Y&R: Old Articles

[Soaplovers]

So had Lynde stayed on as Leslie.. would the show have ventured to do the Lori/Leslie/Lance triangle... or would Leslie have stayed with Brad, do you think?

[vetsoapfan]

 

I imagine that the Brad and Leslie saga would have continued if Tom Hallick had remained on the show. Bill Bell often kept his supercouples entwined for many years if the actors stuck around. In 1978, however, when Tom Hallick made it clear he was quitting, Bell decided to switch gears and go with the 4-L drama. It made sense to me at the time. A "new" Leslie with a "new" Brad might have been a turn-off for the audience. It was better to have only one new actress (Victoria Mallory as Leslie) being absorbed into a story with three other charismatic actors who were popular and who had originated their roles. She stuck out less than if she had been part of an all-new Brad and Leslie pairing. Imagine if the new Brad had been a tepid actor too. It would have been a disaster.

[Khan]

 

Just the other day, I was thinking about how scribes like Bill Bell and Agnes Nixon had certain pet themes that they would take with them from show to show.  Bell, for instance, seemed drawn to sibling rivalries, as they were a significant part of his stories on DAYS, Y&R and B&B.  And Nixon REALLY loved writing about girls from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks, who grew up without fathers and craved the "good life."

[YRfan23]

Bill Bell also did one of my favorite troupes on both Y&R and B&B "poor young girl vs Older rich bitch", Jill vs Katherine and Brooke vs Stephanie. I think both inspired JER to do Sami vs Kate and then Theresa vs Ivy/Rebecca

[DeeeDee]

Bill Bell loved 'girls from the wrong side of the tracks who craved the good life' trope as much as Agnes Nixon.

[DRW50]

 

It seemed like Agnes Nixon made them a bit bitchier than Bell did.

[Soaplovers]

 

Nina Webster was pretty fiesty as the girl from the wrong side of the tracks

[kalbir]

 

 

Bill Bell's most notable are Jill and Brooke, and to a lesser extent Nina and Sharon. Bradley Bell used that element for Amber and MAB used that element for Chloe.

[YRfan23]

I feel like Amber was definitely suppose to be B&B's version of Nina, and the whole thing with Rick/Phillip was suppose to be B&B's spin on what happen with Nina and Phillip 1986-1989....with Brooke/Jill, and Stephanie/Katherine, as the key players as well....

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[YRfan23]

Thanks to @ltm1997 Here are 2 episodes from 1987, and 1989!

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[DRW50]

Thanks to you and to @ltm1997. Wonderful gifts. I had just about given up on seeing any of early Leanna, and Andy's goodbye being in the episode too - even better. 

 

I love the "psycho" music that plays when Leanna is talking to Jack, and that moment where she bluntly asks if he's turned on, to which he says yes. So late '80s. And a moment that Peter Bergman could never have played. 

 

Eileen's beehive - wow. 

 

The Traci stuff is decent enough, even if she's dressed like Natalie from Facts of Life. The conversation between Brad and Lauren is a real corker. I laughed when he said she was sincere...to a point. And her bluntly asking him if he actually cared about Traci or her just the company he married into, and pointed out her not being attractive enough for him. Lauren was such an interesting character in these days - not all good or all bad. 

 

How long was this to the story with his ex, Lisa? Was that a year later?

 

The material with Andy and Faren and her daughter feels much more old-fashioned, like something from the '70s Y&R. I wonder if this is what Bell wanted to write compared to what he felt he had to write (the corporate games). I can't help feeling sorry for Andy as you get the impression he doesn't want to do any of this and is just trying his best to support Faren - either that or Steven Ford was playing the scenes that way because he didn't want to go. It's a shame he didn't even get a real goodbye with Paul. It feels like a waste to me that he just left and didn't have any involvement in stories which weren't far off, like the Cassandra saga. 

 

The scene with sugary Faren and her very somber daughter is a bit of a clash - you have to wonder what their relationship would have been like in later years. That girl reminds me so much of Camryn Grimes. Is that Kay Alden's daughter? 

 

At first I thought Paul was going to ask Amy to be his partner, but I guess that ended up being Nathan. 

 

 

[yrfan1983]

^ Yes, Conci Nelson is Kay Alden’s daughter… she played Betsy and came back to play Heather Stevens in the 90s. Fine young actress.

 

Thank you LTM1997 and YRfan23! This was a good ep. 1987 was not YR’s best year, IMO, but this December ep was setting up some good ’88 stories.

 

The first scene with Paul, Nathan, and Amy was not good… it seemed like all 3 of them were reading from cue cards.

 

Colleen Casey was a real find. Lovely presence and strong acting. Somehow the story was a dud, and she and Andy had to be written off. Maybe Steven Ford, as much I love him, wasn’t the right pairing for her. Nonetheless, these final scenes were very touching. Doesn’t seem like CC went on to do much more acting – shame. I’ve seen comments on this site about Faren’s “Sweeney Sisters” act – anyone have that link?

 

Leanna as a scheming threat is 100% times more enjoyable than the “comedic” version of 1991. I’m watching April ’91 now and she is insufferable.

 

Terry Lester! Always such a pleasure to see him. He hasn’t started wearing those ugly glasses from his final days. I liked how firm John was with Jack – that’s unusual.

[YRfan23]

Glad you guys enjoyed!

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 and much thanks to u again @ltm1997! 

 

This episode really does seem in the midst of another transitioning happening, with some of the heavy 80s players leaving or about to leave (Andy Faren,Amy)  and more of the characters to bring the show into the 90s Were coming on like Leanna..

 

Andy’s goodbye gave more of a “I’ll see u later” vibe, especially during the phone scenes with Paul, I agree I wish they had a better goodbye, but maybe Bill Bell was trying to leave the door open....I know Andy came back years later for the 30th anniversary...was he still with Faren, I forget?

i guess this is also the final months we see Paul in his more dingy office and he moves up to a more cooperate looking one, with Nathan and Lynne on the way.

 

early Leanna was intriguing and I definitely wanted to see more, I think this is the first I’ve seen of her and Eileen’s Ashley together ...Eileen is still very tough and it would have been a very believable rivalry if she stayed in the role.

John does seem very harsh with Jack, but it works since he probably still hasn’t gotten over Jack sleeping with Jill...lol.

 

i like seeing more of the feistier spit fire Lauren, but I was stunned that she actually complimented Traci, “she’s a terrific person”  etc...I didn’t realized she already her her hotel suite set at this point too...

 

 

[yrfan1983]

No, when Andy came back, he said he was divorced, which was sad... I guess that freed him up to a possible reunion with Susan Walters' Diane... which went nowhere.

 

From reading the earlier '87 synopses, I think the hotel suite is actually Joanna's, and Lauren moved in after splitting with Paul. And of course, Joanna eventually disappears but Lauren stays.

 

Hmmm Lauren's "compliment" seemed pretty back-handed! As soon as she said that, she says she can't imagine why Brad would stay with someone like Traci

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  To give Lauren credit, she does try to help Brad and Traci reunite after he is freed from Lisa's cage.

[yrfan1983]

John Enos (ex-Bobby) is on Days right now as a Vegas Elvis impersonator, lol