DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

[JAS0N47]

STEPHEN SCHNETZER'S LAST APPEARANCE ON "DAYS"...SCRIPT COVER & OUTLINE OF EPISODE # 3577...DECEMBER 25, 1979

 

 

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[asafi]

Thanks Jason!

Wow it's crazy, Steve Olson, Julie’s brother returns to Salem 45 years later! probably and hopefully to support his sister during Doug's funeral. if tptb can get Denise Alexander to return, wow.. should be amazing and we can see some real flashbacks! 

“As far as I know, next week I’m flying out to LA… I hope I’m not giving anything up but they’ve asked Steve Olson to come back for a couple of episodes. I’ll say no more than that.” Steve, the son of Addie Horton and her first husband, Ben Olson (her second marriage, to Doug Williams, produced daughter Hope), was originally played by Schnetzer from 1978-80.

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[Paul Raven]

Thanks @JAS0N47 for the script.So Steve never got a farewell? Was there a mention in subsequent scripts that he had left town or was he just forgotten?

I hate when that happens. I know SS was recurring but he must have got caught up in the headwriter change as Harrower was using him regularly.

[JAS0N47]

I only happened to have this outline because it was one of the Christmas episodes, so it just worked out that I had it.

Here was his monthly appearances:

6/78: 3

7/78: 11

8/78: 7

9/78: 6

10/78: 6

11/78: 4

12/78: 4

1/79: 7

2/79: 3

3/79: 1

4/79: 4

5/79: 4

6/79: 7

7/79: 10

8/79: 11

9/79: 10

10/79: 7

11/79: 4

12/79: 6

[te.]

Hopefully Steve Olsen's return and maybe even Sandy's hinted return will open the door to more Horton's in the future, though I'm not holding my breath.

[JAS0N47]

Upon additional research, here's more info:

I checked the Christmas 1979 Soap Digest synopsis, and right after they detail the Stephen/Mary 12/25/79 scenes is this one sentence: "Bill informs Alice that Stephen flew to Paris after receiving an urgent phone call from someone in France."

 

The weekly newspaper for 12/31/79-1/4/80 notes: "Steve went to Paris."  (That looks like to have happened off-screen, with it, per Digest, being Bill who tells Alice about it).

 

Then, in the next Soap Digest issue (for January 1980 episodes): "When Trish learns that Stephen flew to Paris after receiving an urgent phone call from a man, she fears Stephen will tell Durant about the diamonds she stole from him. Trish worries what she'll do if Durant comes to Salem."   Then "When Julie mentions that Stephen took a cane with him to France, Mickey expresses puzzlement."

 

In February 1980, the character of Mimi (Stephen's smuggling partner) returns for 5 episodes: Mimi flies in from France and tells Trish that she has merchandise that belongs to Durant. Trish gives her the diamonds.

 

I do see the discrepancy between the final year of Schnetzer (most say 1980, while my records say 12/25/79). The Maureen Russell book says 1980, and I just checked the production notecards, which say 1/80. But, Stephen is not listed on any script, either in January 1980 or any episode in 1980. His last episode was 12/25/79. My guess is, since Russell worked off the weekly production cast charts, perhaps he was originally scheduled to appear in a January 1980 episode, or be part of the Mimi storyline in February 1980, but they ended up only using Mimi to finish out that storyline.

 

Russell compiled her cast list from 1965-1994 using the weekly cast charts, while I compiled my cast list from 1965-1983 by checking each and every script cast list (for the characters) (and for most of the 1965-1975 episodes, also the daily master telecast reports that Days had to submit to NBC for the actor names), and then from my own personal viewings of the episodes from 1984-present.

Edited March 31, 2024 by JAS0N47

[Paul Raven]

@JAS0N47 as we are constantly discovering, what is reported in reference books re dates etc is often incorrect.

[asafi]

I'm excited about Steven's return. although the circumstances are sad.. 

waiting news regarding other fav arrivals. missy, Kristian, denise, maree. maybe even Lisa truesl. 

I imagine it will be the finale horton gathering.. before the show demise. 

Edited March 31, 2024 by asafi

[JAS0N47]

Maureen Russell does point out in her book that she has compiled the dates based on the TAPE dates of the production charts. So, technically, her dates are correct based on that. It's just that for the actors who finish taping in December of a certain year, they will continue airing into January of the next year. So, I did make those discoveries of which actors actually did that when getting all of the scripts.  

[asafi]

 

I loved the writers for re-visiting bill and Laura's history during 1994. although retconned 

[teplin]

I appreciated that the writers brought them back, I just wish they had borne some resemblance to their earlier characterizations. Jamie Lyn Bauer's Laura was from a different planet than Susan Flannery's Laura. 

[Paul Raven]

Yes a pod Laura and Bill arguing about something that never happened. Way to use history Days.

[asafi]

well bill did have an affair with a women named Kate in the 70's.. dr Kate Winograd. 

https://whathappensinsalem.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/wtf-wednesday-the-curious-case-of-kate-winograd/

 

[Khan]

It's almost as if Bill was having TWO affairs behind Laura's back - and both his mistresses were named Kate, lol.

[Contessa Donatella]

From my FB Memories today 

On April 2, 202? (year partially obscured) Days of Our Lives  is making history this week by featuring the first wedding between two men (Will & Sonny) on daytime TV.

LIKE and SHARE (Sonny)'s #NOH8 photo to celebrate!

 

 

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