DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

[beebs]

They did. And we got this...

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[jam6242]

@beebsI had completely erased that one from my memory! 

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This is from a 1982 Lynda Hirsch column.  I wasn't aware that Josh had been planning to sue Days.

 

[AbcNbc247]

Thanks for posting!

I had no idea about this either. It does sound a lot like his ego was doing the talking though. Judging from what I've read, Chris was practically front burner all through the late 70s.

[beebs]

Yeah, I was gonna say! Both Ann Marcus and Elizabeth Harrower wrote extensively for him, and even Nina Laemmle gave him (bad) stories, so I have absolutely no idea what he's on about. Maybe that explains the (allegedly) tense working relationship between him and Barbara Stanger.

I tried but how does one completely forget such an unintentional comedy!

[Titus Andronicus]

 

Plus the 1984 plane crash and island storyline with Tony vs. Andre, Anna, Bo, Calliope, etc. 

[carolineg]

Is that the story where WN's Roman dies?

They also were on an island when Marlena returned where they found OG Roman lol.  Ugh, we re visted John's past a thousand times, but does Marlena just not care what happened to her for five years beside birthing Rex and Cassie?

[Franko]

Yup, @carolineg, the '84 island story included original recipe Roman's death. And if I'm not mistaken, that island was reused for the 1988 storyline involving Stefano's return and the tease over whether or not Marlena was alive.

Did the 1997 jungle story take place in a landlocked country or was it on yet another island?

[carolineg]

Oh I forgot about that Marlena story in 1988.  I guess negotiations with Deidre just fell through lol.  And then SOD had that cover story with RoJohn/Diana getting married, but they just didn't.  Or did it for show, but not legally.  Something silly.  Too bad Genie Francis had good chemistry with Drake.

It's been forever since I have seen the jungle story, but I don't think it was an island.  Wiki is telling me it is, but I don't recall that.  It was where Peter Blake got the awesome "jungle madness" disease lol.

[JAS0N47]

 

The math begs to differ.  They taped full episodes, one per day, back then. So, all those months where he had more than 8 episodes a month, he was working more than two days per week!!

 

Josh Taylor (Chris Kositchek)
8/77: 4
9/77: 11
10/77: 9
11/77: 7
12/77: 9
1/78: 8
2/78: 7
3/78: 10
4/78: 9
5/78: 12
6/78: 10
7/78: 12
8/78: 10
9/78: 9
10/78: 11
11/78: 10
12/78: 11
1/79: 10
2/79: 11
3/79: 12
4/79: 11
5/79: 13
6/79: 8
7/79: 10
8/79: 11
9/79: 12
10/79: 7
11/79: 6
12/79: 9
1/80: 10
2/80: 4
3/80: 13
4/80: 13
5/80: 14
6/80: 10
7/80: 13
8/80: 10
9/80: 13
10/80: 6
11/80: 6
12/80: 2
1/81: 7
2/81: 10
3/81: 8
4/81: 9
5/81: 13
6/81: 13
7/81: 9
8/81: 1

[Franko]

Dee might not have had a series anymore (Our House was cancelled in '88), but she did make some memorable guest appearances, like as Tim Curry's wife on Wiseguy, or Ian Buchanan's professional and personal victim on Columbo.

@JAS0N47 with the receipts!

[carolineg]

Chris always seemed like someone who was always mentioned in recaps, but never did a whole lot.  Like no standout pairing or storyline, but was featured. 

I have gone on record of my hatred for JT's Roman, but I think it's more my hatred for Roman as a character being completely marginalized.   I mean, props to him for still working at his age with limited talent.

I believe Dee actually was in negotiations.  I think Drake did a fan event and even said she was coming back, but something fell through or she booked something else.   I loved her on Wiseguy!!  Dee in the late 80's seemed like a real go-getter trying to make all the money, so I believe she was interested in doing Days and other things at the same time.  She did try to make it work with "Our House" for awhile there and even then I believe it was more  of a Corday/NBC thing to write her off because she was in a coma for like a year lol.   I feel like her deal in 1991 was really good for her, so I think she just played hardball because she could back then.  Now she probably works for minimum wage lol.

In a Genie Francis interview she talked about how hard it was to be accepted on Days and that RoJohn/Marlena fans would write her hate mail lol.  But I thought Diana/Roman were fairly well received.

[Franko]

I remember reading in some book (I want to say it was "Soaps, A Pictorial History") that as early as circa '83, Dee's contract allowed for guaranteed prime time appearances (or at least payoffs if it didn't happen). Can't say I blame Dee for wanting to try her luck ... I mean, look at what was going on with Susan Lucci in particular. This also reminds me that we never did find out if any names were seriously bandied about for MANHATTAN LIVES, the Marlena in NYC spinoff.

[carolineg]

I honestly think Dee stayed on Days too long her first run for primetime success.  She was about 40 the first time she left and, unfortunately, that's a little old.  We did not know she wouldn't age for the next 20 years in 1987 lol.

 

I want to say Christie Clark and Patrick Muldoon were going to be a part of Manhattan Lives?  You can't find a lot of info on it anymore but DH was going to be a producer and I swear the premise was Marlena taking Belle to New York to start over and Carrie would become a model.   It was supposed to start in 1994 if AW wasn't renewed and that sort of lines up with what was going on with the show at the time.  I think I heard something about Missy doing it as well, but that seems to be taking a lot of heroines away from the mother show.  Jen gets a syndication deal or a big shot for her show, so that all makes vague sense as far as what was going on in 93/94.

I never heard anything about writers or other producers but I assume it would have been a Corday production.  JER probably would have left to write that since he loved Marlena.

Edited August 8, 2021 by carolineg

[Franko]

That may explain some of the rationale for bringing back Hope/Kristian Alfonso in 1994, if they assumed they were going to lose not one, but three heroines.

In the proposed soaps thread, there was mention of Marlena gaining a brassy actress friend by the name of P.T. Barnum and getting involved with a dysfunctional, Trumpesque (in those days when his public image was flamboyant and "charming") father and son pair. Terry Lester would have just been free from ATWT .... Not sure who could have played the son or P.T.

[carolineg]

 

It's weird to think of Marlena on a spin off period or without John.  I wonder if they would have re-hired Wayne for that show.   I again want to say Carrie, Belle, and Marlena would have shared an apartment and that would make sense.  Not really sure how Jen would fit in but I guess all of them were friends.  I think a brassy actress friend would work well for Marlena.  She was great with Calliope/Eugene.  I think it would have made more sense to bring Anna/Leanne Hunley on to be Marlena's wacky buddy and Carrie's mom. 

I honestly am not sure if this 'show' had any real traction.  I think it would have taken too much away from Days.  It doesn't make sense.  PC only took Lucy/Kevin/Scott and they were supporting on GH for sure.  It makes no sense to take your main heroine away.   Plus, you would have to deal with John, Sami, Eric etc making cameos on the new show.  I tend to think it was just a vanity clause in Dee's contract and no one would have given it the greenlight unless AW was cancelled.