Y&R: Old Articles

[SoapDope]

Elizabeth Harrower is the mother of Susan Seaforth Hayes.

I remember Kay Alden saying Bill Bell asked her if she was serious about writing for soaps and gave her work assignments. She would mail them to him to critique and then a check would come in the mail if he liked them and used it on the show. This went on for a few months till she graduated from college. She said he then offered her a job. She figured she would rest up and take a vacation etc...then come to work. Bill shook his head and said " No that will not work for me. I need you here to start on Monday. That's what she did. He set a typewriter up and she went directly to work. They would watch the show during lunch. If Bell saw something he did not like onscreen, when the show finished airing he would call directly to the control booth and blast Conboy....LOL

 

Alden also said when she met Bell, he told her he had been invited to speak to a college class about writing soaps and they pretty much tore him apart for writing bottom of the barrel trash. So when he met Alden, he was ecstatic that a young person of her generation wanted to write for daytime. 

[mikelyons]

According to one of the DAYS history books, it seems (and someone **please** correct me if I'm wrong), that Harrower left Y&R for DAYS.

[will81]

Not 100% sure, but I have seen her listed as having been on Y&R from 1977 to roughly late 78 or very early 79, when she left to become head writer of Days. She then returned by 1980 and stayed until about 1984.

[moi570]

 

I'm also looking for the scenes where cassie is shown in the episodes of April 1, 6 and 7, 2005 of y & r in english or in french

[yrfan1983]

John and Katherine went out on a date or two but it was maybe 3 eps...total non-event. Katherine's "big story" for 1997, other than nosing around Danny and Christine, was her "facial chemical peel", which everyone commented took years off her face!  I assume JC had one done IRL too. Oh and Esther, forget about it... maybe mentioned twice the whole year. Wonder if they kept KL on contract...

 

Yep Flo was sporadically around for the shooting, just supporting, and then she was there for Christmas, and I think that's it. I'm a few months into the '98 daily recaps and no Flo. 

[YRfan23]

There was also a scene where Katherine and Phyllis got into a verbal spat. I read an article about it since they mentioned the show rarely has different characters interact, how satisfying it was to see Katherine get a “potential” rival in Phyllis. I think there was a line where Katherine said “I never met anyone That could be as evil as Jill”......stretching that a bit as I wouldn’t classify Jill as “evil”. 

[OzFrog]

 

Depends on when this was though. Even into the 90s and early 2000s the enmity between Kay and Jill was still gigantic. So it wouldn’t be out of character for Kay to see Jill as “evil”, and nor would it be out of character for Jill to think the same of Kay.

[phickfan]

[email protected]

[will81]

I found this recently. It is a list of scripts Bell donated to the Online Archive of California. 

 

http://pdf.oac.cdlib.org/pdf/ucla/pasc/wjbell.pdf

 

Does not say if they have a complete collection or if Bell wrote all scripts they have, but it does have episode numbers and dates. 

 

Most interesting is the scripts for Y&R stop on Oct 24, 1997 (Did Kay take over and Bell was there in name only and as a Exec Prod???)

 

I will post this in the B&B/AW/ATWT threads too. Also interesting that he had ideas for All My Children as well and lists other shows he had ideas/notes for

 

From this I have gathered the following episode numbers for the first 10 years

 

1973 - #1 - #186 (15 pre-emptions)

May 17 - Watergate Hearings Opening Day

May 18 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

May 22 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

May 23 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

May 24 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jun 6 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jun 13 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jun 27 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 12 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 17 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 20 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 25 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 30 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Sep 25 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Nov 22 - NFL Football (Washington - Detroit) / College Football (Air Force - Notre Dame)

 

1974 - #187 - #439 (8 pre-emptions) 

Jan 1 - 85th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Texas - Nebraska)

Mar 15 - Nixon State of the Union Addresss (Unconfirmed)

Jul 4 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 5 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 9 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 10 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Jul 15 - Watergate Hearings (Unconfirmed)

Nov 28 - CBS SPECIAL: CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People / NFL Football: Washington - Dallas

 

1975 - #440 - #696 (4 pre-emptions) 

Jan 1 - 86th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Penn State - Baylor)

Jul 17 - US/USSR Space Flight Mission (Unconfirmed)

Nov 27 - NFL (RAMS - LIONS)

Dec 26 - Sun Bowl (Pittsburgh - Kansas)

 

1976 - #697 - #954 (4 pre-emptions) 

Jan 1 - 87th Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Arkansas - Georgia)

Aug 16 - Republican National Convention

Nov 25 - Local Programming / Pro Basketball (Bullets - Suns)

4th Pre-emption sometime between Oct - Dec

 

1977 - #955 - #1211 (3 pre-emptions) 

Jan 20  - Jimmy Carter Presidential Inauguration

Sep 5 - US Open

Nov 24 - NFL Pre-Game Show / NFL Pro Football (Bears - Lions)

 

 

1978 - #1212 - #1467 (4 Pre-emptions)

Jan 2 - 89th Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Notre Dame - Texas)

Sep 4  - US Open

Nov 23  - Famous Classic Tales (Journey to the Centre of the Earth) / CBS Sports Spectacular

Dec 25  - Peach Bowl (West Coast only) so may be another date for East Coast

 

1979 - #1468 - #1725 ( 3 Pre-emptions)

Jan 1 - 90th Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Houston - Notre Dame)

Nov 22 - NFL Today / NFL Football (Bears - Lions)

Dec 25 - LOCAL PROGRAM / Pro Basketball (76er's - Bullets)

 

1980 - #1726 - #1982 (5 Pre-emptions)

Jan 1 - 91st Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Nebraska - Houston)

There was another prior to Mar 4

Sep 1st  - US Open

Nov 27 - NFL Today / NFL Football (Bears - Lions)

Dec 25 - LOCAL PROGRAM / Pro Basketball (Celtics - Nicks)

 

1981 - #1983 - #2235 (8 Pre-Emptions)

Jan 1 - 92nd Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Baylor - Alabama)

Jan 20  - Reagan Presidential Inauguration

Another prior to Mar 3 but not sure

Apr 14  - Columbia Space Shuttle Landing (Unconfirmed)

Sep 7  - US Open 

Oct 6 - Anwar Sadat Assasination (Unconfirmed)

Nov 26 - LOCAL PROGRAM (Varied on each coast)

Dec 25 - LOCAL PROGRAM / College Football (Blue - Grey)

 

1982 - #2236 - #2491 (5 Pre-Emptions)

Jan 1 - 93rd Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Alabama - Texas)

Sep 6 - US Open

Sep 10 - US Open

Nov 25 - NFL Today / NFL Football (Giants - Lions)

Nov 26 - LOCAL PROGRAM

Edited May 23, 2020 by will81

[soapfan770]

Any idea who remastered the early 70’s themes for the early 90’s? It’s amazing that  the soundtrack originally intended for the Brooks and Foster families in a sleepy Genoa City would later get used used for such a long time.

 

The music used in the very first episode when Barbara Anderson identified Brad Elliot’s watch? Used fourteen years later in Jess Walton’s first episode and as late as 1993 when Jill called Katherine an old bloodhound LMAO.

 

Liz Foster’s theme. This has got to the most iconic theme. I mean Neil & Dru first met as this theme played usually by the late 80’s and early 90’s it was played when someone was scheming. 
 

Genoa City Theme-used as late 1993 as far as I know.

 

Chris & Snapper’s Theme-Used as late as June 2011 when Adam & MW’s Diane were served subpoenas while Victor personally

served Jack a subpoena over a very ridiculous business/securities fraud story. 

[will81]

I fixed up some of the above. Here the next few years

 

1983 - #2492 - #2747 (4 Pre-emptions)

Sep 5 - US Open

Sep 9 - US Open

Nov 24 - LOCAL PROGRAM

Nov 25 - LOCAL / College Football (Alabama - Boston)

 

1984 - #2748 - #3002 (6 Pre-emptions)

Jan 2 - 95th Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Texas - Georgia)

Sep 3 - US Open

Sep 7 - US Open

Nov 22 - NFL Today / NFL Football (Packers - Lions)

Nov 23 - College Football (Boston - Miami)

Dec 25 - Christmas Day

 

1985 - #3003 - #3256 (7 Pre-emptions)

Jan 1 - 96th Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Boston - Houston)

Jan 21 - Reagan Presidential Inauguration

Sep 2 - US Open Championships

Sep 6 - US Open Championships

Nov 28 - Local Programming

Nov 29 - Local Programming

Dec 25 - College Football

 

1986 - #3257 - #3509 (8 Pre-emptions)

Jan 1 - 97th Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl (Auburn - Texas)

Jan 28 - Space Shuttle Challanger Explosion (All three networks were covering the launch when the tragedy happened. They cut into daytime coverage at 11:28am and it went through to the evening news)

Jan 31 - Memorial Service for Challanger Crew (This only affected the East Coast, but at some point the West Coast must pre-empted the show too)

Sep 1 - US Open

Sep 5 - US Open

Nov 27 - NFL Today / NFL Football (Packers - Lions)

Nov 28 - LOCAL / College Football

Dec 25 - Pro Basketball (Bulls - Nicks)

 

1987 - #3510 - #3755 (15 Pre-emptions)

Jan 1 - 98th Tournament of Roses Parade / Cotton Bowl

Jul 7 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 8 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 9 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 10 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 13 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 14 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 22 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 23 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Jul 24 - Iran Contra Hearings (Provided by another source, not confirmed by me)

Sep 7 - US Open

Sep 11 - US Open

Nov 26 - LOCAL PROGRAM

Nov 27 - LOCAL PROGRAM

Dec 25 - Pro Basketball (Pistons - Nicks)

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2020 by will81

[mikelyons]

I've always found Bill Bell & Agnes Nixon's relationship interesting. He claimed in his Academy interview that he barely knew her, but from my research, it appears he wrote under Agnes in the late-50s while Agnes head wrote THE GUIDING LIGHT. Additionally, if he barely knew Agnes, why is her AMC bible in his archive? SO. MANY. QUESTIONS!

[will81]

I know. I think they must have known each other quite well at least through Irna

 

I also want to know why there are Days scripts post 75 up to 78. I know he was a story consultant, but he claimed that was in name only and once he left he was gone and had no further interaction with the show. There was a letter published in some Days history book from 1976 or 1977 with Bell telling Pat Falken Smith how Julie should be after her marriage to Doug. Though Bell said he had nothing to do with Pat's tenure on the show. There are many questions

 

I really want to know if he stopped writing Y&R Oct 24, 1997 - the archive just may not have his remaining scripts, but it seems odd as they have everything it seems

[mikelyons]

With regard to his archive, I think the Bells donated the archive prior to Bill's last Y&R episode which may account for the gap.

From what I can recall about Bill at DAYS, he did last until (at least) 1977 because that was the end of his DAYS contract with Screen Gems. He would supply Pat Falken Smith with the long term story which she would breakdown into monthly, weekly, and daily story. Maybe, by this time, she was listed as head writer and he as story consultant. People on this site have noted that around 77-78, the quality of DAYS fell a bit which may also coincide with Pat Falken Smith going over to GH and working on Luke & Laura. I'm not a student of DAYS, so pardon any gaps!  

Edited May 21, 2020 by mikelyons

[will81]

That would make sense on both counts. Thanks for the info