Y&R: Old Articles

[allmc2008]

I was being sarcastic LOL

[YRfan23]

Haha, I wasn't sure, though I kind of knew you were!

[allmc2008]

No worries. Kinda wish I hadn't. We needs someone like Ed Scott to co produce.

[YRfan23]

Believe me, I always invision the miracle of Kay Alden or Ed Scott (or both) to come back as Head Writer or EP......but all wishes can't come true.....

Plus whenever I watch any of the old episodes I share with you guys, I always question whether any of the younger or non veteran current actors would find the dedication that required them to be apart of the glamour which was Bill Bell's Y&R from the first couple of decades.....there's a reason why certain actors and actresses were cast in certain roles......do we have mostly still have pretty faces as we did in the past?........yes, but what we don't have is the uniqueness and proper technique I think some actors required to be a part of Bill's Y&R......Are any of these young folks ready to lead the next generation eventually?.....who is the future Jack,Jill, Nikki,Victor,Ashley etc.....Who are the Cassandra's, Sheila's David Kimble's etc...suppose to be of this generation?.....

[will81]

I feel some could if given the guidance actors had back then. From everything I have heard from Bell's Y&R, Conboy or whoever the EP was at the time, was hands on with performance and story, so was Bell and that would filter to the actors. The directors back then were also responsible for performance and guidance of the actors, not just hired hands as they seem to be now.

JFP seems more interested in budget and look of the show and the directors seem to be just doing what they are told and not really directing so much. I could be wrong but that is the impression I get.

Edited May 1, 2014 by will81

[Paul Raven]

Do we know about Y&R's current taping schedule?

Are they shooting multiple episodes or different parts to allow the show to go dark for periods of time and save money?

Whatever the case I'm sure there is way less time for rehearsals, retaping and notes from the director. Thus the lackluster performances we often see.

[amybrickwallace]

This isn't an article, but I own the complete series DVD box set of Barney Miller, which as a bonus includes the first season of the spinoff series Fish. So I was watching the Fish season and in one of the episodes, I noticed a pretty blond who was hanging around Phil and Bernice Fish's foster kids. I knew she looked and sounded very familiar but I just couldn't place her. Then when the credits rolled around, I noticed that the blond girl's real name was Melody Thomas.

[SoapDope]

Melody started off as a child actress and played in several old shows/films back then. She joined Y&R in February 1979.

[amybrickwallace]

Yup, both she and Eric Braeden were in (separate) episodes of Charlie's Angels. Melody's character didn't fare too well...

[will81]

I thought they weren't doing that, but it was possibly going to happen (or has) I thought they were still a month ahead. Not sure though.

[SoapDope]

Yes, I remember seeing them both on Charlie's Angels.

Dennis Cole who played the second Lance Prentiss on Y&R was married to Jaclyn Smith at the time appeared in several episodes. Ton Ligon who played Lucas Prentiss appeared in an episode with Dirk Benedict.

I always wondered why Bill Bell wrote Dennis Cole out. I remember reading a quote from Victoria Mallory who played Leslie saying she was shocked and he was given little notice. He and Jaclyn divorced around that time as well. I know he had problems with alcohol in real life and wonder if it affected his job at Y&R.

[amybrickwallace]

Yes, Tom Ligon and Dirk Benedict played cadets in the episode "The Blue Angels", the final episode of the first season of CA, and Farrah's last episode as a regular.

Speaking of Tom Ligon, here's a NY Times article about him from August 2013 (with a photo!). He and Sam Waterston were roommates in their salad days. Who knew?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/nyregion/he-used-to-be-on-police-dramas-then-he-met-a-bad-guy-in-real-life.html?_r=0

[Paul Raven]

Tom Ligon was also on A World Apart and Loving.Kind of a sad story.

[Paul Raven]

Here's a recent pic (2012) of Victoria Mallory (Leslie Brooks)

[SoapDope]

She has gotten older of course, but still looks recognizable. A lot of people never warmed up to her as Leslie and preferred Janice Lynde in the role. Here is Janice Lynde Today