Wow, Susan Sarandon playing a 17-year-old? She looks older than that. Definitely more mature looking than the lil teenyboppers we see onscreen today.

She looks younger in some other photos but she definitely doesn't look 17. Of course it's a better fit than a lot of what soaps started doing in the early 90's, where 30 year olds were passed off as teens.

One of those old soap magazines was at a goodbye party thrown for A World Apart and they mentioned that Augusta Dabney had told them Susan was going to be a big star, and they said Augusta was never wrong in these predictions. I guess she wasn't!

Edited July 22, 201114 yr by CarlD2

September 1971 All Day TV.

Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Ali McGraw, Ryan O'Neal, Dustin Hoffman, and Jon Voight into the forefront of the American Cinema. It's the kids who are going to the movies, and the younger generation wants message pictures that are concerned with free love, the war and drugs. They don't want to watch a couple of middle-aged people on the screen grappling with problems that they, too, will have to face sooner or later.

On television, the picture is pretty much the same. Shows like Mod Squad and Medical Center, with Peggy Lipton, Michael Cole, and Chad Everett are at the top of the charts. And what of the shows that appealed to the older folks, like Ed Sullivan, the Lennon Sisters, Lawrence Welk and Andy Williams. All of these shows have been cancelled.

The reason for this is simple. It's the young people who have the money today, as sad as that fact may be to the many older folks who enjoy watching television. It's the kids who are going to the stores and buying the sponsors' products, not their grandparents.

Drastic measures were tried to put these failing shows on the up-tempo and save them from cancellation. Lawrence Welk hired many young performers to aim his show at the youth market, but they just didn't buy it. For the same token, Andy Williams changed his whole style to appeal to a youthful audience. He bought new "mod" clothing, let his hair grow longer longer and hired rock groups to appear on his show. All in vain. The young just wasn't that interested.

Daytime TV is in pretty much the same situation. However, even though many new younger serial stars, such as Richard Hatch, David Selby, Leigh Lassen, and so on, have popped up and become prominent, there is still a place for older stars, such as William Prince and Augusta Dabney, of A World Apart, on daytime TV.

The daytime television audience has always been composed of - and is still to a large degree today - housewives, older women who like to relax or have a good cry when the kids are in school and hubby is at work.

These women are interested in two types of problems - they are very interested in the problems of youth today, as many of them have children in their teens or early twenties who are very concerned about the war and the state of the union, who may be experimenting with drugs and who might just believe in free love. Naturally these mothers worry, and to see some of these problems acted out on their favorite serials give them an idea of how to handle their own children.

But at the same time, these homemakers are just as interested in problems that apply to older people, to people like themselves. And this interest, happily, gives jobs to such talented veterans as William Prince and Augusta Dabney.

Bill and Augusta are both veterans of the theatre. They began working on the legitimate stage when many of today's younger stars were just babies. They have seen talented young actors and actresses come and go - and they themselves are still around.

The reason Bill and Augusta are still acting and working is twofold. First of all, both of them love acting and feel they would be lost without it. Acting is a constant challenge for them, especially on a daytime serial, where the action is fast and furious, and where new situations arise almost every day. Second, Bill and Augusta have a talent for their craft that hasn't diminished a bit over the years. They have the maturity and understanding necessary to create a character that the audience can understand and sympathize with.

As long as there are older, talented actors and actresses around, there will be a place for them in the films and television shows of the seventies. After all, even in youth-oriented pictures such as Love Story, the main characters have parents. As a matter of fact, the talents of John Marley, a veteran actor who plays Ali MacGraw's father in the film, were recognized recently when he was nominated for an Academy Award.

The viewers can also help to keep their favorite "oldsters" on the TV screens, simply by writing to the stations and broadcasting companies and telling them how much they enjoy the acting of a particular star.

Bill and Augusta might not be at an age where they can compete with the teenybopper favorites, but they need not worry about their futures. As long as they have the desire to act, they also possess the talent that will assure them of much work in the years to come.

Edited September 17, 201114 yr by CarlD2

roles these days is bitter and rough is to put it mildly. Acting has often been called the most "dog eat dog" of all the professions, and if you're a pretty young girl trying to break into the business, we're sure you'd be inclined to agree. At an average casting call, perhaps close to one hundred girls will show up for one role.

Advertising agencies casting file contain thousands - yes, literally thousands of photos and resumes of young ladies who possess more than the usual amount of God-given beauty.

And then there's the question of talent. Talent helps, of course, but as one girl put it, "Connections help more." But what really helps is to break into the business at an early age. That way, by the time you're nineteen or twenty, and ready to really work at your career, your name is already well-known, and your chances of being chosen for a particular part are intensified.

Susan Sarandon, a native New York, was lucky enough to be born into a show business family and to have her eye on an acting career at a very young age. As a matter of fact Susan, who's the oldest of four brothers and four sisters, all of whom may choose to follow in her footsteps one day, broke into show business at the ripe old age of four!

It happened one day when her dad, who was working at the time as a television director on the "Bob and Ray Show," was taking care of his darling little daughter.

In the middle of taping, toddler Susan decided that she'd like to be on the show, too. So she staged an unannounced walk on. At first her father and the stars were so surprised they didn't know what to do. But after they got over their initial shock, they decided that Susan was cute enough to participate. This led to subsequent appearances on the show, and soon enough Susan decided that the life of an actress was the life for her.

Susan remained true to her chosen profession all through high school, and when she graduated, she went on to study drama at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

After graduation, Susan joined the Garrick Players, where she studied long and hard to perfect her craft. She proved her talent right from the start, with her professional debut in "Archie and Mehitabel."

When the chance to play Patrice Kahlman in A World Apart came up, Susan was eager to try her hand at it. The role of Patrice in a challenging one for any young actress. Patrice is the daughter of a woman who writes serials, and the series sees these two characters to make money statements about today's generation gap.

Susan doesn't limit herself to the role of Patrice, however. She also accepts any commercial or modeling assignments that come her way. And there are many, for Susan is not only as pretty as most of the models she is in competition with, she is also a very talented young lady.

In her spare time, Susan studies dance. She is also a fulltime wife to actor Chris Sarandon, something she would never let her blooming career interfere with.

Susan had a starring role in a film that was titled The Gap, when it was first made. She was excited about the film and had high hopes for it. These hopes were realized when the title of the film was changed to Joe. Joe, in which her role also dealt with the generation gap, proved to be a huge success. And Susan's part in it was applauded by critics.

Susan, who says, "I guess you'd describe me as a rather precocious child," doesn't regret for a minute her early entry into show business. She's a dedicated young actress who takes her profession very seriously.

However, this doesn't mean that Susan believes in all work and no play. A fellow actress descibred Susan this way: "She's a perfectly natural human being. Susan never feels she has to put on an act. She's too sure of herself for that. And she's nto a so-called typically neurotic actress. On the contrary, Susan is very happy with her life. She's got a husband she adores, a nice home, many outside interests, and a great career. She shows promise of becoming a fine actress in feature films and juicy roles some day. Don't you worry, Susan Sarandon is going to make it!"

In such a competitive world, such high praise from a fellow actress is truly a tribute. Susan is popular with daytime viewers and people also in the profession alike. Almost everyone has high hopes for her and would like to see her get ahead in a big way. And with the drive she has, and the fact that she's been acting for years and years, it seems only a matter of time before the name Susan Sarandon is known all over the world.

Daytime TV Yearbook #1

Variety January 1971

The husband and wife team of Dick and Suzanne Holland, late of ABC* "All My Children," have been signed as the new headwriters of "Apart."

So,Irna and her daughter Katherine lasted a year. I wonder whether they chose to leave or ABC had the power to push them out?

Paul Raven, on saynotoursoap's youtube channel he has a promo for 'A World Apart' with some actress talking about the new 'faster-paced and provocative' stories. So based on that promo, I get the impression that they were probably forced out.

I remember that promo. I know that it ran during the final episode of Dark Shadows. The actress was the late Kathleen Maguire, who was appearing on the show as the wife of James Noble. She had earlier been on A Flame in the Wind/A Time for Us, and she succeeded Doris Belack in the role of Anna Woleck Craig on One LIfe to Live later in the 1970s. She was one of my favorite soap opera actresses! She also appeared in one of the Flipper movies with Robin Matson.

Rise Stevens, whose son was on A World Apart, has died.

Her son was Nicholas Surovy (who later played Mike Roy #1 on All My Children).

Ms. Stevens was a great operatic singer.

Sorry to hear this. I had no idea she was still alive. She made some movies with Nelson Eddy.

She was ninety-nine years old at the time of her death a few days ago.

TV by Day Annual 1971

Anna Minot was the wife of actor Joseph Warren, who played Larry Colby (father of Liza and first husband of Marion) of All My Children.

John Devlin later played Jason Maxwell on All My Children.

Erin Connor was the step-daughter of the late Haila Stoddard (The Secret Storm). Ms.Stoddard was ALMOST hired as a replacement for Ruth Warrick as Phoebe on All My Children.