DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

[carolineg]

Interesting.  I am sure you're right, but was there ever talks of replacing Marlena when Deidre left in 86?  I am curious if anyone knows if that was thrown out there.  They teased her coming back so much.   Sorry slightly off the topic being discussed.

[Contessa Donatella]

Yabbut had back from the dead started yet? Of course no reason she couldn't have been first. Someone had to be. 

[Khan]

Another alternative: Ken Corday could have worked out some sort of trade with Bradley Bell at B&B, similar to one they worked out years later where Lauren Koslow would return briefly to B&B in exchange for Joseph Mascolo doing the same at DAYS.

Susan Flannery could have been there for Laura's release from the sanitarium and when she exposed Bill and Kate's secret to everyone.  Then, they could have had Laura either return to the sanitarium or decide to start her life over away from town.  In exchange, Corday could have sent one of DAYS' actors over to B&B for a short spell.  (I'll leave it up to y'all to decide which actor, lol).

Edited December 6, 2023 by Khan

[carolineg]

I mean, Mickey was presumed dead in the early 80's and the Brooke/Stephanie story also happen in the late 70's/early 80's. I don't think it's out of the box for Days to do a story where Laura was presumed dead and came back a few years later.

That probably would have spoiled us though for any recast in the future.

[Khan]

Not necessarily.  If, down the road, they had wanted to bring back Flannery from time-to-time for brief, 1-2 episode appearances, they could've.  (I don't think either Corday or Bell would have objected all that strenuously to such a scenario, given what an asset SF had been to both shows).  Or, if they had decided after Flannery's initial, brief return that they wanted Laura back indefinitely, they still could've recast (but, hopefully, with another actress in her age range).

Edited December 6, 2023 by Khan

[carolineg]

Yeah, that definitely could have worked if Corday put the effort in.  I just think JER liked the idea, history, and relationships Laura had, but wanted to mold an entirely different character.  I also think it was purposeful to go younger especially with the Jack story.  I would have love to see SF plays those scenes though.

[Paul Raven]

Wouldn't Susan Flannery have to agree to that? I can't La Flannery hopping b/w shows.

[carolineg]

Also a very valid point lol.  

[jam6242]

I think Flannery left in late May 1975; Oliver replaced her in Oct. 1975;  Oliver left in June 1976; Forsyth replaced Oliver in August 1976.  @JAS0N47 has the exact dates, no doubt.

I assumed Marlena was brought on as a love interest for Don.  His engagement to Julie was going to be over by October 1976.

Edited December 6, 2023 by jam6242

[Contessa Donatella]

Oh, yeah, see, I was thinking about Stefano starting back from the dead. But, you're right. Mickey was the first. I tend to think of him as The Prodigal Son but he really was back from the dead, too. I guess if we really reached Tommy was first back from the dead. I was just reading yesterday about how NBC wouldn't let Tommy be KIA in Vietnam. Would not let them even mention Vietnam. 

[j swift]

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Ken Corday The Days of our Lives: The True Story of One Family's Dream and the Untold History of Days of our Lives (2010)

But, of course, times changed by the 1980s Roman Brady and Cal Winters specifically mentioned Vietnam in their backstory.

Edited December 6, 2023 by j swift

[carolineg]

I think Marlena served a few purposes-one of course being a love interest to Don which started right at the jump.  I do think her similarities to Laura on paper make me think there was an ulterior plan.  But I am no expert and have only seen Marlena's entry scenes edits so I could be entirely off.  It could have absolutely been just a plot point for Mickey and it became bigger in hindsight because Marlena became the new leading lady.  I appreciate your perspective.  Thanks!

I was just saying I don't think a story like that would have been entirely off for that time period on Days.  I don't know if it would have been popular with the audience.  I could just see it working.

[te.]

Thing is that when DAYS (and I guess soaps) made their first stories about "coming back from the dead" they weren't outlandish - men going missing in war, being declared dead and only to return wasn't entirely unheard of. People being misidentified wasn't entirely unheard of. Of course, that's a far cry of what's happening these days on soaps when you can essentially have been decapitated and still come back from the dead.

[Contessa Donatella]

We do know that it was Jed Allan that Deidre read with when she auditioned. And again I think you're right that back from the dead began in a more regular way & later on we got into the outlandish ones. 

 

[SoapDope]

I remember Bill Bell said in an interview that after Deidre finished her role on Y&R, he sent her over to Days for the part of Marlena. He joked " She still has not thanked me to this day".......LOL