakfast. Lisa was outraged her mother was invited at the Hughes’ for the 4th and she was not. Alma said Nancy remembered too well what happened with Michael Shea. She tried to make Lisa realize it would take much time for people to accept her with her illegitimate child. Lisa assured Tom would expect her to be there.

At the Hughes’, Nancy and Bob talked about Tom’s behavior the previous week when he defied Bob and ran to Lisa’s at night. Nancy said she talked with Alma and admitted that maybe Bob and Lisa should dine together sometimes to bring closness around Tom. Bob joked Lisa visited with the same idea. Nancy was sure Tom had never accepted his parents’ divorce but Bob said it was ages ago and it was time for him to move on. Tom thought of his mother of a saint because he had no idea of the past. Nancy suggested Lisa and Chuckie be invited for the 4th and Bob finally agreed. Tom woke up. Lisa called and told Tom Nancy forgot to invite her for the picnic of the 4th. Before Nancy could react, Lisa told on the phone she understood Nancy was busy and forgot but that she would be there with Chuckie.

Later, Bob had joined David for work. They talked about their plans for 4th of July. Pa Hughes arrived to drive Bob home. Tom had plans to see Jimmy at Mrs. Wilson the afternoon. Bob admitted he wanted to spend time with Jimmy. He was sure it was what Roy wanted and what Sandy would want.

Tom and Jimmy played at the Hughes’. Bob felt useless as he couldn’t play with Jimmy because of his blindness. Once Bob and the kids were outside, Nancy told Pa she quite understood why Penny acted this way with Jimmy.

Tom brought Jimmy back to his grandparents, Carl and Martha Wilson. After Tom left, Carl worried Martha was exhausting herself taking care of Jimmy. She wished she knew where Sandy was. Martha felt a bit dizzy and Carl insisted she see a doctor.

#3182 – Thursday, July 4th 1968

The Hughes commented on family issued ahead of July 4th celebration. Bob wondered if his sister Penny was over Jimmy but Nancy was not sure, she didn’t talk about it in her letters. Tom would go to fetch Jimmy as the Wilsons would only come later. Nancy told Chris that finally Lisa and Chuckie were coming too. Penny called. Nancy was happy. Penny asked to talk to Bob and they shared a few words about Jimmy.

Lisa arrived early to help Nancy, saying Alma would arrive later with Chuckie. She feigned apologizing for inviting herself but Nancy told her she was about to invite her. Nancy added they had to act good for Tom who thought Chuckie was his adopter little brother. Lisa brought lemonade to Bob and Tom who were in the garden. Tom left to fetch Jimmy as Lisa told Bob she was glad they were on friendly terms. Bob was cold.

In David’s study, Dan and David talked about the difference between medicine and research. David asked Dan if Susan was a bit more interested in babies as he saw her going to the nursery with Christine when she arrived. Dan didn’t think so. They joined Ellen, Judge Lowell and Claire in the living room. They were anxiously waiting for Paul’s phone call. Christine and Susan joined with Carol Ann and baby Dawn. As Judge Lowell and David were playing with the girls, the phone rang. The radio connection was bad but Paul could say a few words to David, Ellen, Dan. Paul assured he would write Ellen soon and everybody was moved.

#3183 – Friday, July 5th 1968

At night, Chris noticed Nancy wasn’t sleeping. They talked about Bob going to Dr. Davis in the morning. Nancy was afraid there would be bad news and would like Chris to accompany Bob but Chris thought it was better to let Pa go with Bob as usuaL He tried to relax his wife.

In their bedroom, Ellen and David were still under shock after Paul’s long-distance call. David said there were so many things he would have wanted to tell his son. Ellen said Dan was polite to her but she was sure it would never be anything more than that. David insisted he would bring Dan and Ellen closer. Ellen also talked about Christine. She felt like Christine didn’t like her work here and would like to go back to her orphanage work. David was sure Ellen said that because she didn’t want a nurse and care for the kids herself at first but David insisted it was a good thing. They changed subject again and turned to Bob’s health issue. Ellen asked David if he made his own diagnosis but David assured it was not his field of competence.

Pa visited Bob’s room and they talked about the 4th of July. Bob said it was not a good thing to iie to Tom. He was afraid Tom was losing respect for things. Pa then asked Bob if he had an idea what Dr. David would tell him. Bob said he had but didn’t want to share. Pa asked if Bob would prefer David to go with him but Bob assured he enjoyed the closeness these last months brought between him and his grandfather so Pa would be glad to bring him to Dr. Davis’.

The following afternoon, Lisa was with Nancy who was anxiously waiting for news of Bob’s appointment with Dr. Davis. Meanwhile, Bob left Dr. Davis’ office. Pa asked him what he said but Bob said he had to consult David with medical questions first and asked Pa to drive him to his office with no more information.

[Fevuh]

Me too.  The 4th of July Bauer barbeque every year - the Summers I miss the most, along with the Holidays.  On Guiding Light I always looked forward to seeing when "Nick" appeared around Christmas, and for just a couple of days there was Peace in Springfield, or something happy happened. I loved that.  And Summers - the Snyder Pond baby.  

 

[DRW50]

@FrenchFan Thanks. I guess this is not long after Penny left. I don't remember if I'd seen anything about her looking after this Jimmy child. Or Bob's vision loss storyline. 

Everything with Lisa still struggling to fit into the Hughes family and their still trying to learn how to accept her, along with Ellen's inability to have a strong relationship with Dan, provide the type of continuity that kept viewers tied to the show for many years. And that's the type of material we don't get on soaps now. I wish I could see some of this, especially the episode set entirely at night. The bonding between Bob and Grandpa Hughes also has the type of sincerity and heart you don't get very much in later years.

I wonder if they did much with Paul's return from Vietnam. Weird to see this contrasted with Tom still being a young teenager, as within a few years Tom would be a grown man, broken by Vietnam.

Reading this ATWT's take on Vietnam seems to be straight down the line patriotic, compared to the nuance of early AMC, but I still wish we could see to compare. 

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by DRW50

[wonderwoman1951]

not surprising. agnes nixon often talked about the freedom she had at abc compared to p&g. often wonder how irna might have approached vietman and other topical issues absent p&g. she was certainly aware of what was happening in the world.

[DRW50]

Was Irna the one who brought Tom back as hooked on pills post-Vietnam?

[Paul Raven]

@FrenchFan Again many thanks for posting these. Just in a weeks worth of episodes we get a much greater sense of what was going on than general synopses.

I'm assuming Dr Davis is Jack Davis played by Martin Sheen. He's listed as appearing from 65-70 which seems unlikely. Most probably 1968 for Bob's blindness story.

Slick lists a Christine Reagen in ATWT cast list in 1973 played by Ingrid Helmke but it must be this character in 68. First mention of this character.

Yes. Irna wrote the show till early 1970.

[DRW50]

Thanks, as always.

[Paul Raven]

Looking at Martin Sheen on IMDB it seems he was NY based until 69 when he started getting primetime roles in LA.

So it is possible that he appeared on ATWT beginning in 65 on an occasional basis. Maybe Irna used the same hospital staff when needed if the actor was available?

Paul being in Vietnam must have been between Stephen Mines and Michael Hawkins playing the role.

At this point Penny had only been gone a few weeks. Sandy had run off after Bob was blinded in a lab explosion.

Penny had been married to Roy but got an annulment, Don't know what happened to Roy.

Some context for the above episodes

After Lisa recovers from her illness, she tells Claire that she has just had Michael's baby and that she should divorce him. Claire refuses. Michael also refuses to divorce Claire to marry Lisa.

Michael would soon find himself in trouble at the hospital, and it would ironically be due to another medical case involving the Steiner family. Diane Steiner's grandmother becomes ill, and Michael is supposed to treat her, but he panics, believing Mother Steiner to be the "ghost" of his late, beloved grandmother, and he flees. Mother Steiner dies. Later that day, Michael is arrested for drunk driving. Following an inquest, Dr. Shea's medical license is suspended for six months, and he is ordered to sign an affidavit acknowledging that he is the father of Lisa's baby and promising to provide child support. Lisa shows the signed affidavit to Claire, who quickly divorces Michael.

Michael tries to woo Claire again to improve his chances of being reinstated at the hospital once he gets his license back. Strangely, Claire actually agrees to remarry Michael, until she overhears a conversation in which Michael tells a lawyer that he only wants to marry Claire to get back his hospital position. Then he'll dump her and run off with Nurse Karen Adams, his new paramour. A furious Claire works herself into a drunken stupor and stabs Michael with a letter opener. Bob and Tom find Claire lying on top of Michael. As soon as Michael recovers, he goes to David and threatens to press criminal charges against Claire unless he is reinstated. David reluctantly agrees to Michael's demands to avoid public scandal.

Sandy returns from the sanitarium and is upset to find out that Penny is the new mother figure in her son Jimmy's life. Sandy and Bob demand custody of Jimmy from Penny and Roy on the grounds that Jimmy should be with his real mother, Sandy.

The whole custody battles resolves itself in a bizarre way. Bob, who is seeking reinstatement at the hospital, attends a lab demonstration and is blinded in an explosion. Sandy, distressed by the loss of Jimmy and the accident that has befallen Bob, runs away from home. The irony is that on that very day, Roy decides that he and Penny should return Jimmy to Sandy and Bob.

Roy and Penny get their marriage annulled and Penny leaves Oakdale for New York in June. Bob, in the meantime, is disturbed that Sandy isn't there for him in his time of need and files for a divorce on the grounds of desertion.

Tom, now a college student, becomes further estranged from his family. He is angered by Lisa's deceits involving her baby, whom she has named Charles, or Chuckie, and refuses to have anything more to do with her.

Tom's college roommate, Hank Barton, gets him hooked on speed and other narcotics and puts him up to robbing pharmacy stores in order to feed their drug habit.

[slick jones]

My bad, when I was adding dates, I figure she was related to Peggy since I couldn't find any date references for the character. It's possible Sheen appeared as needed between 65-70. Not a regular character, but during an emergency here, a brief story there. At some point, hopefully we'll find enough information to separate the stints he appeared in and months when he doesn't.  I'm fixing Helmke's date now.

[DRW50]

@Paul Raven Thanks for all the extra details. Some of those stories sound extremely wild compared to what came before. I wonder if Irna felt pressure to shake the table, especially with Penny going and some other characters starting to run dry storywise (like Bob).

I have only seen bits and pieces of Sandy. Was her son Jimmy ever mentioned or in story in her '70s run? 

The material with Claire stabbing Michael - boy I wish I could see that. And him causing a patient to die because she reminded him of his grandmother. Bizarre. To think Claire was in the thick of story but only had a few years left. 

Was this when Richard Thomas briefly played Tom?