DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

[Contessa Donatella]

Just found a short clip, Lee & Renee DuMonde, Benet & Sampler, anyone have any idea at all of a possible date? 

 

https://***.com/v5fa1xd-classic-days-lee-and-renee-dumonde.html

[dc11786]

I found Carly appealing in her first run (and her second), but I also really enjoyed Chappell as Olivia on Guiding Light. For me, there is always a layer of sadness to Chappell's performances that I find relatable, a vulnerability that I don't always see. I thought Carly's second run was a pleasant surprise that built on a year of the newly scaled down "Days of our Lives" that was already gaining momentum. 

Were there issues at Guiding Light that I am forgetting? The Days of our Lives set seems to be its own beast at times.

I never could get into Bo and Billie because when I started watching it was Bo and Carly. 

As I recall, around 2009, Peter Reckell was usually complaining about his low episode guarantee, which the show usually would burn through before the end of his current cycle and his publicist would run to Soap Opera Digest to announce that Reckell would be offscreen for weeks. 

The online presence for late 2008-mid 2011 was, and mostly seems to still be, pretty split in a love it or hate it sense. I don't remember a lot of people liking the redux of Bo and Carly, but I did. I thought the scene where Carly showed up at Maggie's to offer her condolencnes on Mickey's death only for Hope to open the door and read her for filth was delightful. I thought Carly and Melanie worked well, but after the initial affair Bo and Carly really didn't have much to do because the show wasn't going to commit to Bo / Carly and the teased Hope / Justin storyline was always pushed back before being dropped completely. 

I thought Nathan and Melanie were great as well. I know Melanie was a very divisive character, but I felt she was a breath of fresh air on the show that had a very staid set of younger characters, with the exception of Blake Berris' Nick who was quirky. The original set up, if I recall, was going to be for Melanie and Will, who was originally going to be recast as college aged in early 2009 before settling on Dylan Patton and keeping the character younger and involved with Mia. I suspect the original conflict for Will and Melanie was the basis for Melanie and Nathan; Nathan blamed Melanie for Nick being in prison. 

Mark Hapka complained that the show had several characters they kept up front and center and didn't feel like it was a true ensemble. The show was heavily female focused at the time, which was one of the reasons I enjoyed it. 

The problem with Nathan was he was a good guy and that isn't the kind of character that you can always keep at the forefront of the drama. Before his firing was announced, Nathan was given a couple a very strong story moments. Nathan and Melanie ended up in quarantine after being exposed to a virus by a hospital patient (played by Francisco San Martin, later Dario #1). Nathan and Melanie confessing their love near death was very angsty and both actors played it well. This arc I believe was the result of Hapka's complaints that Nathan didn't get enough to do, and I thought it was a good arc.

Shortly after, Chloe's paternity secret was exposed at Parker's New Years' Eve christening leading to the revelation that Stephanie had kept mum to protect Grandma Caroline who had changed the paternity results because of her anger with Victor. When Nathan found out, there was a great confrontation between Stephanie and Nathan with Stephanie in her wedding dress. Hapka and Hennig were great together and Stephanie was a solid third wheel. 

There was definitely story to play with Nathan, but they decided to go in other directions. Melanie was pregnant with Phillip's baby. I imagine had Phillip stayed, Melanie would have lost the baby (as she did anyway) and supported Phillip in going after custody of Parker (which I believe he ended up doing offscreen for most of the remainder of Dena Higley's 2011 run). This would have meant Nathan playing the role of Melanie's conscious. Also, there always seemed to be a hint that they might do something more with Nathan / Chloe. Nathan befriending Chloe during her custody battle would have provided a bit more angst than the Chloe / Sonny friendship that was started right before Higley left and never revisited. 

Without Phillip, Melanie and Nathan pretending the baby was hers would have positioned Stephanie into a good place to call out Nathan for his hypocrisy, but Hennig quit. I think there may have just been a decision to clear the slate and start clean with Melanie in the brief Dario/Melanie/Brady triangle which I thought made sense but was never sustainable in the long run.  

The other thing to consider is that by early 2011, the younger teen set that had been slowly evolving finally had most of its key players in place (Chandler Massey had started in January or February, 2010, and Camila Banus assumed the role of Gabi in November, 2010) and they had already spent the summer of 2010 investing in the Chad/Will friendship. By early 2011, with Kate Mansi arriving in February, the show finally had assembled a group of actors in the roles of characters that the show could survive resetting the early 20 somethings because they had a strong teen set. 

[Contessa Donatella]

DAYS RE-WATCH 1992
1-6-92, Monday
Kayla - Roman at her door.
Roman - Marlena took the kids to a movie. I thought I'd like to spend some time trying to get reacquainted with my family, starting with you.
Kayla - got a letter from Shane but cannot believe that they will ever be able to be happy together
Roman - Why not? Isn't that exactly what it is that you want?
Kayla - Of course it is, but, .... 
John is wrangling this huge wooden box & there on the docks suddenly he sees a very pregnant Isabella.
John - What are you doing here?
The two of them spend a little time together, there on the docks, until this guy hollers, JOHN! And, it's time for him to go back to work.
John says, emphatically, We're not through. We'll talk about this more later.
Bo & Carly, inside on the boat, he is reading aloud a wedding invitation between Lawrence & Katarina. He asks her, What is this? 
She, thinking, gee isn't it obvious, it's my wedding invitation. 
He asks, Where did you get this?
Carly, again beginning to wonder if Bo has lost his frigging mind, Lawrence had it delivered to me. He always does this. He wants me to remember. He knows that I will. Just look at it & look at this one.
Bo - They look the same. 
Carly - They ARE the same. The paper, the typeface, the ink, .... he wants this to really get to me. 8 years & he keeps on doing this. 
Carly - My life is so different. Back then, Bo, I was so different. I haven't thought about all of this in so many years. Do you remember, that night in that cafe, when we first met? You helped me. 
Bo - I did? 
Carly - That was the night that I left him. I just up & walked away. But, he followed & he has been following me now for years, simply years. I was so afraid. 
Carly - So, I RAN. Went on like that, day after day, for months. Just his vanity & I really became fearful. 
Carly - In a way it was about growing up. I was so young, just 18. I didn't know men, or what they were like. I was like a schoolgirl filled with innocent, romantic ideas. When I first met Lawrence, it was as if he was King Arthur & Lancelot rolled into one.     
Carly - Then it was SO WRONG when I learned that I'd been wrong. Young, trusted him, and then, when he betrayed me I was just so very afraid.
Carly - I RAN, kept running, this was at the French countryside that I just got up & left, and I walked, I walked for miles & miles, kept walking, and then, I saw this cross. I was at a convent. There, I went in, and all of a sudden I felt safe, calm, ... the sisters were so good to me. 
Bo - How long did you stay?
Carly - It was a pretty long time. I would do jobs, chores, in the kitchen or in the library. 
Ivan - Sir, what about variables beyond your control?
John - again wrangling big wooden boxes down to the docks.
Isabella - Roman needs evidence on Victor.
John - angry at Roman for involving Izzy. 
Isabella - I planted the bug they're listening to.
Tanner & Ginger are talking but Molly overheard the word "daughter".
Molly - Oh, you have a daughter? 
Ginger - No.
Tanner - She was speaking about someone she is so close to its AS IF she is her daughter. 
Molly says she gets that, it's like that with her & Julie. They are not related but in a way she wishes that Julie were her mother. 
Obviously this hurts Ginger's feelings.
Tanner & Ginger disagree. Ginger's sad. 
Julie almost doesn't recognize Chip. (Chip's trying to seem older.)
Julie really puts Chip down, using harsh words with him.
She even says she finds what he is trying to do, "quite tedious."
Carly - This feels more like an allergy. I have a reaction to certain scents, usually short-lived. This particular flower is bothering me, usually not bothered by flowers. 
Bo wants to know more about the convent she mentioned.
Carly - Stayed, sisters good to me, jobs in the kitchen, felt safe. I was from a very non-religious family, church on Christmas & Easter, that kind of thing.
Carly - They lived simple lives, even spartan but everything held a deeper meaning to them. But, you were brought up Catholic!
Bo - Very different. The Nuns I knew for the most part, punished me.
Carly - In a way I envied the nuns. I even thought about joining them, at one point. 
Bo - Especially after last night, I cannot picture you as Sister Carly! 
Carly - That's it. I am definitely allergic to this flower. 
Carly - I don't know why I didn't join them. It ... just became time ... to move on, so that's what I did, I moved on.
Bo - And?
Carly - I went to Tahiti, then. (It was on a beach in Tahiti that we first met Carly.)
Tanner & Ginger are having a disagreement.
Brian comes up to them. 
Brian - Have to go see a man about a dog.
Ginger - Brian??
Brian - Torres family, GO HOME. 
Roman - You & Shane are gonna be fine. Look at Doc & me, would you ever have thought that we'd be back together like we are? And, hey, you seem to be in the love with the guy.
Kayla - I am. 
Roman - Then, you've definitely got my blessing. If I'd been here when he was with Kim, it might be different, but it's not.
John arrives, maybe angry.
Roman - Isabella wants to get Victor.
John - Nobody wants to get their father.
Brian, on the phone - Kayla, I'm looking for Roman, is he there?
She puts Roman on the phone.
Brian - I'm at Wings. Torres & "friends" gonna get a bite to eat.
Roman - I'm on my way.
Julie - Let's hear it. Your explanation. 
Chip - To prove a point. We are all just people. Your age hang-up is stupid.
Julie - Thanks for pointing it out.
Chip - Why not point it out since it doesn't matter?
Julie - My dear, I have known 100s of charming men. You are not that unique.
Chip - You are an honest person. Why are you lying to yourself about this? About us?
Izzy - Errand go okay?
John - Yeah, no big thing. 
Izzy - About the codicils?
Roman, to Julie, pulled her to the side - The tunnels that used to run under here?
Julie - Oh, I had them closed off.
Roman, turning to Brian - Let's go.
Julie back to Chip - It's not a hang-up. It's just reality. 
Julie to Molly - I have no intention of becoming involved with a known lothario.
Molly - If that word means what I think it does, you have before, so what's different about now?
Lawrence - Will you be attending the special viewing at the museum. It promises to be a night to remember. Life as a stevedore, how is it?
John - says nothing, his mind seems to have wandered
Lawrence - We know you've been under pressure.
Izzy, concerned - Why did you blank out like that?
John - Just checked out. I think it's a side effect of my sessions with Marlena. (John wants to leave. They do.)
Izzy - I think it means we still love each other.
John kisses her, thoroughly.
 

[Contessa Donatella]

My DAYS 1992 Re-Watch Project
Tu., 1-7-92
Marlena & Roman, at a restaurant, maybe Alice's Restaurant, over breakfast, or could be brunch. They are talking about those codicils & the Mayan Ruins, from last year. He mentions Gretchen & how it turned out that she had been an agent all along. Also he spoke briefly of Lawrence Alamain. He is the person throwing the big deal event at the museum where the codicils will formally be put on display. Roman & John are to be honored.
Carly & Bo are headed to the courthouse. Victor's trial is today. Will he be found competent to actually stand trial for his actions, including faking his own death.
John, at the docks, as usual wrangling a huge wooden crate. Some guy is trying to speak to him, hassle him, he seems to remember this guy. Oh, it's someone he arrested when he was a cop, or thought he was, anyway. The guy's name is "Snake" & he is now out of jail & just busting for a fight. He starts in on John, with a metal pipe or piece of rebar. Just at that moment, Isabella arrives at the docks. The fight gets heated, lasts about 20 minutes, John wins & the guy runs off. 
John - What are you doing down here?
Izzy said she came to see if he was going to the courthouse. He wants to. He goes to talk to his foreman.  He & Izzy walk over to the courthouse, go in, wave at Bo & Carly, find seats. About to begin.
Jack & Ginger. He inserts a VHS tape into the machine. She asks what's up & he tells her this is a videotape of his & Jennifer's wedding. Then he shows her this point of interest. Hawk is in the crowd of wedding guests. Jack has realized how long Hawk has been dogging them. He says, this is the first day we met Desire. She tells him she will not say anything. 
At a restaurant Desire is giving this guy a reading. He stops her & says that was the story last week on his soap. He wants his money back, NOW. 
Hawk to Desire: Has Jack been here & was he asking you any questions.
Brian & Roman, listening in live on the bug that Isabella planted at Victor's for them.
Victor & a thug are there, talking.
Roman is now headed to the courthouse himself. He leaves orders for Brian & for another cop.
Just as Izzy reaches for the door to the room where they'll be in the courthouse, a court official, swings the door open, almost knocking her down.
Bo & Isabella speak briefly. She says - Stop worrying about me. So I'm pregnant. Women have been having babies for centuries. I'm going to be fine, after today.
Bo - You're not just any pregnant woman. You're my sister & I care about both you & this baby.
Jack & Ginger talk about money, estates, people, ... 
Hawk & "Desi" talk & she says she's sticking with him, like glue.
Jack & Ginger having someone look up Hawk & Desire on a computer, at the cop shop. 
At court, Izzy, John, Carly, Bo.
Victor & his team of lawyers come in.
Judge - Before the recess, we heard from the Prosecution. Now we will hear from the Defense. 
Defense Attorney - These doctors all administered a standard test to Victor & they all concluded that he is suffering from a psychosis. And, a part of that is an inability to tell right from wrong. 
Isabella is called to the stand. 
Jack is poring over pages & pages of computer print-outs. He mentions an extensive rap sheet but all misdemeanors, not anything larger. He's looking at a lifetime of petty crimes committed by Chauncey, Hawk's grandfather. 
Brian - What were they doing here?
Cop - Checking out 2 people's records. Hawk, Sr. & Desire.
Isabella - He said he was doing it for me. He made me happy. Then he tried to take my happiness away from me. He did unconscionable things. He tried to kill his son, Bo. In the process he almost did kill Carly. And, Carly had been the doctor who personally nursed him back to health after his stroke. I should know since I hired her as his full-time personal doctor then. Victor knew all along that John was not Roman. And, he also knew all along that Marlena was not dead. She was alive & being held captive. 
Isabella - And, he knew exactly what he was doing when he did these things, including faking his own death. He knew Carly was in love with Bo but he tricked her into marrying him. 
So, after his stroke, did you live with him?
Izzy - Yes. 
Would you say that his stroke was the beginning of him not behaving rationally? That it was when his psychosis began?
Izzy - I don't know. 
The other attorney objects saying this is beyond the scope of Isabella's knowledge. The judge upholds the objection & tells Victor's attorney to move along.
However, that attorney continues to twist Isabella's words.
She is dismissed. As she walks away from the stand, she collapses, in a dead faint. 
They rush Isabella to the hospital where Carly takes over.
Jack talking about some woman he says is sorta his ex & her approaching him in public & demanding huge sums of money. 
Jack calls Hawk. Asks him to come over, now. When he arrives Jack serves "bourbon & branch" which he says he knows is what Hawk drinks. Then he tells him he is going to go ahead & act as the Executor of Hawk's grandfather's estate. All he has to do is sign this paper & all the proceeds will be Hawk's.
Hawk says he doesn't think it will work.
Jack signs the papers & hands them to him & escorts him out of the apartment.  Ginger comes out of the other room & remarks on how he seemed so overwhelmed, like his jaw hit his chest. 
Carly comes out to Bo & John & tells them that Isabella blood pressure went dangerously high & it's on the way down now, but that this is going to be an issue the rest of her pregnancy & she is now ordered to complete bed rest. First John & then later Bo go in to see her. 
Roman & Marlena talk. He is concerned that he put too much pressure on Isabella although she told him she was fine & wanted to do it. Marlena looks him squarely in his eyes & tells him that he has done NOTHING WRONG. He laughs & says - This thing we have, you know, it never should have happened. She says there has never been a day in her life when she has been happier to have him back in her life. He kisses her like she should always be kissed. After a bit, he goes back to the office. 
Marlena & Carly talk. She doesn't want him to know it but she is deeply worried. He doesn't know Victor as they do, not prepared for how vicious & toxic he can be. She looks off in the distance & quietly says, "I lost him once. I don't think I could survive it again."

https://R***/v5fgoxm-classic-days-1-7-92-romar-izzy-in-hospital.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp

[AMCOLTLLover]

Can someone help me out? I’m currently in September 1984 and can’t wait to make myself through the rest of the year.

but I’m more into the mood of my all time favorite Phillip Kiriakis. But does someone know when the Melanie and Phillip storyline started? 
im such a die hard Broe fan but also loved Chloe with Phillip. But my ultimate favorite pairing or his was with Melanie and I would love to watch those episodes again and just need to know the episode number or date to start.. help would be appericiated.

[Contessa Donatella]

DAYS Re-watch 1992, Wed., 1-8-92
Roman - on the phone with Brian. One of them has been injured. Victor & company are onto them. So, now, the bug is no good. Also checking on a stakeout.
Roman sees Marlena - Hey, you're up! Coffee's ready.
Bo asks Carly about Isabella 
Carly - Well, she's better, but not great. There's no way she can go back & testify again. 
Bo - Doesn't matter. It's been postponed.
Bo - I'm planning to keep Roman company at the museum event.
Carly -  I can rearrange some things.
Bo - Why would you?
Carly - To go to the museum, of course.
Bo - NO, you're not. You're staying far away from Larry.
Carly - Don't be ridiculous.
Opening - This is MacDonald Carey & these are The Days of our Lives
John - staying close to Izzy all of the time.
Isabella - Sees John going into that trance-like state & tries to get his attention. Can't do it.
When he finally snaps out of it, he says he was up all night, probably just fell asleep. Boy, is he ever tired.
Izzy - No, something is happening to you. Something wrong, John.
John - Okay, I'll go to Marlena & tell her about these .. things if you will get back in that bed for me, and stay there!
Carly - I am going to the museum event. It is important that I show strength, never weakness. 
John - I have a bad feeling about this thing tonight but I have no choice. I have to go. 
Ivan - talking to Lawrence about taking risks.
Lawrence - If I weren't sure of accomplishing this I wouldn't try it.
Kimberly & Kayla are now spending time with Izzy. 
Izzy asks questions about the California nursery school abuse situation & we all find out that Kim has made up her mind, to take Jeanie & Andrew & go to California. She is sure she can help & her old friend, Pat, there has called again. 
At Marlena's office, to John, How are you today?
John - Again with the water sound & image & I keep blanking out like I'm in a trance or something. I want to say something but can't.  I want to scream, but can't. I am paralyzed. 
Marlena - Is there a trigger that causes this?
John - It's this ring, Doc. 
Roman - I need to talk to Bo.
Roman is upset about one of his officers. Roman had moved the Victor bug set-up to a safehouse & this cop was on duty there & Victor's goons beat him up, very badly. He's in Intensive Care. 
Roman has people tailing his whole family. 
Victor, with one of his thugs - Do you want me to get rid of the bug?
Victor - Now it is time for us to go to the hospital & visit my daughter there. 
Roman on the phone - Victor knows about the bug now, so it's useless. 
Carly - About Victor, I just want to put it all behind me. 
Roman - I can't let it go. Not now.
Isabella - (About Victor who is there at her hospital room) John, let him stay. I have some things I want to say to him.
Victor - Oh, nice. But can I go first? I miss your smile. Family ties. I look at you & I see your mother. 
Isabella - What I said in court was a mistake. I was manipulated into saying things that I did not mean. As soon as I get out of this bed, I'm going to tell the court the truth. 
Victor - Was it a lie when you hugged me & said you wanted us to be family? The truth will always come out eventually. Always does. 
Carly - What about Marlena? She's going crazy. You don't even seem to care about that. 
Roman - I'm sleazy & underhanded.
Victor - Your fault. I am a sick man.
Lawrence - 3 people get their due from getting the codicils.
Marlena - I saw the policemen. I did some checking around & found out about what happened to that officer.
Roman - I'm taking care of things. I'm not going to let anything happen to anyone in this family.
Kayla - You guys really make a difference in my life.
Kimberly - I need to speak to you about Pat Crane in LA. It's become a nightmare. The parents are freaking out. I'm going to have to go back out there. It won't be forever. But, I have to go. There's something inside me telling me that I must go help them. I think I can make a difference. Shawn & Caroline leave the room to go get Jeanie & Andrew. 
Kayla - I know you can make such a difference with those kids.
Kayla - I want to go with you. Bring Stephanie. Help you unpack & get settled. Take care of you & the kids. And, I'm not going to take NO for an answer!
Marlena - One of your men is in Intensive Care!
Roman - I know you don't like that. Neither do I. 

[AbcNbc247]

Great post @dc11786 I’ve been meaning to respond.

I was a fan of the Philip/Melanie/Nathan/Stephanie quad as well. It was a solid B-storyline that played out for like two years and I was impressed by the way it was all plotted out. And Tying Vivian’s revenge against Carly to it was brilliant. Plus, at the time, I loved that Philip was finally broken out of that endless loop with Shawn and Belle. 

I was disappointed too when Philip, Nathan, and Stephanie were written out. They could have recast Nathan and Stephanie at least. I’m never a fan of when characters just give up and leave town. It’s makes them look bad, and in some cases, seems out of character.

To me, that was Chris Whitesell’s one flaw as a writer. He’s writes these well plotted storylines that play every beat and build to a shocking and amazing climax but the follow up storyline is always either lousy or just doesn’t happen. Which also happened at that time with Sami/EJ/Nicole and Fake Rafe and happened again a few years later with Eileen Davidson’s return as Kristen. 

But he made Dena Higley look good, so there’s definitely talent there

Please register in order to view this content

Edited September 21, 2024 by AbcNbc247

[Contessa Donatella]

DAYS Re-watch Project 
Fri. night, 1-10-92
Special Primetime Movie
"One Stormy Night"
ER Carly & Marcus running Triage on Emergency & Trauma Patients being rushed in from the storm.
Volunteers helping: Bo, John, Izzy, etc. Jenn is covering the storm & the hospital for the TV station. Lawrence, too
This was to have been Bo & Carly's engagement party. They shrug this off & keep on. 
Bo: What are you doing here, Larry?
Lawrence: I'm playing a new role, Angel of Mercy.
Jenn: You couldn't be romantic if you tried!
Jack: JENNIFER!
Tracy Middendorf is playing NotCarrie & she's alone in a car with a strange man talking about stopping at the next motel.
Jack now in a tux & with Sound Effects!
Carly is needed to help with someone on remote. Marcus needs her!
Jack also has a deck of cards. 
NotCarrie now at said motel is maneuvering to save herself.
Now she's gone out in the storm. Oh, she stole his carkeys. Now she's driving away, but it's still storming like crazy.
Suddenly Jack & Jennifer are in the middle of a game show.
She is as bad as he is. Juvenile & competitive.
Jack makes this speech.
Larry is trying to woo Carly.
Flashback to Larry & Carly, in bed.
Now another Flashback,  elaborate one, going to bed.
OMG! Now Jack is singing!
Jenn finally relents & they begin to kiss.
NotCarrie is in really big trouble, in the car & the storm.
Carly breaks away from Lawrence & runs as fast as she can, to the boat, to Bo, calling his name!
Bo runs in, tears off his yellow slicker & they embrace & tumble to the bed & rip off their clothes --- The End.
 

[JAS0N47]

Did some scans today of things from my "Days" collection. Here's a few:

 

FROM JASON47'S COLLECTION: AUTOGRAPHED PHOTO OF MACDONALD CAREY, EARLY 1990'S...

 

Please register in order to view this content

 

FROM JASON47'S COLLECTION: AUTOGRAPHED PHOTO OF JOHN CLARKE, 1969...

 

 

FROM JASON47'S COLLECTION: AUTOGRAPHED "DAYS" KIND OF CHRISTMAS CD, BY KEN CORDAY & BRENT NELSON...

 

 

FROM JASON47'S COLLECTION: MACDONALD CAREY 1953 BOWMAN TRADING CARD, FROM BOWMAN'S "TELEVISION AND RADIO STARS OF THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY" CARD SET...

 

 

FROM JASON47'S COLLECTION: AUTOGRAPHED & HANDWRITTEN LETTER BY PEGGY McCAY TO A FAN, 1952...

 

[Bold Days]

Thanks so much for sharing!

[AMCOLTLLover]

Whatever happened to the waiter “Dave” that has been around for years?

[Contessa Donatella]

Dave Frabotta? 

 

[AMCOLTLLover]

Yes that’s him.. he has been on the show for what felt like forever and I can’t remember where he went or whatever happened to him

[Paul Raven]

Dave was played by Don Frabotta. Jason 47 has a good interview on his page.

https://www.jason47.com/days/donfrabottainterview.html

[AMCOLTLLover]

Thank u so much