Y&R: Old Articles

[OzFrog]

 

Yes, between December 1988 (Brenda’s arrival) and September 1989 (Terry’s departure). And their chemistry was quite strong. She held her own against Terry just as well as Eileen did.

[Antoyne]

I had never seen Brenda’s Ashley before the classics started airing and I’ve grown a real fondness for her. Eileen is the only Ashley I knew and I’m a fan, but Brenda just has this effortless warmth to her that draws me in. Truthfully if Eileen is unwilling to commit to a contract I actually wouldn’t mind Brenda coming back. She has history with the existing vets already.

[OzFrog]

I just watched the 1982 clips in the vault and OMG we have been spoiled!

 

1982 Traci was so shy and withdrawn, especially with the longer hair and the way she was dressed. The change she would undergo just in the next few years is crazy. So cute seeing her and Angela bond (Liz Kiefer was actually damn good in this). That would have been a friendship I’d have loved to see grow throughout the years. I also love that they were already telegraphing the Traci and Danny stuff that would arise a year or so later.

 

I just wish we had clips of the actual wedding of Jack and Patti, including Ashley catching him in bed with Diane. That would have made my year! 1982 Ashley was YOUNG!! And again, the stuff she would be involved in only a few years later.

 

The scenes with Nikki and Caroline are hilarious. Who knew Nikki was such a bitch even back in 1982? Kevin is an absolute doll (and Christopher Holder was quite easy on the eye too). The Victor and Lorie storyline was awesome too - when was the ill-fated wedding where she left him the goodbye note?

 

And the Kay/Earl/Alison stuff - OMG Kay was so frickin catty with Alison, but I loved every moment.

 

THANK YOU to whoever uploaded those - they put a massive smile on my face!

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[janea4old]

I have seen posts referencing a "French episode guide".  What is that?

[SoapDope]

I was about to say the same thing about Traci. She was so shy and self conscious about her appearance. How did they write Angela out ? Liz Keifer said she had signed a contract with the show and she assumed she would be there for a several years, but then she realized the hard cold facts that a contract doesn't mean squat and they can opt out at anytime.  I loved Lilibet Stern as Patty and remember being disappointed as a kid when she abruptly left and was replaced by Andrea Evans.

 

Tracey Bregman said she originally was offered to the role of Patty when Lilibet decide to depart, but Bell created the part of Lauren for her. She said originally she was supposed to be a good friend to Tracy, but Bill Bell saw something she did in a scene and realized he wanted to make her the bitch. Bregman said she loved playing the role as the mean girl, but it hurt her to say awful mean things to Beth Maitland and fretted over it. Beth told her it was just acting and don't worry about. She and Beth are still close after all these years. 

[will81]

This would explain why Bell didn't just marry off Lance and Leslie and have them ride off into the sunset with Brooks. It seems Leslie was supposed to stick around with Robert, Angela and Claire. I guess Bell felt there was not strong enough story potential or that Leslie didn't fit into the new show, so he cut everyone connected to her loose. I am betting if Victoria had been kept, that Robert Colbert may have stayed on recurring as well (if he had wanted to).

 

80 - 82 was a crazy time, a lot of turn over and too many different characters and stories, the show just wasn't focused, so anyone could be gone, I'd say once JLB decided to leave, all bets were off. As a side note I spoke to Bond Gideon through message on the Y&R FB group. She stated that Conboy and Bell were happy with her, until her agent apparently played hardball and Conboy dismissed her. So it seems likely Bond would have been Jill, at least until Brenda decided to return, because I have no doubt Bell wanted Brenda back and would have made it happen. 

 

ETA: Angela left with her mother and father once Robert and Claire reunited. Seems to have happened very quickly, then Leslie took off a week or two later

Edited July 30, 2020 by will81

[SoapDope]

Thanks for the info. It's interesting that Bond could have been Jill for a while till Brenda came back. I wonder if she fired her agent after that ? 1980-82 was a crazy time period. I noticed too that in the 70's most of the men had been dark haired, but when the early 80's arrived it was mostly blonde men Lance, Lucas, Jack, Andy, Paul, Kevin, Cash, Greg, etc...

[will81]

Yeah the 80's was all about blond hair, blue eyes and olive skin. The All American boy and girl next door look and was followed with the drive for status and wealth. Same with movies and primetime too. I think this was when the Boomers/Hippies sold out and became yuppies, haha. 

 

I definitely think Bond would have been around at least until 1983. Brenda did a Falcon's Crest guest shot in 1983 and I am certain Y&R put out the feelers about a return. In a Jan 83 SOD interview (probably done in late 82) Deborah Adair stated she had just renewed her contract with more money and an agreement for better story. I am guessing Bell probably enquired with Brenda if she would be willing to return, then waited out Deborah's contract. Look at Jill in 1983, she had little to do, then Brenda comes back and boom, 4 years of pretty solid story and the character is once again front and centre, instead of being a featured ensemble player.

 

Makes me wonder, if Bond had been Jill would Jerry Douglas have still been cast as John? 

Edited July 30, 2020 by will81

[SoapDope]

I was always curious as why Sean Garrison was in the part in that 1980 episode with Bond. Was he John Abbott # 1 before Brett Halsey or did he just sub for him ?

[kalbir]

The first half of the 1980s we could clearly see the Dallas/Dynasty influence:

Victor Newman, billionaire businessman that owns and lives on a horse ranch.

The wealthy Abbott family owns and operates a cosmetics company.

Dina Abbott abandons her family and years later returns to Genoa City as wealthy widow Madame Dina Mergeron that has inherited her late husband's business which rivals her ex-husband's business.

 

Of course Victor or the Abbotts couldn't own an oil company in Wisconsin and Dina couldn't be a foreign diva that lives in a luxury penthouse as that would be too obvious 

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I guess Bill Bell went with a cosmetics company for the Abbotts as that was more glamorous than say an artisan dairy or gourmet sausage or craft beer company, you know, things normally associated with Wisconsin 

 

Edited July 30, 2020 by kalbir

[trainman]

 

Once Nikki entered Victor's life, that part of the show suddenly resembled the 1964 movie "My Fair Lady", where the wealthy Henry Higgins had a jolly English friend (Colonel Hugh Pickering) who was mostly along for the ride on his rich friend's coattails, and together, the two of them conspired to turn Audrey Hepburn's low-class character (Eliza Doolittle) into a refined socialite.  I had often wondered if one or both of the Bell's were fans of that movie.

[will81]

Many people remember Brett Halsey as John Abbott when Jill was hired. Then John is absent for several weeks and Sean Garrison pops up for a couple weeks before Brett Halsey is officially announced as John Abbott. 

 

None of this is confirmed, I have tried to research this as much as possible, but none of the soap press that I have found mentions it. 

[FrenchFan]

For those watching the wondeful 1982 clips in the vault, this cast photo is from November 1982. There are a few absents (mostly Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas who might have been on pregnancy break).

 

Back row : Michael Damian (Danny Romalotti), Jay Kerr (Brian Forbes), Doug Davidson (Paul Williams), Michael Evans (Douglas Austin), Robert Colbert (Stuart Brooks), Steven Ford (Andy Richards), Ben Hammer (Alex Morgan)

Middle row : Suzanne Zenor (Claire Laurence), Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott), Eileen Davidson (Ashley Abbott), Terry Lester (Jack Abbott), Jeanne Cooper (Kay Chancellor), Jerry Douglas (John Abbott), Brett Hadley (Carl Williams), Mark Tapscott (Earl Bancroft), Christopher Holder (Brian Bancroft), Marguerite Ray (Mamie Johnson), Carolyn Conwell (Mary Williams), Patty Weaver (Gina Roma)

Front row : Deborah Adair (Jill Foster), Juliana McCarthy (Liz Foster Brooks), Victoria Mallory (Leslie Brooks), Lilibet Stern (Patty Williams Abbott), Lynn Wood (Allison Bancroft)

Floor : Peter Brown (Robert Laurence), Elizabeth Kiefer (Angela Laurence), DeAnna Robbins (Cindy Lake), Meg Bennett (Julia Newman), Brock Peters (Frank Lewis), Kristine DeBell (Pam Warren)

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[Paul Raven]

From that I infer that Bond was recurring when she first came on ?

If she was on contract I don't think her agent would have been able to make any demands. If he /she was  doing so, Bond should have been p***ed!

 

[trainman]

 

What a great photo!  The Abbott house looks so different from a distance.