DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

[carolineg]

That all sounds correct to me.  I just don't know if Raines was originally Faye's maiden name or the actual last name of the Walker clan before retcons.  It would make more sense to me that Nicole changed her name than Taylor because Taylor wasn't embarrassed about her upbringing and was okay doing a working class cleaning job but then Lucas made her a model too I think.  So I think Raines might have been the original last name when the characters were dreamt up and evolved into something else when they decided to cast Faye, Brandon, Paul since Taylor was long gone and mostly forgotten by then.  I honestly don't remember though, but I definitely don't think the name Mendez was mentioned until much later.

[Michael]

The backstory of that family has always been perplexing, and they never explained why Taylor was using Raines when we first met her. It would've made more sense for Nicole to be using a different name than her whole family, but Nicole, Fay, and Brandon all used "Walker." 

I guess the real answer is that it was cobbled together as they went along.

[Contessa Donatella]

(During 1978-79) "NBC was the only network to cancel a soap, "For Richer, For Poorer," and it expanded one of its hour-long daytime dramas to 90 minutes. It appears the expansion of "Another World," hasn't set a trend. CBS and ABC aren't planning to convert any of their current soaps to 90-minute marathons. The NBC experiment was looked upon as a failure by the two competing networks and they could be right. "Another World" wasn't leading its time period in the ratings as an hour show, so the move to 90 minutes was implemented with the hope of building an audience that would stay for the whole hour and a half. It did not work out that way. In any event, NBC has been toying with the idea of turning "Days of our Lives" into a 90-minute entry." 

Steven H. Scheuer. (1979). Daytime Programs. TV: The Television Annual 1978-79. Collier Macmillan Publishers. p. 124.

[j swift]

I was just reading Brandon Walker's wiki, (man, it's amazing how much I forget over time, but there's been so many stories in the past decade).  He was a fun character, and the idea of pairing Sami with her enemy's brother is a classic soap story.

At one point did Brandon think that he was Theo's father, or was Lexi pregnant with another child at the time?

If it was Theo, it is another example of how much SORASing has screwed up the logic of DAYS storylines.  For example, Nicole is Brandon's older sister, so if Theo is currently a young adult, it seems inconceivable that she could be pregnant (although, to be fair, this is one of a million reasons that Nicole's pregnancies seems absurd).

[Joseph]

He thought He was Theo's Father Yes! Nicole's Had 3 miscarriages and is currently Middle Aged (Around 46/47 it's super messed due to the show being 1 year i front of us [2024]), she being pregnant and Eric being considered the Father is a Mess!

[Contessa Donatella]

ClassicDAYS Marlena Mourns Trista

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnfUVhai258&list=PLKmA2lMn5BKs-vZ9yFwJjD4qyfHAcAb1v&index=5&t=6s

[Contessa Donatella]

#ClassicDAYS Marlena & Roman, Hope is feeding them, first breakfast, then dinner, terrible day, Liz accidentally shot Marie,... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhdXOVkCzWs&list=PLKmA2lMn5BKs-vZ9yFwJjD4qyfHAcAb1v&index=6

[DRW50]

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[j swift]

I call BS on this story.  I highly doubt that Jennifer Aniston either watched DAYS, or cares about the method in which they'll kill off a character regardless of who played him, or that she's sensitive due to her phobias.

https://nypost.com/2023/07/31/jennifer-aniston-allegedly-upset-with-days-of-our-lives/

A grieving Jennifer Aniston reportedly isn’t dealing well with news that her recently deceased dad, longtime soap opera actor John Aniston, is about to be written off “Days of Our Lives” in a rather dramatic fashion.

According to the Daily Mail, the character’s absence will finally be explained by killing him off in a plane crash. A source revealed that the aerophobic Aniston, 54, was disappointed by the decision.

John Aniston starred in the soap opera “Days of Our Lives” as Victor Kiriakis from 1985 until his death last November at the age of 89.

“Jennifer hates to fly so this has rubbed her the wrong way but what can she do? They have to explain Victor’s death on the show,” the source said.

Edited August 1, 2023 by j swift

[Contessa Donatella]

Of course, some journo could have called her & said this is what they're going to do & what do you think of it considering you hate to fly! 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Donna L. Bridges

[Errol]

The only BS part I see is her allegedly having a problem with it because she has a phobia of flying.

If she indeed has a problem with the method of how they are killing off her father's character, I'd think it's that they should have at least let his long-running character die of natural causes, which would have been much more respectful. Killing Victor in a "dramatic fashion" is clearly the soapy thing to do, but when you have a long-running character played by an actor who had been on the show for quite a while, I'd prefer the less dramatic path and would like them to have the character pass naturally. But that's me.

[Joseph]

Pass Naturally and have an Extended Tribute, for 37 Years on The Show Aniston and Victor deserved At Least A Week Worth of Episodes dedicated to Him! A Funeral, Eulogies, memories, The Reading Of His Will, Returning Characters coming To Pay Tribute (Jen For Example, He Had an adorable relationship with her! Sonny)

[Contessa Donatella]

I do not think any soap today will ever, no matter who it is, devote more than one day. I don't recall even in the past that more than one day was involved & more often than not what people have gotten is the In Memory Of screen, only. 

What I wish shows would do is incorporate the person's life in story. For example, Roger Howarth on GH should be a long-lost son of Alan's who the Qs embraced & Monica took him through Alan's life in pictures & mementos. Jimmy Lee Holt, whatevah! 

[Bright Eyes]

I understand why you think this, but dying peacefully is not what Victor deserves. He was a misogynistic abusive bastard until his last breath. In truth, he should have been written out before the character petered out if the show actually cared about character, but that went out the window decades ago. They could always do like Y&R does and have an episode paying tribute to John Aniston himself, but Victor Kiriakis' death should be dramatic, IMO. A big Greek tragedy should come from this, and if there were stronger writers at play, the four sons of Justin/Adrienne should have been so much fun to play with. Then, you have Philip whose been driven mad. Brady the insecure alcoholic/drug addict. Shawn the constantly cuckolded husband. Kate, and Vivian, and Anjelica. All the pieces were there for an ending befitting Victor Kiriakis at one time, but they were all tarnished.

[j swift]

Yeah, but also who is leaking storylines to Jennifer Aniston?

Are we meant to believe that Deidre Hall, Ken Corday, or some rando on the production team called her and said, "Jen, I hope you're not on your private jet right now, because I know how it freaks you, but months ago we filmed a scene where Victor dies in a plane crash."?

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And then, Ms. Aniston, (who is not doing press for Season Three of The Morning Show because of the strike), talked to a journalist about Days of Our Lives which is on another streaming service, and her PR company then leaked it to a Murdoch tabloid?  So, she's not going to promote her own show, but she's promoting DAYS?

I don't think so...

Edited August 1, 2023 by j swift